5) Star Wars Mania
By the end of the summer of 1977, Star Wars was a global phenomenon and it wasn't just toys and comic books that were flying off the shelves. T-shirts, pajamas, lunch boxes, posters, school suppplies, coffee mugs, breakfast cereals, sheets, blankets, collectible glasses from Burger King -- all were emblazoned with the movie's iconography. Today the trend continues with iPhone cases, GPS apps and even commercial airliners. Leaving toys aside, Star Wars merchandising has pulled in $975 million while image and logo licensing has earned $825 million.
