LARGEST STAR WARS
COSTUMING GROUP
Founded as a “stormtrooper
fan club” in 1997 by Albin
Johnson (USA), the 501st
Legion had a membership of
11,019 as of 26 Apr 2017. Now
all allies of the Galactic Empire
plus bounty hunters and
“denizens of the Empire” are
free to join. According to the
handbook, members “celebrate
the Star Wars movies through
the wearing of costumes,
to promote the quality and
improvement of costumes
and props, and to contribute
to the local community”.HIGHEST-GROSSING LIVE-ACTION FILM
WITH A FEMALE STAR
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story – in which Felicity
Jones (UK) takes top billing as Jyn Erso – had
grossed $1,050,789,328 (£844,652,000)
worldwide as of 12 Apr 2017. This eclipsed
the $864 m (£523.9 m) earned by The Hunger
Games: Catching Fire (USA, 2013), which
starred Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen.Most expensive Star Wars memorabilia
(off–screen item)
A Panavision PSR 35–mm camera used by
George Lucas during principal photography for
A New Hope in 1976 was sold at auction house
Profiles in History in Dec 2011 for $625,000
(£398,933), including buyer’s premium. The
camera had been acquired by actress Debbie
Reynolds, whose daughter Carrie Fisher played
Princess Leia in the film.
Most expensive Star Wars memorabilia
(on-screen item)
On 1 Oct 2015, a model of a Rebel Blockade
Runner ship pursued by an Imperial Star
Destroyer in the opening moments of A New
Hope fetched $450,000 (£296,920), including
buyer’s premium, at auction house Profiles in
History in Calabasas, California, USA. The 16-in
(40.6-cm) miniature came from the collection
of Grant McCune, Chief Model Maker on the
film’s Miniature and Optical Effects Unit.
Most expensive Star Wars action figure
On 19 Jul 2016, a French-edition Boba Fett
figure, manufactured by Meccano in support
of the release of The Empire Strikes Back
in 1980, was sold for £26,040 ($34,491) by
the UK-based auction house Vectis.Most themed LEGO sets for one franchise
There were 46 LEGO Star Wars sets available
to buy in 2016, which equates to more than
20,000 LEGO pieces at a combined cost of
$2,400 (£1,950). Including sets, exclusives
and Minifigures packed with magazines, books,
giveaways or promotional items, the total
rises to 67 sets.Shortest gap between
Star Wars film releases
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story was released
worldwide on 16 Dec 2016, only 364 days
after The Force Awakens had first appeared
in cinemas on 18 Dec 2015.ARTS & MEDIALARGEST
COLLECTION OF STAR
WARS MEMORABILIA
Steve Sansweet
(USA) has amassed an
estimated 500,000
unique Star Wars items
at Rancho Obi-Wan in
northern California,
USA. As of 14 Jan 2017,
“only” 131,000 items
had been accurately
audited and catalogued.
This is still enough to
beat the previous record
by a factor of six – and
Sansweet’s collection
is growing all the time...Star Wars:
Episode II –
Attack of
the Clones
Release date:
16 May 2002 (USA)
Box-office takings:
$656,695,615Star Wars:
Episode III –
Revenge
of the Sith
Release date:
19 May 2005 (USA)
Box-office takings:
$848,998,877Star Wars:
Episode VII –
The Force
Awakens
Release date:
18 Dec 2015 (USA)
Box-office takings:
$2,058,662,225Rogue One:
A Star Wars
Story
Release date:
16 Dec 2016
(USA/UK)
Box-office takings:
$1,050,789,328Star Wars:
Episode VIII –
The Last Jedi
Scheduled release
date: 15 Dec 2017
(USA)LONGEST GAP BETWEEN
AN ACTOR’S DEATH AND
LAST FILM “APPEARANCE”
CGI technology enabled
Peter Cushing (UK, 1913–94)
to return to the screen
more than 22 years after
his death. Cushing’s image
was recreated so that his
role as Grand Moff Tarkin
from A New Hope could
be reprised for Rogue
One: A Star
Wars
Story.BEST-SELLING SINGLE
OF INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC
“Star Wars Theme/Cantina Band” by Meco, aka
Domenico Monardo (USA), was a 1977 disco
arrangement of John Williams’ (USA) Star Wars
music. It was awarded platinum status by the
Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA)
for sales of more than 2 million. The song featured
on Star Wars and Other Galactic Funk (below).