Ten days and over $1 billion later, it’s clear that Disney knows how to spin a good yarn. You’ve probably seen Star Wars: The Force Awakens by now, but the good news is that Disney and co. will be pumping out a new Star Wars movies every year until you die. Or until space travel becomes real, whichever comes first.
Rogue One is on deck. It’s a Star Wars interquel, taking place between Episodes III and IV and, given its subject matter, the movie has all the makings of a space-set Saving Private Ryan. Except this time, Matt Damon is a Death Star blueprint. What’s not to like?
This got us thinking. If the first Star Wars spinoff movie draws inspiration from films such as Steven Spielberg’s WWII classic, what other Hollywood storylines are worth pilfering? Read on, Padawan.
Here are 13 Movie Plots Star Wars Should Steal.
13. Harry Potter
It is a period of peace. The Jedi have brought stability to the galaxy and to fortify their command, seek out potential additions to grow its fledgling ranks. They are successful. An orphan boy is found to be especially Force-sensitive and attends the new Jedi Academy on Coruscant.
There, he encounters eccentric teachers and relentless competition from fellow Initiates in the clandestine world of the Jedi. It is a thorough education.
Alongside his lightsaber training and Force mastery, the boy and his new found friends explore the ancient temple in all of its mystery. Secrets lie at every turn. In discovering the depth of his Jedi potential, he learns of a darker struggle that will soon require his full commitment…
12. Rambo: First Blood
The Clone Wars have concluded. The Empire has ceased production of the Clone army and in its stead, have ordered their replacement with Stormtrooper conscripts. The changing of the guard has had chaotic effects.
Now without purpose, countless clones wander the galaxy. In his new found obsolescence, one clone seeks peace amid a war torn planet. Despite his attempts at assimilation, he is not welcome there.
After their efforts to drive him out fail, local law enforcement capture and torture him without cause. When he resists, they learn that he is no ordinary clone. His meekness belies his strength, for he is an Arc Trooper, born with a genetic penchant for violence and the will to survive…
11. Casablanca
War! The Galactic Empire has grown, leaving few planets untouched by conflict. A slew of refugees populate a remote village on a desert planet. In the center of chaos, it is a port for both Imperial and Rebel loyalists.
There, a sullen and defected Imperial Officer operates a local cantina as a cover for his rebel gunrunning. When his former lover arrives, his true identity is imperiled. She seeks the Officer’s interplanetary credentials so she and her husband can flee the system with immunity. Her selfishness threatens his safety and the future of his operation.
The man is torn between his past and his future. As Stormtroopers, Imperial Officers, and spies from both sides begin to frequent the cantina, war appears inevitable, even in this last bastion of peace…
10. Red Dawn
It is a period of chaos. After the formation of The Galactic Empire, Imperial Fleets subjugate remote planets and establish military outposts. The invasion is thorough and vast, sparing no system from the Empire’s reach.
One of these planets refuses colonization. When the locals are banished from their homes, a small group of the planet’s citizens retaliate. They recruit enough rebel fighters to ward off encroachment from the newly formed Galactic Empire, prompting immediate reinforcements from Imperial command.
Led primarily by the planet’s youths, the resistance bands together to fight off the swathes of Imperial Stormtroopers. Through guerrilla warfare, they steadily increase their ranks and defend the city from internment camps, reeducation protocol, and murder…
9. Pirates of the Caribbean
Sith treasure abounds. Many seek it, though few know where to look. Amid the galactic conflict, rural scavengers pirate a legendary ship to hunt for the ancient riches. Though they are an outfit formed out of necessity and greed, they know where the treasure lies.
They are not alone. Competing crews of notorious and violent space pirates are in hot pursuit, leaving the scavengers unwittingly between two sides: rejected by the rebels and pursued by Imperials. In a galaxy at war, there is no safe harbor for those seeking adventure.
As the motley crew of scavengers begin to cooperate, they call into question the strength of their leader, whose loyalty seems to fluctuate towards the Imperial way of life…
8. Pride & Prejudice
It is the worst of times. Imperial trade regulations have crippled the galactic economy, spurring unprecedented class warfare. Hunger strikes and violent outbreaks prompt the Empire to establish embassies across the galaxy.
An undercover Imperial Governor is stationed on a distant and poverty-stricken planet. Assigned to infiltrate Rebel villages and maintain peace, the Governor attends a local celebration and takes interest in the Rebel leader’s daughter. Introducing himself as a foreign diplomat, she rebuffs his haughty advances.
