Fellow citizens of Geekville, it pains me to say this, but I have a confession to make. A deep, dark secret. One that’s best dragged into the light now.
I’m not a Star Wars fan.
I don’t mean I dislike some of the movies, or find ways to complain about how George Lucas could have made them 100 times better. I mean, I’ve only seen one Star Wars movie. Ever.
Before you rip my geek card from my trembling fingers and march me to the gallows, I beg you to let me explain.
It’s not because I have anything against Star Wars. I think the concept sounds cool, and for Pete’s sake (or is Luke more appropriate in this context?), I’m a sci-fi and fantasy fanatic. I just never got into Star Wars.
I know, my childhood was scarred.
At the end of the day, I wasn’t driven enough to find out what the fuss was about for myself. Plus so many other things demand my time. When you’re trying to catch up (I’ve only become a devoted SFF geek in the past few years), you have to pick your battles. For me, Doctor Who, Marvel, DC, and the dystopia craze took precedence over Star Wars.
So I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me. Because, Star Wars fanatic or not, I’m trying to amend my ways. Along with three-quarters of the country, I’m planning to see The Force Awakens on opening weekend.
Which brings us to the predictions.
Predictions for Star Wars: The Force Awakens
2015 has been a year for blockbusters, especially when it comes to spec-fic movies.
- Age of Ultron—$1.4 billion grossed worldwide
- The Martian—$555 million
- Mockingjay Part 2—$454 million
And of course, how could we forget the way Jurassic World rocked the box office, racking up an astonishing $1.7 billion worldwide and jumping to third on the all-time list of highest grossing films, behind only Titanic and Avatar.
All in all, an impressive showing.
And I think those were just previews to the main event. Of course, I’m talking about Star Wars. The hype, the passion, the anticipation surrounding this movie is incredible. You can barely go anywhere without seeing Star Wars paraphernalia. Heck, we have a bag of chips sporting a picture of the Millennium Falcon.
I don’t think it’s a stretch to say Star Wars will be the highest grossing film this year and even leap to the top of the all-time class ahead of Avatar.
Some reasons I have for reaching this conclusion:
1. Nostalgia
The Star Wars franchise is legendary. It was the first truly epic tale brought to life on the big screen and captured the imagination of millions of people. I have enough Star Wars friends to know that questionable execution of several of the movies doesn’t dampen their enthusiasm.
This return to the story that sparked such a dedicated fan base shouldn’t be underestimated. If Jurassic World taught us anything, it’s that nostalgia is a powerful thing. Cinemablend predicted Jurassic World would hit 1.25 billion worldwide—far under its actual earnings, which proves my point. I suspect Star Wars will follow in those dinosaur footprints.
Years upon years of waiting, and now the moment has arrived. The Star Wars saga continues. The nostalgia factor will be one of the keys to a stellar performance at the box office.
2. The Trailer
Yeah, that pesky glimpse into the movie that temporarily crashed a major U.S. online ticket seller. As I write this, said trailer has 66.5 million views on YouTube.
3. J.J. Abrams
From what I’ve gathered, people are optimistic that Abrams has the creative savvy to make this a top-notch film. Star Wars is popular enough already, despite some mediocre showings in previous movies. Consider the potential if Abrams gets the movie right.
I’m no expert, but I imagine a batch of strong reviews early on could push a lot of non-fanatics into the must-see-this-movie camp.
4. Me
And people like me. Call it peer pressure, being swept along by the crowd, or just plain old curiosity. It’s hard to sit on the sidelines and watch a worldwide phenomenon take place. I’m seeing Star Wars for geeky reasons (and to earn the forgiveness of my fellow geeks). Others might want to see for themselves what the fuss is about, or go merely for the sake of not feeling left out.
Whatever the reasons, they will come…in droves.
One Last Thing
This probably won’t have a noticeable impact on the film’s earnings, but last I heard, the Captain America: Civil War trailer is set to debut in theaters when Star Wars opens. Another little boost that could add to what I think will be an avalanche of success.
Okay, Star Wars fanatics. I’ve made my predictions. What say you? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
9 thoughts on “Star Wars Confession and Predictions”
I remember joining mobs of people to see the midnight releases when the original series was redone as the Special Editions. Despite the prequels, I fully expect this new Star Wars to break significant records. While I didn’t care for the prequels, I love the characters of the main series and enjoyed most of the books (though I haven’t read anything released in the last 10-15 years).
I think you’re right. Most of my Star Wars friends don’t like the prequels, but they’re still crazy excited for The Force Awakens.
Zach, I’m wondering if it’s your generation. Me, I was a senior in high school when the first film came out and we were FREAKED OUT because no one had EVER seen anything like Star Wars. I went to the movies several times to see it. Of course, when I look at it now, I see loads of mistakes, but it’s nostalgia for me.
I’m a geek, complete with singing in the choir, doing theatre, and was a member of the marching band in high school. But I never got into Dr. Who. Still not interested. Don’t worry a bit if you never become a Star Wars fan. There’s plenty of geeky stuff to go around! 🙂
Well, I have a number of friends around my age who are Star Wars fanatics, despite the mistakes, which I find interesting.
Haha, thanks. 😉 I’d like to at least see the Star Wars movies and decide for myself which camp I fall into.
WOW just what I was searching for. Came here by searching for blog3007
Thanks for your write-up. What I want to point out is that when evaluating a good on the net electronics shop, look for a web-site with comprehensive information on key elements such as the personal privacy statement, security details, payment methods, and other terms in addition to policies. Generally take time to browse the help as well as FAQ areas to get a greater idea of the way the shop works, what they can do for you, and ways in which you can make the most of the features.
tҺe website іѕ really good, I like it!
Love watching movies every morning !