Grab hold of your lightsabre – something Wookie this way comes. Yes, it’s time for the annual Jedi jamboree that is 4 May, better known to geeks across the galaxy as Star Wars Day. A play on the Jedi Knight phrase “May the Force be with you”, the occasion sees Star Wars fans come together to honour the legacy of the science fiction saga that began with the original George Lucas movie in 1977.
Star Wars has gone on to become the biggest brand in nerddom – growing even more inescapable when Disney paid Lucas $2bn for the franchise in 2012. This year is shaping up to be particularly significant with the release of the first new Star Wars movie in six years, The Mandalorian & Grogu, which beams down (sorry, Star Trek reference!) on 22 May.
But while there is a lot about Star Wars to celebrate, it has had its low points, too, especially after Disney attempted to make good on its investment by flooding the market with dubious spin-offs, sequels, prequels and even prequels to the prequels. Some of these new takes on George’s marvellous mythology have held their own. Many have been about as much use as a Stormtrooper in Speedos. Read on for my countdown of the best entries in the series – and the one that should never have seen the light of day.
