‘May the 4th be with you!’ What’s happening on Star Wars Day?
Photo credit: Star Wars/website/Twitter, Star Wars Bad Batch/Twitter
Whether you’re a Sith Lord, Jedi Master, or just plain “rebel scum,” there’s a reason for every Star Wars fan to celebrate May The 4th! The geek holiday has a special place in the hearts of loyal Star Wars followers because the punny phrase was coined by the fandom. While the playful term has been around since the late ’70s/early ’80s, the first official May The 4th gathering was held in 2011 at the Toronto Underground Cinema. Since then, Star Wars Day eventually became an official celebration supported by Disney and George Lucas.
Photo credit: Star Wars/website
Can you believe that we’ve already got three separate trilogies from the main saga plus, the many spin-offs that make up the expanded universe? The sci-fi fantasy franchise is the gift that keeps on giving, with new titles regularly dropping on our laps. In fact, Disney will be streaming two Star Wars titles in time for May The 4th. Check them out below.
Photo credit: Star Wars/Twitter
Also read: To celebrate 50th anniversary of Lucasfilm, LEGO drops Star Wars R2-D2 construction set
A long time ago, in a daycare far, far away...
The iconic Simpsons infant dukes it out with her pint-sized nemesis, Unibrow Baby, in the upcoming animated short, Maggie Simpson in The Force Awakens From Its Nap. This intergalactic collaboration was always destined to happen since The Simpsons have been making Star Wars references since before most of us were born. (Yes, the comedy series has been around that long!) Disney even released a compilation video last year to prove this fact.
ICYDK: Disney acquired the rights to The Simpsons when they bought 21st Century Fox in 2019, which is why we can now watch more direct collaborations between the two franchises.
Photo credit: Star Wars The Bad Batch/Twitter
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A rag-tag band of Clones struggles for survival
Ever since the Clone Force 99 appeared on the seventh season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, fans have been clamoring for more of the mercenary squad. Now we’ve got an animated sequel/spin-off following the events of Revenge of the Sith called The Bad Batch. The title refers to the fact that this group of elite Clones stands out from the usual troop. Here’s the full trailer below!
Did you know that voice actor Dee Bradley Baker voices ALL the members of Clone Force 99 (Hunter, Wrecker, Tech, Crosshair, and Echo)? Guess he’ll be talking to himself a lot then!
Photo credit: BossLogic/Twitter
Even though there’s only a day dedicated to Star Wars, most fans celebrate for the whole month. The hype is real because even famous conceptual artist BossLogic already posted his tribute a day before the festivities.
To get into the Star Wars spirit, go watch this Disney+ refresher course and trivia buffet on the film that start it all—Star Wars: A New Hope.
If you’re rooting for the Empire or as the meme goes, went to the Dark Side of the Force “for the cookies,” there’s also the unofficial Revenge of the Fifth celebration on May 5.
How are you going to celebrate May The 4th this year? Do you side with the Jedi or the Sith? Are you more of a Han Solo type or identify as a droid?