'The Force Awakens' Projected to Make or Break International Ticket Sales Revenue

It's pretty much in the bag that "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" is going to be a huge success, but up until recently there was no number associated with that success.

According to BusinessInsider.com, there are some numbers now. Wall Street believes that Episode 7 will pull in a conservative $1.75 billion dollars in worldwide ticket sales. Entertainment Weekly has gone on to say that it will pull in closer to $3 billion. Given that the new trailer was viewed over 88 million times in the first 24 hours, and the fact that the return of the original cast has sparked massive interest (as well as nostalgia), I am inclined to agree with Entertainment Weekly's estimate over Wall Street.

To date, the highest grossing films are Avatar ($2.7 billion) and Titanic ($2.2 billion). Judging by the international recognition, appeal, and following when it comes to Star Wars, I would say Avatar's days at the top are numbered.

Do you agree or disagree? Let us know on our Facebook group!

A Great Time Was Had By All! The C2E2 Family Experience.

In late April, people from all walks of geekdom descend upon McCormick Place in Chicago to pay homage to the gods of comics and pop culture. Some show respect by paying to the Altar of the Autograph. Others don their ceremonial garb and walk through the Valley of Flashbulbs. The family elders bring their younglings to show them the way. Heroes will be made as cosplay battles break out. Fans will cheer on as Darth Maul attempts to take down the Predator and Captain America grapples with Megatron. Merchants travel from the outlying kingdoms to peddle their wares. Artisans, young and old - established and up and coming, share their skills and their stories. -Sound totally made up? It's not. It's C2E2.

Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo is a three day event that combines everything I talked about above. How do I know? I had the joy of basking in the overwhelming geek energy with my family - and it was glorious! In the first 5 minutes, I was able to get a picture of a Mandalorian Merc and my photo with Doc Brown. Deadpool came up to my son and his best friend (who were dressed as Captain America and Iron Man) and asked to be in a picture with them. That meant a lot since my son was afraid of dressing up in the first place. A simple act has pushed the day down the right path.

The Energy

You can feel it. It is everywhere. From the moment you get out of your car and start the journey to the promised land, you are surrounded by like=minded people. You are drawn in. You are accepted and respected for your geekdom. For those of you who have never attended an event like this, let me try to explain. I am a Star Wars geek, so I will use that as my example. I remember the feeling I had the first time I watched the trailer for Episode VII. The screen fades, the logo appears and then the music hits. Goosebumps and giddiness, barely able to contain it. Memories of being a child and getting the present that was exactly what you wanted. Take that energy, multiply it and then release it into a convention center FULL of geeks doing the same thing.

The Floor

It is almost impossible to experience everything C2E2 has to offer in one day. I say almost, because I guarantee there is at least one dedicated fan who was able to do it - though they were probably carried off in an ambulance after. Plan ahead. The event's website lays out everything that is going on. They even have a planner you can use. It helps, trust me. It is easy to get lost in the awesomeness. It isn't because of a bad layout - just an overwhelming amount of amazing stuff to see. It is broken down by aisles for the 300+ exhibitors and then there is Artist's Alley. All the artists are listed on a board, if you are looking for a specific one. I would encourage you to just wander up and down the aisles as well, there are over 400 artists total. You may find something you never even thought of. The autographs are set in the far back. Snacks and other sustenance are available from vendors or in the Cafe and believe me, you will need it. By the end up the day we (my family and I) walked over 7 miles.

 
The Artists and Exhibitors

Are you looking for a personalized action figure of you in costume? How about customizing your Star Wars #1 Blank Cover variant. Where else can you find a Lego Millennium Falcon, an Unsullied helm, a Master Chief HALO blaster and more art than you could imagine. You can buy, sell and trade comics and action figures and everyone is willing to share their story. Here you can find the major comic publishers as well as the independents. Comics you have never seen or heard of, but are awesome nonetheless. Comics focused on the next generation of geeks with stories about a cat with super powers or a dog and his friends where all the proceeds from sales go to an animal shelter. I had a chance to watch Rob Taylor from Herofied (look for an interview coming soon) interact with fans and answer questions about his work. It was very clear how passionate he is and he isn't alone. All the artists I stopped and talked to loved to share their journey. Not just what they were selling and why, but I wanted to know how they came up with their ideas. What inspired them to draw a comic based on Buddhist monks harnessing the seven chakras. 

