Before there was a blockbuster like Avatar or superhero movie like Black Panther, there was Star Wars. To be clear, I’m not saying that Star Wars is better than those movies (although it is). The original trilogy is just as influential as any of these other films.
The star wars trivia questions and answers are a testament to that influence. The original trilogy has been around for more than 40 years, and it still has an enormous impact on pop culture today, and here’s why.
1. It’s the box office juggernaut.
The Star Wars franchise is the most successful movie series of all time. It’s made over $7 billion worldwide and counting, which is an insane amount of money even when you consider how much Hollywood spends on films these days.
But it wasn’t always this way: while the first film in 1977 made $37 million at the box office and was nominated for 5 Oscars (including Best Supporting Actress), it didn’t make nearly as much money as Jaws or Star Trek: The Motion Picture, both released earlier that year.
2. It remains the benchmark for special effects innovation.
The movie industry has always been a fast-moving field, especially when it comes to special effects. With technology advancing at an exponential rate, every new generation of film-goers expects more from their movies than the last. Star Wars was the first film franchise to pioneer some of the most significant leaps in special effects technology, which set them apart from other films of their time and made them feel more like real life than anything else on screen at that time.
Star Wars was also one of the first films to use computer generated graphics (CGI). It was also one of the first films to use motion capture (a technique used by actors wearing body suits with markers placed throughout so that they can be recreated as CGI characters), green screen (where all backgrounds are created using CGI) and even CGI characters themselves. This allowed filmmakers to create realistic worlds that had never been seen before, which ultimately led them down many different paths where they could create an entirely new universe for viewers.
3. Its cultural impact is undeniable.
Star Wars is a cultural phenomenon. The series has influenced countless other films and TV shows, as well as how people dress, speak, think and more.
In fact, it’s hard to imagine Star Wars without its iconic characters like Darth Vader or Yoda or Luke Skywalker himself. But what if they looked different? What if Obi-Wan Kenobi had blue skin instead of brown? Or if R2D2 was a robot dog instead of a droid? These are all real possibilities when you look at some of the concept art for “Star Wars: A New Hope.”
4. Nothing has brought people closer together quite like Star Wars has.
While the prequels were met with mixed reviews, it’s hard to deny the influence of Star Wars. It is a series that has been watched by generations of kids, adults, grandparents and grandkids alike. The original trilogy has become a family favorite for many families across the globe for decades now.
5. Without Star Wars, there would be no Pixar or Marvel Studios today.
The Skywalker family saga has inspired many films and TV series to date, but it’s also been a huge influence on the way we see superheroes. Just look at Marvel Studios’ Avengers films, which are essentially superhero team-ups of all your favorite characters from the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe). You might be surprised to learn that it was originally inspired by Star Wars: the first draft of The Avengers had Nick Fury attempt to assemble a team of superheroes just like he does in Endgame.
The first time Pixar successfully brought their own ideas into existence was with Toy Story, and before that movie came out, John Lasseter wanted to make Adventures on Earth as an animated version of Star Wars using toys instead of people. It was his favorite movie growing up because he said: “it felt real.” If you’ve seen AOE (which is still being made today), you’ll know that this is an accurate description.
Pixar’s sequel The Incredibles was also heavily influenced by Star Wars: when Edna Mode gives Mr. Incredible his new costume at the end of their meeting scene, she says “I haven’t felt this good since 1977. ” This references when she created her iconic costume for Sylvester Stallone’s Rambo character in Rambo III – another hidden easter egg referencing one of Pixar’s biggest influences.
Finally, Star Wars is a staple of pop culture, and its influence on the world we live in today can’t be ignored. It’s a series that has transcended its original medium to become something much greater than just movies, it’s a way for us all to connect with one another and share stories about how the galaxy far, far away shaped our lives.