Toys have always been a big part of the Star Wars universe, and that trend will apparently continue with the upcoming release ofStar Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens. In what may very well be the biggest debut of a toy line ever staged, Lucasfilm will premiere the new series ofThe Force Awakenstoys in a global “unboxing” event that will be streamed live from 12 countries over the course of 18 hours.
The event will kick off in Sydney, Australia, on the evening of September 2 and will stream live on the officialStar Wars YouTube channel, culminating in a grand finale at Lucasfilm’s studio in San Francisco on the morning of September 3. Lucasfilm has released a video preview of the event teasing the worldwide roll-out of the film’s toy line.
“Star Wars toys have always played an important role in how our fans interact with the saga,” said Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy in a statement accompanying the announcement. “They’ve inspired multiple generations to relive the experience of the movies and to create new adventures all their own. These spectacularStar Wars: The Force Awakensproducts will continue that tradition.”
The timing of the event is set to coincide with the official release of the toy line in stores, which begins September 3.
The official schedule of the live-stream is as follows, beginning September 2:
Australia: Sydney – 5:45pm EDTJapan: Tokyo – 10:00pm EDTKorea: Seoul 11:00pm EDTChina: Hong Kong – 12:00am EDTFrance: Paris – 3:00am EDTSpain: Madrid – 5:00am EDTGermany: Berlin – 6:00am EDTEngland: London – 6:30am EDTBrazil: Rio de Janeiro – 7:30am EDTUSA: New York – 8:30am EDTCanada: Toronto – 9:00am EDTUSA: Chicago – 9:30am EDTMexico: Mexico City – 10:30am EDTUSA: San Francisco – 11:00am EDT
The hosts of each unboxing segment will hail from various toy- and collectible-focused YouTube channels, and will include other online personalities from the toy, gaming, and collectible worlds.
The toy line fromStar Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakensofficially hits shelves September 3. The film arrives in theaters December 18 in the U.S.
