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From 1985 to 1991,Star Warsfans find themselves trapped inside a Twilight Zone - esque oblivion in which no depicted object was being relinquish , jeopardize to destruct the bag that the space opera had on soda water culture at the time . With the going ofthe originalStar Warsin field ( later subtitled asA New Hope),George Lucas had tapped into the cultural zeitgeist , jumpstarting a property that would take off almost immediately . Indeed , A New Hopeearned over $ 220 million during its initial tally in theaters , making it one of the most successful movies of all time aline for inflation , and directly lead to two subsequence that would inevitably coil into the sprawling legacy of theStar Warsfranchise .
But back in the ' 70s and ' 80s as the attribute was taking off , Lucas already had plans to twist it into much more than just a film serial . Part ofA New Hope’smassive succeeder came in the form of linkup - in material , such as an official novelization as well astie - in comics . And whenThe Empire Strikes Backrolled around , the merchandising empire only maturate bigger , solidifying Lucas as one of the most entire creators of the New Hollywood geological era and one of the most moneymaking man of affairs in Hollywood .
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However , things screeched to a halt in the consequence of the release ofReturn of the Jedi . With the cinematic side of the dealership apparently coming to an close , fans everywhere were desperate for more Star Wars content , and it would be a while before they contract any .
How Star Wars Changed After Return of the Jedi
Return of the Jedifinally hit theaters on May 25 , 1983 , a full six days to the day after the spill of the originalStar Wars . It was met with both critical and commercial-grade winner , grossing $ 374 million worldwide at the time of its initial release , and it provide a satisfying " ending " to the history tell apart by the Original Trilogy ( something thatDisney has shin to do late ) . For all intents and purposes , it was George Lucas ' swan song to the Star Wars cinematic experience .
In the aftermath of the film ’s freeing , Lucas began to change by reversal his originative visual modality elsewhere , submit a backseat from mastermind to work as a narrative author and executive producer on the legendaryIndiana Jonesfilms with Steven Spielberg . This precede to many other project feature Lucas as a manufacturer and periodic writer : some celebrated , like Jim Henson’sLabyrinth , and others not so lovingly remembered , such as1986’sHoward the Duckfilm . The expert divisions of Lucasfilm were also find out unexampled work , as Skywalker Sound and Industrial Light and Magic start doing cut workplace for other studio and other projects unrelated to Star Wars at the sentence . During this period of originative reshuffle , several well - screw artistic society would come to sprightliness under Lucasfilm , including Pixar as well as the audio fellowship THX .
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Despite Lucas ' massive achiever at once come from his flagship property , Star Wars seemed to be going tepid at the time . While there were a few other spiritualist still pump out Star Wars content for a while , admit Marvel’sReturn of the Jeditie - in comical , Hollywood and the general interview seemed to be hold its breath to see what would come next . Although Lucas had been extensively outlining andteasing the idea of a sequel trilogywhile working on the original , after the going ofReturn of the Jedi , it seemed as if those plans had been for good tranquillise . Star Warswas about to turn tail into a content drouth , one that would stretch on for longer than fan could have foreknow .
Star Wars Darkest Age: 1985-1991
Only a few brusque year after the release ofReturn of the Jedi , in the year 1985 , the down volute of theStar Warsproperty really kick back into gear . While the summers before had see a surge of releases such as theCaravan of Courage : An Ewok Adventurespinoff , as well as the release of unawares - lived animated series ' such asDroidsandEwoks,1985 distinctly marked the beginning of the pop cultivation modulation forth from Star Wars . New novels were no longer being bring out , and the most recent 1 were a series of adventure novel star Lando Calrissian released in 1983 . Both ofMarvel ’s Star Wars comicsat the time ( recurrence of the Jediand the eponymousStar Wars ) were cancelled , and shortly afterwards , their permit onStar Warscomics lapsed out of exclusivity . Even Palitoy , a toy dog society responsible for for a vast swath ofStar Warsfigurines and playsets , was closed down by its parent company CPG , effectively pulling the vast majority ofStar Warsmerchandising from store .
Things stagnated like this for about 6 old age within theStar Warsfandom , with barely any new content . at times fans would be care for to new event , such as Lucas open up Star Tours in 1987 and then celebrating thefirstStar Warsconventionlater that year . But the biggest sensitive that kept Star Wars alive during the time wasStar Wars : The Roleplaying Game , a series of books , rules , scenario and expansions publish by West End Games and written by Bill Slavicsek . Roleplaying games were a very niche interest in the 80s , but the Star Wars brand was so popular that the game was a relative success , and was almost singlehandedly creditworthy for continuing to expound the cosmos and keep buff take during the content drouth of the late eighty .
How The EU Saved Star Wars
Coming into the ninety , there was still no cinematic content on the purview for Star Wars , lead fans to assume that the decade would be more of the same . This , of course , was not the compositor’s case , thanks to the blend crusade of Bantam Books and Dark Horse Comics . In 1991 , with the approval of Lucasfilm , both companies give up licenced continuance of theStar Warsfranchise , an unprecedented decision that was a arrant shock to fan everywhere . With Bantam , interview gotHeir to the Empire , written by Timothy Zahn . It was the first installment of the legendaryThrawntrilogy , which follows Luke , Han , and Leia ’s struggle against the last tincture of the Empire , led bythe iconic Grand Admiral Thrawn . The fib would conduct straight into other novels write later in the Expanded Universe , creating a web of literary subject that would go on to inspire modern Star Wars creators such as Dave Filoni himself .
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From Dark Horse , fans were deal toStar war : Dark Empire , a six issue bi - monthly serial publication written by Tom Leitch and illustrated by Cam Kennedy . The account ofDark Empirewas reportedly pitched directly to George Lucas himself , who leave the originative team his benediction , as well as the idea to resurrect Palpatine through cloning technology . The result was so successful that it received two sequels , Dark Empire 2andEmpire ’s End , as well as launch the setting of the quietus of Dark Horse ’s Star Wars mythos .
Without the irreplaceable contribution of both of these undertaking , fans might never have been devote the opportunity to revisit a Galax urceolata far , far away . It was n’t until the unmitigated success of the EU that George Lucas adjudicate to deliver to his abandoned idea for more cinematic installment , take directly to the freeing ofThe Phantom Menacein 1999 . The success of the EU and its role in the Resurrection of Christ of theStar Warsproperty is irreconcilable proof thatStar Warshas always been a account driven by the fans who love it , and their unwavering dedication to one of the most unique and varied universes in soda culture .
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