CHIBA, Japan (AP) — The Power was with many Japanese, in addition to guests from overseas, at a “Star Wars” occasion on Friday the place Lucasfilm introduced that the subsequent set up within the franchise will hit theaters in Could 2027 starring Ryan Gosling.
Showing on stage earlier than a lightsaber-waving crowd at Makuhari Messe middle outdoors Tokyo, Gosling confirmed a photograph of his childhood bedsheets, plastered with illustrations from the area epic created by George Lucas.
“I guess I was dreaming about ‘ Star Wars ’ even before I saw the film,” Gosling mentioned.
Shawn Levy, who will direct the film, instructed the gang that “Star Wars: Starfighter” won’t be a prequel or a sequel, however a brand new standalone journey with new characters set a number of years after “Episode Nine.” Filming begins later this yr, he mentioned.
Levy, who additionally directed the 2006 movie “The Pink Panther” and the current Netflix collection “Stranger Things,” mentioned little else, noting: “I can’t say much about it because I understand the rules.”
Solely the title was proven on an enormous display screen, though that was sufficient for the gang to burst into cheers.
The occasion, known as Star Wars Celebration, which runs by Sunday, is filled with “Star Wars”-themed merchandise together with T-shirts, toys, books, manga comics, AC chargers, cellphone covers, autographs, posters and extra.
The Lego sales space featured a person sporting the ominous black masks and cloak of Darth Vader, made out of Legos. The deep-breathing villain additionally appeared as conventional Japanese lacquerware adorning earphones in a restricted version of 10, every promoting for 990,000 yen ($7,000). Darth Vader T-shirts had been extra inexpensive at 8,000 yen ($56).
“It makes me so happy to think everyone here loves ‘Star Wars,’” mentioned Yoshiki Takahashi, 26, who was holding a remote-controlled R2-D2 miniature robotic.
“I love the directing, the sound of the gun and the lightsaber, but above all the story, with great fight scenes and, of course, human drama,” he added.
One other Japanese man, who mentioned he goes solely by Hiro, was dressed because the “Star Wars” character Mandalorian, in an in depth costume he made himself, full with a plastic sword and armor.
Additionally current had been “Star Wars” followers from world wide, together with a robed Raul Herrera, a pc science trainer from Chile, who was there with mates.
“All of them,” mentioned Herrera, when requested which ‘Star Wars’ movies he’d seen. “The sense of commitment of the characters, I really like it.”
With offshoot tales spanning generations and actually the cosmos, “Star Wars” is likely one of the highest-grossing franchises of all time since its 1977 debut, starring Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker.
It might be pure that “Star Wars” appeals to Japanese: Its story a few samurai-like hero who befriends numerous characters alongside his journey echoes the nation’s fables, in addition to legendary Akira Kurosawa movies.
___
Yuri Kageyama is on Threads: https://www.threads.internet/@yurikageyama
