California votes to officially make May 4 “Star Wars Day.” While the franchise itself was introduced to the world via the original film on May 25, 1977, the May 4 date has long been a holiday for Star Wars fans. It’s obviously a play on words, drawing from the famous “May the Force be with you” phrase that’s synonymous with the property and has been part of the pop culture lexicon for more than 40 years.

Of all the years for Star Wars to get an official holiday, 2019 is arguably the best one. The galaxy far, far away is going to be omnipresent over the next several months, with the Galaxy’s Edge theme park opening, The Mandalorian live-action TV series premiering on Disney+, and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker debuting in theaters this holiday season. After the excitement of Celebration Chicago, the franchise is definitely at the forefront of the zeitgeist again, and even legislators can’t help but take notice.

According to THR, California has officially made May 4 “Star Wars Day.” The main catalyst for the timing of this is Galaxy’s Edge, which opens at Disneyland on May 31. In a resolution, it was stated the theme park could earn up to $14 million in tax revenue each year in Anaheim.

This is just the latest illustration of how massive Star Wars is, enduring for decades to be one of society’s greatest touchstones. Very few properties are able to stay relevant for as long as Star Wars has, which is not just a testament to the creatives who work on the films, TV shows, and books - but also the fans. Lucasfilm understands better than most that Star Wars would not be what it is today without the support of its global fan base, which transformed the property into something that gets passed down from generation to generation. Most people, regardless of age, are familiar with some component of the Star Wars franchise and it’ll stay that way for a while. Star Wars truly is timeless.

In a way, it’s fittingly poetic Star Wars Day became official this year. Fans are preparing for the end of an era, as The Rise of Skywalker will conclude the Skywalker saga, capping off a nine-movie arc that began in 1977. Lucasfilm of course has other Star Wars films coming through the pipeline, but the movies are going to go on hiatus for a couple of years as the studio plots out their next slate. That’s part of the beauty of Star Wars; Lucasfilm doesn’t have to worry about striking when the iron is hot, because Star Wars is always going to be popular no mater what.

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Source: THR

  • Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker Release Date: 2019-12-20