This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Millersville chapter.
“The Force is strong with this one.”
There is no doubt you are familiar with the origins of this statement. If not, I’m sure you recognize lightsaber battles, Yoda and the sounds of Chewbacca (which is also the sound my boyfriend makes when he’s hungry).
George Lucas’ legendary science fiction saga, “Star Wars,” which began with a film released in 1977 titled “Episode IV: A New Hope,” has become more of a phenomenon than he ever imagined. With action figures, video games, a book series and a few real life stormtrooper battalions, it’s borderline impossible to not be a part of the intergalactic chaos.
“Star Wars'” most iconic story showcases Luke Skywalker who grows and learns the Jedi way through a man he refers to as Uncle Ben. Later in the film, viewers learn that Uncle Ben is really a retired Jedi master, Obi-Wan Kenobi who finds Luke to possess all the right skills to help them win an on-going civil war.
Lucas’ films revolve around the two sides of the civil war and their use of the Force. This power allows users to reap special strength of the mind and body to beat opponents. Some hold more concentrated amounts than others. The Empire uses this power to channel anger and hate while the Jedi use it to mediate and bring a more centralized feeling of peace.
The sheer amount of information and mini stories that are blended into “Star Wars” is what makes the series so dynamic and addicting in nature. The now seven films have a following of millions and continue to fly off store shelves and sell out box offices. The seventh film, “The Force Awakens,” has already sold out across the country and the IMAX tickets have made more than a million dollars in pre-sales, a first for any IMAX film ever produced.
This latest installment is being produced by Walt Disney Studios who obtained the rights to the films for about $4 billion. They have proposed three new films that will highlight specific title characters including Han Solo, a hard-nosed pilot played by Harrison Ford. “Force Awakens” will include a new female character and an African-American title character which are both featured in the trailer. Disney has hired J.J. Abrams, the director of the reprised “Star Trek” films, to direct and produce the new additions, including “Force Awakens” which opens on December 18th. Abrams rejected the initial offers to be brains of the new operation but accepted after Disney insisted he would be the best for the job and refused to look for anyone else. The original films had Lucas and Steven Spielberg behind the camera, both winning several awards for their work in the galaxy far, far away including 10 Oscars.
CoverGirl has even invested in the revival of the Force. They have released both a dark and light side of cosmetics to go with the Jedi or the Empire. Other companies who have signed on include Target, Subway and General Mills. There are even proposed updates to the Star Wars section of Disney’s amusement parks in both California and Orlando.
So whether you are a Jedi or a Sith Lord, this new trip into space has got plenty excited this holiday season and it doesn’t look like it’s going to fall into a black hole anytime soon.