Space opera

Space opera is a subgenre of speculative fiction or sci fi that emphasizes romantic adventure, exotic settings, and larger than life characters.

Star Wars is typically characterized as belonging to the space opera genre, and many classic space opera serials such as Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers were among the impressions that inspired George Lucas into making the Star Wars movies.

The further expansion of the Star Wars Universe carries on the tradition of space opera even more so than the movies.