May 25th, 2012, marked the 35th Anniversary of Star Wars A New Hope, and the 'First 35 years of Star Wars' infographic illustrates that the influence and history of Star Wars expands far beyond the films.
Everyone whose familiar with the Sci-Fi epic is aware that A New Hope began what would eventually become a six part saga. However, the influence behind George Lucas's masterpiece goes back to the early 1930s with the film Flash Gordon, a movie about a swashbuckling space hero.
Since the first Star Wars movie in 1977, the influence of the film has gone on to spark the creation of comic books, novels, television cartoons, video games and much more. The Star Wars franchise has made over 20 billion dollars in sales from merchandise and over 4.5 billion dollars in movie ticket sales since its debut.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Expanded Universe
- The 'First 35 years of Star Wars' infographic shows a huge influence of Star Wars beyond the films, leading to a growth in merchandising and content sharing opportunities.
- Cross-industry Collaborations
- The Star Wars franchise has sparked many collaborations across various industries such as fashion, theme parks, and technology, showing a potential for cross-industry partnerships.
- Nostalgia Marketing
- The longevity of the Star Wars franchise has led to a large fan base across all ages, making nostalgia marketing a useful method in promoting merchandise and future content.
Where This Applies
- Film
- The Star Wars franchise has made over 4.5 billion dollars in movie ticket sales, presenting opportunities for future films and revenue streams.
- Merchandising
- The Star Wars franchise has grossed over 20 billion dollars in merchandise sales, urging the industry to continue producing innovative Star Wars related merchandise.
- Entertainment
- The Star Wars franchise has led to the creation of comic books, novels, television cartoons, video games, and much more, with vast opportunities for new forms of content creation and revenue streams.
