As December 18, 2016
approaches, many fans, geeks, and nerds anxiously wring the hilts of their
lightsaber replicas, polish their respective republic or galactic empire battle
armor, and recite epic catch phrases from the various episodes that comprise
the initial and sequential Star Wars canon of films. Similar to Tuscan raiders lying in wait to
ambush would be travelers on the sandy dunes of Tatooine, these fans eagerly
await the opening credits and first scenes of one of the most highly anticipated
films to date. According to (Acuna,
2015), early box office projections for the film were estimated in the
neighborhood of $1.75 billion dollars, as of April 27, 2015. I wonder if Republic credits will suffice,
(waves hand as if using a Jedi mind trick).
With director J.J. Abrams at the helm, the newest installment of the
beloved franchise has thus far lived up to the hype surrounding the film,
however, the real test will commence on opening night as throngs of fans
dressed in the cos-play likeness of their favorite hero or villain flock to theaters around the world to see if the newest addition to this intergalactic opera
lives up to the mystique of the original trilogy.
The reaction from fans
has been immense leading up to opening day, especially as so much mystery
remains around the fate of one of the franchises most celebrated icons. Paging Luke Skywalker, please report to the
Death Star. However, as reported by (Spangler,
2015), 63% of fans polled expect the latest film to be the best to date within
the franchise. Personally, I can attest
to being part of the 63% as I purchased by tickets months ago for a 7:30 pm
showing of the film on December 17, 2015.
Don’t judge me. Ultimately, the
latest film in arguably the most epic film franchise ever created could
potentially usher in a new era within the motion picture industry. If the film is as successful as predicted,
production studios will fight tooth and nail to reboot lost franchises or even
take leaps of faith towards adapting popular content for the silver
screen. This trend has become more
pronounced in recent years with titles such as Assassins Creed, Warcraft, and Ghost
In The Shell all being slated or currently in production. The flip side to this trend however, would be
reminiscent of the late 90’s in which title after title of the Marvel franchise
failed to live up to the expectations of fans and film critics alike. Considering the talent and success of the
projects that director J.J. Abrams has worked on to date, this possibility has
a probability of coming to fruition akin to confirming that Greedo actually
shot first.
No matter your
preference, one thing is for certain as it pertains to the latest Star Wars
film. The latest addition to the legacy
pioneered by George Lucas will provide a fresh dose of the creative imagination
that has captivated audiences for decades.
The only question that remains is if movie goers will be able to make
that last minute concession stand run in twelve parsecs without missing the opening
credits?
References
Acuna, K. (April 27,
2015). Wall Street thinks 'Star Wars: Episode VII' will make $1.75 billion
worldwide. Business Insider. Retrieved December 6, 2015 from http://www.businessinsider.com/star-wars-episode-vii-citi-estimates-box-office-2015-4
Spangler, T. (September
29, 2015). ‘Star
Wars: The Force Awakens’ Will Be Best Movie Yet: Fan Survey. Variety. Retrieved
December 6, 2015 from http://variety.com/2015/film/news/star-wars-force-awakens-best-ever-survey-1201604577/
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