No Star Wars

Zyobot

Zyobot

It started off as a silly little science-fantasy film whose creator thought it would flop. But with its story of a farm boy who answered a greater calling, a princess in the clutches of evil, a cynical space smuggler with a beastly first mate, and a tug of war between a liberal-democratic Rebellion and a tyrannical, galaxy-spanning Empire, Star Wars generated a box-office blowout that made it one of the most iconic movies in American history.

Not only has its success spawned two more films as well as a Prequel and Sequel Trilogy since then, Star Wars has also come to encompass an array of comics, novels, encyclopedias, games, toys, and other media to keep its large fan base occupied forty-plus years after its original release. So, with the vast breadth of media under its belt and its sheer influence on pop culture still at play in 2020, it warrants the question: what if Star Wars were never released?

Thank you in advance,
Zyobot
 
Unkown00

Unkown00

For one thing, Sci-Fi may not be popular, or at least where it is now. Star wars also help inspired many sci-fi movies so they won't exist.
 
marathag

marathag

Banned
Not many would miss it, as Lucas does Flash Gordon in the same way for effects, and is a huge success, with many following films, and as Yogurt from _Spaceballs_ put it, Merchandising.
 

Zheng He

How much longer does it take for special effects to evolve? One of the big things about Episode IV was that its special effects for vastly superior to other contemporary science fiction films of time. It raised the bar and set a whole new standard, kind of HMS Dreadnought did with battleships.
 

Amadeus

Zyobot said:
It started off as a silly little science-fantasy film whose creator thought it would flop. But with its story of a farm boy who answered a greater calling, a princess in the clutches of evil, a cynical space smuggler with a beastly first mate, and a tug of war between a liberal-democratic Rebellion and a tyrannical, galaxy-spanning Empire, Star Wars generated a box-office blowout that made it one of the most iconic movies in American history.

Not only has its success spawned two more films as well as a Prequel and Sequel Trilogy since then, Star Wars has also come to encompass an array of comics, novels, encyclopedias, games, toys, and other media to keep its large fan base occupied forty-plus years after its original release. So, with the vast breadth of media under its belt and its sheer influence on pop culture still at play in 2020, it warrants the question: what if Star Wars were never released?

Thank you in advance,
Zyobot
Click to expand...

The entertainment industry would be very different, as the success of "Star Wars" caused studios to focus on high concept pictures that could be marketed through aggressive merchandizing. The sci-fi craze seen in the 1980s is probably butterflied or reduced substantially. Movies like "Alien" and "E.T." might either look differently or never happen. James Cameron doesn't go into filmmaking; he has claimed that seeing "Star Wars" inspired him to give up his job as a truck driver in order to become a director. So no "Aliens," "Titanic," or "Avatar." The advances that Lucas' team made in practical effects and sound design could've been made in later films, though I don't think their impact would've been as revolutionary.
 
THeaven

THeaven

Harrison Ford probably never became a leading man and if he does stay in the acting profession at best I see The Conversation typecasting him in villain roles
 

Zheng He

THeaven said:
Harrison Ford probably never became a leading man and if he does stay in the acting profession at best I see The Conversation typecasting him in villain roles
Click to expand...

Yeah, what were his immediate role after Star Wars? Force 10 From Navarone, a bit part in Apocalypse Now?
 

Amadeus

Zheng He said:
Yeah, what were his immediate role after Star Wars? Force 10 From Navarone, a bit part in Apocalypse Now?
Click to expand...

Most viewers would probably remember him as Col Lucas in "Apocalypse Now" (which was released after "Star Wars" in 1979 but shot in 1976). Without "Star Wars" launching his career as a leading man, Ford would probably become a carpenter full time during the 1980s and maybe establish his own carpentry business.

As for the other SW actors, Mark Hamill would probably have continued working in TV for a few years before breaking into films at some point. What roles might Carrie Fisher have gotten if she had never been cast as Princess Leia?
 

