The Star Wars brand is stronger than it’s ever been, thanks to the global box office success of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which released for home video last month. With that, fans everywhere are celebrating today with May the 4th (inspired by the famous phrase, “May the Force be with you”), and many companies are joining in the fun.
The #Maythe4th, #starwarsday and #Maythe4thBeWithYou hashtags have been strong across social media, with fans sharing pictures, video clips, memes and other Star Wars-related items to show their continued appreciation for Disney’s franchise. Twitter has seen 602,000 mentions of just the #Maythe4thBeWithYou hashtag alone.
Companies are jumping in on the Star Wars madness as well. Sales on Star Wars gear have been popping up like crazy, including game collections on PlayStation Network, Steam, and movies from Best Buy. Many retailers are extending their sales past May 4th so that Star Wars fans won’t miss out on key sales.
Some companies are also using the May the 4th event to announce forthcoming Star Wars promotions, including the following items:
The Star Wars Celebration
The yearly event will take place in London this July, but it will return to the U.S. next year. Star Wars Celebration 2017 will take place in Orlando, FL from April 13th-16th, and tickets will go on sale later this month.
Last year, thousands of fans from around the world attended the Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim, CA to celebrate The Force Awakens and other Star Wars projects, with the creators and stars from the films. It was a huge draw, and this year’s show is expected to be more popular than ever before.
“Star Wars Celebration has always been about the fans,” said Kathleen Kennedy, president of Lucasfilm. “It allows Lucasfilm to connect directly with the thousands of fans who have given their dedication and support to the world of Star Wars over the years, and is the perfect opportunity for us to give something back.”
A New PlayStation 4 Console Bundle
Following up on last year’s successful Star Wars: Battlefront system bundle, Sony has announced a new package, except this one will have a fun Lego twist. The bundle will include a 1TB PS4 console, a copy of the LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and a Blu-ray copy of the Force Awakens movie. No price has been given yet, but that will surely be announced well before the package launches on June 28th, the same day the game releases.
EA’s New Star Wars Projects
In addition to the best-selling Star Wars: Battlefront, Electronic Arts has been keeping quite busy with several Star Wars projects in the works. The publisher has just announced yet another project, an unnamed third-person action/adventure from Respawn Entertainment, which is currently working on Titanfall 2. No other details were given about the game, but more is expected to be unveiled next month during the company’s EA Play event, being held at the same time as E3.
This latest Star Wars endeavor is the third in a growing list of projects. The first two Star Wars games were announced last year, and they are being developed by BioWare (Mass Effect; Dragon Age) and Visceral Games (Dead Space; Battlefield: Hardline) with Uncharted’s writer Amy Hennig on board. Details for all three games could be revealed as soon as next month.
Having Fun With #Maythe4th
Official Star Wars projects aren’t the only ones having fun with the event, as Syfy also celebrated the franchise in its own special way. It introduced a new poster for Sharknado: The 4th Awakens, fashioned similarly to the poster for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The movie arrives on the channel July 31st accompanied by plenty of sharks.
Star Wars buzz continues to grow with May the 4th, and it may carry over to “Revenge of the 5th,” in honor of Revenge of the Sith. It’s certainly well timed, especially considering how we can look forward to plenty of Star Wars content in the months ahead, including the movie Rogue One, which hits theaters on December 18th, and the much-anticipated Star Wars: Episode VIII next Christmas.
