The Big Picture

Isaac Asimov, a prominent pioneer in science fiction, publicly declared his love for George Lucas’ Star Wars films, particularly The Empire Strikes Back. Asimov’s influence on George Lucas’ work can be seen in Lucas’ fascination with robots, which was inspired by writers like Asimov who explored the concept in their own writing. While Asimov appreciated the success of Star Wars, he also acknowledged that the focus on special effects in the film industry was overshadowing the appreciation for quality science fiction writing.

It’s difficult to place, but there is something inherently encouraging, heartwarming, and just really cool to find out that one of the most integral pioneers responsible for most of the mind-blowing, otherworldly science fiction novels and movies we’ve seen over the years is just as big of a fanboy as we are. Isaac Asimov is a game-changing trailblazer in the genre of spaceships, alternate galaxies, world-building, robots, and Little Green Men. His novels, including the series that is the basis for the current show Foundation on Apple TV+, provide the groundwork for some of the most memorable intergalactic adventures moviegoing audiences have ever seen. And that includes the beautiful and ever-expanding Star Wars universe. Yes, that’s right – one of the founders of the most creative escapist movie genres loves the work of George Lucas the same way that the rest of us cinephiles do.

Isaac Asimov Declared He Was a Star Wars Fan on ‘The David Letterman Show’
Image via NBC

It was October 21, 1980, and the lucky individual who got to poke around in the brilliant author and physicist’s innovative brain was none other than David Letterman. Ironically it was just days before The David Letterman Show would be canceled on NBC before retooling and launching Late Night with David Letterman, but we digress. The fact of the matter is that among many other thoughts and musings by Asimov, he went on a candid diatribe proclaiming his love for George Lucas’ first two Star Wars films. He particularly appreciated the dazzling effects of The Empire Strikes Back and as he says in the interview, “In fact, I enjoyed The Empire Strikes Back so much that when they finished it, I jumped up out of my seat and yelled start the third part!” He continues, “I figure at the rate they’re going they’ll finish the other parts after I’m dead, which doesn’t strike me as fair.” much to the amusement of Letterman and the studio audience. To be clear, Mr. Asimov would live long enough to see The Return of the Jedi but sadly passed away in 1992 seven years shy of the prequel trilogy which may have been a blessing considering the different approaches between the two.

How Did Isaac Asimov Influence George Lucas’ Work?
Image by Federico Napoli 

In a video interview from the MoPOP (Museum of Pop Culture) in 2004 the great George Lucas had nothing but glowing words when referring to Isaac Asimov’s work, specifically in the area of robotics and their implementation into film saying, “Obviously, writers like Asimov have a powerful effect on those of us who think about robots and put them in our work. Robots are like humans and that’s a fascinating thing.” British SF writer Brian Aldiss compared Asimov’s Foundation galactic prowess to Lucas’ in his anthology of Galactic Empire stories from The New Yorker writing “Asimov gives his characters a science of history—one that can make predictions about the destiny of humanity… Describes the rules or clichés set down for a galactic empire by Asimov… In contrast,…Star Wars as an essay in acceleration… In all three original Star Wars films, it is the speed sequences that stick in the mind.” We are currently seeing this in Aldiss’ assessment of the delivery of Foundation after two thorough seasons steeped in psychohistory and where man has been and where we’re going. It’s not to say that one is better than the other, only that there are comparisons to be made between the two science fiction worldbuilders and out-of-the-box thinkers.

Isaac Asimov Loved ‘Star Wars’ but Acknowledged That Its Success Hurt Sci-Fi Writing
Image via LucasFilm

Go figure, huh? Not everything with Isaac Asimov is rainbows and unicorns. In a 1988 piece in the Los Angeles Times he admitted that while he approved of Lucas’ work and the majestic galaxies in the first three films, he was skeptical about how it would affect the writing of science fiction saying, “Frankly, I’d rather sit at home and write my books.” Asimov nodded his approval of George Lucas’ Star Wars films, but, he said, generally speaking, “decent science fiction won’t do well, because people want special effects. It’s come to dominate. Otherwise, 400 million people would be reading my books.” So perhaps ironically the thing that he said so inspired him about Lucas’ trilogy and their special effects also had a hand in pulling fans of the genre away from the literary worlds that Asimov was a master at crafting. His legacy is in perfect hands as his daughter Robyn Asimov is a co-showrunner with David S. Goyer on Foundation. The Asimov family just seems to have an inherent finger on the pulse of what sci-fi fans want to see, and George Lucas realized as much, which earned him the good favor of the legend himself.