September 3, 2020 – Rumors and reports over the last few days that Ollie’s Bargain Outlet will be selling 3.75-inch The Vintage Collection figures for only $3.99 each have been hitting social media over the last few days.
Some rumors really are true.
While some stores started selling the hard-to-find figures earlier this week, other stores just released The Vintage Collection figures today at 9:00 AM.
Some regions (here, Central Florida) just released their Vintage Collection inventory today, Sept. 3rd.
This week’s Ollies advertisement has given some Star Wars collectors hope – and others, heart palpitations.
Most stores seem to be receiving at least 3 or 4 full cases of The Vintage Collection figures; though not every store has the same selection.
One of the Orlando, Florida, stores had LOTS of Rogue One Stormtroopers, Praetorian Guards, and Original Trilogy characters. But don’t worry, we left plenty behind.
Amazingly, all the 3.75-inch figures and cardbacks were minty fresh. Besides the ridiculously low price ($3.99 each), the other oddity was how Ollie’s could end up with so much “excess” or “closed out” inventory. It is a rare sight to see any of The Vintage Collection figures available for sale in a brick and mortar store these days.
Army builders will be happy.
Army builders will be happy.
Entering Ollie’s is like stepping into a time-machine with some amazing 1980s/1990s prices.
Old-school collectors will be thrilled to see Luke, Leia, Han, Chewie and company again in The Vintage Collection.
Regrettably, no sightings of Yak Face, Klaatu Skiff Guard or the Scariff Stormtrooper this morning. But tomorrow is another day….
John Miko from the Facebook group, Star Wars The Vintage Collection, had a successful toy run on Sept. 2nd.
Ollie’s Bargain Outlet is one of America’s largest retailers of closeout merchandise and excess inventory. The first Ollie’s was opened in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania in 1982 and has since expanded to 25 states in the U.S. with 370 stores.
Even if there is no Ollie’s near you, we can all find some humor in this week’s ad:
Love the reference to “Kenner” and the price comparison: “ours $3.99, theirs $7.99”. Don’t tell Ollie’s, but The Vintage Collection never sells for $7.99 elsewhere. MSRP for TVC figures is currently $12.99, give or take.
February 3, 2020 – As the capstone of the Skywalker saga, The Rise of Skywalker was supposed to have performed much, much better. But instead of a bang, the final movie installment is going out with a whimper.
Total box office receipts reveal that by January 12, 2020, the stand-alone film Rogue One had eclipsed Episode IX, which has been sputtering on fumes and whose growth curve is on the verge of flat-lining.
“The Rise of Skywalker” (green line) trails “The Force Awakens” (blue line), “The Last Jedi” (red) and “Rogue One” (yellow) in total box office receipts (U.S. domestic plus worldwide). (Source: the-numbers.com)
The Numbers website (www.the-numbers.com), which bills itself as a place “where data and the movie business meet”, offers a daily tally of major movies’ domestic (U.S.) and worldwide box office receipts.
Both in graph form (above) and charts (below), the website’s numbers show The Force Awakens leading the pack at a worldwide gross of over $2 billion. Coming in second is The Last Jedi at over $1.3b. While Rogue One ($1.056b) and The Rise of Skywalker ($1.058b as of day 45) appear to be neck-and-neck, the former film has been outperforming the latter since January 12th in total receipts. The reason is the U.S. domestic market, where Rogue One‘s receipts ($532m) have left The Rise of Skywalker ($507m) sitting in the dust.
While “The Rise of Skywalker” had a bigger opening weekend ($177m) than “Rogue One” ($155m), by 12 January 2020 it had fallen behind “Rogue One” in total gross receipts (U.S. domestic plus worldwide). (Source: the-numbers.com)
While The Rise of Skywalker and Rogue One have both been profitable, Rise cost a lot more to make: $275m versus Rogue One‘s $200m production budget. So the difference in net profitability is even starker.
Studio heads at Disney/Lucasfilm must be shaking their heads, wondering what happened. While The Force Awakens soared at over $2b worldwide, The Last Jedi has trailed at $1.332b and The Rise of Skywalker has fared even worse at $1.058b as of today.
While none of the four movies mentioned above have lost money for Disney, the number crunchers must surely be disappointed in the lower-than-expected returns on investment. It’s no wonder that Disney CEO Bob Iger, following the dismal performance of Solo: A Star Wars Movie (2018), told The Hollywood Reporter in a Sept. 2018 interview that Disney would be tapping the brakes on future releases: “You can expect some slowdown … I think we’re going to be a little bit more careful about volume and timing.”
Future Star Wars movies are tentatively scheduled for release in Dec. 2022, Dec. 2024 and Dec. 2026.
March 22, 2019 – Here is the final list of 61 celebrity guests at Star Wars Celebration Chicago offering autographs and photo opportunities. Reservations and prepayments can be made at EpicPhotoOps.com, which is running the autograph and photo-op queues.
