Most fans cite The Empire Strikes BackOpens in a new tab, which turned 45 on May 21, 2025, as the greatest of the Star Wars films. But even beyond the franchise, the Irvin Kershner-directed chapter changed the world’s perception of what a movie sequel could be. And we don’t just mean what they can make at the box office. It essentially popularized two concepts in mainstream cinema: the movie trilogy arc, and the ongoing film franchise as ever-continuing narrative.
Sequels existed in Hollywood well before Empire of course. Universal built their studio on its monster franchiseOpens in a new tab in the ‘30s and ‘40s, after all. By the time Empire hit theaters on May 21, 1980, there had already been a whopping 11 James Bond films. Yes, these earlier films were technically sequels. But their idea of what a sequel was meant to be was totally different than what George Lucas dreamt up. Every new 007 movie presented a fresh slate for its protagonist and audience, barely referencing any past episodes, if at all.
The idea of continuing the story from where the previous film left off drew inspiration from the Flash Gordon serials of Lucas’ youth. But even in their day, audiences regarded Flash Gordon and other adventure serials as cheap entertainment. “Real” movies didn’t mimic that format, because to be so akin to lowly Saturday matinee entertainment was beneath them. Lucas’ Indiana Jones also found inspiration in old serials, but it would adhere more to the Bond formula, interestingly enough.
Due to this stigma, sequels that were direct continuations of popular films appeared as crass cash grabs by the masses. Planet of the Apes was a huge success for Fox in 1968. But when the studio instantly thought of continuing the storyOpens in a new tab, its lead actor Charlton Heston scoffed at the notion. “I don’t want to do a sequel; that’s like the Andy Hardy series,” Heston once said, referencing the endless Mickey Rooney comedies of the ’40s. He agreed to return for a cameo in the second movie, but his thoughts echoed what most people thought about direct sequels: they were low-rent ideas. When blockbusters like The Exorcist and Jaws received their sequels, moviegoers greeted them as cheap knockoffs that just attempted to replicate the first movies, but less effectively. Many expected “Star Wars 2” to be the same.
But Empire changed all of this upon release. Unlike the Bond films, it expected you to walk into the theater having already seen Star Wars, and to be familiar with all the characters and mythology set up in the first film. There was no playing catch-up here, nor a lazy reproduction of its 1977 predecessorOpens in a new tab. Moreover, Empire‘s cliffhanger ending popularized the idea that the second film was but the middle chapter in a three-part story. Empire was a prestige blockbuster sequel by way of the old serial formula, once considered too juvenile for “grownup” movies.
Movie trilogies became normalized after the massive success of Empire. In its wake, Back to the Future and even the “rival” Star Trek franchise used this formula. (Though in Star Trek’s case, it was movies II, III, and IV that formed the trilogy arcOpens in a new tab.) Eventually, the Lord of the Rings became the second most popular film trilogy of all time after Star Wars. This was only fitting, as Tolkien’s structure was a big influence on Lucas as a storyteller in the first place.
No movie franchise in Hollywood history has headed the lessons of the Empire Strikes Back more than the MCU. This should come as no shock, as Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige is a self-proclaimed huge Star Wars fan. Ever since Nick Fury first appeared in the end credits of Iron Man, the MCU has been building each film on top of the last, always creating an Empire-style tease for what’s coming next in each film. Before the MCU, X2: X-Men United also lifted heavilyOpens in a new tab from Empire. In a larger, sense Infinity War and Endgame were the most obvious films to take a cue from Lucas’ playbook, but truly all of the Marvel films do this.
Fascinatingly, it seems the Star Wars film franchise is looking to lean away from trilogies, focusing on standalone filmsOpens in a new tab. Thanks to The Mandalorian, Andor, and other streaming shows, more serialized Star Wars might remain on TV for now. Star Wars has long existed in the shadow of Empire, and it looks like it may finally get out from under it. But as for the rest of the major Hollywood franchises? Don’t expect the impact of The Empire Strikes Back to fade away any time soon.
Originally Published May 21, 2020