The Cosplayers

Whether dressed as a hero or a villain, you will not meet a nicer group of individuals. They come to show off their hard work and dedication to the craft. They are stopped constantly by fans young and old and asked for pictures. I never saw anyone turned down. One man dressed as Deadpool was on his way to the bathroom and a family stopped him to take a picture with him. A crowd gathered and eventually he graciously stated, "Even Deadpool has to use the facilities, but if you wait right here I will return before you know it." The fans made a path and away he went. As promised, he returned to finish what he started. He wasn't the only Deadpool and he could have easily exited the bathroom on the opposite side. He didn't. I heard a father say to his son, "See, Deadpool's not such a bad guy after all." His son then ran up and took his picture.

The Fans

Head nods and fist bumps turn into full blown debates about Marvel Vs DC. Let me be clear - it stays civilized. It doesn't digress into the name calling and mud slinging that happens too much on social media where you are safely behind your keyboard. Ideas are exchanged, opinions are discussed and everyone walks away after with a smile and a little more knowledge. My wife had a conversation with a woman she never met on the way out of the parking garage about how excited she was to be at her first Con and I chatted with her son about the finer points of Naruto. Fans were gracious while waiting for photos with Cosplayers, and people were not afraid to be nice. It sounds odd, but how many times have you been bumped into and the other person just gives you a dirty look and walks on. With this many people in one place, you are going to get bumped into and you will also hear that amazing phrase, "Sorry about that!"  

The Experience

I had the joy of sharing this experience with my wife and son for the first time and we will be coming back next year. Sunday was Kid's Day and there was a variety of different activities. The 501st set up a Blaster Arena where you could test your skills and later in the day Nerf had a POW! obstacle course. Artists talked about bringing comics to kids and a Family HQ was set up were you could relax in the comfort of huge bean bags. My son picked out some comics and immediately wanted to find a place to sit down and read them. He was so excited, it was infectious. My wife was able to find some Superman and Vikings artwork to add to our geek art collection in the office. I was able to chat with some amazing artists and cosplayers about their crafts. At the end of the day, we were tired and our legs killed - and it was totally worth it. If you are thinking about going, do it! You won't regret it. I know I will be there. We would have stayed but we ran out of time...

X-Wing Launches Into Orbit

The premiere of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" is less than 8 months away and pretty much the entire fan base can barely contain their enthusiasm. The only thing better than seeing the movie in theaters this December, would be to attend the VIP Premiere.

Two gentlemen from Essex, UK hope to achieve just that.

Tweeters @MattKingsnorth and @TurboBungle are a two man space photography team from Project Helium Tears who use weather balloons to get cameras into low orbit to snap picture of earth & space.

Understanding that just flat out asking J.J. Abrams for 2 tickets to the premiere would never work, they decided to appeal to his artistic side. Knowing that J.J. has been adamant in the use of more practical effects over CGI for the new movies, the two men set out in the hopes of winning him over by attaching an X-Wing to one of their balloons and launching it into space.

Check out the video below:

P.S.Stick around after the 0:45 mark to see the balloon strike some space debris that ends up in the video:

Do you think They'll get their VIP tickets? Comment on or Facebook group!

Source: Techcrunch.com

One ForceStrong Member's In-Depth Celebration Experience

Article By Paul Lindberg

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- With three little words, the largest gathering in Star Wars Celebration history roared its approval and the beloved franchise’s premier fan event was launched into hyperspace at the Anaheim Convention Center over the weekend.

“Chewie, we’re home!” spoken by actor Harrison Ford playing his iconic character Han Solo aboard the Millennium Falcon alongside his faithful Wookiee copilot Chewbacca was the final scene in the Star Wars: The Force Awakens teaser, which was streamed simultaneously on StarWars.com during the world-wide release.

I was fortunate enough to be among the capacity crowd at the Convention Center Arena, many of whom waited in line all night in the convention center basement to guarantee a seat to the event. The packed arena exploded in fan-demonium after Ford’s line, so much so that event officials replayed the 110-second teaser to satisfy thelightsaber-weilding crowd chanting, “Again! Again! Again!”

For this life-long Star Wars fan, it was my first appearance at a Star Wars Celebration, which has been held seven times in the United States and 10 times worldwide. Ever since seeing The Empire Strikes Back in 1980 as a youngling, I was drawn to the story that pits good versus evil, the light side against the dark side of the Force, a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.

My devotion to the franchise continued in 1999, 2002, and 2005 with the releases of the prequel trilogy as I attended the midnight showings to see how Star Wars creator George Lucas would tell the story that led up to the original trilogy I grew up with. When it was announced Lucasfilm, powered by its recent purchase by Disney, was going to produce three more episodes, I could feel the Force flowing through me stronger than ever. My four-day ticket for the Anaheim Celebration was purchased nearly a year in advance.

