National & International News

May the Fourth Be With You: It's Star Wars Day

By Bill Chappell

Published May 4, 2014 at 9:36 AM EDT

Philippines: A boy bumps fists with a clone trooper as they celebrate <em>Star Wars</em> Day in Pasay City, Metro Manila, Sunday.

1 of 7 — Philippines: A boy bumps fists with a clone trooper as they celebrate Star Wars Day in Pasay City, Metro Manila, Sunday.

Philippines: A boy bumps fists with a clone trooper as they celebrate Star Wars Day in Pasay City, Metro Manila, Sunday.

2 of 7 — Italy: A woman dressed as Princess Leia and a man dressed as Boba Fett pause in front of the Colosseum in central Rome Sunday.

Italy: A woman dressed as Princess Leia and a man dressed as Boba Fett pause in front of the Colosseum in central Rome Sunday.

Argentina: A boy wears a Darth Vader mask as he awaits the <em>Star Wars</em> Run race in Buenos Aires on Saturday.

3 of 7 — Argentina: A boy wears a Darth Vader mask as he awaits the Star Wars Run race in Buenos Aires on Saturday.

Argentina: A boy wears a Darth Vader mask as he awaits the Star Wars Run race in Buenos Aires on Saturday.

4 of 7 — Italy: Storm troopers march in front of the Colosseum in Rome on Sunday.

Italy: Storm troopers march in front of the Colosseum in Rome on Sunday.

Philippines: Costumed children play with their light sabers inside a Manila-area mall for <em>Star Wars</em> Day.

5 of 7 — Philippines: Costumed children play with their light sabers inside a Manila-area mall for Star Wars Day.

Philippines: Costumed children play with their light sabers inside a Manila-area mall for Star Wars Day.

Tunisia: Fans pose as stormtroopers during a parade on the last day of the first international meeting of <em>Star Wars</em> fans in Tozeur, southern Tunisia.

6 of 7 — Tunisia: Fans pose as stormtroopers during a parade on the last day of the first international meeting of Star Wars fans in Tozeur, southern Tunisia.

Tunisia: Fans pose as stormtroopers during a parade on the last day of the first international meeting of Star Wars fans in Tozeur, southern Tunisia.

7 of 7 — Thailand: A fan dressed as Darth Vader walks in a Bangkok shopping mall to raise funds for an orphanage charity.

Thailand: A fan dressed as Darth Vader walks in a Bangkok shopping mall to raise funds for an orphanage charity.

Darth Vader walks the Earth today. By that, we mean he's walking all over the place. Fans of the sci-fi franchise are celebrating Star Wars Day — or May 4 for the less geek-inclined.

The day brings an excuse for people to dress as storm troopers and rebels and celebrate the films that first hit theaters in 1977. Star Wars Day is also being commemorated by businesses offering deals — discounts on videos, comics and other merchandise, from backpacks to Vans sneakers. You can find a list of the deals here.

The franchise isn't done yet. Director J.J. Abrams is working on the new film Star Wars: Episode VII, which is slated for release around Christmas of 2015. And an animated series called Star Wars Rebels is due to air this fall.

Those projects are the work of Walt Disney Co., which purchased Star Wars creator George Lucas' company Lucasfilm for $4.05 billion in 2012.

If you're a big Star Wars fan, you might enjoy this documentary that's part of Jamie Benning's series of videos that give a sort of DVD-extra take on the films: