Without George Lucas, modern cinematic science fiction would look very different. But, without a fantastic leading actor in his first major film, it’s hard to imagine our current landscape of sci-fi at all. When we think of George Lucas and sci-fi, naturally, our minds go to Star Wars, and all the wonderful actors whose careers Lucas launched through that hugely important film. But in 1971, well before Star Wars, a hugely accomplished actor helped Lucas launch his first film. Without Robert Duvall’s fantastic performance in THX 1138, you can forget about the modern history of sci-fi as we know it.
Duvall passed away on February 15, 2026, at the age of 95. He is probably best remembered for his film roles in The Godfather and Lonesome Dove, as well as Apocalypse Now, a Francis Ford Coppola film that George Lucas initially wanted to direct. But, in 1971, before Star Wars and before what we now think of as a kind of modern age of sci-fi cinema, Robert Duvall led George Lucas’ first masterpiece. Today, THK 1138 is even more prescient and arresting than it was 55 years ago, and its excellence partly thanks to Duvall’s immortal performance.
