Shakespeare will meet Star Wars again in Ian Doescher's 'The Empire Striketh Back'
The Force will soon be with Shakespeare 鈥� again.
Writer Ian Doescher released the book 鈥�William Shakespeare鈥檚 Star Wars: Verily, A New Hope鈥� this past summer through Quirk Books, the publisher also behind such works as 鈥淧ride and Prejudice and Zombies.鈥� The book was licensed by Lucasfilm, the production company founded by 鈥淪tar Wars鈥� creator George Lucas.
As one can guess from the title, 鈥淪hakespeare鈥� featured Doescher鈥檚 interpretation of the classic sci-fi story told in Shakespearean language. After the book sold well (it landed at number five on IndieBound鈥檚 Hardcover Fiction bestseller list for the week of Aug. 29 this summer), Doescher is following up with 鈥淲illiam Shakespeare鈥檚 The Empire Striketh Back,鈥� based on what many fans consider to be the best 鈥淪tar Wars鈥� film. 鈥淪triketh鈥� will be released this March. A third installment based on the third movie, 鈥淪hakespeare鈥檚 The Jedi Doth Return,鈥� already has a publication date for this July.
鈥淚 do think any modern storyteller is influenced by the stories we all grow up with and become familiar with, our shared cultural narratives,鈥� Doescher said, according to . 鈥淪hakespeare鈥檚 plays are a part of that tradition, so George Lucas was probably influenced at least somewhat by Shakespeare, as well as Twain, Dickens, Melville, etc.鈥�
