“it’s all about new generations of “special effects”
I disagree. I think the people who like Star Wars actually are interested in the characters and their stories and their world. That’s why there are dozens of Star Wars books on sale, fleshing out the whole fictional world and all the back-stories of the characters. Books don’t have any special effects. I think the fans “get it” more than George Lucas ever did. They will put up with some cheesy acting and flawed movies because they can fill in more interesting stuff with their own imagination. Also, the good vs. evil and moral dilemnas keep people going. It’s part of the attraction to all the super-hero movies as well, and even some horror movies.