Howard the Duck (renamed Howard: A New Breed of Hero in the UK) is a 1986 American science fiction comedy film directed by Willard Huyck and starring Lea Thompson, Jeffrey Jones and Tim Robbins. Produced by Gloria Katz and written by Huyck and Katz, with George Lucas as executive producer, the screenplay was originally intended to be an animated film based on the Marvel comic book of the same name, but the film adaptation became live action because of a contractual obligation. Although there had been several TV adaptations of Marvel characters during the preceding 21 years, this was the first attempt at a theatrical release since the Captain America serial of 1944.