Toys have always been a big part of the Star Wars universe, and that trend will apparently continue with the upcoming release of Star 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 of The Force Awakens toys 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 official Star 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 spectacular Star Wars: The Force Awakens products 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 EDT
Japan: Tokyo – 10:00pm EDT
Korea: Seoul 11:00pm EDT
China: Hong Kong – 12:00am EDT
France: Paris – 3:00am EDT
Spain: Madrid – 5:00am EDT
Germany: Berlin – 6:00am EDT
England: London – 6:30am EDT
Brazil: Rio de Janeiro – 7:30am EDT
USA: New York – 8:30am EDT
Canada: Toronto – 9:00am EDT
USA: Chicago – 9:30am EDT
Mexico: Mexico City – 10:30am EDT
USA: 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 from Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens officially hits shelves September 3. The film arrives in theaters December 18 in the U.S.
