Paul Sarker Interview: Star Wars & Lucasfilm
Star Wars is one of the biggest franchises in the world, and licensing and merchandise are key to its success. In part, that's because of the genius of George Lucas; he negotiated to keep the merchandise rights back in the 1970s, and was initially thought eccentric for doing so. Instead, he proved to have remarkable foresight.
The movies may appear to be on hiatus right now - Rogue Squadronis expected to be delayed — but the franchise is bigger than ever. In large part, that's because Lucasfilm has continued to expand into new mediums, most notably through the Disney+ streaming service. First, The Mandalorian season 1 launched alongside the platform's release, and now Obi-Wan Kenobi has proved to be a massive hit. Meanwhile, this has coincided with a push towards transmedia storytelling, with the immersive Star Wars: The High Republic initiative weaving in multiple mediums in a single seamless narrative.
Related: Star Wars May Have Fixed a Huge Return of the Jedi Plot Hole
Screen Rant had the opportunity to speak to Paul Sarker, an entertainment lawyer who runs the Just Call Paul podcast, to discuss how Lucasfilm identify opportunities for expansion. He was able to shine a light on the Disney model, and how he believes Lucasfilm develop their franchises.
Screen Rant: We were hoping you'd be able to talk to us a little about your perspective on Lucasfilm, speaking as an entertainment lawyer. Star Wars is probably the biggest transmedia franchise of all time. How do you think that's coordinated from a legal viewpoint, in terms of figuring out which companies to license and how to work with them?
Paul Sarker: I never really worked directly with Lucasfilm, but Lucasfilm was acquired by Disney while I was there. Maybe I can
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