At the Star Wars Celebration kick-off event, the film’s Emmy-award winning director, J.J. Abrams, along with Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy, led a panel discussion that included Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, and Oscar Isaac, the new stars of the Star Wars universe moving forward who were cast in The Force Awakens.

“I've never had more fun in my life; working on anything,” said Abrams, who’s produced titles such as Star Trek Into Darkness and the hit-TV series Lost.

Abrams and Kennedy even provided pizza to the nearly thousand fans who camped out all night to get the best seats in the house for The Force Awaken’s panel and teaser. I arrived at 5 a.m. and witnessed the empty pizza boxes scattered about on the Convention Center’s floor.

Celebration organizers previously advertised “special guests” who would join Abrams and Kennedy on stage, and they didn't disappoint when Ridley, Boyega, and Isaac were introduced. As a bonus, the beloved droid R2D2 – who has appeared in all six Star Wars films and will make it seven this Christmas – made an appearance, along with the droid from The Force Awakens who is sure to become a fan-favorite, as well – BB-8. The raucous crowd cheered loudly when BB-8 rolled onto stage as it was speculated the droid would be portrayed via computer graphics in the film and not exist as a real model. BB-8’s appearance signified Abrams’ commitment to Star Wars fans that the new films would be a return to real film making like the original trilogy and not heavily rely on CG as the more recent films did.

Ridley, who will portray Rey, a desert scavenger, is expected to be part of a new direction for the Star Wars universe that will include more female characters. She said she has been overwhelmed with the fan’s response with a film that is still seven months away from being released. “Back stage we could just hear the swell of the crowd,” Ridley said. “It was amazing.”

Before revealing the film’s first teaser since giving Star Wars fans a sneak peak with a 90-second first glimpse last November, Abrams and Kennedy brought out stars from the original Star Wars films -- Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker), Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia), Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca) and Anthony Daniels (C3PO), all of whom were cast in The Force Awakens.

It was an iconic scene, seeing the actors from the original films shoulder to shoulder with the new stars, with a backdrop of eight stormtroopers in their new uniforms from The Force Awakens. Next month, A New Hope -- the first installment of the Star Wars films -- will turn 37.

Known as Lucasfilm’s “love letter” to its fans, Star Wars Celebration is the ultimate fan experience that brings Star Wars enthusiasts together from the around the world to celebrate the pop culture phenomenon. “You’re more than just fans, you’re family,” said Hamill, who then blew a kiss and waved to every corner of the arena. The franchise is swelling with new content soon to be released, including TV shows, video games, books and comics, along with a minimum of five new films.

The Force Awakens is scheduled for a December 2015 release. Star Wars’ renewed popularity was evident as an estimated 200,000 fans passed through the convention center’s doors during the four-day event. “It’s the biggest crowd we’ve ever had,” Kennedy said. “There’s more families here than celebration has ever seen.”

Along with long-awaited release of the new teaser, costumes, exhibits, screenings, exclusive merchandise, celebrity guests, panels, autograph and photo sessions kept fans busy all weekend. Saturday and Sunday tickets were sold out as the seams of the convention center facilities bulged and wait times for some events clocked in at more than four hours.

“What an amazing weekend this has been,” Kennedy said during Sunday afternoon’s closing ceremonies. “I continue to be amazed at Star Wars fans but this weekend surpasses anything I ever imagined.”

Highlights of Star Wars Celebration Anaheim included additional reveals and releases that fans have been waiting excitedly for. Most of Friday focused on the trailer reveal for the video game Battlefront 3, which is scheduled to be released for the holiday shopping season.

Saturday was all about the Lucasfilm’s animated TV series Star Wars Rebels, which just wrapped up its first season on Disney XD. Fans were treated to panels that explained where the series is headed, including the addition of some of their favorite characters from the animated TV series Star Wars: The Clone Wars that was canceled in 2013.

The big Star Wars Rebels reveal came in the form of an extended trailer for Season 2 of Rebels, which highlighted characters such as Darth Vader, Ahsoka Tano, Captain Rex and Hondo joining the core group of characters developed in Season 1. The Clone Wars was the only content Lucasfilm had created since the last film in 2005 until Rebels began last fall. It touched a new generation of Star Wars fan who did not grow up with the original or prequel trilogies and had become nearly as popular as the six films.

A limited number of fans were treated to a screening of the first two episodes of Season 2 of Rebels, which will contain 22 episodes and will begin airing this summer on Disney XD.

Rebels Executive Producer Simon Kinberg was asked at Saturday’s news conference about the burden to get things right when creating new content for a franchise with such devoted fans.

