The date originated from the pun "May the Fourth be with you", from the Star Warscatchphrase "May the Force be with you."[1] Even though the holiday was not created or declared by Lucasfilm, many Star Wars fans have chosen to celebrate the holiday.[4] It has since been embraced by Lucasfilm and the Walt Disney Company as an annual celebration of Star Wars.
The release date of the original Star Wars movie, May 25, 1977, is celebrated by some as Geek Pride Day.[5]
In the 1988 episode of Count Duckula, "The Vampire Strikes Back", a space-faring superhero, Tremendous Terrance, asks Duckula the date and is told, "May the Fourth". As Terrance departs, he tells all below, "May the Fourth be with you."[9][10]
The phrase was used in a UK Parliament defence debate on May 4, 1994.[11]
In 2008, the first Facebook groups appeared, celebrating Luke Skywalker Day, with the same catchphrase.[13]
In 2011, the first organized celebration of Star Wars Day took place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada at the Toronto Underground Cinema. Produced by Sean Ward and Alice Quinn, festivities included an original trilogy trivia game show; a costume contest with celebrity judges; and the web's best tribute films, mash-ups, parodies, and remixes on the big screen. The second annual edition took place on Friday, May 4, 2012.[14][15][16]
Fans (including government officials, such as Boris Johnson[17]) have celebrated Star Wars in a variety of ways in social media and on television.
Geek Pride Day, held on May 25, the release date of the first Star Wars movie
References
^ abDeb, Sopan (May 3, 2024). "How Rebel 'Star Wars' Fans Saved the Original Movies". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 3, 2024. Retrieved May 4, 2024. George Lucas wants them to fade into oblivion. But some fans spent more than a decade digitally restoring the original 'Star Wars' trilogy, preserving the movies as they were shown in theaters.
^"The Vampire Strikes Back". Count Duckula. Season 1. Episode 14. December 6, 1988. ITV.
^"Vampire that hates the sight of blood!". Derby Daily Telegraph. August 26, 1988. p. 16. Count Duckula is in the tradition of the brilliant one-liners. In The Vampire Strikes Back in which he himself and Nanny lost in space and he asks someone for the date. On being told: 'May the fourth' he replies: 'May the fourth be with you.' The programme will go out on Tuesdays at 4.45 pm starting from September 6.
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