May the Fourth Be With You: A Recap of Star Wars Day 2020

The force was with Star Wars fans around the world this week as May 4 brought a slew of new content and plans for the future to the galaxy. Not only did the final season of Clone Wars come to an end, but Walt Disney Studios announced that Taika Waititi would direct a new Star Wars movie. It truly was a May the Fourth to remember.

Star Wars Day History

It’s certainly not difficult to deduce why May 4 was dubbed Star Wars Day by fans around the world. Some believe there may have been a deeper impetus to celebrate the beloved franchise on this day, but fans have confirmed that the similarities between the date and the famous phrase “May the force be with you,” are the sole reason for the holiday.

In addition, the creation of the holiday had nothing to do with Lucasfilm or Disney, the two parent companies of the franchise. Any average business would compete with about 25 other companies for any kind of recognition, but Star Wars fans have created this cultural phenomenon without any involvement from business leaders. The first large event to celebrate Star Wars on this day took place in Toronto in 2011. Fans gathered to play games, share their cosplays, and host screenings of all the films. Since Disney’s acquisition of Lucasfilm in 2012, they have been making an effort to plan events every May 4 in honor of the fan-made holiday.

Taika Waititi Ventures to a Galaxy Far, Far Away

Taika Waititi, best known for his work on films such as Thor: Ragnarok, and Jojo Rabbit, will be making his way to a galaxy far, far away. It was announced on May 4 that Waititi would direct and co-write a new feature Star Wars film. He will be co-writing the screenplay alongside Krysty Wilson-Cairns, who co-wrote the award-winning film 1917.

But this isn’t Waititi’s first experience with the Star Wars franchise. He worked with John Favreau and Dave Filoni on the hit Disney+ series The Mandalorian, even directing the season finale. There is currently a second season of the show in post-production, but no details on whether or not Waititi was involved with the production.

If you’re excited to see more Star Wars content on the big screen and want to familiarize yourself with Waititi’s work, grab a seat and head over to your favorite streaming platform to watch What We Do in the Shadows or Thor: Ragnarok. Just be mindful of your snacking, especially if you’re one of the 70 million U.S. movie watchers with digestive sensitivities. It can be hard to slow down on the popcorn when film is this good.

Clone Wars Comes to a Heartbreaking End

When Disney+ announced that they would be producing a new season of the fan-favorite show Clone Wars, the Star Wars community blew up. After a long four years of waiting for a conclusion to the beloved series, the final episode aired on May 4.

We don’t believe in spoilers, but it’s impossible to talk about the series finale without mentioning the film it’s most tightly intertwined with — Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith. The entirety of the animated series follows Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka Tahno, who is Anakin’s padawan, throughout the clone wars that lead up to the events in that movie. The final episodes take place immediately preceding and during the events of Revenge of the Sith, which makes for a truly somber final scene.

The Star Wars franchise is one that may sometimes divide fans and may not be popular in some religious schools, but ultimately it has created a community of people who dare to dream of galaxies far, far away. And with a May 4 packed full of new content, fans certainly have much to look forward to in the coming months and years. May the force be with you all!