May the force, or more appropriately, May the Fourth, be with you all on this special unofficial holiday that brings pop culture and movie enthusiasts together to celebrate one of the most successful franchises ever, Star Wars.
As the pinnacle of film franchises, Star Wars is well-commemorated on May 4, which is the approved date by fans to embrace the series’ universe, show appreciation for its transcendent pop-culture impact, and pay tribute to its iconic phrase, ‘May the force be with you.’
The event offers an opportunity for admirers to reflect and re-watch some of their most treasured movies from either of the three trilogies.
And in the Tar-Heel state, there is no shortage of Star Wars fans yearning to relive classic episodes from the sci-fi movie franchise.
With the support of Google Trends, BetCarolina.com took a beat from North Carolina sports betting and analyzed and ranked the most popular Star Wars movies among state residents by looking at the search results of each film over the past year (April 24, 2022 - April 24, 2023), from each of the three trilogies, as well as Solo and Rogue One. Each movie's ranking is based on a percentage of interest.
Released in 2005 as the end product of the prequel trilogy, it is one of the most successful Star Wars movies in terms of commercial success, earning $868 million worldwide, and receiving positive reviews from the general audience and critics, ranking as the seventh-best Star Wars movie, according to IGN.
One of the most anticipated episodes in the franchise’s history, “The Rise of Skywalker”, was an immediate financial success. Grossing over $2 billion, the highest within the Star Wars franchise, the movie is the ninth and final episode that was released in 2019. The episode closes the Skywalker chapter which was launched in the original film, “Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope."
Released in 1999, the episode introduces the franchise’s prequel trilogy. Although a financial success, grossing over $1 billion, the episode is consistently referred to as a disappointing follow-up to the original trilogy, but revolutionary with the use of advanced visual effects in the cinematic world.
The emergence of a pop-culture phenomenon that will eventually span over four decades and more, “A New Hope” was released in 1977, launching the original trilogy and earning more than $775 million. The acclaimed film received 11 Oscar nominations, winning seven, inspiring a new age of filmmakers and actors while strengthening the sci-fi genre.
The people of North Carolina have spoken. The second film from the original trilogy, released in 1980, has secured the hearts of everyone, but specifically North Carolinians. The film grossed over $547 million and continued to enhance the franchise’s brand, reaching new heights four years later after its initial release. Ranked as the best Star Wars movie according to Rotten Tomatoes, it is no feat to understand why this episode is so beloved. New characters, developing storylines, and improved cinematic effects pushed Star Wars into a global sensation and integrated itself with pop culture.
May the 4th be with you! Utilizing Google Trends, BetCarolina.com analyzed the most popular Star Wars movies of state residents by looking at the search results of each movie over the past year (April 24, 2022-April 24, 2023). The movies include all movies in each of the 3 trilogies, as well as "Solo" and "Rogue One."
While we'll have plenty more fun research items like this in the months to come, stay close to this site for everything related to incoming North Carolina sports betting apps.
Author
Felix Veletanga is an experienced reporter who has covered local news, politics, and sports in Northern New Jersey, and now lends his expertise to the North Carolina sports betting market. He previously covered the Saint Peter’s men’s basketball team’s 2022 NCAA Cinderella run for HudPost. Felix specializes in combat fighting and soccer betting analysis with a focus on the Premier League.
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