Prices listed in the right column are for one autograph / then a photo-op / followed by a combination ticket price: CELEBRITY PRICESAuto/Photo/Combo Ahmed Best (Jar Jar Binks in the prequels)$80/80/160 Alan Tudyk (K-2SO in Rogue One)$70/80/150 Annabelle Davis (Dodibin in The Last Jedi)$40/45/85 Anthony Forrest (sandtrooper in A New Hope)$50/60/110 Ashley Eckstein (Ahsoka Tano in Star Wars Rebels)$50/50/100 Billie Dee Williams (Lando Calrissian)$100/100/200 Bobby Moynihan (Orka’s voice in Star Wars Resistance)$50/50/100 Brian Herring (BB-8 & Porg puppeteer in TFA & TLJ)$50/60/110 Catherine Taber (Padmé Amidala’s voice in The Clone Wars)$40/50/90 Christopher Sean (Kaz’s voice in Star Wars Resistance)$40/50/90 Daniel Logan (young Boba Fett in AOTC)$45/55/100 Dave Chapman (BB-8 puppeteer in TFA)$50/60/110 Dee Bradley Baker (voice of Cdr Cody, Capt Rex The Clone Wars)$40/50/90 Donald Faison (Hype Fazon’s voice in Resistance)$50/50/100 Erin Kellyman (Enfys Nest in Solo)$50/50/100 Forest Whitaker (Saw Gerrera in Rogue One)$150/150/300 Freddie Prinze, Jr. (Kanan Jarrus in Star Wars Rebels)$65/65/130 Greg Grunberg (pilot Wexley in TFA & Ep. IX)$50/50/100 Greg Proops (Jak Sivrak, race announcer voice in Resistance)$50/50/100 Hayden Christensen (Anakin Skywalker in the prequels)$199/199/398 Hermione Corfield (Resistance pilot Tallie Lintra in the sequels)$50/40/90 Hugh Quarshie (Capt. Panaka in The Phantom Menace)$60/70/130 Ian McDiarmid (Emperor Palpatine in ROTJ & ROTS)$100/110/210 Ian McElhinney (General Dodonna in Rogue One)$50/60/110 James Arnold Taylor (voice of Obi-Wan in Star Wars Rebels)$40/50/90 Janina Gavankar (Iden Versio in Star Wars Battlefront II game)$40/50/90 Jason Isaacs (Grand Inquisitor in Rebels)$80/90/170 Jett Lucas (Jedi Padawan in AOTC & ROTS; George Lucas’ son)$50/60/110 John Morton (Dak Ralter in The Empire Strikes Back)$50/60/110 John Ratzenberger (Major Derlin in ESB; also Cheers)$50/60/110 Joonas Suotamo (Chewbacca in TFA, TLJ, Solo)$60/70/130 Josh Lee (animatronic designer for the sequels)$50/60/110 Julian Glover (Gen. Veers in The Empire Strikes Back)$60/70/130 Katee Sackhoff Fryze (Bo Katan in The Clone Wars & Rebels)$50/50/100 Katy Kartwheel (Rio Durant in Solo)$40/50/90 Ken Leung (Admiral Statura in TFA)$50/60/110 Lee Towersey (built & operated R2-D2 for the sequels)$50/60/110 Lorne Peterson (special effects artist, ILM co-founder)$40/40/80 Mark Dodson (Salacious Crumb ROTJ; voices in TFA )$50/60/110 Matt Denton (design supervisor for Rogue One)$50/60/110 Matt Lanter (Anakin Skywalker’s voice in The Clone Wars)$50/50/100 Matthew Wood (General Grievous in ROTS)$40/50/90 Michael Culver (Capt. Needa in The Empire Strikes Back)$60/60/120 Michael Pennington (Moff Jerjerrod in ROTJ)$60/60/120 Myrna Velasco (voice of Terra Doza in Resistance)$40/50/90 Orli Shoshan (Shaak Ti in the prequels)$50/60/110 Paul Bettany (Dryden Vos in Solo)$80/85/165 Paul Kasey (Admiral Raddus in Rogue One)$50/60/110 Penny McCarthy (Devaronian cantina patron in A New Hope)$40/40/80 Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca)$70/70/140 Ray Park (Darth Maul in the prequels)$80/80/160 Riz Ahmed (Bodhi Rook in Rogue One)$100/100/200 Sam Witwer (Darth Maul’s voice in TCW)$60/65/125 Scott Lawrence (Jarek Yeager in Resistance)$40/50/90 Susie McGrath (Tam Ryvora’s voice in Resistance)$40/50/90 Taylor Gray (Ezra’s voice in Star Wars Rebels)$50/60/110 Temuera Morrison (Jango Fett in AOTC)Canceled $55/55/110 Tiya Sircar (Sabine Wren’s voice in Star Wars Rebels)$50/50/100 Tom Kane (Yoda’s voice in TCW, Ackbar’s in TLJ)$50/60/110 Vanessa Marshall (Hera Syndulla’s voice in Rebels)$40/50/90 Warwick Davis (Wicket in Return of the Jedi)$75/85/160
COMBO PHOTOSCombo Photo Prices TeamUp: Ahsoka & Rex (Eckstein & Baker)$85 duo photo TeamUp: Anakin & Ahsoka (Lanter & Eckstein)$85 duo photo TeamUp: Anakin & Obi-Wan (Lanter & Taylor)$85 duo photo TeamUp: Anakin & Padme (Lanter & Taber)$85 duo photo TeamUp: Anakin, Obi-Wan, Ahsoka (Lanter, Taylor, Eckstein)$110 trio photo TeamUp: Boba Fett & Jango Fett (Logan & Morrison)Canceled $85 duo photo TeamUp: Boba Fett Duo (Logan & Morton)90 duo photo TeamUp: Boba Fett Trio (Morrison, Logan, Morton)Canceled $125 trio photo TeamUp: Fire Across the Galaxy (Isaacs, Prinze Jr, Gray)$170 trio photo TeamUp: Kanan & Ezra (Prinze Jr. & Gray)$100 duo photo TeamUp: Kanan & Hera (Prinze Jr. & Marshall)$90 duo photo TeamUp: Kanan & Maul (Prinze Jr. & Witwer)$100 duo photo TeamUp: Kanan vs The Grand Inquisitor (Prinze Jr & Isaacs)$130 duo photo TeamUp: Maul (Park & Witwer)$125 duo photo TeamUp: Maul & Ezra (Witwer & Gray)$100 duo photo TeamUp: Maul vs Obi-Wan (Witwer & Taylor)$90 duo photo TeamUp: Boba Fett & Jango Fett (Morton & Morrison)$90 duo photo TeamUp: Rebels Trio (Prinze Jr., Gray, Marshall)$125 trio photo TeamUp: Rebels Quad (Prinze Jr., Gray, Sircar, Marshall)$150 quad photo TeamUp: Resistance Duo (Sean & McGrath)$70 duo photo
TeamUp: The Clone Wars (Lanter, Taylor, Eckstein, Taber, Baker, Kane)$190 TeamUp: The Grand Inquisitor vs Ezra (Isaacs & Gray)$125 duo photo TeamUp: Palpatine & Anakin (McDiarmid & Christensen)$329 duo photo TeamUp: Palpatine & Darth Maul (McDiarmid & Park)$175 duo photo TeamUp: Darth Maul & Young Boba Fett (Ray Park & Daniel Logan)$110 photo TeamUp: Rogue One Duo (Ahmed & Whitaker)$245 duo photo TeamUp: Rogue One Trio (Ahmed, Whitaker, Tudyk)$299 trio photo
.