Mark E.

Amadeus said:
Most viewers would probably remember him as Col Lucas in "Apocalypse Now" (which was released after "Star Wars" in 1979 but shot in 1976). Without "Star Wars" launching his career as a leading man, Ford would probably become a carpenter full time during the 1980s and maybe establish his own carpentry business.

As for the other SW actors, Mark Hamill would probably have continued working in TV for a few years before breaking into films at some point. What roles might Carrie Fisher have gotten if she had never been cast as Princess Leia?
Click to expand...
So, Lucas does Flash Gordon and introduces his special effects, as he originally wanted. Harrison Ford can be Dr. Hans Zarkov (Hans = Han?). Mark Hamill is Flash Gordon. Carrie Fischer is Dale Arden. The first trilogy proceeds, as the Flash Gordon domain had a desert world, frozen world and jungle world. But after that it is not sustained. No prequels or sequels featuring earlier and later generations. Flash Gordon and Co. get re-cast into different generations as do Batman and Superman. So, the progress of science fiction moves relatively unchanged into the nineties, just without a lingering Star Wars tradition. Star Trek updates to movies with the new effects. What is absent is an ongoing saga (episodes 10 and beyond) where Rey Skywalker, guided by the ghosts of Luke and Leia, might recruit newly maturing stable hands from the end of episode 8 who clearly demonstrated The Force.
 

Amadeus

Nivek said:
who? and how? OTL he got outbidded twice IIRC, if anything he might stay on melodramas..or he took ET idea from spieldberg
Click to expand...

Perhaps Lucas directs "Raiders of the Lost Ark" sometime in 1977 if "Star Wars" can't get off the ground? Though without Spielberg at the helm, Indiana Jones would be called "Indiana Smith"....
 

Mark E.

Nivek said:
who? and how? OTL he got outbidded twice IIRC, if anything he might stay on melodramas..or he took ET idea from spieldberg
Click to expand...
That's the POD. By whatever means, or change of heart, he secures the license to do Flash Gordon. The license holders of Flash Gordon might be inspired to bring Lucas on board because they know he can have a movie in 1977.
 
Last edited:

Nivek

Amadeus said:
Perhaps Lucas directs "Raiders of the Lost Ark" sometime in 1977 if "Star Wars" can't get off the ground? Though without Spielberg at the helm, Indiana Jones would be called "Indiana Smith"....
Click to expand...
Mark E. said:
That's the POD. By whatever means, or change of heart, he secures the license to do Flash Gordon. The license holders of Flash Gordon might bet inspired to bring Lucas on board because they know he can have a movie in 1977.
Click to expand...
The pod is not star wars, if anything he loss Flash Gordon and SW is refused,Fox wanted lucas to stay in the american grafitti style, so he might stick to fund other ideas, an early indiana is possible too.
 

Joshua Ben Ari

Star Trek doesn't get revived. It was Star Wars coming out in 1977 that really boosted the sci-fi genre and made CBS want to get in on the money. Star Trek was their answer. Without Star Wars, Star Trek doesn't come back and it's limited to just TOS. There'd be no animated series, no TNG, no DS9, VOY, ENT. Science fiction looks incredibly different.

edit: fixed spelling error
 
Last edited:

Amadeus

Joshua Ben Ari said:
Star Trek doesn't get revived. It was Star Wars coming out in 1977 that really boosted the sci-fi genre and made CBS want to get in on the money. Star Trek was their answer. Without Star Wars, Star Trek doesn't come back and it's limited to just TOS. There'd be no animated sereis, no TNG, no DS9, VOY, ENT. Science fiction looks incredibly different.
Click to expand...

Might "Close Encounters" have a bigger impact on pop culture if "Star Wars" hadn't overshadowed it as the big sci fi movie of 1977? I imagine that "Close Encounters" would do better at the box office and sweep the technical awards at the 1978 Oscars.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top
Top