CHIBA, Japan (AP) — The Force was with many Japanese, as well as visitors from abroad, at a “Star Wars” event on Friday where Lucasfilm announced that the next installation in the franchise will hit theaters in May 2027 starring Ryan Gosling.
Star Wars fans in different creations of the Boba Fett uniforms attend a fan convention called the Star Wars Celebration in Chiba, near Tokyo, Friday, April 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)
Appearing on stage before a lightsaber-waving crowd at Makuhari Messe center outside Tokyo, Gosling showed a photo of his childhood bedsheets, plastered with illustrations from the space epic created by George Lucas.
“I guess I was dreaming about ‘ Star Wars ’ even before I saw the film,” Gosling said.
Fans react to the opening act during the Star Wars Celebration in Chiba, near Tokyo, Friday, April 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)
Shawn Levy, who will direct the movie, told the crowd that “Star Wars: Starfighter” will not be a prequel or a sequel, but a new standalone adventure with new characters set several years after “Episode Nine.” Filming starts later this year, he said.
Film director Shawn Levy, left, speaks as director Dave Filoni and producer Kathleen Kennedy listen during a fan convention called the Star Wars Celebration in Chiba, near Tokyo, Friday, April 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)
Levy, who also directed the 2006 film “The Pink Panther” and the recent Netflix series “Stranger Things,” said little else, noting: “I can’t say much about it because I understand the rules.”
Film producer Kathleen Kennedy, left, and director Dave Filoni are welcomed by R2-D2 and C-3PO, right, as they appear on stage during a fan convention called the Star Wars Celebration in Chiba, near Tokyo, Friday, April 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)
Only the title was shown on a giant screen, although that was enough for the crowd to burst into cheers.
From left, actors Pedro Pascal and Sigourney Weaver react to audience members as director Jon Favreau looks on during a fan convention called the Star Wars Celebration Japan in Chiba, near Tokyo, Friday, April 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)
The event, called Star Wars Celebration, which runs through Sunday, is full of “Star Wars”-themed merchandise including T-shirts, toys, books, manga comics, AC chargers, cellphone covers, autographs, posters and more.
Star Wars fans wearing costumes of Chewbacca, left, and Widdle Warrick pose for a photo during a fan convention called the Star Wars Celebration in Chiba, near Tokyo, Friday, April 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)
The Lego booth featured a man wearing the ominous black mask and cloak of Darth Vader, made out of Legos. The deep-breathing villain also appeared as traditional Japanese lacquerware decorating earphones in a limited edition of 10, each selling for 990,000 yen ($7,000). Darth Vader T-shirts were more affordable at 8,000 yen ($56).
A Star Wars fan dressed as Darth Vader tries to demonstrate the Force during a fan convention called the Star Wars Celebration Japan in Chiba, near Tokyo, Friday, April 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)
“It makes me so happy to think everyone here loves ‘Star Wars,’” said Yoshiki Takahashi, 26, who was holding a remote-controlled R2-D2 miniature robot.
“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.
Another Japanese man, who said he goes only by Hiro, was dressed as the “Star Wars” character Mandalorian, in a detailed costume he made himself, complete with a plastic sword and armor.
A Star Wars fan in an R2-D2 costume poses for a photo outside the venue during a fan convention called the Star Wars Celebration in Chiba, near Tokyo, Friday, April 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)
Also present were “Star Wars” fans from around the world, including a robed Raul Herrera, a computer science teacher from Chile, who was there with friends.
“All of them,” said Herrera, when asked which ‘Star Wars’ films he’d seen. “The sense of commitment of the characters, I really like it.”
With offshoot stories spanning generations and literally the cosmos, “Star Wars” is one of the highest-grossing franchises of all time since its 1977 debut, starring Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker.
It may be natural that “Star Wars” appeals to Japanese: Its story about a samurai-like hero who befriends various characters along his journey echoes the nation’s fables, as well as legendary Akira Kurosawa films.
___
Yuri Kageyama is on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@yurikageyama
