Star Wars

From WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia

Star Wars is an American epic space opera franchise, created by George Lucas and centered around a film series that began with the eponymous 1977 movie. The saga quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon.

Overview[edit | edit source]

The first film, later subtitled Episode IV – A New Hope, was followed by two successful sequels, Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983); these three films constitute the original Star Wars trilogy. A prequel trilogy was later released, consisting of Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999), Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002), and Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005). In 2012, Lucas sold his production company to The Walt Disney Company, who produced a sequel trilogy consisting of Episode VII – The Force Awakens (2015), Episode VIII – The Last Jedi (2017), and Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker (2019). All nine films were nominated for Academy Awards (with wins going to the first two released) and were commercially successful. Together with the theatrical spin-off films Rogue One (2016) and Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018), the combined box office revenue of the films equates to over US$10 billion, and it is currently the second-highest-grossing film franchise.

Characters[edit | edit source]

The Star Wars franchise depicts a galaxy described as "far, far away" and portrays adventures and battles between good and evil. Some of the central characters include Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo, Chewbacca, Darth Vader, and Yoda. Each character has a unique backstory and plays a specific role within the overarching narrative.

Expanded Universe[edit | edit source]

The Star Wars franchise also includes books, comics, video games, and television series, which are referred to as the Star Wars expanded universe. This expanded universe has added many characters and stories that are not included in the original films.

Cultural Impact[edit | edit source]

Star Wars has had a significant impact on modern popular culture. It has inspired a wide range of media, including movies, books, comics, video games, and even theme parks. The franchise's iconic characters, quotes, and themes have permeated everyday life and have influenced several generations of fans.

See Also[edit | edit source]





Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD