It was May 25, 1977 and Star Wars debuted in theaters and instantly became a pop culture phenomenon. The characters over time have become iconic in our culture. From the young farm boy Luke Skywalker and the smug scoundrel Han Solo to the villain known as Darth Vader, the names are more well known than the leaders of the world.
By now, most everyone knows Star Wars. You know the characters, the lines, the failure known as Jar Jar Binks. Most love the original trilogy and wish the prequels were never made. In October 2012, the Walt Disney Company purchased Lucasfilm, it was announced that Episode VII would be released in 2015 and Star Wars fans were excited but also cautious. A new film was needed in the saga to show what happened after the events on Endor in Return of the Jedi, but many were hesitant because of how the prequels turned out.
Fast forward to right now, we are just a few days away from the premiere of Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens. Fans are getting more and more excited by the day. Ticket sales are through the roof, and the movie already promises to shatter box office records, sorry Avatar you may finally move from the #1 spot. In my lifetime, which dates to a couple years before the first film, I have never seen the hype for any one movie like i have for Star Wars Episode VII. I’ve been through the Harry Potter films, Lord of the Rings, Titanic and most recently the Marvel Cinematic Universe but none have stacked up to the Star Wars hype right now for one film.
We know very little honestly about the film. They have done a great job of hiding things from the world. Even to the point they didn’t give copies of the film to be viewed and considered in the coming awards ceremonies. J.J. Abrams, Kathleen Kennedy and Disney have been very particular about what they have let out and what they haven’t. They are keeping the secret of Luke and where he is in the universe top secret. I saw an interview from Mark Hamill that if he keeps the secret till the film comes out, he gets a very large bonus. He is good at keeping secrets, when they filmed The Empire Strikes Back, it was Hamill that kept the secret of who is father was!!!
So later this week, when the first viewings of the film hit, I know within minutes due to social media, the entire world will know exactly what has happened in the film. Exactly what has happened to all the characters over the last 30 years. We will know the role of the new characters and how they fit into the Star Wars Universe. Even knowing the outcome, I can watch the original three films over and over and never get tired of them, and if this film equals the hype, it should be another one I see a few times in the theater.
When the original films hit, a new generation was introduced to the Star Wars Universe. Then 20 years later, another generation was introduced to a whole new set of films which if they didn’t have interest before, watched the original films and chose to either follow the Rebels or take the path of the Empire. Now here we are, over 3 and a half decades since the original film hit the world and we are awaiting the latest chapter in the saga. Did George Lucas ever imagine his opera becoming as big as it has or the impact it has had on the world? There is no way he could have, but i’m glad he pushed to do the first one and i’m excited that the saga continues.
This is the week, Star Wars fans have been waiting for, for a very long time, “May The Force Be With All Of US”, but especially the family members who isn’t into the films and stories as much as the rest of us.
As co-owner and co-creator of The Main Street Mouse.Working in a technical support position for 18 years, it was time for a change.As the Webmaster and Project Planner, I spend most of my time researching everything from the latest Disney News, technology advances and of course keeping up on all the Marvel news that comes out.I never considered myself a writer but I’ve come to like blogging and sharing news with all.I feel blessed everyday that I get to spend my days working with my best friend and love of my life while we continue to grow and expand what started as a hobby all those years ago.
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