Since the original release of “Star Wars,” changed to “Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope,” in theaters in 1977, the film series set in a galaxy far, far away took the world by storm. With 12 follow-up films and nine shows over the course of its 47-year lifespan, the “Star Wars” franchise has cemented itself as the second highest grossing film franchise in history, just behind the Marvel Cinematic Universe [MCU].
The titular franchise would start off rocky with its creator, George Lucas, being turned away from multiple film studios when trying to back the project. After Twentieth Century Fox bought the rights for the film, production, especially in the model department of Industrial Light and Magic [ILM], would continue to be slow.
It would not be until the then-president of Twentieth Century Fox, Alan Ladd Jr., called Lucas about Walter Cronkite, a renowned news anchor, speaking positively about the film on air, that Lucas knew he had made a sensation.
May 4, 1979, would celebrate the first-ever Star Wars Day, just two years after the release of the original groundbreaking film.
This Star Wars Day, along with celebrating all of the films, television shows, and fandom, has also had the special honor of celebrating the 25-year anniversary of the fourth film in the franchise, “Episode I – The Phantom Menace,” that jump-started the prequel trilogy to mixed applause.
“The way they handled Anakin was so bad,” junior Luke Legler said. “Not only that, but ‘Phantom Menace’ is all over the place, and there’s not really a stable plot apart from Naboo is in trouble, and then oh wait, they go to Tatooine because it’s slightly safer somehow.”
Even though many had less-than-stellar opinions on the film, others still hold the 1999 movie in a special place, due to its significance to them.
“I love ‘Phantom Menace,”’ junior Alan Crawford said. “I know Jar Jar Binks is annoying to a lot of people; I don’t care that much really cause it’s always been a part of Star Wars for me so I don’t think about it that much. ‘Phantom Menace’ is one of the first Star [Wars movies] that I watched as a kid, so that’s definitely a cool one for me.”
“Phantom Menace,” much like the following pair of films from the prequel trilogy, would be heavily criticized by critics and fans alike for sloppy writing and poor storytelling, though it would find its redemption for many in the form of the animated TV series, “Star Wars: the Clone Wars”.
“‘Clone Wars’ season seven [is my favorite piece of Star Wars media,]” Crawford said. “The animation is incredible, and it’s a really beautiful wrap up to the story, especially for Ahsoka’s character and Rex. That was like my first Star Wars content that came out while I was primed for it I guess, like the sequels I was still a kid basically.”
Though the trilogy originally was much maligned by its fanbase, it has certainly grown to be more palatable in previous years.
The prequel trilogy would not be the only one to go through mass changes in audience perception however. The third installment to the franchise, “Episode VI – Return of the Jedi,” was bashed during its 1983 release, even leading to it being mocked in “X-Men: Apocalypse” by Scott Summers [Cyclops].
“I think the reason [reception] is like this is like when the original Star Wars came out the people who loved it [back then] were kids and when the prequels came out we were kids and I, much to my chagrin, I mean it’s history repeating itself,” senior Scout Sullivan said. “I think down the line, 10, 20 years, the sequels will be praised.”
This May the Fourth, fans have taken to celebrating the occasion by getting involved in the fandom, by watching movies, playing video games, and spending time with family and friends.
“I watched ‘Revenged of the Sith’ and I was playing ‘Star Wars: Jedi – Survivor,”’ Sullivan said. “‘Revenge of the Sith’ is like my all-time favorite movie ever and ‘Jedi Survivor’ it’s just right now it’s my favorite Star Wars game. I was also playing ‘Star Wars: Battlefront II’ with friends.”
While some took to appreciating the older installments to the ever-expanding franchise, others would see what was next on the horizon with newer installations.
“I watched some Star Wars, pretty much,” Crawford said. “I was working on finishing ‘The Bad Batch’ last season and I think as a family we watched Episode five.”
