Although few expected it, Star Wars: A New Hope was an immediate success. Viewers loved the hero's journey with a sci-fi twist. However, it was in The Empire Strikes Back that Star Wars really began to pick up steam. Rarely does a sequel improve on the original film, but Empire did just that, and transformed Star Wars into a full-fledged franchise.
Source：https://www.cbr.com/sdoctor-aphra-luke-skywalker-vader-connection/
