My son Jake recently attended the Star Wars celebration in London and took the time to write us an article about the event and the experience he and his friends had, which included meeting Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi, passing on Dave Filoni and a quick chat with Kathleen. Canadian!
Not so long ago
Star Wars celebration 2023 has come and gone, and it’s time to look back at Disney and Lucasfilm’s attempt to bring the galaxy far, far away to London’s Excel Centre.
For those who ask, Star Wars celebration is an annual event where Lucasfilm celebrates the past, present and future of Star Wars. At these events, fans can expect new announcements about games, TV shows, and usually movies… before they are inevitably shelved and canceled as they have been for the past 4 years.
Not only will fans find new and exciting announcements, but they will be among others Star Wars fans, perusing the vast rooms filled with vendors selling vintage toys worth a small fortune, or other overpriced selections Star Wars Oddities, Relics and Merchandise.
to many, Star Wars celebration It may seem like a hardcore fan’s dream, but there’s still a lot to be desired in this so-called “event”. Star Wars celebration Missing “celebration” of Star Wars. It felt like Disney and Lucasfilm were relying on the fans to make it a celebration rather than their investment in props, costumes and sets that people really love.
fan works
Most of the displays were fan creations. No museum-like item took fans on a deep dive into the franchise. No costumes or props in screen use. It was a bit of a shock when most of the space in the big building was taken up by street food vendors, merchandise sellers and empty rooms when 2022 Star Wars celebration In Anaheim there was an entire section dedicated to Disney Plus props and costumes The Mandalorian and Obi and Ann Kenobi.
Fan creations are always impressive, whether it’s the remote controlled droids or the giant AT-STs. However, the fact that it’s up to the fans to create these joys, rather than Disney themselves providing it, lacks charm.
It’s fun to hang out in a place where everyone is of mutual interest: all things Star Wars. Fans of the prequels, originals and even the sequels can unite under one banner, even just for one day to explore the celebration and history of the franchise. However, to do so, fans will have to maneuver through bustling crowds and long lines just to see what some of the vendors are selling.
Crowds are beeping
Fan expressionism cannot be understated. They live, breathe and bathe all things Star Wars. It was nice to witness the exposure of Ahsoka trailer and hear the ExCel center erupt in cheers as Thrawn makes his live-action debut. It was also interesting to see the absolute buzz of Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau, who received standing ovations just for appearing, while other guests such as Lucasfilm CEO Kathleen Kennedy received cheers and applause, but to a much lesser degree.
It’s nice to appreciate the franchise, and worth going to for a day, but fans shouldn’t expect silence, and neither should audiences be expected to be quiet when a guest like Dave Filoni, Jon Favreau, or even a new actor from Star Wars: Acolyte to take the stage, as one of these celebrities only needs to blink and the crowd will erupt into applause and cheers, making it quite frustrating for those who really want to hear what these people have to say.
The real selling point of Star Wars celebration It’s not meeting the heroes of the franchise, witnessing the secret concept and on-screen remnants of the movies and series, but looking at the love that fans have for the franchise in their creations and collections. The basic problem is the fact that it lacks an official celebration from Lucasfilm, and there is a clear division in the experience between those who want to pay a fortune, and those who just want to be fans.
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