“There’s an automatic pressure with anything that has the words “Star Wars” in the title,” Kinberg said. “You always feel a responsibility. It’s like adding books to the Bible.”

Perhaps the biggest reveal came in the form of Lucasfilm’s venture into films outside of Episodes VII, VIII, and IX.

Earlier this year, it was announced standalone spinoff films were in the works, with the first movie titled Rogue One set for a December 2016 release.

As part of the Star Wars Anthology Series -- as Lucasfilm is dubbing the side films -- Rogue One will tell the story of a band of resistance fighters who unite for a daring mission to steal the Death Star plans. Fans also were treated to a short teaser for the film that was not made public but it ended up immediately being leaked online.

The next Star Wars Celebration is July 15-17, 2016 in London. Tickets went on sale at noon Monday. Officials made 200 VIP tickets available, which entitles the bearer to additional perks including meeting special guests and reserved seats to all the main events. VIP tickets reportedly sold out in the first two minutes. Luckily, I am one of the 200!

May the Force be with you.  Contact the author here.

(If you would like to write an article for the ForceStrong Network then contact me here. -T)

Batman V Superman Official Trailer

After the blurry version yesterday, here is the official trailer.  Enjoy!

Two Classic Star Wars Games Returning

Back when the Sony Playstation 2 & Microsoft Xbox were all the rage, there were 2 Star Wars titles that were quite popular among fans of the franchise. Star Wars: Starfighter and Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter.

While no specifics have been mentioned, one is left to wonder if there would be any additional content added for these updated releases.

For anyone who did not play these games back in the day, I'd recommend giving them a try. They weren't the longest games around, but being in control of a starfighter during some of the best on screen and off screen battles was just so damn cool!

As someone who owned the originals on PS2, I would definitely be interested in playing them on my PS3. Would you? Let us know on our facebook group.

Echo LIVES!

Fans of the series may remember that Echo presumably died during the rescue of Master Even Piell, when a commando droid manning a cannon shot a transport where Echo was positioned and the resulting explosion left nothing but a charred helmet. Then, on March of 2014, Dave Filoni posted a quick message to fans on StarWars.com stating "P.S. I have to give you one spoiler because I know it meant a lot to some of you. Yes, Echo is alive", with no further details as to how he was alive. Here is a clip 

Well, it seems that some fans may finally know how Echo survived.

On Friday April 17th, attendees of Star Wars Celebration are in for a special treat. Between the hours of 12:00 - 2:00 PM, Dave Filoni will be sharing the never before seen unfinished 4-episode Clone Wars story reel of how Captain Rex and "The Bad Batch" rescued Echo after his presumed death on that landing platform.

The presentation will take place on the Digital stage.

Are you glad he survived or would you have preferred he remained dead? Sound off on our Facebook group!

The ForceStrong 2015 Spring 4/20 Giveaway Extravaganza!

THE FORCESTRONG 2015 SPRING 4/20 GIVEAWAY EXTRAVAGANZA 

I'm giving away 5 #Forcestrong prize packs on 4/20/15!  Packs will include a 2015 magnetic calendar (above) and 3 ForceStrong wrist bands.  To be entered you must share this article on your Facebook wall, then stop by our FB Group and comment shared.

One entry per person.  Everyone who enters will get a number.  I will then draw random numbers with random.org to get the 5 winners.  (Earn an additional number! Details below!)

Earn an additional entry into the drawing by joining our mailing list here.  Stay up-to-date with our weekly newsletter that has the latest articles from the current week.

-T

501st Garrison Commander's Star Wars Collection On Display

Meet Omar Al Bahiti. He's a Marketing Exec for Honeywell's Dubai office. Omar is just like any other person working a corporate job. He has a modest home in a modest part of Dubai
(I know, hard to believe Dubai has a modest neighborhood amid it's grandiose opulence) and just like many of us, he enjoys weekend BBQ's with family and friends.

He's also a huge Star Wars fan and the Garrison Commander of the UAE Outpost of the 501st.

Omar started his collection like many other fans. He started buying when he was a kid. Whenever his family would go on vacation, he would look for any Star Wars merchandise he could get his hand on, be it toys, collectibles, clothes...anything.

From those humble beginnings came the birth of a collection that is now rumored to be the the largest private collection outside of the United States and Europe, with a conservative estimate of about $300,000 in value...and for the second time, part of his collection will be on Display, along with other collections at the Dubai Mall.

