George Lucas finally comes to Comic-Con to give a preview of his new museum
The Sunday panel discussion in Comic-Con's vaunted Hall H will act as a relatively quiet closing act to the four-day festival that brought its usual series of big, bombastic looks at upcoming sci-fi and superhero projects.
The museum-centered session is also meant to be a broader discussion of the new institution's subject matter: the histories and traditions of narrative art across time and cultures.
Lucas will be joined by fellow filmmaker Guillermo Del Toro and art director Doug Chiang, who has worked on a steady series of 'Star Wars' films starting with the Lucas-directed prequels in 1999. Queen Latifah will act as moderator.
Lucas is easily on the Mount Rushmore of figures whose work has had the greatest inspiration on the kind of films and other pop cultural celebrated annually in Hall H at Comic-Con.
But the convention wasn't a common showcase for blockbuster films when he was directing them himself. And he sold 'Star Wars' and Lucasfilm to the Walt Disney Co. in 2012, and Disney has used different venues to make big splashy presentations about its properties.
The museum founded by Lucas and his wife, businesswoman Mellody Hobson, is set to open next year in Exposition Park, near the Los Angeles Coliseum, several of the city's other museums, and the University of Southern California.
The 11-acre campus and 300,000-square-foot building designed by architect Ma Yansong includes galleries, two theaters and related spaces.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
6 minutes ago
- The Independent
Trump weighs in on American Eagle's Sydney Sweeney ad controversy
Donald Trump has given his take on actress Sydney Sweeney's controversial jeans advert for American Eagle. The advert, which featured the tagline: 'Sydney Sweeney has good genes', was slammed by some who have accused it of subtly promoting white supremacy and eugenics. Speaking to the press before embarking on Air Force One on Sunday (3 August), the US president said the ad was 'fantastic' after a reporter informed him that the 27-year-old actress is a registered Republican. 'Oh, now I love her ad,' he said, adding: 'You'd be surprised at how many people are Republicans', though admitted he did not think Sweeney would have voted red. 'If Sydney Sweeney is a registered Republican, I think her ad is fantastic.' On Saturday (2 August), it was revealed that the Euphoria actress has been a registered voter with the Republican Party in Florida since June 2024, according to public voting records.
The Independent
6 minutes ago
- The Independent
Humans may have hibernation ‘superpowers' in untapped genes, scientists say
The 'superpowers' of hibernating animals are also present in human DNA, according to a pair of recent studies that provide clues to unlocking this potential and opening the door for new diabetes and Alzheimer's treatments. Hibernating animals such as squirrels and bears exhibit incredible resilience, going long periods without food and water and withstanding near-freezing temperatures by slowing down metabolism. They avoid muscle and nerve decay and stay healthy despite massive weight fluctuations. When these animals emerge from hibernation, they appear to recover from dangerous symptoms similar to those seen in people suffering from diabetes, Alzheimer's and stroke. 'If we could regulate our genes a bit more like hibernators, maybe we could overcome type 2 diabetes the same way a hibernator returns from hibernation back to a normal metabolic state,' Elliott Ferris, an author of one of the studies, says. The research focuses on a gene cluster called the 'fat mass and obesity locus', which plays an important role in hibernators. DNA regions near the FTO locus regulate the activities of neighbouring genes, tuning them up or down. They enable hibernators to put on weight before cosying up for winter and allow them to slowly use their fat reserves throughout hibernation, researchers say. 'What's striking about this region is that it is the strongest genetic risk factor for human obesity,' says Chris Gregg, a senior author of one of the studies from the University of Utah Health. When researchers mutated the hibernator-specific gene regions in mice, they noticed changes in their metabolism and weight. Some mutations sped up weight gain while others slowed it down under specific dietary conditions. The mutations also affected the ability of mice to recover body temperature after a hibernation-like state. 'When you knock out one of these elements – this one tiny, seemingly insignificant DNA region – the activity of hundreds of genes changes,' Susan Steinwand, another author of the studies, says. Previous studies show that hibernating animals can reverse neurodegeneration, avoid muscle decay, remain healthy despite massive weight fluctuations, and show improved ageing and longevity. The latest studies suggest we possess the necessary genetic code for hibernator-like superpowers, if we can bypass some of our metabolic switches. 'This work provides a genetic framework for harnessing hibernator adaptations to understand human metabolic control,' researchers say. 'Humans already have the genetic framework,' Dr Steinwand says. 'We just need to identify the control switches for these hibernator traits.' Further studies on these genes and their surrounding DNA regions can help confer similar resilience to humans, scientists say. 'There's potentially an opportunity – by understanding these hibernation-linked mechanisms in the genome – to find strategies to intervene and help with age-related diseases,' Dr Gregg says. 'If that's hidden in the genome that we've already got, we could learn from hibernators to improve our own health.'
The Independent
6 minutes ago
- The Independent
Stephen Colbert lands new late-night gig
Stephen Colbert, the host of The Late Show, is getting a new late-night gig – albeit a fictional one. He is confirmed to guest star in the forthcoming third season of the crime comedy series Elsbeth, portraying Scotty Bristol, the host of a fictional late-night talk show. His appearance was specifically written for him and was reportedly orchestrated by his new co-star, Wendell Pierce, with the episode thought to have already been filmed. The Late Show with Stephen Colbert is scheduled to conclude in May 2026, with CBS stating the decision was financial. However, speculation suggests the cancellation may be linked to appeasing President Donald Trump, following Colbert's critical comments about a settlement involving Trump and Paramount's need for FCC approval for a major sale.
