If you were on the Internet yesterday, chances are you saw that the newest trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens made its debut, delighting many dedicated fans. With so many people talking about the latest two-minute look at the film due out in December, it’s a reminder that Star Wars is a really, really big deal.
Most people probably don’t need to be reminded of that, but there’s a reason why Disney, who took over the film series after it acquired Lucasfilm in 2012, wants to keep making new movies.
Here’s a look from Box Office Mojo at how much each of the previous pre-quel movies have grossed since their original release:
Total Lifetime Grosses Worldwide
Episode 1 – 1999: $1,027,044,677
Episode 2 – 2002: $649,398,328
Episode 3 – 2005: $848,754,768
But the franchise’s value extends beyond fans buying tickets at the box office. With Star Wars, there’s so much potential to make money just around releasing a new film.
• At about the same time as the new teaser was released yesterday, Walt Disney Co.’s shares jumped, according to Market Watch.
• In Anaheim, the latest Star Wars Celebration fan expo opened with the release as well, as thousands of fans camped out the night before the event. It was worth the wait, since fans witnessed the debut of the new trailer and saw the stars of the new movie and the original together on stage.
• They even had the chance to grab some autographs, though it meant spending $125 for Mark Hamill’s and $70 for Carrie Fisher’s, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The trailer release left its mark on social media as well. Twitter users can now tweet custom Star Wars emojis thanks to a partnership between the popular social media website, Disney and Lucasfilm.
Japan’s All Nippon Airways is even going to paint one of its planes to look like the famous droid R2-D2, according to The Wall Street Journal.
From baseball nights at the ballpark to funny items for sale on the Internet, there are so many money angles to cover in the upcoming months before the movie’s theatrical release. It will be worthwhile keeping an eye out for any conventions and release parties happening in your area, as well as contacting your local movie theaters to see if they have any plans for the opening.
STORY IDEAS
