Star Wars Author Claims He No Longer Gets Work From Lucasfilm Because He's Not Diverse Enough
Star Wars author Adam Bray, known for his work on various Star Wars and Marvel Encyclopedias and guides, claims he no longer gets work from Lucasfilm because he’s not diverse enough.
Speaking with That Park Place, Bray shared that Lucasfilm did not hire him and he did not work on the recently published Star Wars Encyclopedia: The Comprehensive Guide to the Star Wars Galaxy despite being credited as an author.
“As for my non-involvement, this was the first edition they didn’t ask me to work on,” he said. “They didn’t even tell me about it, which was highly unusual.”
As for why he was not hired, Bray explained, “When I asked about the book, I was told Disney/Lucasfilm told them to use more ‘diverse’ writers.”
“Apparently I’m not on the diversity list of authors because I went from doing several books a year for Star Wars to suddenly none,” he added. “No explanation, and I always had a stellar relationship with Lucasfilm and DK. But suddenly nobody answered my emails… Though they still use my work and name to create new books.”
In fact, he revealed that he’s credited on four different Marvel and Star Wars books that have been published this year, but he did not work on them nor get compensated for them.
Bray said, “I’m neither informed nor compensated.”
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Those four books appear to be the aforementioned Star Wars Encyclopedia: The Comprehensive Guide to the Star Wars Galaxy, Marvel Encyclopedia: New Edition, Marvel Studios Character Encyclopedia Updated Edition, and Marvel Incredible Records: Amazing Powers and Astonishing Stats.
As noted above, Bray is credited on all the books, but is not getting compensated for them. In order to get around this, it appears he has purchased copies of the books and is selling signed versions of them.
He wrote on X, “Christmas is coming! I have NEW author-signed (by me) Marvel & Star Wars books available for order! Star Wars SWAG included while supplies last!”
“Your direct orders are the ONLY way I benefit from book sales. DM or comment for order details. Some titles are in limited supply!”
Bray is not the first author to note that Disney was not compensating its Star Wars writers.
Back in 2020, Alan Dean Foster accused The Walt Disney Company of not paying royalties for the various Star Wars and Alien novels he had written.
He wrote, “When you purchased Lucasfilm you acquired the rights to some books I wrote. STAR WARS, the novelization of the very first film. SPLINTER OF THE MIND’S EYE, the first sequel novel. You owe me royalties on these books. You stopped paying them.”
“When you purchased 20th Century Fox, you eventually acquired the rights to other books I had written. The novelizations of ALIEN, ALIENS, and ALIEN 3. You’ve never paid royalties on any of these, or even issued royalty statements for them,” he declared.
The Walt Disney Company eventually resolved the matter sharing in an update on his website in May 2021, “The issue with Disney regarding back royalties has been resolved. Further news relating to this matter to be released shortly to the public.”
The Disney Must Pay Task Force demanding Foster as well as James Kahn and Donald F. Glut get paid by Disney affirmed Disney had resolved the matter.
A press release detailed, “Alan Dean Foster, James Kahn, and Donald F. Glut, the novelization authors of the original Star Wars trilogy, have resolved their royalties’ issues and will be paid by Disney.”
What do you make of Bray’s claim that The Walt Disney Company stopped hiring him because he was not “diverse” enough? Become a paid member to support our journalism and leave a comment.
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