It’s 6:30 pm on 5 December 2019. While everyone else is either rushing back home from work or doing some retail therapy, a line has formed outside of the theatres of Shaw Lido till the corner of the Shaw Centre.
It’s not a Christmas sale, for these folks are here for a greater purpose.
With some fans in office wear, some of them in t-shirts with the Star Wars iconography on it. And a select few partook in the festivities in costume. Onlookers gathered around, snapped a couple of pictures and then left.
If anything, this truly marks the start of Star Wars season.
They’re all here for one reason. And one reason only.
To get their hands on presale tickets of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker in 3D IMAX. Time is ticking and we’re about 2 weeks away from the premiere of the ninth instalment of the franchise. And this being the last chapter of the Skywalker series, fans are scrambling to be the first ones to catch it on the big screen.
We spoke to Kumar, the first person in the queue.
“I’ve been queuing here since Tuesday afternoon,” he said. “We had a team of four and we took turns queuing and going to work.”
Kumar is one of the many dedicated people who have been camping outside Shaw Theatres Lido. When asked about his love for Star Wars he responded that it’s something that brings him feelings of nostalgia. He had watched A New Hope for the first time with his father when he was just 6 years old.
Now 48, Kumar feels like Star Wars has impacted his life and the community.
“You see how young people, old people here. It doesn’t matter. So long as you are a Star Wars fan, we identify as one big family.”
As previously reported, fans got a pair of IMAX tickets of the film and walked away with an exclusive limited-edition Medal of Bravery awarded after the Battle of Yavin. Fans who purchased the medals also receive complimentary engraving on the medal.
Of course, it’s not a Star Wars event without cosplayers. Kylo Ren, Rey, Darth Vader, Stormtroopers and even the Mandalorians were present for fans and onlookers to pose and take pictures with.
With the iconic theme song playing in the background and the cosplayers roaming around amongst the crowd, it’s hard to not feel excited about the upcoming movie.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker premieres 19 December 2019. But before you watch it, test your Star Wars knowledge or brush up with this guide we made.
Don’t judge a book by its cover, for behind all this makeup, is a geek just like you. To simply put it, superheroes, Star Wars, Harry Potter and all things gore and creepy makes this girly girl swoon.
Natalie
Trinity Sun