Spurred by her strength of will, he pursues her with increasing integrity. As The Empire expands, and as the Rebel’s daughter softens, the Governor’s allegiance is tested when he must choose between the Rebel and Imperial way of life…
7. U-571
The galaxy is at war. Though the rebellion is small, the Emperor has ordered his fleets to attack without mercy. Rogue ships pursue the Empire’s defense to capture their impenetrable communication system.
After Rebel intelligence discovers the maintenance schedule for an Imperial Star Destroyer, the Rebels sneak aboard disguised as technicians. They aim to steal sensitive data carrying information on Imperial fleet movements and return it to the Rebel Alliance.
When their plans are foiled, the Rebel crew hijacks the ship and imprisons the remaining Imperial personnel. Lacking proper Rebel communication codes or hyperspace coordinates, the small crew must find a way to return to the Alliance before the Imperial Navy attacks…
6. Ocean’s 11
The Galaxy lives in relative peace under the first Galactic Empire. While the Clone Wars subside, Lando Calrissian, a cunning gambler, is released from prison. Hungry for payback, he concocts a plan to not only get even, but to profit from his imprisonment.
Upon gaining his freedom, he begins his revenge by assembling a team of talented thieves, quite literally his most trusted partners in crime. Together, they plan to rob the Devaronian crime lord who landed him behind bars.
As he recruits his criminal specialists across the galaxy, Lando must search for his right hand-man, an old pal named Han Solo…
5. Gladiator
The wars rage on. The Galactic Empire has grown substantially, drawing increasing hostility from rebel defense. During a surprise attack, rebel pilots down an Imperial Star Destroyer, leaving the ship’s Captain stranded on a desert island.
Upon surviving the crash, the Captain is captured and sold into slavery by a local criminal cartel. In this lawless land, his credentials are rendered meaningless. He is subsequently forced into an underground gladiatorial ring that runs throughout the galaxy.
As he slowly learns compassion for his fellow slaves, many of whom are rebel fighters themselves, he devises a plan to exact revenge on his merciless keepers, the Hutt crime lords…
4. Black Hawk Down
The Battle of Endor is over. As the victorious Rebel Alliance transitions from a military outfit into a political force, their efforts at liberation spread through numerous systems. While many planets are grateful for their help, the liberation is not without pockets of resistance.
Remnants of The Empire remain in a totalitarian system. There, an imperial splinter cell thrives in a planet’s capital city, siphoning food supplies to the surrounding people. Rebel Special Forces attempt a swift abduction of high-ranking Imperial Officers.
Though the initial invasion appears simple, the Rebels are swiftly beaten back. With Alliance troops stranded in a foreign city, hoards of locals rain down on the Rebels desperate for backup…
3. Top Gun
Victory! After the Battle of Endor, Rebel recruitment numbers skyrocket, while frontline demand dwindles. The Rebel Alliance has earned the luxury of training their new recruits.
Cadets hail from across the galaxy. Some seek revenge from planets formerly oppressed by the Empire, while others enroll for personal glory. The recruits are eager to engage in battle and create an environment of extreme competition and machismo.
When an Imperial remnant rises in a nearby system, they are all given the chance to take their shot at the Empire. Mavericks and avengers alike are pulled from their simulators and put behind the stick of fully-equipped Alliance fighters…
2. Valkyrie
The galaxy is secure. After surviving a Jedi assassination attempt, Sheev Palpatine has brought an end to the rebellion. He and the Empire live in peace, but the quietude is deceiving.
Having risen through the ranks, an Imperial Admiral recalls peaceful times during The Republic. He longs for equal opportunity and order under the law. As he turns from Imperial propaganda, he seeks like-minded apostates willing to dismantle the Empire. He finds he is not alone.
The officers identify Palpatine as a parasite and unanimously consent to his destruction. With their lives at stake, the renegades devise a plan to assassinate Palpatine and return the galaxy to peace…
1. Bourne Identity
Expansion! The Empire has extended its reach to remote corners of the galaxy, bringing countless systems under its rule.
After crash landing on an unknown planet during a covert mission, a highly-trained Imperial operative is rescued by rural denizens. He has forgotten his name, his training and his mission. All he has are a unique set of skills tailored for violence and survival.
After being nursed back to health by the locals, he picks up arms with them against the corrupt Imperial Governor. As the agent’s physical prowess and memory slowly return, he is confronted with the horrors of his former life…
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Those are our favorites! What other movies should Disney use as inspiration? Let us know in the comments below!