Note that all autograph prices include one 8×10″ color photo of the celebrity, which the celebrity will sign, or you can bring your own item – one autograph per ticket.
At each photo-op, a professional photographer will take your photo with the celebrity. You will receive a glossy color print (normally 8×10″) immediately after the session.
You can also purchase additional prints and a digital JPEG copy to be emailed. Until just several weeks ago, the listed price was $10; the new price is now $15 per JPEG copy or per additional photo.
Celebration website warning: “If an autograph or photo op sells out online prior to Star Wars Celebration then it is completely SOLD OUT. There will not be any additional autographs or photo ops sold onsite if they have been marked as sold out on the Star Wars Authentics website prior to the show.
[Online] Presales will end on Monday, April 9 at 9:00 PM CT. For all Autographs and Photo Ops that do not sell out prior to the show please go directly to the Autographing Hall onsite at Star Wars Celebration to purchase yours.”
Visit EpicPhotoOps.com to reserve and prepay for your autographs and photo-ops.
NOTE: For the Final 2019 Price List (posted March 22nd), click HERE.
March 1, 2019 – New additions today: Ray Park (Darth Maul); Ashely Eckstein (voice of Ahsoka Tano in The Clone Wars and Rebels); Matt Lanter (voice of Anakin Skywalker in The Clone Wars); and Tiya Sircar (voice of Sabine Wren in Star Wars Rebels).
You can reserve your autograph and/or photo-op opportunites at EpicPhotoOps.com, which is running the autograph and photo-op queues at Star Wars Celebration Chicago.
Prices listed in the right column are for one autograph / then a photo-opportunity / followed by a combination ticket price: CELEBRITY PRICESAuto/Photo/Combo Alan Tudyk (K-2SO in Rogue One)$70/80/150 Anthony Forrest (sandtrooper in A New Hope)$50/60/110 Ashley Eckstein (Ahsoka Tano in Star Wars Rebels)$50/50/100 Billie Dee Williams (Lando Calrissian)$100/100/200 Brian Herring (BB-8 & Porg puppeteer in TFA & TLJ)$50/60/110 Catherine Taber (Padmé Amidala’s voice in The Clone Wars)$40/50/90 Christopher Sean (Kaz’s voice in Star Wars Resistance)$40/50/90 Daniel Logan (young Boba Fett in AOTC)$45/55/100 Dave Chapman (BB-8 puppeteer in TFA)$50/60/110 Dee Bradley Baker (voice of Cdr Cody, Capt Rex The Clone Wars)$40/50/90 Donald Faison (Hype Fazon’s voice in Resistance)$50/50/100 Freddie Prinze, Jr. (Kanan Jarrus in Star Wars Rebels)$65/65/130 Greg Grunberg (pilot Wexley in TFA & Ep. IX)$50/50/100 Greg Proops (Jak Sivrak, race announcer voice in Resistance)$50/50/100 Ian McDiarmid (Emperor Palpatine in ROTJ & ROTS)$100/110/210 Ian McElhinney (General Dodonna in Rogue One)$50/60/110 James Arnold Taylor (voice of Obi-Wan in Star Wars Rebels)$40/50/90 Janina Gavankar (Iden Versio in Star Wars Battlefront II game)$40/50/90 Jason Isaacs (Grand Inquisitor in Rebels)$80/90/170 Jett Lucas (Jedi Padawan in AOTC & ROTS; George Lucas’ son)$50/60/110 John Morton (Dak Ralter in The Empire Strikes Back)$50/60/110 John Ratzenberger (Major Derlin in ESB; also Cheers)$50/60/110 Joonas Suotamo (Chewbacca in TFA, TLJ, Solo)$60/70/130 Julian Glover (Gen. Veers in The Empire Strikes Back)$60/70/130 Katy Kartwheel (Rio Durant in Solo)$40/50/90 Ken Leung (Admiral Statura in TFA)$50/60/110 Mark Dodson (Salacious Crumb ROTJ; voices in TFA )$50/60/110 Matt Lanter (Anakin Skywalker’s voice in The Clone Wars)$50/50/100 Matthew Wood (General Grievous in ROTS)$40/50/90 Michael Culver (Capt. Needa in The Empire Strikes Back)$60/60/120 Michael Pennington (Moff Jerjerrod in ROTJ)$60/60/120 Myrna Velasco (voice of Terra Doza in Resistance)$40/50/90 Orli Shoshan (Shaak Ti in the prequels)$50/60/110 Paul Kasey (Admiral Raddus in Rogue One)$50/60/110 Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca)$70/70/140 Ray Park (Darth Maul in the prequels)$80/80/160 Sam Witwer (Darth Maul’s voice in TCW)$60/65/125 Scott Lawrence (Jarek Yeager in Resistance)$40/50/90 Susie McGrath (Tam Ryvora’s voice in Resistance)$40/50/90 Taylor Gray (Ezra’s voice in Star Wars Rebels)$50/60/110 Temuera Morrison (Jango Fett in AOTC)$55/55/110 Tiya Sircar (Sabine Wren’s voice in Star Wars Rebels)$50/50/100 Tom Kane (Yoda’s voice in TCW, Ackbar’s in TLJ)$50/60/110 Vanessa Marshall (Hera Syndulla’s voice in Rebels)$40/50/90
COMBO PHOTOSCombo Photo Prices TeamUp: Boba Fett & Jango Fett (Logan & Morrison)$85 duo photo TeamUp: Boba Fett Dual (Logan & Morton)$90 duo photo TeamUp: Boba Fett Trio (Morrison, Logan, Morton)$125 trio photo TeamUp: Fire Across the Galaxy (Isaacs, Prinze Jr, Gray)$170 trio photo TeamUp: Kanan & Ezra (Prinze Jr. & Gray)$100 duo photo TeamUp: Kanan & Hera (Prinze Jr. & Marshall)$90 duo photo TeamUp: Kanan & Maul (Prinze Jr. & Witwer)$100 duo photo TeamUp: Kanan vs The Grand Inquisitor (Prinze Jr & Isaacs)$130 duo photo TeamUp: Maul (Park & Witwer)$125 duo photo TeamUp: Maul & Ezra (Witwer & Gray)$100 duo photo TeamUp: Maul vs Obi-Wan (Witwer & Taylor)$90 duo photo TeamUp: Boba Fett & Jango Fett (Morton & Morrison)$90 duo photo TeamUp: Rebels Trio (Prinze Jr., Gray, Marshall)$125 trio photo TeamUp: Rebels Quad (Prinze Jr., Gray, Sircar, Marshall)$150 quad photo TeamUp: Resistance Duo (Sean & McGrath)$70 duo photo
TeamUp: The Clone Wars (Lanter, Taylor, Eckstein, Taber, Baker, Kane)$190 TeamUp: The Grand Inquisitor vs Ezra (Isaacs & Gray)$125 duo photo TeamUp: Palpatine & Darth Maul (McDiarmid & Park)$175 duo photo TeamUp: Ray Park & Daniel Logan (illogical pairing but they are friends)$110
.
