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Thomas Leary is a news editor and writer for BetArizona.com. He previously spent six years at Sports Business Journal.
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Arizona’s Favorite Star Wars Movies
At BetArizona.com, we typically stick to anything and everything Arizona sports betting. But occasionally we like to acknowledge a day on the calendar that means something special to many folks, and May 4 just so happens to be right around the corner.
What's so special about May 4? Listen up, young Padawan. May the Fourth over the years has become the unofficial holiday that brings pop culture and film enthusiasts together to celebrate what just might be one of the most successful franchises ever in George Lucas' Star Wars.
The franchise, which first launched into space back in 1977, has spawned three trilogies, several spin-off films, a handful of television series, numerous novels and an endless line of toys and other merchandise for several generations.
The stories of not just Luke, Leia and Han Solo, but also Rey, Finn and Kylo Renn are the subject of fascination across a galaxy of sci-fi fans, and they all come out in full force on May 4 (because May the Force be with you, get it?) to rewatch their favorite films of the series.
That got us thinking. What exactly are the favorite Star Wars films among Arizona residents? Do they lean more towards the modern, but not quite as beloved tales of Rey and Kylo, or do they have loyalty to the first released trilogy that started everything? Heck, the spin-off "Rogue One" has its fair share of defenders. Could that crack the list?
To find out, BetArizona.com used Google Trends to analyze the most popular Star Wars movies of Arizona residents by looking at the search results of each movie over the past year (April 24, 2022-April 24, 2023). That included all movies in each of the 3 trilogies, as well as Solo and Rogue One.
Read on to find out how the films ranked across the state, and don't forget we're also home to the best Arizona sportsbook apps.
Favorite Star Wars Movies of Arizona Residents
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Arizona Loves The Classics
Cheers to you, Arizona, for having appreciation for where it all started. In The Grand Canyon State, residents overwhelming tout the very first film, "A New Hope," as the best of the entire franchise.
While plenty of worthwhile galaxy quests have come after (the state is also fond of 1983's "Return of the Jedi"), the first film has a true claim as the best of the best. Lucas and team introduced fans to not only a generation of heroes in Luke, Leia and Han, but also made room for the terrifying Darth Vader, the inseparable C-3PO and R2D2, the wise Obi-Wan Kenobi and furry Chewbacca.
Fans have long debated their favorite characters, and Lucas' first entry in the franchise gives them all moments to shine. While "Empire Strikes Back" has the iconic Vader-father reveal, and "Return of the Jedi" puts the finishing touches on the original trilogy, Arizona residents know that nothing measures up to the first time Luke uses his light-saber, or when Solo takes the Millennium Falcon into light speed.
Heck, we're still not over the death of Obi-Wan, which sets the stage for the Luke-Vader showdown to come in the next two films. All of those moments, and plenty others, are why "A New Hope" is tops among Star Wars fans in Arizona.
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