The Star Wars saga has already reaped more than $1 billion (€860 million) in worldwide ticket sales.
During its first run, Star Wars grossed $221.2 million. The Empire Strikes Back grossed $181.4 million and Return of the Jedi $252.5 million. With subsequent releases, including a back-to-back-to-back reissue of the trilogy in 1997, the value of ticket sales was pushed above the $1 billion mark.
Add in the $1 billion or so spent on Star Wars merchandising, videos and other ancillaries, and we're looking at something that according to Mr Tom Sherak, head of Fox distribution, "belongs to the culture".
He says he jokes with Star Wars creator, George Lucas, about this all the time. " Star Wars is not his, he's just the caretaker. It belongs to everyone!" he says.
However, Lucas' Industrial Light & Magic gets most of the money. With the exception of Star Wars, which Mr Lucas directed for Fox, he has controlled everything about the series, except the distribution.
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