Star Wars: The Hype Awakens
Long before the new film was released, marketing for the new Star Wars movie encouraged excitement for the seventh installment of the series.
December 2015
Jamie Werther '19
A long time ago, in a galaxy not so far away, George Lucas created debatably the most famous movie franchise of all time. Star Wars took the world by storm in 1977, grossing over seven hundred million dollars, the highest amount a single film had made to date.
Everybody was obsessed; kids and adults alike were all amazed by this fictional universe imagined by Lucas. In the years following, as more Star Wars films were released, the popularity of the saga increased, and it continues to grow today. Since the first film was released, TV shows, novels, video games, LEGO sets, and a ridiculous amount of toys have all come about as a result of Star Wars. The saga has grown so much in popularity that the continuation of the franchise was announced in 2012 after Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures bought Lucasfilm, the company created by George Lucas, who owned the rights to the franchise. The sequel was released last Friday, and it had everybody waiting, buzzing with excitement.
It’s probably not hard to figure out by now that people are excited about the upcoming film considering the amount of publicity around the new movie, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens. The new movie has appeared in advertisements for Target, Campbell’s Soup, Chrysler, Jeep, Ram, and a multitude of other companies.
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In addition to appearing in advertisements alongside other corporations, the movie has launched a few products of its own; in collaboration with other brands. The Millennium Falcon drone, BB-8 robot toy, and even Star Wars-inspired Bluetooth speakers, along with many others, have hit the market lately. These little things are what accumulate to giving the Star Wars franchise an estimated 30 billion dollar net worth.
It is truly amazing that a film created thirty-eight years ago still captures the minds and hearts of even today’s youth. The special effects and computer generated imagery (CGI) used in film making today blow away the basic special effects used in the original Star Wars movies, yet even people who see the movies for the first time today continue to fall in love with the saga.
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Nearly forty years after the creation of the saga, you probably could not come across a person in the United States that has never heard of the movies. To some, Star Wars has become tradition; one could even say it is a part of their loving family, and others found families in the ever-growing Star Wars fan base, deciding the only love they needed was in the franchise itself.
In these first weeks of episode VII’s release, be prepared to be swept up in the growing wave of Star Wars hype. And if you’re brave enough to face costumed, passionate, Star Wars-obsessed adults, go give the movie a chance. Just as a warning, most theaters sold out for numerous screenings on the first few weekends, so good luck getting in.
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