Note that all autograph prices include one 8×10″ color photo of the celebrity, which the celebrity will sign, or you can bring your own item – one autograph per ticket.
At each photo-op, a professional photographer will take your photo with the celebrity. You will receive a glossy color print (normally 8×10″) immediately after the session. You can also purchase a digital JPEG copy to be emailed ($10) and additional prints at $10 per print.
Celebration website warning: “If an autograph or photo op sells out online prior to Star Wars Celebration then it is completely SOLD OUT. There will not be any additional autographs or photo ops sold onsite if they have been marked as sold out on the Star Wars Authentics website prior to the show.
[Online] Presales will end on Monday, April 9 at 9:00 PM CT. For all Autographs and Photo Ops that do not sell out prior to the show please go directly to the Autographing Hall onsite at Star Wars Celebration to purchase yours.”
Visit EpicPhotoOps.com to reserve and prepay for your autographs and photo-ops.
NOTE: For the Final 2019 Price List (posted March 22nd), click HERE.
February 22, 2019 – Additional celebrities have been added by EpicPhotoOps.com, which is running the autograph and photo-op queues at Star Wars Celebration Chicago. The new additions are indicated by an asterisk (*) before their names.
Prices listed in the right column are for one autograph / then a photo-opportunity / followed by a combination ticket price: CELEBRITY PRICESAuto/Photo/Combo * Alan Tudyk (K-2SO in Rogue One)$70/80/150 Anthony Forrest (sandtrooper in A New Hope)$50/60/110 * Ashley Eckstein (Ahsoka Tano in Star Wars Rebels)Pending * Billie Dee Williams (Lando Calrissian)$100/100/200 Brian Herring (BB-8 & Porg puppeteer in TFA & TLJ)$50/60/110 Catherine Taber (Padmé Amidala’s voice in The Clone Wars)$40/50/90 Christopher Sean (Kaz’s voice in Star Wars Resistance)$40/50/90 Daniel Logan (young Boba Fett in AOTC)$45/55/100 Dave Chapman (BB-8 puppeteer in TFA)$50/60/110 Dee Bradley Baker (voice of Cdr Cody, Capt Rex The Clone Wars)$40/50/90 Donald Faison (Hype Fazon’s voice in Resistance)$50/50/100 * Freddie Prinze, Jr. (Kanan Jarrus in Star Wars Rebels)$65/65/130 Greg Grunberg (pilot Wexley in TFA & Ep. IX)$50/50/100 Greg Proops (Jak Sivrak, race announcer voice in Resistance)$50/50/100 Ian McDiarmid (Emperor Palpatine in ROTJ & ROTS)$100/110/210 Ian McElhinney (General Dodonna in Rogue One)$50/60/110 James Arnold Taylor (voice of Obi-Wan in Star Wars Rebels)$40/50/90 Janina Gavankar (Iden Versio in Star Wars Battlefront II game)$40/50/90 Jason Isaacs (Grand Inquisitor in Rebels)$80/90/170 Jett Lucas (Jedi Padawan in AOTC & ROTS; George Lucas’ son)$50/60/110 * John Morton (Dak Ralter in The Empire Strikes Back)$50/60/110 John Ratzenberger (Major Derlin in ESB; also Cheers)$50/60/110 Joonas Suotamo (Chewbacca in TFA, TLJ, Solo)$60/70/130 * Julian Glover (Gen. Veers in The Empire Strikes Back)$60/70/130 Katy Kartwheel (Rio Durant in Solo)$40/50/90 Ken Leung (Admiral Statura in TFA)$50/60/110 Mark Dodson (Salacious Crumb ROTJ; voices in TFA )$50/60/110 Matthew Wood (General Grievous in ROTS)$40/50/90 * Michael Culver (Capt. Needa in The Empire Strikes Back)$60/60/120 Michael Pennington (Moff Jerjerrod in ROTJ)$60/60/120 Myrna Velasco (voice of Terra Doza in Resistance)$40/50/90 Orli Shoshan (Shaak Ti in the prequels)$50/60/110 Paul Kasey (Admiral Raddus in Rogue One)$50/60/110 Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca)$70/70/140 Sam Witwer (Darth Maul’s voice in TCW)$60/65/125 Scott Lawrence (Jarek Yeager in Resistance)$40/50/90 Susie McGrath (Tam Ryvora’s voice in Resistance)$40/50/90 * Taylor Gray (Ezra’s voice in Star Wars Rebels)$50/60/110 Temuera Morrison (Jango Fett in AOTC)$55/55/110 Tom Kane (Yoda’s voice in TCW, Ackbar’s in TLJ)$50/60/110 Vanessa Marshall (Hera Syndulla’s voice in Rebels)$40/50/90
COMBO PHOTOSCombo Photo Prices TeamUp: Boba Fett & Jango (Logan & Morrison)$85 duo photo TeamUp: Boba Fett Dual (Logan & Morton)$90 duo photo TeamUp: Boba Fett Trio (Morrison, Logan, Morton)$125 trio photo TeamUp: Kanan & Ezra (Prinze Jr. & Gray)$100 duo photo TeamUp: Kanan & Hera (Prinze Jr. & Marshall)$90 duo photo TeamUp: Kanan & Maul (Prinze Jr. & Witwer)$100 duo photo TeamUp: Maul & Ezra (Witwer & Logan)$100 duo photo TeamUp: Maul vs Obi-Wan (Witwer & Taylor)$90 duo photo TeamUp: Boba Fett & Jango Fett (Morton & Morrison)$90 duo photo TeamUp: Rebels Trio (Prinze Jr., Gray, Marshall)$125 trio photo TeamUp: Resistance Duo (Sean & McGrath)$70 duo photo
.
