George Lucas inaugurates ‘Sandcrawler’ in Singapore

“Star Wars”creator George Lucas poses with characters from the movies “Star Wars” during the opening ceremony of the “Sandcrawler” building, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2014 in Singapore. The “Sandcrawler” building, aptly named due to its resemblance to a large vehicle featured in the original “Star Wars” film, is home to the regional headquarters for Lucasfilm Singapore, The Walt Disney Company (South East Asia) and ESPN Asia Pacific.(AP Photo/Wong Maye-E)

SINGAPORE – Renowned filmmaker George Lucas thanked the government of Singapore for “so clearly” delivering on its promise of support, as he inaugurated the spanking new Sandcrawler building in the bustling Mediapolis district today, Thursday.

The creator of “Star Wars” said the building–inspired by the desert-scavenging vehicles in the beloved film franchise and already a winner of six architectural awards– was a symbol of the collaboration between Singapore and Lucasfilm in promoting and nurturing the “talent ecosystem” in the digital entertainment arts.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who attended the ceremony, said his government sought to cultivate a “vibrant community of talents” in the entertainment arts, and that Lucasfilm had been a dynamic partner in seeing this through.

Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy and general manager David Anderman met regional media representatives and discussed the company’s Jedi Masters Program for visual artists and the future of “Star Wars.”

It was previously announced that the seventh episode would be released in December 2015.

Sandcrawler will house the business offices of The Walt Disney Company, which now owns Lucasfilm and ESPN.