Top 10 Highlights from Star Wars Celebration 2015
Star Wars fans from around the world flocked to Anaheim over the weekend for the Star Wars Celebration. This year’s SWCA promised tons of exclusive information about The Force Awakens, the premiere of season two of Star Wars Rebels, and news about the highly anticipated video game, Star Wars Battlefront. For four days, Anaheim was the center of all-things Star Wars, amid a very big year for the franchise. We were there, and the excitement was palpable.
Here’s a look at the top moments from SWCA:
- J.J. Abrams shares details on The Force Awakens
SWCA started out with a bang when director J.J. Abrams and Lucasfilm’s Kathleen Kennedy gave fans a peek inside Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Fans lined up overnight to get inside the Anaheim Convention Center Arena (and were rewarded with pizza, a thank-you gift from Abrams himself), and the crowd was pumped up even before Abrams and Kennedy appeared, accompanied by a John Williams fanfare and a lightsaber light show, filling the huge arena with colorful blades of neon light. Abrams was candid about his love for Star Wars franchise (he initially said no when approached about taking the reins, citing family obligations and a lack of desire to work on sequels), and his quest to get a movie of this magnitude right for the fans. All signs suggest he did: when Han Solo and Chewbacca showed up at the end of the trailer, and Han uttered the now immortal words, “Chewie, we’re home,” the crowd went nuts. Well done, Mr. Abrams. - Casts join forces
During the Abrams panel, fans got a chance to meet Daisy Ridley (“Rey”), John Boyega (“Finn”), and Oscar Isaac (“Poe Dameron”). The Star Wars newcomers expressed their excitement over being cast in what could be the biggest movie of the decade. Boyega didn’t tell his parents until after the first cast photo was released. Before long, Abrams and Kennedy introduced fans to the newly designed First Order Stormtroopers, whose softer, more streamlined design was met with cheers. With a line of Stormtroopers serving as a backdrop, the original cast came onstage (minus one recovering Harrison Ford, whose absence was marked with warm remarks from his castmates). Anthony Daniels and Carrie Fisher came out, followed by Mark Hamill, offering his shoulder to Peter Mahew, who was using a lightsaber cane. Daniels, the only actor to appear in all seven films, remarked that he loves seeing three generations of fans at these events. Mahew is thrilled to be back in Chewbacca’s hairy costume, while Fisher told the audience that the trademark “buns” have been retired, but a new hairdo is forthcoming. Hamill gave thanks to the UPFs (Ultra Passionate Fans) who have become like family to him. At this point, the new cast members were brought back onstage, and the world got to see the cast together, live, for the first time. - Exclusive merchandise
The Exhibit Hall was filled with vendors selling everything from Star Wars costume pieces to jewelry, from Millennium Falcon area rugs to full sized cardboard stand-ups. The highlight was the Celebration Show Store, which usually had a huge line to enter and an even longer line to pay. Within 30 minutes of opening each morning, the day’s allotment of collector pins sold out. The pin trading craze was huge at SWCA. - Programming
SWCA provided fans with panel programming ranging from costume design tips to toy collectors panels, as well as information about forthcoming product lines. During one, it was announced that the new Star Wars: Battlefront game will serve as a tie-in to The Force Awakens. There was a podcast stage where Star Wars podcasters broadcast live in front of their listeners. In one wing of the Exhibit Hall, the Art Show held half of the floor, while the SWCA Tattoo Pavilion served as a neighbor. While some fans signed up to display their ink in the tattoo competition, others got some ink during the show. Watching tattoo artists at work provided an opportunity to see some other interesting things along the way… (Purple briefs with little bananas guy, I salute you). - Droid builders, unite
At the Abrams panel, the director acknowledged the immense talent of fans who build their own droids. We met two of them, Lee Towersley and Oliver Steeples, lads from the U.K. selected to help the crew build droids for the movie. (Abrams joked that thanks to their work, there was “never a costly droid delay” during filming) We met the newest droid, BB-8, a little round guy with cuteness to rival R2-D2’s. One whole room was devoted to droids constructed by amateur builders over months or years. When asked how much it costs to build a droid, most builders gave a little smile and declined to comment. - Cosplay
Star Wars fans are known for their costuming. From the 501st Legion of Stormtroopers, to the Rebel forces who keep them in line, SWCA featured some of the best cosplay in the galaxy. Kathleen Kennedy commented during the panel that in the past there hasn’t been a lot of opportunity for women to cosplay in the Star Wars universe, but with the new films, that “is going to change” with “some really strong women and wonderful new characters.” - Make-A-Wish
There is a huge humanitarian side to Star Wars fandom. The 501st Legion and the Rebel Legion are more than just people who like to dress up in characters. They do hospital appearances for sick children and work to raise money for charitable organizations. On Friday, the 501st and the Rebels teamed up with Make-A-Wish to create a memorable experience for one young boy. Entering the Hall, he passed between two lines of members of the 501st and the Rebels, and was met by Han Solo and Luke Skywalker, escorted to Princess Leia, and presented with the same Medal of Honor the heroes received at the end of Episode IV. The boy’s parents were weeping, and members of the two legions struggled to stay in character. Even Emperor Palpatine wiped away a tear. - Worldwide fan community
SWCA served as a meeting point for fans from all over the world. At one point in the media room, I heard English, Spanish, French, German, Swedish, and Japanese at the same time. In the 501st Legion meeting space, members of the worldwide garrisons were able to connect in person (the Canadian Garrison sported maple leaf patches). SWCA is proof that a fandom can unite strangers from around the world. - Bridging generations
As Anthony Daniels said, Star Wars now has several generations of fans. Between the scores of little Jedis and Leias and whole families cosplaying together (with a few baby Ewoks), it’s clear that fandom is a family affair. Disney has stepped in with their Jedi Training Academy, allowing kids to train as Jedi and test their skills against Darth Vader himself. Can you imagine the stories these kids will tell their friends in school? One little girl, dressed as a Disney princess with a jeweled tiara, had wicked lightsaber skills, but as soon as the Imperial March came on and the Dark Lord appeared onstage, she burst into tears, much to her father’s amusement. Evidently we’re not all cut out to be Jedi Knights, but the kids who battled Vader and lived to tell the tale will be fans for life. - Anaheim
Star Wars Celebration is a traveling event. This was the first time the event has been held in the U.S. since 2012. With the Anaheim Convention Center’s location beside Disneyland, where Star Wars has become a huge piece of the Happiest Place on Earth, hosting the event there made a lot of sense. Disneyland shuttles transported fans from Angel Stadium parking lots to the Convention Center, while many fans left SWCA at the end of the day and headed over to Disneyland to continue the festivities. Even the Angels are getting into the action, declaring tonight’s game Star Wars Night, complete with Jedi Rally Monkeys. Will Anaheim and Disney make SWCA an annual event? With over 100,000 attendees, it’s a possibility.
Did you attend SWCA? Share your memories below.