In May 1997 just after the re-releases, I attended my first Star Wars convention, reuniting with my fellow actors for the first time in 18 years. The event was in Hackensack, New Jersey, just across the Hudson from New York City and the Twin Towers. In the nineties, I donated all my proceeds for children’s […]
The year was 1983. Return of the Jedi had been released to great fanfare on 25th May, breaking opening day records worldwide and bringing the original trilogy to a conclusion with a blast, resolving — for the next 32 years, at least — the fates of Luke, Leia, Han, Chewie, and the droids. As it […]
It was a chilly November morning in Death Valley National Park — not as cold as it had been the night before when I was snuggled in a sleeping bag-blanket burrito in my tent — but still cold enough. I’d visited the park before, but I’d returned this time with a purpose grander than sightseeing: […]
As many fans of the Star Wars universe know, 501st and Rebel Legion members across the globe dedicate time and effort year-round in support of local community and charitable organizations to help raise funds and bring smiles to Star Wars fans of all ages. And with spring just around the corner, that means “con season” is […]
Sometimes it take a near-disaster as well as happy news to remind us what has made — and keeps — Star Wars so strong and such an important part of the lives of so many of us around the world. When it all happens in the space of just seven days, it’s like a bright […]
I’m a little late on this but March had me thinking about Women’s History Month and what it means to Star Wars fans. Just consider the huge shift in sci-fi fan (I hesitate to use the term “geek” but that’s what I’m really thinking) demographics that’s taken place since Star Wars came out. In middle […]
There’s a sort of superhero vibe that surrounds my Elite Squad at the Star Wars Celebrations. You know how it happens in the movies when all hell breaks loose, and it looks like there is no hope for the good citizens. Suddenly Batman shows up, and you know that everything is going to be all […]
Wow! I am so excited that Ahsoka made it to the Sixteen Strikes Back round! Thank you to everyone who voted last week but now she REALLY needs your help because this IS madness! The fact that Ahsoka is up against Chewbacca in this March Madness competition makes me a little mad because I LOVE […]
I love Star Wars video games. Growing up, I played all the Super Nintendo games and a laundry list of others. I think my favorites are Super Star Wars, Star Wars: Dark Forces, and Star Wars Galaxies…which I played for three months straight, earning galaxy currency as an interior decorator (best job I’ve ever had). I […]
One of the best parts about being a Star Wars fan is sharing it with the people you love. The films, comics, toys, books, and television series help the saga reach across generations. You’ll find fans in all age groups. To paraphrase another movie with Liam Neeson, Star Wars actually is all around. This is […]
One of Mickey Mouse’s favorite things about Star Wars Weekends is that he gets to dress in his Jedi best and join the galactic fun. Each year, Mickey seems to take on a different role in the official Star Wars Weekends logo. This year, his imagination takes him to the Forest Moon of Endor, where […]
As we dive into the post-Disney acquisition era of Lucasfilm and Star Wars I thought it might not be a bad time to take a few steps back into the past to see what loving Star Wars was like before the advent of Facebook and Twitter, before the Internet, before DVDs, Hasbro, Dark Horse, and […]
One must have patience to be a Jedi, and one must have even more tenacity to be a diorama builder. Legions of Star Wars fans are devoted to creating miniature replicas of scenes from the films, and I bet most of them could teach Obi-Wan a trick or two. Barry Riddle would surely be considered […]
The Princess half marathon weekend that runDisney hosts in Walt Disney World every year is near and dear to my heart. The inaugural year of the race, 2009, I ran it — my first half marathon. I haven’t missed a year since, and so long as I’m mobile, I’ll be there. I run other races […]
By now, I’m sure you’ve all had a chance to digest what happened in the Season Five finale of Star Wars: The Clone Wars. It was very emotional and like I teased all season long, I’m sure you now have more questions than answers about what happened and what’s going to happen next. Imagine being […]
We were back in Indianapolis. We were celebrating the release of another Star Wars movie with tens of thousands of fans. We were working with many of the same staff and crew. What could surprise us? What could possibly go wrong? Heh. Honestly, I’m both an event production person and a naturally suspicious person, so […]
The worlds of politics and geek culture intersected on Friday, when President Obama combined Star Wars and Star Trek into a potent political meme.
Rebel pilot and bounty hunter, John Morton, gets pumped for Celebration.
As scenes for The Empire Strikes Back Uncut continue to fill our inboxes, we see all kinds of awesome live-action remakes. Adolescent Lukes, cat Yodas, and all kinds of cool handmade sets. Speaking of handmade, some of the fans really thinking outside the box are the ones who have started from a blank page, pen […]
by Flat Stanley as told to Steve Sansweet (Photos by Anne Neumann) Hi! My name is Flat Stanley. If you’re of a certain age, you may have met me in school. I was born in a 1964 book by Jeff Brown, but I still look like I go to elementary school because that’s part of […]
We love getting new scene submissions for The Empire Strikes Back Uncut, because we know every re-creation is going to bring together a whole different cast of props, costumes, effects, and characters. And boy do we get characters. Some of our favorite performances are from the youngest Jedi who are filling big, adult-sized acting shoes. […]
Love is in the air and Valentine’s Day is here again. Aside from the irrational fear we might one day accidentally kiss our sister, Star Wars fans are full of romance just like anyone else! In fact, we’re coming into a golden age for fans. A love of Star Wars crosses every demographic boundary and […]
We released this new Star Wars by Her Universe quote tee just in time for Valentine’s Day. No, this is not a shameless plug for our new shirt…it’s my hope for all of us this Valentine’s week. I hope that each one of you has a Valentine in your life, someone you love. It could be […]
I first saw A New Hope when I was four years old, and although I loved it, my thought process about it admittedly didn’t go much beyond ROBOTS SPACE EXPLOSIONS COOL! By the time The Empire Strikes Back was released, I was an oh-so-sophisticated second grader who was beginning to recognize the importance of human […]
Hello and welcome to my first edition of Fully Operational Fandom! I’m excited about my new column because it’s going to be all about the fans. Star Wars enthusiasts make up the most passionate fan community I’ve ever experienced, and I’m continually impressed with how people channel their love for the galaxy far, far away. […]
I am not a part of the tribe. I have worked on every Star Wars Celebration since Celebration II, but no matter, I am not a member of the elite echelon of fans who traveled to Star Wars Celebration I in Colorado back in 1999. Not able to claim I had anything to do with […]
I don’t know about you, but I am LOVING the Darth Maul episodes and you are in for an amazing and dramatic finale this Saturday! The fun doesn’t stop with the episode though: make sure to join us afterwards for our first ever Google+ Hangout! At 10:30 a.m. PST come and join me, Matt Lanter, […]
There’s a simple rule to most movies: Amputees are bad guys. Almost without fail, if there’s a guy with a hook for a hand or one who walks with a limp or has a glass eye, then he’s a bad dude. It’s an easy metaphor to slide into movies and it extends past just amputated […]
100%! 100%! 100%! In the wee hours of Sunday morning (1:04 a.m. EST to be exact), we reached an important landmark: we have officially received a submission for every scene in The Empire Strikes Back Uncut. That’s 480 scenes, fuzzballs.
Have you ever wanted to start your own Star Wars fansite? On January 24, a new event took place to gather all of the information that you need to know about taking your first step into the larger world of fansites! The first ever Star Wars Fansite Seminar was a smashing success, as fans from across […]
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