The first Star Wars film was released in 1977. Over the past four decades, this chronicle of galactic war and adventure has established itself as an American pop culture icon, generating tremendous revenues and attracting an enormous fandom across the globe. During that time, Star Wars has grown into a universe all its own, spawning TV series, video games, toys, and theme parks. The audio and visual technologies used in the films have also provided a foundation for ILM and Skywalker Sound, two film production companies that have had far-reaching impact on the film industry.