They’re two of the most popular franchises in the world today. Both Star Wars and Game of Thrones created a cult following which soon became a global mainstream audience. George Lucas’ creation has certainly had a bit more time to grow its community but the Game of Thrones fan base is just as passionate. Now, in 2019, which one is the largest and which has the biggest impact on popular culture?
It would have been all too easy to answer this question just a few years ago. At any point in the last few decades, Star Wars was the larger of the two. However, when George R. R. Martin’s popular series of fantasy books was adapted into an HBO television show, things began to change.
Game of Thrones premiered in April 2011 to positive reviews and a decent audience. But for the critics and the viewing figures alike, things only got better and better. By the show’s fourth season, Game of Thrones was attracting 6 million weekly viewers in America alone before things really started to explode. As we entered the home straight of the beloved fantasy epic, that figure had risen to over 13 million. Its emergence has been well-timed with the much-publicised backlash towards The Last Jedi and Solo. For the first time in a long time, there was a gap in the fantasy market fandom.
Thrones-mania was well and truly underway. Originally a series of novels, the popularity of the television show led to a number of other literary works. Penguin Random House published A Game of Thrones: The Graphic Novel while George R. R. Martin himself released other books based on the series like the novella compendium A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms and the history book Fire & Blood. There has even been a Game of Thrones cookbook.
But it’s not just about the books. Game of Thrones has crept its way into so many other forms of media and products. Fantasy Flight Games has released a series of Game of Thrones tabletop board games down the years, some of which have proven to be hugely popular. Betway has released a Game of Thrones online slot while Nerial has released Reigns: Game of Thrones, a popular strategy video game available on Windows and mobile devices.
The point is that Game of Thrones has permeated popular culture in so many ways. It’s not just about the bestselling book series, Game of Thrones has effectively led the so-called Golden Age of Television. HBO spent more on David Benioff and D.B. Weiss’s show than any network ever has before. It was impossible to escape Game of Thrones in any area of popular culture, particularly while the final season was being aired in 2019.
But of course, Star Wars fans are very much used to this. For decades, George Lucas’ creation has been the benchmark for all things popular culture. The tales from a galaxy far, far away have influenced everything and its effect on popular culture down the years cannot be in doubt.
Star Wars has also inspired more than its fair share of spin-off media. There are several standalone films as well as numerous television shows based on the universe, the most recent of which was, of course, The Mandalorian which appeared on Disney+. There is also a popular comic book series released by Marvel.
Star Wars has also inspired more than its fair share of spin-off media. There are several standalone films as well as numerous television shows based on the universe, the most recent of which was, of course, The Mandalorian which appeared on Disney+. There is also a popular comic book series released by Marvel.
But Star Wars doesn’t stop there. A far more family-friendly product, Star Wars appears on everything from lunchboxes to Pez dispensers. George Lucas’s ability to merchandise his prized creation is well-known, as was the genre-defining impact of the film on blockbuster action flicks and movies as a whole.
But Game of Thrones suffered its own fan backlash that seriously damaged its brand, reputation, and effect on popular culture. Many fans were not happy with how the show ended things and they really did voice their opinions. The backlash was far greater than anything that Star Wars went through and with the success of The Mandalorian and the excitement for The Rise of Skywalker it looks as if Star Wars has turned a corner.
There certainly was a time when Game of Thrones was having a larger impact on popular culture than Star Wars was. George Lucas’s prized franchise has dipped in popularity in recent years just at a time when Game of Thrones was on the up and up. Now, the tables have turned and it feels as if Star Wars is well and truly back on top but with the Skywalker Saga coming to an end and Game of Thrones’ spin-off shows in the works, who knows what will happen next.