C3P0 and R2-D2 have featured in all of the Star Wars films
(Picture: PA Media)More than 40 years on from the release of the original film, Star Wars is more ubiquitous than ever, with three TV series in production and four films to come.
As if not content with wall-to-wall listings at cinemas and on streaming platforms, Disney has carried on with the aggressive marketing the franchise was already known for since buying out LucasArt in 2012.
All in all, it has created more than a few collectibles, figurines, life-size figures, and costumes. And now some of them, well, actually, quite a few, are coming to London in The Fans Strike Back - an exhibition at 81 Old Brompton Road in South Kensington this spring.
The 600-item show had previously been running in New York but is now coming to a land that is not so far, far away - even if you live in Walthamstow and don’t fancy a change of train.
As to how exactly the London version will be staged is still under wraps, but here are some of the New York attractions that could well be transferred to Kensington.
Jabba the Hutt’s lair
Visit the hideous baron who made Han Solo’s life a misery - and see the comfort of his own home. Thankfully, the 16-foot model can be seen but not smelled.
Special effects
With the films (especially the prequels) making absolute full use of CGI, it only seems right that there is an element of computer wizardry in this exhibition. But, unlike some of the dragging set pieces in The Attack of the Clones, these sound fun - with fans given the opportunity to act out a lightsaber battle on green screen and also see alien worlds through a virtual-reality headset.
The Emperor’s throne room
Beloved and despised in equal measure, Emperor Palpatine is one of the most iconic villains in film history. His dark and cold throne room, where he ruled the galaxy, has been faithfully recreated for the exhibition and your own amusement/peril. You may even kneel before him and pledge your allegiance to the dark side, but don’t expect the model to murmur a trademark “goooood” in response.
Collectibles
It’s not just lightsabers from the films that you can see but costumes, set recreations, huge models, and characters created by thousands of Lego pieces.
Rebel base
A large part of the exhibit has been dedicated to recreating Hoth, the base of the heroic (if such a term is not subjective in a very black and white universe) rebels. There are model droids and sculptures lining its hallway.
