Is there any other movie franchise that has achieved anywhere near the reach of Star Wars?
Since the first film in the series was released in 1977, it has embedded itself in pop culture, made creator George Lucas a very wealthy man and become a crown jewel in the Walt Disney Company’s (NYSE:DIS) properties.
Excitement has reached a new pitch with the countdown now on to the December release of The Force Awakens, the latest film in the series.
In fact the release of a new trailer for the movie last week boosted DIS to the tune of $2 billion.
Just how pervasive is Star Wars today? We put together a gallery that shows just how wide-spread and influential this phenomenon really is.
Star Wars Impact: Star Wars Lego
It’s hard to imagine, but Lego was once a struggling company.
After inking a deal to make Star Wars Lego sets (the first was released in 1999), the company’s fortunes began to improve.
That license is a big part of the Lego turnaround that saw the company pass Mattel (NASDAQ:MAT) in 2014 to become the world’s biggest toy company.
The company is releasing 32 new Star Wars Lego sets in 2015 as part of a massive The Force Awakens merchandise blitz.
Star Wars Impact: ANA’s R2-D2 Jet
Japan’s All Nippon Airways leveraged The Force Awakens hysteria in a big way when it unveiled this jet.
Fans of the movies may not be able to fly at light speed, but they’ll be able to cruise at jet speed in this R2-D2 themed 787 Dreamliner (warning: website plays the theme music) from Boeing (NYSE:BA).
Not many movie franchises could pull of this kind of corporate partnership.
Star Wars Impact: Tauntaun Sleeping Bag
What started as an April Fool’s joke became a real product when it was discovered fans and collectors would happily shell out $150 to sleep in a Tauntaun sleeping bag.
In other words, a Star Wars license will let you sell virtually anything and at a premium.
Modeled after the creature that Han Solo uses to give Luke Skywalker shelter from the freezing temperatures in The Empire Strikes Back, this sleeping bag is complete with “printed internal intestines.”
Bad smell not included.
Star Wars Impact: Board Games
Check out any hobby shop and you’ll find dozens of board games based on the movie franchise, many featuring armies of Stormtroopers or armadas of plastic X-Wings.
Basically, if there’s a board game you like, there’s probably a Star Wars version of it.
For the more casual gamer, Hasbro (NASDAQ:HAS) has released multiple versions of Star Wars Monopoly.
Star Wars Impact: Darth Vader Toaster
Not even your kitchen is safe from the influence of these movies.
There are Star Wars cookbooks and Star Wars kitchen accessories, in case you feel your kitchen activities don’t sufficiently represent your Star Wars enthusiasm.
Or, if you’re really hardcore, Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) sells a wide range of Star Wars-themed cooking gear, including this Darth Vader toaster that embosses your bread with the franchise logo.
Star Wars Impact: Digital Downloads
Many fans have spent hundreds of dollars buying copies of the first six films in the series on VHS tape, LaserDisc then DVD and Blu-ray.
There were the boxed sets and then multiple versions (some original, some with updated special effects) to keep the money machine going.
With The Force Awakens ramping up the hype, there’s a push to sell those first six movies all over again, as digital downloads.
Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) will sell you the complete collection, in HD, on iTunes for $100.
Star Wars Impact: Clothing
Tee-shirts are a no-brainer for pretty much any movie, but Star Wars has a presence in the fashion industry that’s unmatched by any other franchise.
You can buy swimwear, bath robes and motorcycle gear modeled after characters from the movies, and Adidas (OTCMKTS:ADDYY) has a license to crank out everything from Star Wars shoes to track suits.
Star Wars Impact: Star Wars Battlefront and Video Games
Like the movie series that inspired it, the original Star Wars Battlefront video game has spawned sequels.
The first came out in 2004, joining a huge list of video games based on the movies –a total that’s getting somewhere near 100 titles at this point.
The new Star Wars Battlefront — set for release one month before The Force Awakens hits theaters this fall — is on track to be one of the biggest video game releases of 2015.
Electronic Arts (NASDAQ:EA) promises the game will take full advantage of the latest game consoles for movie-like graphics. With the movie hype machine running at full speed, EA is already taking pre-orders for Star Wars Battlefront.
Star Wars Impact: Books and TV
While George Lucas’ fictional universe has “existed” since 1977, there have been only six films in the original series. Fans have been rabid to get their fix in other ways.
The movie franchise has spawned hundreds of books, comic books and magazines.
This demand for new content has also resulted in several popular animated TV series (The Clone Wars and, more recently, Disney’s Star Wars: Rebels).
Star Wars Impact: The Force Awakens and the Box Office
While merchandise has been responsible for the biggest chunk of franchise revenue, the movies themselves have done pretty well, too.
Between theatrical releases, re-releases and 3D releases, these films are the third-highest-grossing franchise of all time at the box office.
Disney has already announced four new releases in the series — including The Force Awakens — which arrives in theaters in December, along with several spinoff movies.
Disney is also stepping up promotion at its theme parks, including new attractions to be based on The Force Awakens and “Star Wars” weekends…
Based on the pent-up demand for these films and the promotional might of Disney, expect the Star Wars franchise to move up a notch or two on that all-time box office list.
As of this writing, Brad Moon did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.