Why, you ask? Simple. See, unlike the rest of the world that has multiple local, regional, and international conventions year round, the middle east only has one annual gathering called "The Middle East Film & Comic Con" (MEFCC). This is their equivalent of the San Diego International Comic Con. MEFCC is displaying Omar's, as well as other collections just ahead of this year's April 9th to 11th event at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

Omar's contribution to the display will include 10 helmets and 6 lightsabers. The helmets will show the evolution of troopers from the Clone Wars, through Episode III and to the Stormtroopers we first saw in Episode IV. The lightsabers are from the Master Replicas line, which include Anakin, Luke, Yoda and Darth Vader's sabers among the 6 on display.

Check out the images of just a handful of Omar's collection below (Click to Enlarge) & feel free to share some of your favorite pieces from your own collection with us on our Facebook page.

Source: TheNational.ae

Photo's of Ryan Reynolds (And His Stunt Double) As Deadpool Straight From The Set!

The Daily Mail has posted the first photos to surface from the set of the Deadpool movie, and they do NOT, disappoint!

The costume pretty much looks exactly like the one shown in the test footage that took the web by storm last year, plus we get a first glimpse of Wade unmasked! I think both his costumed and unmasked looks are amazing and stay true to the comic book interpretation of the character.

Check out some of the pix below, read the entire article & see the rest of the images HERE, and post your comments below!

Can't wait until the movie to see our favorite anti-hero in action? Click HERE for a little video of Deadpool playing a prank on Mario Lopez.

Deadpool in Action!

Clean shot of suit. The white dots are for motion capture for when 
they add the white eye covers and to convey facial expressions.

Wade Unmasked

Directors From Winter Soldier Get Both Infinity War Movies!

Marvel just announced that Joe and Anthony Russo would be taking over the biggest franchise in the Marvel universe, "The Avengers."

The brothers will remain locked in the comic book movie factory after their upcoming Captain America: Civil War (March 6, 2016) in order to helm Avengers: Infinity War - Part 1 and Part 2. Set for May 2018 and May 2019, the company revealed the split trilogy-capper in October, during a symposium for its five-year movie plan. 

(Also on the schedule: Doctor Strange (November 4, 2016),Guardians of the Galaxy 2 (March 5, 2017), Thor: Ragnarok (July 28, 2017), Black Panther (November 3, 2017), Captain Marvel (July 6, 2018), and Inhumans(November 11, 2018).)

We think the Russo brothers may also get the chance to be the first directors in the Marvel universe to direct a whole new superhero.

Marvel and its parent company Disney (the mouse, the myth, the legend) announced in February that Spider-Man would be joining the studio's cinematic universe ;)

Drop us a comment and let us know what you think.

Tatooine Under Heavy Guard

Initially it was reported by CNN that the Star Wars "Tatooine" locations in Tunisia were being used by ISIS as way stations for their crossing into Libya. Days later it was reported that a Tunisian Tourism Official released a statement that while 3 suspected ISIS members were captured and detained, the namesake town of Tataouine and the surrounding regions used for filming are safe.

Now according to multiple news outlets, the Tunisian National Guard has ordered 1,500 troops to regularly patrol all 9 locations and make sure they stay ISIS-Free and to further reassure travelers that the iconic film locations as well as the region and it's namesake town of Tataouine are all safe. Colonel Mokhtar Hammami of the National Guard claims they have actually been seeing increased tourist activity in the region.

Below is a map and listing of the movie locations and episode(s) in which they appeared.

What do you think? Is it safe to visit or are they just trying to drum up business. Share your thoughts on our Facebook page.

                                        Tatooine Locations:

1. Naftah, Tunisia: Lars Homestead Exterior. Ep. II, III & IV. 
2. Chott el-Gharza, Tunisia: Mos Espa. Ep. I.
3. Oung Jmel, Tunisia: Sith Infiltrator Landing Site. Ep. I.                         
4. Sidi Bouhel, Tunisia: Jundland Wastes. Ep. IV.                        
5. Matmata, Tunisia - Hotel Sidi Driss: Lars Homestead Interior. Ep. IV. Note: The Lars Homestead dining room is part of the hotel, minus props.)
6. Sidi Jemour, Tunisia: Toschi Station. (Anchorhead) Ep. IV. Note: Toschi Station is shown in the scene where Luke's Speeder rushes towards Anchorhead on the way to Mos Eisley) 
7. Mezran, Tunisia: Obi Wan's Home. Ep. IV. Note: The structure is used to this day by fishermen to store their supplies.             
8. Medenine, Tunisia: Anakin/Shmi Skywalker's home in Mos Espa. Ep. I
9. Ksar Ouled Soltani, Tunisia: Additional Slave quarters in Mos Espa. Ep. I