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Astrology, Prediction, And Objectivity: Was I Right About The Rise Of Skywalker?

“These predictions may all get served up with a side order of ‘wow, Matthew has zero objectivity about Star Wars.’ Or, maybe I’ll be right. Either way, we will know for sure in about a month.”

-Me, November 27, 2019

 

It’s been a month today since the wide release of Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker. I wrote a multi-part series before that about my predictions for how that would work out, based on the “birth chart” of the franchise as a whole, the chart for the initial public screening of the film, and the birth charts of some of the major players. I admitted that I wasn’t objective about it (I want Star Wars to win all the marbles, all the time) but I did my best. Let’s see how that worked out, shall we?

 

(We are not discussing “artistic merit” here. “Artistic merit,” like “personality,” is subjective. A corporate balance sheet is more objective. This is why I encourage people learning astrology to work with what’s called “mundane astrology” (the astrology of corporations, projects, nations, et cetera). That, and Hollywood doesn’t give a hoot about the artistic merits of the Transformer movies. Hollywood just loves how much money they make.)

 

PREDICTION: “Star Wars’ Money House is ruled by Jupiter, and the only close major aspect it gets is an opposition from transiting Mercury. There is also a weak square from Neptune. This does not bode well for box office potential.”

ACTUAL RESULT: It might sound crazy to say that a movie that made a billion dollars at the box office in its first month is “a disappointment.” But, that’s how economies of scare work in Hollywood. If a billionaire finds a hundred bucks on the sidewalk, it’s barely worth it to him to pick it up. If I finds a hundred bucks on the sidewalk? I’ll be dancing around and clapping my hands like an extra from the wedding scene in Fiddler on the Roof.

But: the film has had a huge drop at the box office in its first month. It’s a member of the “$100 Million Losers Club”: a movie that makes $100 million less on its second weekend than on its first. And it has endured a spectacular 91.5% drop in box office in the first month.

Avengers:Endgame had the same drop — but a month after its release it was still a solid Number Two at the box office. Rise Of Skywalker is expected to place at Number Five this weekend.

Put another way: it took Rise Of Skywalker 28 days to cross the One Billion Dollar mark. The Last Jedi did it in 19 days. The Force Awakens did it in twelve days.

Rise Of Skywalker also seriously under-performed re: expectations in China — and Chinese box office is now a major factor in the profitability of Hollywood blockbusters.

GRADE I’M GIVING MYSELF: A

 

PREDICTION: “In a mundane chart manufactured products are ruled by Mars. Mars in the Star Wars birth chart is getting beaten up by a square from transiting Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn.”

ACTUAL RESULT: Sales have been down over the last four quarters on Star Wars merchandise with Hasbro, the primary supplier and distributor — and the shelves are still pretty bare of Rise Of Skywalker products. This problem extends just beyond The Rise Of Skywalker, though.  The Mandalorian on Disney Plus has a giant meme-worthy hit with “Baby Yoda.” Despite that, what is there for merchandise? T-shirts and coffee mugs based on production photos, which you could make yourself at any print shop.  Get it together, Disney! I want my Baby Yoda electric toothbrush!

GRADE I’M GIVING MYSELF: A- (taking marks off because the problem was beginning to show itself at the time of original writing)

 

PREDICTION: (re: The Disney Corporation) “transiting Saturn and Pluto are square Disney’s Jupiter and Nodes, which certainly doesn’t sound great. However the second house of Disney’s chart (money) is ruled by the Moon. That Moon is at 17 Aquarius and isn’t taking any particular hits at this time.”

ACTUAL RESULT: Disney stock on release date: $146.15 per share. At closing this Friday: $144.33.

GRADE I’M GIVING MYSELF: A

 

PREDICTION: (On the subject of executive in charge Kathleen Kennedy) “So if Rise Of Skywalker under-performs she’s likely going to take the blame. But at the same time, transiting Jupiter will be conjunct her Midheaven. So: will it not be as bad as I’m thinking, or will there be some kind of ‘golden parachute’ for her?”

ACTUAL RESULT: No change on job description at this time, but lots of pressure — and the square from transiting Pluto to her Midheaven ruler has another year to go, so we’ll see.

GRADE I’M GIVING MYSELF: B+ (pending further developments in the next few months)