Note that all autograph prices include one 8×10″ color photo of the celebrity, which the celebrity will sign, or you can bring your own item – one autograph per ticket.
At each photo-op, a professional photographer will take your photo with the celebrity. You will receive a glossy color print (normally 8×10″) immediately after the session. You can also purchase a digital JPEG copy to be emailed ($10) and additional prints at $10 per print.
Celebration website warning: “If an autograph or photo op sells out online prior to Star Wars Celebration then it is completely SOLD OUT. There will not be any additional autographs or photo ops sold onsite if they have been marked as sold out on the Star Wars Authentics website prior to the show.
[Online] Presales will end on Monday, April 9 at 9:00 PM CT. For all Autographs and Photo Ops that do not sell out prior to the show please go directly to the Autographing Hall onsite at Star Wars Celebration to purchase yours.”
Visit EpicPhotoOps.com to reserve and prepay for your autographs and photo-ops.
NOTE: For the Final 2019 Price List (posted March 22nd), click HERE.
February 13, 2019 – EpicPhotoOps.com, which is running the autograph and photo-op queues at Star Wars Celebration Chicago, went live shortly before 2:00pm CT (Central Time US) today.
Prices listed in the right column are for one autograph / then a photo-opportunity / followed by a combination ticket price: CELEBRITY PRICESAuto/Photo/Combo Brian Herring (BB-8 & Porg puppeteer in TFA & TLJ)$50/60/110 Catherine Taber (Padmé Amidala’s voice in The Clone Wars)$40/50/90 Christopher Sean (Kaz’s voice in Star Wars Resistance)$40/50/90 Daniel Logan (young Boba Fett in AOTC)$45/55/100 DUO: Daniel Logan & Temuera Morrison$85 duo photo Dave Chapman (BB-8 puppeteer in TFA)$50/60/110 Dee Bradley Baker (voice of Cdr Cody, Capt Rex The Clone Wars)$40/50/90 Donald Faison (Hype Fazon’s voice in Resistance)$50/50/100 Greg Grunberg (pilot Wexley in TFA & Ep. IX)$50/50/100 Greg Proops (Jak Sivrak, race announcer voice in Resistance)$50/50/100 Ian McDiarmid (Emperor Palpatine in ROTJ & ROTS)$100/110/210 Ian McElhinney (General Dodonna in Rogue One)$50/60/110 James Arnold Taylor (voice of Obi-Wan in Star Wars Rebels)$40/50/90 Janina Gavankar (Iden Versio in Star Wars Battlefront II game)$40/50/90 Jason Isaacs (Grand Inquisitor in Rebels)$80/90/170 Jett Lucas (Jedi Padawan in AOTC & ROTS; George Lucas’ son)$50/60/110 John Ratzenberger (Major Derlin in ESB; also Cheers)$50/60/110 Joonas Suotamo (Chewbacca in TFA, TLJ, Solo)$60/70/130 Katy Kartwheel (Rio Durant in Solo)$40/50/90 Ken Leung (Admiral Statura in TFA)$50/60/110 Mark Dodson (Salacious Crumb ROTJ; voices in TFA )$50/60/110 Matthew Wood (General Grievous in ROTS)$40/50/90 Michael Pennington (Moff Jerjerrod in ROTJ)$60/60/120 Myrna Velasco (voice of Terra Doza in Resistance)$40/50/90 Orli Shoshan (Shaak Ti in the prequels)$50/60/110 Paul Kasey (Admiral Raddus in Rogue One)$50/60/110 Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca)$70/70/140 Resistance Duo: Susie McGrath & Christopher Sean$70 duo photo
Resistance Trio: McGrath, Sean & Scott Lawrence$90 trio photo
Sam Witwer (Darth Maul’s voice in TCW)$60/65/125 Scott Lawrence (Jarek Yeager in Resistance)$40/50/90 Susie McGrath (Tam Ryvora’s voice in Resistance)$40/50/90 Temuera Morrison (Jango Fett in AOTC)$55/55/110 Tom Kane (Yoda’s voice in TCW, Ackbar’s in TLJ)$50/60/110 Vanessa Marshall (Hera Syndulla’s voice in Rebels)$40/50/90
.
Note that all autograph prices include one 8×10″ color photo of the celebrity, which the celebrity will sign, or you can bring your own item – one autograph per ticket.
At each photo-op, a professional photographer will take your photo with the celebrity. You will receive a glossy color print (normally 8×10″) immediately after the session. You can also purchase a digital JPEG copy to be emailed ($10) and additional prints at $10 per print.
The above price list will be updated periodically.
Finally, a heads-up from the Celebration website: “Presales for Autographing and Photo Ops will be available starting Wednesday, February 13 at 2:00 PM CT. Presales will end on Monday, April 9 at 9:00 PM CT. For all Autographs and Photo Ops that do not sell out prior to the show please go directly to the Autographing Hall onsite at Star Wars Celebration to purchase yours.”
“PLEASE NOTE: If an autograph or photo op sells out online prior to Star Wars Celebration then it is completely SOLD OUT. There will not be any additional autographs or photo ops sold onsite if they have been marked as sold out on the Star Wars Authentics website prior to the show.”
Visit EpicPhotoOps.com to reserve and prepay for your autographs and photo-ops.
February 17, 2018 – The New York Toy Fair, which runs Feb. 17-20th, 2018, at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City, has unveiled some great new action figures coming to you soon.
The reveal includes the return of The Vintage Collection (super-articulated 3.75-inch figures); new 6-inch Black Series figures; and perhaps the biggest surprise of all, a Rogue One Imperial Combat Assault Tank, which collectors have been begging for since the movie’s release in Dec. 2016.
Imperial Combat Assault Tank (Rogue One) for your 3.75-inch figures. Release date: Fall 2018. No price announced yet. (Photo Credit: Hasbro/Steve Evans)
The Vintage Collection
The long-awaited return of The Vintage Collection is just around the corner – starting in April, 2018. Here is a sneak peek of some upcoming super-articulated figures:
Dr. Aphra from the Expanded Universe won Hasbro’s fan poll in April, 2017, and will be among the first 3.75-inch SA releases. (All photos: Twitter@StarWarsJunk)
Fans love the vintage-style cardback packaging.
