Could A Force Friday-like Event Be Coming For The 40th Anniversary Of The Empire Strikes Back

Posted by Chris on 07/30/19 at 01:01 PM Category: Star Wars Misc

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2020 will see the end of a recent streak for Star Wars. It will be the first year since 2015 without a new theatrical release. As far as we know, there will also be no new media releases on the small screen either. The Mandalorian will debut with the launch of Disney+ in November, and while not confirmed, it's rumored that new season of The Clone Wars will do the same. Since we focus more heavily on the collectible/merchandising side of the equation here, it will also mark another first. As of right now, it means there will be no "Force Friday" or "Wookiee Wednesday" unified product launch event. I personally find these events very fun, and usually take the morning off work to go survey the scene even if I know that none of the launched product interests me. So it will be sad to forgo this style of event for at least one year.

Or will it? May 17th, 2020 marks the 40th anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back, as most of you know. The following conjecture is admittedly flimsy, but my gut has a better than 50/50 track record. My record is 52/48 with creative rounding.

Much to the consternation of the fan base, only two new collector products were announced during Hasbro's recent SDCC panel presentation that appeal to the collector base. They were the HyperReal Luke Skywalker and the Black Series Boba Fett helmet. Both are obviously sourced to Episode V. It would make sense that the 40th anniversary would receive product support just as the 40th anniversary of A New Hope did, but I found the estimated release date to be slightly curious. Both are slated for "approximate" release dates of May 4th, 2020 ("Star Wars Day"):

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That's somewhat late in the "spring" season to launch product. It's heading right into the summer toy lull. That summer toy hiatus is a bit of the product of a bygone era when toys were primarily for kids, but vestiges of it remain today. I think these factors conspire to form a little smoke that Star Wars Day in 2020 will be treated as an Empire Strikes Back 40th Anniversary product event. Very little smoke. But my collecting intuition tells me I might be on to something. Hasbro, if this happens and you ignore The Vintage Collection, we're having words!