logo Sign In

Rick McCallum Exits Lucasfilm!

Author
Time

Rick McCallum Exits Lucasfilm

Rick McCallum was such a hack. All he did was act as a "Yes-Man" to all of George's senile ideas. The SE changes are just as much his fault as they were George's. 

I was hoping this would happen - I'm so freaking glad now!

Star Wars Renascent

Inspired by the Godfather Part II and a revamp of Star Wars: Reborn

View the discussion thread

Author
Time

Let us rejoice! The man will only be remembered as the "so dense" guy from RLM reviews :D

Author
Time

Meh

“Grow up. These are my Disney's movies, not yours.”

Author
Time

It's so wonderful. Every single Star Wars forum has so many celebrations going on.

Author
Time

He was also behind The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles and I respect him for that.

If you were offered the chance to work on six Star Wars releases and a revolutionary television show would you turn it down even if you might find it difficult to control your boss' wacky ideas?

Author
Time

Bingowings said:

He was also behind The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles and I respect him for that.

If you were offered the chance to work on six Star Wars releases and a revolutionary television show would you turn it down even if you might find it difficult to control your boss' wacky ideas?

 ^^^This.  

Author
Time

No, but I also wouldn't be all like "I looooooooove everything Lucas does. He's a god. He's my idol. I like to kiss his ass aaaaaaaaaall day long!!!".

Star Wars Renascent

Inspired by the Godfather Part II and a revamp of Star Wars: Reborn

View the discussion thread

Author
Time

Asteroid-Man said:

No, but I also wouldn't be all like "I looooooooove everything Lucas does. He's a god. He's my idol. I like to kiss his ass aaaaaaaaaall day long!!!".

  Bingo's post =/= "I looooooove everything Lucas does"....

Author
Time

I'm not saying that; nor do I know how you deduced that. I'm saying that's how McCallum carries himself in his interviews.

Star Wars Renascent

Inspired by the Godfather Part II and a revamp of Star Wars: Reborn

View the discussion thread

Author
Time

Bingowings said:

He was also behind The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles and I respect him for that.

If you were offered the chance to work on six Star Wars releases and a revolutionary television show would you turn it down even if you might find it difficult to control your boss' wacky ideas?

I have also heard, but haven't confirmed, that he was a proponent for the release of the OOT and would try to get Lucas to release it.

Hearing that changed my views on him (which were negative due to his work on the prequels and special editions), but, again, I don't have any sources but hearsay.

Keep Circulating the Tapes.

END OF LINE

(It hasn’t happened yet)

Author
Time

People need to get the hell over it. McCallum was a line producer, a production manager. He didn't involve himself much (if at all) in the creative decisions of Star Wars. It was simply his job to keep the productions on schedule and on budget. Of course he was going to talk up Lucas and the movies in interviews. Exactly wtf was he supposed to say? "This movie is the biggest lump of crap on a stick without the stick since Grease 2 or Jaws 4 but you should still totally go see it"?

All I really want is each film as it was originally seen and heard in theaters; no fixes, corrections, "improvements" or modifications necessary.

Author
Time

thecolorsblend said:

People need to get the hell over it. McCallum was a line producer, a production manager. He didn't involve himself much (if at all) in the creative decisions of Star Wars. It was simply his job to keep the productions on schedule and on budget. Of course he was going to talk up Lucas and the movies in interviews. Exactly wtf was he supposed to say? "This movie is the biggest lump of crap on a stick without the stick since Grease 2 or Jaws 4 but you should still totally go see it"?

This. Seemed like a skilled producer because he produced some complicated productions. He was paid to execute George Lucas's vision with George Lucas's money. 

Author
Time

This is like the quintessential image of McCallum. Seemingly disinterested, surrounded by green screen, just not giving a f***.

I have nothing against the guy. We tease him but he was paid to handle production, budgets, etc. I don't think he was tasked with crafting the stories themselves. I wish him well.

“Grow up. These are my Disney's movies, not yours.”

Author
Time

I think people often misunderstand exactly what a producer does. Some never even visit the set.

Forum Moderator

Where were you in '77?

Author
Time

Rick McCallum would be very annoyed by that large animated gif signature, which may not even conform to the forum rules.

Author
Time

I've already mentioned it to him in another thread.

Forum Moderator

Where were you in '77?

Author
Time
 (Edited)

Eh, Mcallum gets way too much shit. Comparing him to Rick Berman doesn't make much sense either. 

Author
Time

They do have the same first name, though. That's a valid comparison.

Keep Circulating the Tapes.

END OF LINE

(It hasn’t happened yet)

Author
Time
 (Edited)

Berman sort of inherited the mantle after Roddenberry's health declined.

McCallum never had that sort of power over Star Wars.

Forum Moderator

Where were you in '77?

Author
Time
 (Edited)

Wasn't Rick Berman in charge of TNG just when it began to get good? Or am I one of the few people who think the best thing to happen to that series was Roddenberry passing away, god bless his soul?

Anyway, yeah, McCallum gets too much shit. He was just doing his job. And he did a great job! He wasn't meant to be there creatively, he was more like a production manager, and the amount of management he had to juggle was mind-boggling, and each film came slightly under budget and schedule. Hell, he made Episode II without a script! Can you imagine the logistics? On top of which, he subtly prodded Lucas into more useful directions, like bringing in a dialogue coach in Episode III. The fact is, Lucas was the boss, and he wanted someone to carry out his wishes. McCallum knew this, and had he resisted significantly Lucas would have fired him and found someone capable of that. Howard Kazanjian doesn't get shit, but he did the exact same thing. Why? Because that's how it goes. Anyone who hasn't had to do their incompetant boss' bidding hasn't spent enough time in the work force.  Some producers want to be in on the creative side, and some enjoy being managers and taking a backseat. Arguably, the prequels needed that guy, but Lucas was the one in charge and he wasn't going to let that happen.

On top of which, McCallum started out with a bang with Young Indy, not to mention Singing Detective. Great series. "Want to do the prequels?" Hell yes, where do I sign. I think he acted in good faith, George Lucas was a god and these were thought to be the biggest films of the century, but after Episode I he realized, "oh, damn, all those doubts I had during production were true. Oh, well. I'm under contract now. What's the point of quitting?" No one goes after the producer of The Green Lantern. "WHY DIDN'T YOU MAKE SURE THE FILM WAS GOOD??? ARGHHH!" But Gary Kurtz sets an unrealistic precedent. And look what happened to him? He was fired, and after one more film that was the end of his career. If McCallum had any incling to be a creative head he would have got into directing. He was interested in management, and to that end he did a fantastic job.

I wish him well. And I hope he winds up on better films. He deserves it.