It’s a baby girl for George Lucas

MANILA, Philippines – George Lucas and his wife Mellody Hobson have a new baby girl, The Huffington Post reports.

Everest Hobson Lucas, as the couple have named her, is their first biological child. The baby who was delivered via surrogate follows after Lucas’ adopted children, Amanda, 32, Katie, 25, and Jett, 20.

Lucas, 69, is the widely acclaimed filmmaker of the “Star Wars” saga and of the coming-of-age 1970s classic, “American Graffiti.”

Hobson, 44, is a businesswoman and president of Ariel Investments, and a steadfast advocate of investor education.

She is also involved in the entertainment industry as chairwoman or board member of Dreamworks Animation and the Sundance Institute, among other organizations.

Lucas and Hobson began dating in 2006 and were married in June this year. Lucas’ pal, film director Steven Spielberg, was among the guests in this ceremony.

The birth of Everest marks a new, more intimate chapter in Lucas’ own personal saga as a filmmaker and entrepreneur.

Last year, he sold his production company, Lucasfilm Ltd., to the Walt Disney Company for what E! describes as a “whopping” $4.05 billion, although it is doubtful that this amount is enough to build the Death Star.

“It’s now time for me to pass Star Wars on to a new generation of filmmakers,” went Lucas’ statement. “I’ve always believed that Star Wars could live beyond me, and I thought it was important to set up the transition during my lifetime.”

Fans will easily quip that there’s something of Yoda’s interior-looking serenity in the director’s statement.

“Star Trek” director J.J. Abrams has signed on to continue the 6-episode “Star Wars” saga with “Star Wars Episode VII,” scheduled for release in 2015.

Want to stoke your ‘Star Wars’ memory? Watch this video by Time Magazine:

– Rappler.com

George Lucas and Mellody Hobson photo from Shutterstock