If you guys are going to start commenting on audience numbers, it makes it even more bizarre that you'd write out Heir to the Empire's New York Times #1 Bestseller list (that knocked down John Grisham at the time) and the other bestselling books just because they happen to be novels.
You discount novels because they're novels even though they were widely read. Then when film/tv is brought up to you, you discount them because you feel they weren't as widely viewed.
Just choose your points and stick with them.
If books were so meaningless, no one would have watched Fellowship of the Ring when it premiered. Everyone would have been confused on who Bilbo was and who Sauron was. Ignoring the massive SW literary audience to suit arguments flies in the face of reality (as seen in my LOTR example).
I'm saying the majority of people who watch the movies don't give a shit about the books, both LOTR and Star Wars, and Harry Potter for that matter.
All they care about is that it's epic, exciting and fun.