All photos courtesy Disney Parks BlogMay the 4th is also known as Star Wars Day (May the 4th be with you), but this year the celebration has started early. The March to May the 4th has already kicked off, in New York City of all places. On March 21, The Empire State Building held a five minute light show featuring Star Wars scenes and music by the legendary (and soon to be Disney Legend) John Williams. Actor Hayden Christensen, who played Anakin Skywalker and has continued as Darth Vader, was on hand for the Empire State Building celebration.
Disney Parks Blog has added a lot of Star Wars related information for the March to May the 4th! I’ll add the entire post below, but first a few highlights.
- The Empire State Building will host several Star Wars experiences through April 29
- TruMoo is releasing Star Wars Blue Milk in April
- Salvaged Stormtrooper Helmet Buckets are coming to both Disneyland and Disney’s Hollywood Studios for a limited time
- When The Phantom Menace returns to theaters in May, viewers will also get a sneak peek at The Acolyte
- All nine episodes of The Skywalker Saga will return to theaters for a premium marathon event on May 4th
- Tickets for the next Star Wars Celebration will go on sale on May 2
Here’s all the March to May the 4th information, including things that I’m sure I missed.
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Star Wars Takes Over Empire State Building in NYC
by Jennifer Chalifoux, Senior Specialist, Communications
The March to May the 4th begins!
In an epic kick off to the favored Star Wars fan holiday May the 4th, Disney Consumer Products and Lucasfilm took over the Empire State Building today with product reveals, activities, and news spotlighting the villains of the Star Wars galaxy — commenced by Star Wars actor Hayden Christensen.
The takeover included interactive photo moments, highlighting new Star Wars products in window and observatory deck displays — with select experiences open to the public through April 29. On the iconic 86th Floor Observatory, Star Wars fans can pose with a life-size Funko POP! Darth Vader figure with a backdrop of unmatched New York City skyline views. To celebrate the 25th anniversary of LEGO Star Wars, the LEGO Group is featuring a museum-quality display of life-sized Star Wars villains, built from LEGO bricks—including six-foot tall, brick-built recreations of Darth Vader and Darth Maul—on the 80th floor.
New products across a variety of categories were revealed today at the Empire State Building, including first-time collaborations for Star Wars with Fisher-Price for their Imaginext Star Wars Darth Vader Bot and Dairy Farmers of America for their TruMoo Star Wars Blue Milk coming in April.
Plus, Disney Store unveiled collections that will launch in the weeks leading up to May the 4th including May the 4th Be With You 2024, Star Wars Artist Series by Will Gay, a thrilling collection created in honor of the 25th anniversary of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, and a refresh of Star Wars roleplay apparel and accessories. Stay tuned for more on these collections!
From April 5 to June 2, 2024, Disneyland Park guests can enjoy new experiences and limited-time Star Wars offerings during Season of the Force, including Hyperspace Mountain, themed food and beverage, merchandise and more.
For a limited time beginning May 4, while supplies last, guests can purchase the collectible Salvaged Stormtrooper Helmet Bucket at select locations—served with popcorn, french fries, or Galma Garlic Puffs, depending on location—throughout Disneyland Resort. Debuting during Season of the Force, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge will provide a fresh perspective on the fireworks above Disneyland Park on select nights, with galactic music sweeping through the spires. For more information, visit Disneyland.com.
Coming in May, for a limited time while supplies last, the Salvaged Stormtrooper Helmet Bucket will also be available for purchase at select locations throughout Disney‘s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort. You won’t want to miss it!
Closing out the festivities this evening, the Empire State Building debuted a five-minute dynamic light show featuring fan-favorite scenes from Star Wars films and streaming series — with a special focus on villains including Darth Vader, Emperor Palpatine, stormtroopers and more. The spectacle was synched to John Williams’ “The Imperial March (Darth Vader’s Theme),” which was played simultaneously on iHeartMedia’s Z100 New York radio station and on the iHeartRadio app.
Beloved Star Wars actor Hayden Christensen, who portrays one of the most recognizable antagonists of all time, Darth Vader, was on-hand for a special lighting ceremony to announce the launch of the campaign.
May the 4th isn’t all we’re celebrating this year… Star Wars: The Phantom Menace is celebrating its 25th anniversary! Fans can soon experience a limited-time re-release of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, in theaters beginning May 3, to celebrate the film’s 25th anniversary. In addition, fans will also be treated to an exclusive look at The Acolyte, the upcoming Disney+ series set during the High Republic era, following all The Phantom Menace screenings. As part of the “The Phantom Menace” screenings, fans will be treated to an exclusive look at “Star Wars: The Acolyte.” The upcoming Disney+ series, set approximately 100 years before “The Phantom Menace,” launches exclusively on Disney+ June 4.
On May 4, in honor of both the film’s anniversary and the Star Wars fan holiday, fans will have the opportunity to see all nine episodes of the Skywalker Saga in theaters for a premium marathon event. Finally, those attending will receive a limited-edition poster. Tickets go on sale tomorrow, Friday, March 22.
And finally, the moment you’ve been waiting for! We have an exciting update about Star Wars Celebration, the Ultimate Star Wars Fan Event, taking place April 18-20, 2025, in Japan. Tickets for Star Wars Celebration 2025 will go on sale Thursday, May 2, at 4 p.m. PT / 7 p.m. ET.
The key art for the event was revealed earlier today and is created in the traditional black ink painting style known as sumi-e, with Darth Vader placed in the foreground. Brush strokes extend from the Sith Lord to the branches of a cherry blossom tree, leading to AT-ATs, X-wings, and TIE fighters. The Rising Sun of the Japanese flag balances the image, with Mount Fuji featured in its center. For more information, visit StarWarsCelebration.com.
As the March to May the 4th continues, for the latest product reveals and updates, visit StarWars.com.
May the Force be with you!