{"product_id":"how-star-wars-conquered-the-universe-by-chris-taylor-9780465049899","title":"How Star Wars Conquered the Universe","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 1973, a young filmmaker named George Lucas scribbled some notes for a far-fetched space-fantasy epic. Some forty years and £37 billion later, \u003cem\u003eStar Wars\u003c\/em\u003e-related products outnumber human beings, a growing stormtrooper army spans the globe, and \"Jediism\" has become a religion in its own right. Lucas's creation has grown into far more than a cinematic classic; it is, quite simply, one of the most lucrative, influential, and interactive franchises of all time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eYet incredibly, until now, the complete history of \u003cem\u003eStar Wars\u003c\/em\u003e, its influences and impact, the controversies it has spawned, its financial growth and long-term prospects, has never been told. In \u003cem\u003eHow Star Wars Conquered the Universe\u003c\/em\u003e, veteran journalist Chris Taylor traces the series from the difficult birth of the original film through its sequels, the franchise's death and rebirth, the prequels, and the preparations for a new trilogy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eProviding portraits of the friends, writers, artists, producers, and marketers who laboured behind the scenes to turn Lucas's idea into a legend, Taylor also jousts with modern-day Jedi, tinkers with droid builders, and gets inside Boba Fett's helmet, all to find out how \u003cem\u003eStar Wars\u003c\/em\u003e has attracted and inspired so many fans for so long. Since the first film's release in 1977, Taylor shows, \u003cem\u003eStar Wars\u003c\/em\u003e has conquered our culture with a sense of lightness and exuberance, while remaining serious enough to influence politics in far-flung countries and spread a spirituality that appeals to religious groups and atheists alike.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eControversial digital upgrades and poorly received prequels have actually made the franchise stronger than ever. Now, with a savvy new set of bosses holding the reins and Episode VII on the horizon, it looks like \u003cem\u003eStar Wars\u003c\/em\u003e is just getting started.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAn energetic, fast-moving account of this creative and commercial phenomenon, \u003cem\u003eHow Star Wars Conquered the Universe\u003c\/em\u003e explains how a young filmmaker's fragile dream beat out a surprising number of rivals to gain a diehard, multigenerational fan base, and why it will be galvanising our imaginations and minting money for generations to come.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47742019076332,"sku":"9780465049899","price":39.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9780465049899-how-star-wars-conquered-the-universe.jpg?v=1781430166","url":"https:\/\/bookhero.co.nz\/products\/how-star-wars-conquered-the-universe-by-chris-taylor-9780465049899","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}