The Black Series
Hasbro’s 6-inch Black Series has been running strong since August, 2013. The New York Toy Fair has revealed images of another wave of 6-inch figures. An interesting mixture of figures from Solo: A Star Wars Story, the Original Trilogy and the sequel movies should satisfy most collectors.
Porgs, Patrol Dewbacks and More
More than a few fans have asked Hasbro to release a multi-pack Porgs set. Hasbro is dutifully complying:
An interactive Chewbacca may well become a big seller. The version shown at Toy Fair New York has various sensors, including an accelerometer, so that Chewie responds when you stroke his head, pick him up, or even rock him to sleep. (Yes, he snores when you lay him down.)
Not sure what to make of this other Chewie.
Figures from “Solo: A Star Wars Story” will soon be hitting store shelves.
Another Forces of Destiny release: Luke and Yoda
In 1979, Kenner released the first Patrol Dewback with a hole in its back. Because the vintage stormtrooper could not bend his knees, you had to stand the trooper inside the Dewback to give the illusion of riding the creature. Hasbro’s 2018 version is more articulated and now allows a proper Stormtrooper – with bending knees – to actually ride atop the Dewback.
December 1, 2017 – George Lucas readily admits that he borrowed a story-telling idea from Akira Kurosawa’s samurai classic, The Hidden Fortress (1958, Japan). In a 2001 interview, Lucas said, “The one thing that really struck me about The Hidden Fortress was the fact that the story was told from the [perspective of] the two lowest characters. I decided that would be a nice way to tell the Star Wars story, which was to take the two lowest characters, as Kurosawa did, and tell the story from their point of view, which in the Star Wars case is the two droids.”
In The Hidden Fortress, two comedic nobodies – one tall, the other short (sound familiar?) – find themselves in the midst of a civil war. In this swashbuckling movie set in 16th century Japan, the two bumbling peasants squabble as they traipse through a desert, split apart, are later captured and finally reunite. The duo then help a bearded general escort Princess Uki to a secret territory.
Lucas has said that any other similarities between Star Wars and The Hidden Fortress are “more of a coincidence than anything else.” But elements of Kurosawa’s film from 1958 keep popping up in Star Wars‘ universe, including a corpulent slave owner (Jabba the Hutt?), the use of mossy forests (Endor?), and horizontal wipes used to transition between scenes.
Princess Yuki even pretends to be a deaf mute in order to hide her identity, similar to Queen Amidala disguising herself as her own handmaid in The Phantom Menace (1999).
And who could forget the ending of The Hidden Fortress, where a facially scarred enemy-general has a change of heart, switches allegiance, and saves the heroes? (Think: Darth Vader in Return of the Jedi.)
Whether true coincidences or the ideas of Kurosawa planted long ago deep within Lucas’s subconscious palate, the parallels are hard to ignore.
An Asian Spirituality
But it’s not just the giant shadow of Akira Kurosawa (1910-1998) that we detect throughout the Star Wars movies. There is an Asian aesthetic or, to use an outdated term, an “oriental flair”, which permeates and stylizes our far away galaxy.
The Force borrows elements of Taoism and Buddhism. Borrowing from Buddhism’s meditative requirements, how many times have we witnessed the Jedi in meditation as well as Darth Vader in his meditation chamber? At the end of The Force Awakens, the “master on the mountain” image evokes a Buddhist motif. And surely the “awakening” is a theme familiar to all Buddhists?
The Jedi Order, a master-disciple relationship, Jedi mindfulness – these are all themes and concepts inherent in Buddhism.
Star Wars also appears to borrow from Taoism, a Chinese philosophy based on the writings of Lao-Tzu. Taoism advocates humility and piety. Similar to the Force, the Tao is what binds all things in the universe. Tao is said to be the interconnected nature of the universe. Tao is also your true essence and a principled way to lead your life.
The notions of light and dark, good and evil, male and female, Jedi and Sith, find their parallel in Taoism, which uses the Yinyang to portray these counter-balancing forces.
The Asian Aesthetic
Going hand in hand with Eastern mysticism and spirituality discussed above, there is the matter of an Asian aesthetic seen throughout Star Wars. The Jedi don’t just think and live like a Zen Buddhist or a Taoist; they also dress like one with their Jedi robes.
Kimono (Japan, left) vs Hanfu (traditional clothing of the Chinese Han people, right)
And it’s not just the Jedi, whose costumes appear to reflect a Far East sensibility. Certain Sith Lords appear to have brethren in Japan.
Darth Vader’s mask and helmet certainly echo those of the samurai.
And who can deny that our favorite lightsaber battles mimic the katana sword fighting style of Japan?
Asian Actors in Star Wars
Diversity and inclusion (D&I) were not corporate bywords or an aspirational goal during the early years of Star Wars. D&I simply was not on anyone’s radar 40 years ago.
To its great credit, Star Wars did feature a major female lead (Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia) and a major African-American actor (Billie Dee Williams) cast in an important role (Baron Administrator of Cloud City and, later, a general in the Rebel Alliance). But one smooth-talking guy and a brave female do not a diverse cast make.
The Force Awakens (2015) has helped to further the D&I goal by casting black, Latino and female heroes alongside major Caucasian actors. John Boyega (Finn), Daisy Ridley (Rey), Oscar Isaac (Poe Dameron), and Lupita Nyong’o (voice of Maz Kanata), among others, diversify a cast to appear before a global audience. But were there any Asian actors?
It wasn’t until Rogue One (2016) that Asian actors were cast in any roles of consequence. Hong Kong actor Donnie Yen (Chirrut Îmwe) and Chinese actor Jiang Wen (Baze Malbus) play two characters instrumental in the takedown of Starkiller Base. The British Pakistani actor Riz Ahmed (pilot Bodhi Rook), Mexican actor Diego Luna (Cassian Andor), English lead Felicity Jones (Jynn Erso), and American actor Forest Whitaker (Saw Gerrera) all contribute to one of the most diverse casts in any Star Wars movie.
