A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, there was the little sci-fi movie that could: Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. However, at the time, it was only known as Star Wars, and it created a franchise unlike anything seen before.

In 2005, Forbes magazine estimated that the Star Wars franchise, since it began in the late 1970s, had generated more than $20 billion in revenue, and with six big-screen success stories, at least three spin-off movies, five licensed television shows, and thousands of books, comics, and toys, it’s no surprise. What might come as a surprise, however, is that when Star Wars creator George Lucas finished the first film, he was over-budget, short on time, and convinced the film would be a flop. Early screenings of the film did little to improve Lucas’s ideas that the film would have any kind of success, but when it was finally released in the summer of 1977, the film made nearly seven million dollars in its opening weekend. It is considered the second most profitable film of all time.

more than great movies

However, ask any Star Wars fan and they’ll tell you that it’s not just about the movies, but also the associated merchandise. The initial film was predicted to be a flop, so no merchandise was created to debut with the film’s release. The toy company, Kenner, though had purchased the license to sell associated products. By Christmas 1977, demand was so high that Kenner created an “Early Bird Special” kit. The kit had a certificate that fans could send in for four 3 ¾-inch figures as soon as they were available. On Christmas morning, thousands of children received empty cardboard envelopes containing only a display stand, a Star Wars club card, some stickers, and a certificate they could put their name and address on, mail, and wait. several months for the first Star Wars toys ever produced to arrive. Months later, many children received Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, R2-D2, and Chewbacca in the mail, and years later, these four figures are considered some of the most valuable action figures on the collectors’ market today.

Explosive growth of the industry

As you can probably imagine, the Star Wars toy and merchandise franchise has grown considerably since Christmas 1977. Once Kenner outfitted the production machine, it didn’t slow down for anyone. From additional action figures to vehicles, playsets and lightsabers, the Star Wars vintage toy market had it all. As Episodes V and VI were released, more toys hit the market. T-shirts, sheets, toothbrushes, combs and watches were also part of the marketing campaign.

However, after the release of Return of the Jedi, the Star Wars marketing machine slowed down considerably. People seemed to think that the Star Wars market was coming to an end. However, in the late 1990s, a new line of Star Wars action figures was released. With the line name “The Power of the Force”, these green card figures created a new generation of collectors, and with the release of the special edition of the original trilogy and the subsequent release of Star Wars Episode I, the machine of marketing was reactivated. in high gear. From bubble baths to sandals, the Star Wars name can be found on just about anything these days, and speaking of additional TV series, DVDs, and even other movies, it’s hard to tell when the franchise will slow down.