If you’re looking for a quick answer to the question “Which came out first – Star Wars or Star Trek?” then you’ve come to the right place. We’ve reviewed both series and their influence on each other. From their characters to their sweeping success, we’ll show you how these franchises have influenced one another. Keep reading to discover the answers to these questions and more.
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Star Wars’ runaway success
Gene Roddenberry once attributed Star Wars’s success to Star Trek’s. The series was hugely successful in its early days, but Gene Roddenberry decided to steer clear of the action and focus instead on psychological sci fi, and it showed. The franchise went on to break all sorts of records, and the box office backed its creative ideas. However, the show’s cast was not happy with the result, and several members of the original cast fell asleep during the premiere.
The movie franchise’s success came at a cost, however. Fox was unwilling to buy the rights to the series, which resulted in Paramount making the acquisition in one of the most successful business deals in history. Moreover, the Lucasfilm sale to Disney made Fox feel even more cheated. This decision cost Fox a great deal in terms of box office and home media sales revenues. Solow also argued that the acquisition of Star Trek by Paramount was one of the most successful business moves in the history of entertainment.
Star Trek’s influence on Star Wars
There’s no denying the influence of Star Trek on the design of the new movie, but the two films also share a number of similarities. While the Star Wars movies feature a cast that is largely different from those of the other franchises, the similarities are clear. For example, Star Trek started out with a “wagon train to the stars” pitch, and later leaned into the idea of a maverick lawman running afoul of the natives.
While Star Wars has more characters, Star Trek has more episodes and a larger corpus of content. Star Trek is also better-known for its more realistic settings. The series is set on a planet in an alternate universe, and has many more characters than the original Star Wars. Its characters were recurring and were often portrayed as children. Compared to Star Wars, there are fewer aliens in the series and a far greater variety of planets to explore.
The Original Series’ influence on Star Wars
If Star Trek’s influence on Star Wars is anything to go by, then the other major franchise that influenced Star Wars is the science fiction series Star Trek. Although both series are science fiction, they share similarities in their setting and theme. Both shows take place in a futuristic environment and offer the viewer the chance to explore far away galaxies and encounter alien species. The influence of Star Trek on Star Wars is so great that Roddenberry even made a documentary about the show, “Trek Nation.”
To learn more about the series’ influences, we can start with its production. George Lucas cited the Lord of the Rings series as a major influence on Star Wars. Tolkien wrote that myths and fairytales convey morals. So, it should come as no surprise that Gandalf, the Witch-king, and Anakin Skywalker were influenced by these stories. These films were also influential in the creation of the characters that became familiar in the Star Wars universe.
Characters in both series
Despite the similarity between Star Wars and Star Trek series, many people do not realize that they share some of the same actors. It is quite possible that the same actors portrayed different roles in both franchises. While the actors in Star Wars and Star Trek series differ in their racial backgrounds, they all share similar characteristics, including their love of science fiction. If you are a fan of either one of these franchises, you’ll likely be glad to learn that there are many common actors in both.
While Star Wars films are set in the past, Star Trek is set in the future. Star Trek is set in the 22nd century, but characters in both series exhibit significant differences. While both series feature alien races and strong reliance on technology, Star Wars features a diverse cast of characters and is more grounded in reality. However, the differences between Star Wars and Star Trek are not small. For those who are new to the series, let us examine some of the most notable differences between the two.
Their influences on each other
While quantum mechanics focuses on identifying and describing important subfields, mechanical control of atoms is not among them. These results point to strong connections between the different fields, which may be applicable to a broader system. Behavioral display and modeling are common examples of peer influence. In a study published in 2018, college freshmen were shown to post higher grades when they were surrounded by studious friends. The results indicate that having good grades is important for adolescents.