Baze Malbus (Jiang Wen) and Chirrut Îmwe (Donnie Yen) in “Rogue One” (2016). Photo Credit: Disney/Lucasfilm
The Last Jedi, debuting in less than two weeks, will add yet two more actors with Asian roots: Kelly Marie Tran (Rose Tico) is Vietnamese-American and Ngô Thanh Vân (Paige Tico, older sister to Rose) is Vietnamese. The depths of their roles and fan reaction remain to be seen.
Conclusion
Over the decades, writer-director George Lucas has discussed the various influences which have combined to bring his Star Wars universe to life. Whether it was the Flash Gordon episodes he watched as a youngster, the scholarly writings on mythology by Joseph Campbell (The Hero with a Thousand Faces), Akira Kurosawa’s masterpieces, or other muses, they all weaved their way into Lucas’s vision of a space thriller.
And yet while the title crawl of Star Wars tells us about “a galaxy far, far away”, the reality is that many of George Lucas’s ideas originated right here on Earth in a place we call Asia.
November 12, 2017 – For Star Wars collectors, something has fundamentally changed in the hunt for collectibles and, more specifically, action figures.
Ten years ago, during Star Wars‘ 30th anniversary, it was fairly easy to visit your local toy store and to find successive waves of fresh and new 3.75-inch action figures. But in the last five years or so, both the quantity and selection of figures has substantially shrunk.
It’s tempting to point to the Disney era, beginning in 2012 when the Walt Disney Co. purchased Lucasfilm and all its merchandising rights, and to blame the Mouse for strangling Hasbro’s ability to freely distribute action figures.
Complainants theorize that Disney is overly secretive about new characters in upcoming movies (thus giving Hasbro far less time to plan, execute and distribute its merchandise); or that the movie cycle is too tight, almost one new movie a year (thus truncating the normal 18-month turnaround cycle for new toys); or that Disney is intentionally restricting Hasbro’s license so that Disney might, at some point in the future, carve out a larger market-share of its own brand of Star Wars figures and merchandise.
There may be some truth to the Disney finger-pointing. But it’s also likely that other market forces are at work. The dramatic rise of online retailing and the decline of brick-and-mortar stores, for example, mean fewer case assortments of action figures are reaching store shelves.
Similarly, demographic markets are changing. There is anecdotal evidence that today’s children of toy-playing age simply aren’t as heavily invested in hands-on playing as were earlier generations. Digital gaming, iPads and smart devices appear to be the preferred distraction for young children.
Then there’s Hasbro, Inc., the American multinational toy and board game company. In 2016, its total revenue was about $5.01 billion dollars. Hasbro’s Star Wars license is just a sliver of the company’s revenue, and Star Wars action figures are an even tinier component. And so despite the many protestations from collectors that Hasbro should “do this” or “do that”, collectors are like the proverbial mouse that squeaks, but the Hasbro lion simply moves its sleepy head and nods back off to sleep.
Some toy-industry insiders also point to personnel changes within Hasbro. The creative team in charge of Star Wars merchandise at the nearly 94-year-old company has changed from a decade ago. All it takes is the loss of one or two key decision-makers or proponents within the company to alter the distribution flow of action figures.
An Example: “Rogue One” Checklist and Wave Distribution Problems
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is a good example to study because the movie-related merchandise rolled out over a year ago, or on Sept. 30, 2016, to be exact – and because Rogue One action figures are fairly limited in number due to the movie being sandwiched between two other Star Wars movies (The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi).
Some Wave 1 and 2 “Rogue One” 3.75-inch action figures
So you would think it would be fairly easy to acquire the entire line of 3.75-inch Rogue One action figures. But you would be wrong. Here’s why:
Wave 1 and Wave 2 action figures are almost always stocked and released in plentiful supply both to your local toy store and to online vendors. You should have had no trouble finding these figures:
WAVE 1 (Basic Line)
Jyn Erso (Eadu)
K-2SO
Kanan (Stormtrooper) from Star Wars Rebels
Imperial Stormtrooper
Sabine Wren from Star Wars Rebels
Kylo Ren
Imperial Ground Crew
WAVE 2
Chirrut Imwe
Princess Leia from Star Wars Rebels
Jyn Erso (Jedha)
Director Krennic
Captain Cassian Andor
Rey (Jakku)
Darth Vader
One year later, if some of the above figures are still not clogging your local toy aisles, you can probably now find them shuffled off to discount retailers.
Now compare the final two waves of Rogue One figures and see if you can find them at any toy store:
WAVE 3
Bodhi Rook
Death Trooper Specialist
Shoretrooper
Jyn Erso in Imperial Ground Crew Disguise
Grand Admiral Thrawn from Star Wars Rebels
Princess Leia from Star Wars Rebels (a repack)
WAVE 4
Admiral Raddus
Lt. Sefla
Galen Erso
Fenn Rau from Star Wars Rebels
With very few exceptions, the answer is “No”. You would be hard-pressed to find Waves 3 or 4 locally. Not surprisingly, store managers will not order subsequent waves when earlier waves of product are still sitting on pegs and shelves.
A New Buying Strategy
Serious collectors have already accepted the reality that pre-orders and online purchases are the best guarantees of acquiring a complete line of action figures. Railing against Amazon or Disney or Hasbro will not change the paradigm shift.
If you are still looking for Wave 3, EntertainmentEarth.com currently has the 6-figure lot available for $49.99 USD.
Wave 3 figures: Princess Leia (Rebels) and Death Trooper Specialist (top row); Bodhi Rook and Jyn Erso in Imperial Ground Crew Disguise (middle row); Shoretrooper and Grand Admiral Thrawn (Rebels) (bottom row).
The thrill of the hunt of yesteryear is now replaced with the convenience of home delivery. If you order a 6-figure (Wave 3) lot from Entertainment Earth, it will come double-boxed.
The “Rogue One” Wave 3 lot of six 3.75-inch figures is shipped double-boxed from Entertainment Earth.
The “Rogue One” Wave 3 lot of six 3.75-inch figures is shipped double-boxed from Entertainment Earth.
Save gas, time and aggravation. Order online.
Save gas, time and aggravation. Order online.
Bistan & Shoretrooper Captain are part of Wave 4 (2-pack) now available at Dorksidetoys.com and EntertainmentEarth.com for $17.99 USD.
