Main Street Magazine Spring '23

Breaking the box office
The real significance of Star Wars as a franchise, however, was its influence
on the future of movie-making. Think about the most iconic movies of the ‘80s
and ‘90s: Back to the Future, Indiana Jones, Ghostbusters, Terminator, Friday
the 13th, etcetera. These films were nothing like their second Golden Age
predecessors, and even the predecessors weren’t safe from the monetization
movement of the late 20th century. Many would agree that The Godfather
series didn’t need a part three, but in 1990, Paramount turned to Francis Ford
Coppola to revive the series to save them from financial troubles.
And many of the series that I mentioned have series’ that are still going strong,
even today. Jurassic Park has been expanded to Jurassic World with the help
of Hollywood darling Chris Pratt, and Ghostbusters has been revamped with
a female cast instead of male. These movies are not being made because
filmmakers feel these stories are incomplete and they have more to say.
Rather, production companies are engaging in what is effectively brand
remarking, pumping out sequels and remakes to keep the franchises relevant,
and therefore, profitable.
I could come up with about one thousand more examples. Thirteen years
after the epic blockbuster Avatar, James Cameron has finally released an
equally spectacular and sellable sequel. Marvel has already concluded series
like Avengers, X-Men, and Spiderman, but continues to produce more films
featuring these characters. It’s worth noting, too, that Disney now owns the
rights to all of these films. Even the biggest of fans, eager to watch new
installments like Thor: Love and Thunder or Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,
know these films have been created just to sell.
Thats a Wrap
Before I wrap things up, I do want to make one thing clear: I don’t hate Star
Wars. Like many of you, I fell in love with the original trilogy as a kid, and I have
a newfound (if a bit begrudging) respect for the prequels. Even a few of the
newer, Disney-produced movies, like Rogue One, hit more than they miss. But
the bottom line is that Star Wars had a huge role to play in changing the movie
game forever. The intention behind most blockbuster films made today is not
to tell a story or experiment with style or any other reason someone might
want to make a film. The main purpose of movies nowadays is to make money.
Had Star Wars not rocketed to success at the time that it did, perhaps the
industry would look much different today.
I urge everyone reading this to take a step back and really consider their
favorite films and franchises. Look critically at what those behind it are trying
to say, try to understand the purpose. The only way to combat the increasing
capitalization of film is to change the societal demand, and the first step in
that process is awareness.
As the wise Jedi Master Yoda once said, “In a dark place, we find ourselves,
and a little more knowledge lights our way.”
By Megan Deane