Force Friday: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

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This year’s Force Friday celebrates the release of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story toys. (Getty)

For the second consecutive year, Star Wars fans have a reason to go out to stores at midnight. Disney is promoting another Force Friday on September 30 to mark the launch of new toys and products for another Star Wars movie. Last year it was The Force Awakens and this year, it’s for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

Rogue One is unlike The Force Awakens in that it isn’t part of the main Skywalker story. It takes place before the events of A New Hope and shows how the Rebel Alliance got their hands on the Death Star plans with the help of Jyn Erso, played by Felicity Jones.

So what is Force Friday and what you will (or won’t) see on store shelves on September 30.


1. Hasbro’s AT-ACT Will Not be Available on Force Friday

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The AT-ACT was originally supposed to come out on Force Friday. (Hasbro)

Hasbro’s big ticket item, the $299.99 AT-ACT will reportedly not be available to buy on Force Friday. The company confirmed this to Jedi Defender, adding that it will be out later in the fall. The news was also shared on YakFace.com.

The AT-ACT was among the releases the company was clearly excited about. The vehicle/playset combo is similar to the AT-AT walkers from The Empire Strikes Back, but has an orange door on the body. The vehicle also has a NERF missile launcher and could be paired with a smartphone app that could be used as a remote control.

It also comes with three figures – the Imperial AT-ACT Driver, the new R2 unit C2-B5 and Jyn Erso.


2. Disney Store Customers Can Get Help to Make Their own My Rogue Story Video for a Contest

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Felicity Jones stars as Jyn Erso in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. (Disney/Twitter video)

Disney Stores in North America will be giving away a “My Rogue Story Video Starter Pack,” which is supposed to help you create a video to enter in the My Rogue Story Contest. You can enter the contest to win a trip to Lucasfilm in San Francisco to see Rogue One beginning on September 20 through October 21. The contest is for children ages 8-12.

The Times Square, New York; Michigan Avenue, Chicago; and Stockton Street, San Francisco Disney Stores will open at 12:01 a.m. Three guests will get to enter a contest to win all eight Rogue One Elite Series figures with a certificate signed by director Gareth Edwards and actress Felicity Jones.

By the way, the Elite figures are die-cast 6″ figures only available at Disney Stores or at Disney Store.com.


3. Toys ‘R’ Us Is the Only Other Store Holding Midnight Openings

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The 6″ Imperial Hovertank Pilot is a Toys ‘R’ Us Exclusive, much like last year’s First Order Snowtrooper Captain. (Hasbro)

While Target and Walmart held midnight events last year, both stores are skipping it (although there are 24-hour Walmarts anyway). Toys ‘R’ Us is still going all-out by turning their stores into a Rebel Base. Fans who are at the door at 12:01 a.m. will get a free poster and T-Shirt.

As an added incentive for going to Toys ‘R’ Us, they have what’s arguably the coolest exclusive figure. You can only get the 6″ Black Series Imperial Hovertank Pilot there. Their other exclusive is the NERF Glowstrike Imperial Death Trooper Deluxe Blaster.


4. There Should be No #WheresJynErso Issue Like Last Year’s #WheresRey Controversy

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KMart’s latest Black Series exclusive is Jyn Erso (Mountain Base). (Hasbro)

Last year, Hasbro faced the #WheresRey controversy since it was so difficult to find Rey toys on Force Friday. Part of the problem was that the company clearly underestimated the importance of Daisy Ridley’s character. But not including her in a Target-exclusive pack of 12″ figures that had every other major character from the film was a poor decision.

In 2016, they are clearly hoping to avoid that controversy with Jyn Erso. Not only will there be a 6″, 3.75″ and a 12″ Jyn Erso, but you can also get a KMart exclusive 6″ figure that comes with a base. LEGO has also included a Jyn figure in its U-Wing set. There’s also a Funko Pop figure. In other words, the Star Wars licensees are doing the best to make sure there’s no #WheresJynErso movement.


5. You Won’t Find Out the Fate of These Characters for 3 Months

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The Shadow Trooper helmet will only be available on Amazon.com. (Hasbro)

After Force Friday, we all still have almost three months to wait for Rogue One to hit theaters. The film doesn’t open until December 16. Sure, we know the Rebels will get the Death Star plans, but we don’t know if Jyn somehow survives (although if she does, it would bring up a whole other line of questions like, ‘Where was she during the Original Trilogy?’).

Force Friday will help get the average person excited about the new film. The excitement that met The Force Awakens just isn’t the same, especially after the reports of re-shoots during the summer. Disney chief Bob Iger even admitted to investors this month that he doesn’t expect Rogue One to be as big a hit as The Force Awakens was. Even if the film does poorly, the studio only has to wait until next year when Star Wars: Episode VIII opens.

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