The real mystery is why Hasbro even bothers with a Wave 3 or Wave 4 of action figures, which most consumers never know about or much less see. Until the insiders at Hasbro reveal their marketing and distribution strategies (highly unlikely), we may never know.
October 3, 2017 – Released on Force Friday II (Sept. 1, 2017), an all-new boxed set featuring the Imperial Probe Droid and a 3.75-inch Darth Vader figure hit store shelves and, for the most part, met with fan approval.
Priced at $19.99 USD, the star of the show is the Imperial Probe Droid. Its sleek black finish, streaks of battle-damage gray, and film-realistic molding make this version of the Probe Droid one of the best releases to date.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
The Empire’s spider-like droid was featured prominently in an opening scene of The Empire Strikes Back (1980). To a lesser degree, you can also spot the droid lurking in the background on the planet Jedha in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016).
The Imperial Probe Droid has been released perhaps a half-dozen times (including two Battle Packs such as the “Hoth Recon Patrol”) by Kenner/Hasbro.
At front is the vintage Turret and Probot playset (1980) with additional figures. At left rear is the Hoth Recon Patrol battle pack (2008). Right rear is the newest Imperial Probe Droid in “The Last Jedi” packaging (2017).
This latest sculpt, with its highly accurate rendering, fine details and darker coloring, will likely make this version a collectors’ favorite. The high-gloss black paint on the droid’s several eyes really stand out and add to the creepy I’m-watching-you effect.
The five arms are each unique and each one is articulated, either at the lower “hand” end or toward the middle “elbow” area, as well as at the “shoulder” attachment area to the main body. The head rotates 360° and the twin antenna snap up and down.
The entire ensemble comes with a translucent stand, allowing the Probe Droid to appear to float in the air. The base of the stand is moulded with the Imperial logo, a subtle but nice touch.
The other great playability feature is the embedded sound chip, which allows your droid to activate various sounds as heard in The Empire Strikes Back. The actual audio, of course, comes from the wearable Force Link unit, sold separately.
Regrettably, our boxed set was missing the firing projectile. You can either call, email or have an online chat with Hasbro’s Customer Service representatives to discuss defective or missing pieces. Curiously, the agent said they could not ship us the missing projectile – even though it’s just a slim, lightweight, plastic piece. Instead, Hasbro has emailed a prepaid return label, and the entire boxed set will have to be shipped back to them at their expense. So off to the post office we go. Once a replacement arrives, we will let you know the results. [Ed. Note: See post-script below.]
Another regret is the 3.75-inch Darth Vader figure. Visually, he is fine and comes with a removable hard-plastic cape and a red lightsaber. As numerous other reviewers have pointed out, however, the 5POA Vader is nearly impossible to stand upright. Even if you remove the heavy cape (which would be silly), Vader’s center of gravity and the position of his boots (the ankles are not articulated) make it near-impossible to stand him for long.
Drunk Vader refuses to stand upright. Here he is propped up against the box. A pegged stand would also work.
Vader is embedded with a sound chip, which activates various lightsaber sounds on your Force Link unit as well as the voice of James Earl Jones: “If you only knew the power of the dark side”; “Search the asteroid field until they are found”; “Don’t underestimate the Force”; and other phrases.
Our final regret has to do with excess or wasted packaging. As the photo below reveals, there is a lot of unnecessary air space in the box. For the consumer, the larger box size is somewhat deceptive. Hasbro could likely have reduced the packaging by a third or even half.
A smaller box and more compact packaging would be friendlier to the environment.
Despite the foregoing problems, the Imperial Probe Droid with Darth Vader boxed set will likely sell well. Distributors are also discovering a case assortment of three Rathtars to one Probe Droid per shipped box, making the Probe Droid a bit more difficult to locate.
Earlier Versions of the Probot
A video review of earlier versions of the Probot (a portmanteau of “probe” + “robot”) or Imperial Probe Droid can be seen here:
Hasbro Resolution Update
So how well did Hasbro resolve the problem of the missing projectile mentioned above? We would have to give the company a less-than-satisfactory grade. While Hasbro does excel at communications, it failed at customer satisfaction in this instance.
1) Communications: Hasbro deserves an A+ for accessibility (you can contact them via phone, email or live chat), response time (often within a day of email), and courtesy.
2) Problem Resolution: Inexplicably, Hasbro failed here when it advised that “the parts are not available separately for me to replace the missile piece for you. I am happy to arrange an exchange of the item.” We say “inexplicably” because the Imperial Probe Droid was just released, so presumably Hasbro has access to thousands of the small plastic missiles. It would have been cheaper and easier for Hasbro to mail a single projectile than to send the consumer a prepaid postage sticker and process the return of the entire item.
3) Remedy Offered: Fifteen days after mailing the entire boxed item to Hasbro, a company email said, in part: “We do not have exact replacements of this item. My apologies! We can certainly order you a different Star Wars item of equal value that is chosen by our warehouse, or we can send you two $10.00 coupons. Please note that coupons are for in store use only and cannot be combined.”
Needless to say, taking one’s chance on Hasbro to select an unknown “Star Wars item of equal value chosen by our warehouse” is not an ideal solution. Who wants to receive a Star Wars Angry Birds or Star Wars Command item – or risk receiving a duplicate of something you already have? So we opted for the $10.00 coupons.
4) Slow or Lost Coupons: On Oct. 20th, Hasbro wrote, “The coupons will arrive in the next 7-10 business days.” After excluding weekends and adding several additional days, the coupons still had not arrived. A follow-up email to Hasbro eventually resulted in the arrival of the coupons by mail on Nov. 16th. In short, it took 44 days to (sort of) resolve the problem.
5) Overly Restrictive Coupons: The final aggravators are the unnecessary restrictions on the $10.00 coupons. First, you can use only one (1) coupon per transaction and the item must cost at least $10.99. So if you want to purchase a replacement Imperial Probe Droid ($19.99), you can only redeem one $10.00 coupon. Second, all redemptions must be in person, so you cannot purchase anything online. And third, the coupons expire March 31st, 2018 – not overly unreasonable, but still a ticking time bomb for the unwary.
And it’s not just the Jedi, whose costumes appear to reflect a Far East sensibility. Certain Sith Lords appear to have brethren in Japan.
FUTURE of STAR WARS 