A movie inspired byStar Warscan mean a lot of different things, but it usually refers to movies that are also a part of the space opera category and include specific tropes and characteristics. The lovable rogue, the wise old mentor, the exotic and often funny sidekick, and the chosen one destined for greatness and blessed with mysterious powers are all features in the originalStar Warstrilogy.
There are plenty of other stories that use the same tropes and archetypes, and the unexpected success of the movie prompted several others like it. These that took their inspiration from the original 1978 theatrical release ofStar Wars,either for the cool story or the merchandising options. Most of them tried to get a balance between the two, and some of these experiments were more successful than others.
7The Last Starfighter (1984)
It never reached the same height of popularity thatStar Warsenjoyed, but even todayThe Last Starfighterhas a solid fan following and is considered a cult classic. It blends features from movies such asStar Warsalong with other contemporary shows that reflected the growing popularity of computers and video games, includingTRON.
A moisture farm on a desert planet is something like a trailer park, and that’s where the protagonist is at the beginning of the movie. His dreams die away untilhis last joy is a video gamecalled “Starfighter,” which turns out to be a recruitment tool for a real-life intergalactic space fighting force.
6Star Trek II: Wrath Of Khan (1982)
The firstStar Trekmovie tried to emulate2001: A Space Odysseyand didn’t exactly impress people, to put it mildly. The movie has aged well, and modern viewers see it with a more charitable eye. However, it still doesn’t compare to the smash hit of the sequel.
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Star Trek II: Wrath Of Khanwas such a blockbuster that it can compete withStar Warsin terms of pop culture influence. There was already a burgeoningStar Trekfranchise whenStar Warswas still in its infancy. The established fan base, along with the formula that included a supervillain with a superweapon and more action than science, was a solid hit.
5Alien (1979)
TheAlienfranchise is set in a gritty, industrial vision of space that’s similar to places like Mos Eisley, and that’s not a coincidence. The success ofStar Warsinspired Ridley Scott to attempt his owninterpretation of the space opera, this time with a dose of horror.
It worked so well that it spawned a series of comics, games, and various other types of media along with giving Scott the clout to expand on the universe he created forAlien.Bladerunner, which casts replicants instead of aliens as the villains, followed a few years later in the same vein.
4Independence Day (1996)
A summer popcorn flick if there ever was one,Independence Daymight have broken the genre for a few years, but that’s just what the 1990s was like. The movie is a lot of fun with little realism, relying on a memorable cast, fun special effects, and a compelling if nonsensical story. And that sums upStar Wars, too.
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The twist here is the alien invasion that our archetypal heroes, in this case, a nerd and a jet pilot, both just as macho and all-American as can be. The actors involved are at the peak of their careers, and lots of buildings blow up around them to distract from the general silliness.
3Spaceballs (1987)
Leave it to a genius like Mel Brooks to inventthe space opera parody comedy, and it’s a genre that was ready to happen. The film itself is a parody ofStar Wars, but part of the point is that George Lucas took those ideas from old TV shows like Flash Gordon, and they were already worn out by the time Barf appeared in the copilot’s seat.
Spaceballsmakes the rogue with a heart of gold the hero, and the camper van and dirty jacket might be more of a callback toAlienthanStar Wars. As comedy often does, this movie tells the truth about the popularity of the genre, when the wise old mentor Yogurt says that it’s really about “the search for more money.”
2Krull (1983)
One of the earliest experiments that blends of fantasy and space opera in the spirit of cartoons likeHeavy Metal,this is another cult classicthat took inspiration from the story of Luke Skywalker. It’s not exactly a critical darling, with the writing and plot getting less than positive reviews. However, it received accolades for the special effects and design, which is something it has in common withStar Warsanyway.
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Krull’s real weaknesses included confusing publicity and a large, eventually crushing budget. Although it bombed at the box office, the movie has a solid cult following in the present day even if it’s not for everyone.
1The Black Hole (1979)
Disney had several science fiction movies before this that were a great success, and Walt himself was a staunch proponent of the genre before it was cool. It must have stung when Disney missed the spaceship withThe Black Hole. It wasn’t even a bad movie, just a dull one that hardly anyone remembers.
The studio had been working on something similar for almost ten years, and one of the reasons the production finally got off the ground was because of the success ofStar Wars. It includes the robot sidekick and the older mentor figure, but it also rips offStar Trekin equal measure with the premise of a scientific mission and a ship called the USS Palamino.
