The History Of The Star Wars Films

Star Wars was one of those magnificent films that was an instant phenomenon when he reached the box office and remains a hit. Why not take a moment to follow the intriguing history of Star Wars.

After a successful career in the 1970s with box office hit American Graffiti, George Lucas in 1975, wrote a basic story about Anakin Skywalker’s rise, fall and redemption. The story is so long that it has to be divided into 2 trilogies.

The first trilogy focuses on the life of young Anakin Skywalker, while the second focuses on the life of Anakin’s son Luke Skywalker. Since the second trilogy is the most interesting, Lucas decided to shoot first.

He offers the Universal Studios film, which had financed his film American Graffiti, but opted to go thinking it was a ridiculous movie. They live to regret this decision, which cost millions of dollars in lost earnings. But would not be alone in those regrets as every Hollywood studio passed on the film. Except for the 20th Century Fox, who came up with $ 10 million for Lucas to make his first Star Wars movie a reality.

In May of 1977 Fox released Episode 4 of Star Wars, A New Hope. The tone was quickly established. The film was immediately seen as the biggest adventure ever on film. The special effects were considered magnificent and outstanding. In fact, nothing remotely close had ever made the big screen before.

On the opening day, the Star Wars movie ran in only 32 theaters but still made an incredible $ 254,309 in ticket sales. At the end of his first run that had become the most successful film in American history, raising more than $ 290 million.

Lucas reportedly received 50 million U.S. dollars of those earnings. When Lucas cut his deal with Fox was more interested in controlling the film then in their percentage. He wanted all rights to the final cut and all rights to future sequels, Star Wars merchandise rights, and 40% of GDP. This agreement finally made Lucas a billionaire.

In 1978 Lucas had purchased the ranch Bulltail over 1,800 acres in San Rafael and soon production of the sequel to Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, was underway. Lucas was financing his own pocket and had a budget of $ 18 million, however, due to cost overruns real shoot more than $ 30 million. In May 1980, the strike Empire Strikes Back, hit the theaters grossing $ 222 million, making it the biggest blockbuster of the year.

In May 1983, The Return of the Jedi, hit the theaters grossing $ 265 million in North America and Lucas decides to withdraw from Star Wars projects to achieve some of their other interests. He gave a vague promise to make the prequel trilogy someday if special effects ever become advanced enough.

That day came in 1994 when Lucas announces it will begin work on the trilogy with a statement of attempt scheduled for 1998. In 1996 Lucas signs the biggest deal ever seen in the industry with PepsiCo for movie tie ins, and later in the year it announced that pre-production has begun, and in May 1999 entitled Episode 1 The Phantom Menace ” was released, followed by Episode 2 titled, The Attack of the Clones.

Many believe that 100 years of Star Wars still have many followers. In fact by then it may have grown to epidemic proportions.

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