Star Wars Release Attracts Hundreds To Local Theaters

Star Wars: The Force Awakens is debuting to a new generation.

“I’ve been a fan since ’77”.

Part-time Franklin Park theater employee Tess Westcott, 19, sported themed shoes along with a “Star Wars” T-shirt while she waited several hours inside the theater to see the new film.

Don’t get me wrong, I loved “Episode VII” in the “Star Wars” series, and shouted with genuine joy at its end.

They were happy to be there, and there was a sense of community that seemingly nothing else in the history of pop culture besides Star Wars can conjure up.

For Disney – the studio behind the movie – the math is simple: Sit back and watch hundreds of millions of dollars roll in. “It made my day”, Mariah said. “I’ve always been able to emerge myself in the world”.

“I can’t wait to go as a family to see it, and I know I am going to cry”, she added.

He said it was important for him to see the film with his daughter, Kylie Recker, 7, a second grader at Wernert Elementary School.

Well, they would have if most theaters hadn’t banned toy weapons. “I have high hopes for this one”.

“I thought it was really cool”.

Mike Schwartz, co-owner of Jackson’s State Theater, echoed Pedley’s prediction.

“It’s going to be an exciting and thrilling time”, Snell said. The hype is there. Seeing all the people and insane and excited to be here. “We will have five (guards) posted and reserve the right to check (customers’) bags”.

The heightened security is partially a result of the ongoing spate of mass shootings in public spaces, including the attack inside an Aurora, CO theater during a screening of The Dark Knight Rises in 2012 and, more recently, a shooting at a facility serving the disabled in San Bernardino, CA. “Usually those screenings are very quiet”, said Cohen.

Schwartz encourages moviegoers to arrive at the theater early for seating.

By noon, tickets to early shows sold out. Catherine Jean did not have the buns but she was wearing a long white gown, like Carrie Fisher’s character wore in the original.

“It’s kind of weird to me that they’re doing this all of a sudden and these are plastic”, said America Copeland, holding plastic lightsabers.

What is it about Star Wars that has kept it in pop culture for almost four decades?

Tucker says they’re trying to balance safety with a great Star Wars experience. Get it wrong, and you’ll have crowds waiting to buy tickets, waiting in line for the bathroom, and not buying Junior Mints. “They grow up with the heroes”. Fans have been waiting for the premiere of the seventh film for quite awhile.

Star Wars will be in theaters tomorrow morning at the mall for regular showings beginning at 9:30 a.m. Opening weekend sales are projected to be around 240 million dollars, which would make it the biggest opening weekend ever in the U.S.