A new poll from the Next on Netflix Twitter account sees the Lord of the Rings franchise trounce Star Wars.
Fans were given the option to choose between Star Wars and Lord of the Rings, and they overwhelmingly chose Lord of the Rings. 61% voted for Lord of the Rings, while only 39% voted for Star Wars. 38,041 people participated in the poll.
Let’s settle this once and for all.
— NX (@NXOnNetflix) August 12, 2019
What makes the poll even more interesting is that it was conducted by Netflix, who doesn’t really have a stake in either of these franchises. Disney runs Star Wars and Amazon will be putting out a new Lord of the Rings TV series.
It would have been hard to imagine Star Wars losing to Lord of the Rings in a poll like this just a few short years ago. However, given how Disney and the people they hired treated the franchise, it’s not really a shocker.
The Star Wars franchise really took a massive nose dive following Rian Johnson’s The Last Jedi. The film saw Johnson utterly destroy the character of Luke Skywalker as he drank milk from the teat of an alien, tossed aside his lightsaber, attempted to murder his nephew, and severed himself from the Force. (Related: Mark Hamill Still Doesn’t Understand Luke Skywalker’s Characterization in The Last Jedi!)
Not only did the film attempt to character assassinate Luke Skywalker, but it also dismissed other iconic Star Wars characters like Admiral Ackbar. He was simply killed off by being blown out of a window. (Related: Admiral Ackbar Actor Tim Rose Details Humiliation on the Set of Disney’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi)
But it wasn’t just original trilogy characters that Rian Johnson and Disney butchered. They also butchered General Hux. He became a joke in The Last Jedi contrary to his portrayal in The Force Awakens. (Related: 5 Reasons The Last Jedi Was The Worst Star Wars Movie Ever)
It didn’t end on the screen either. Rian Johnson would lash out at die hard Star Wars fans criticizing The Last Jedi describing them as “manbabies.” (Related: Rian Johnson and John Boyega Attack Star Wars Fans and Consumers At Their Own Risk!)
Johnson would also try and blame Russian trolls, politics, and fans for the intense criticism The Last Jedi faced. (Related: After Blaming Fans, Rian Johnson Now Points to Russian Trolls and Politics for Hatred of Star Wars: The Last Jedi)
Johnson would not be the only Star Wars creator to go after fans. Star Wars author and comic book writer Chuck Wendig would vehemently attack Star Wars fans. Wendig would eventually be fired from Marvel and Star Wars for his rhetoric. (Related: Star Wars Author Chuck Wendig Doubles Down His Attacks in Profanity Laced Twitter Explosion)
Disney has not been able to stop the bleeding. In fact, their treatment of Star Wars and the treatment of Star Wars fans is now starting to affect them at the bottom line. Disney recently admitted their newly opened Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland had low attendance. They also admitted that Solo: A Star Wars Story, the most recent Star Wars film, was an utter bomb. In fact, Star Wars merchandise sales have also declined. (Related: Report: Disneyland’s Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge Employees See Hours Cut as Attendance Doesn’t Meet Disney’s Expectations)
In contrast, J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy was faithfully adapted by director Peter Jackson. Jackson would follow that up with a successful trilogy based on The Hobbit.
Are you surprised by these poll results? Which franchise do you prefer? Star Wars or Lord of the Rings?