LOGAN – Star Wars Day will be celebrated one day early in Logan – at least at the Utah Theatre.
The local movie/theater palace will observe the informal holiday with back-to-back screenings of Stars Wars: A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi on Saturday, May 3.
That’s because, of course, May 4 falls on a Sunday this year.
But don’t worry if you’re tied up on May 3, however. The Utah Theatre will also be screening the best of the Stars Wars franchise throughout the month of May.
Star Wars Day is the informal commemorative day observed on May 4 (or thereabouts) to celebrate the beloved movie franchise started in the late 1970s by filmmaker George Lucas.
Although originated by true Star Wars fanatics, the observance of the day quickly spread through social media and grassroots celebrations.
The date of Star Wars Day originated from the pun “May the Fourth Be With You,” from the movie catchphrase “May the Force Be With You.”
After years of informal celebrations by dedicated fans, the May 4 observance was belatedly adopted by Lucasfilm and the Walt Disney studios.
The month-long celebration of the movie franchise will naturally kick-off on Thursday, May 1 with a showing of Stars Wars: A New Hope at the Utah Theatre. It’s the classic 1977 film with Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford that started the whole Star Wars craze.
The Utah will reprise Star Wars: A New Hope on Friday, May 2 and then screen the aforementioned entire original trilogy on Saturday, May 3.
Those May 3 screenings are scheduled for 2 p.m. (A New Hope), 4:30 p.m. (The Empire Strikes Back) and 7 p.m. (Return of the Jedi).
Resuming its monthly schedule of screening, next comes what is arguably the best of the original trilogy, The Empire Strikes Back, on Monday, May 5; on Tuesday, May 6; and Wednesday, May 7.
Finally, the original trilogy will conclude with screenings of The Return of the Jedi on Thursday, May 8 and Friday, May 9.
Skipping over the critically panned prequel movies (The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith), the Utah Theatre will continue its exploration of the Star Wars franchise with a single screening of Star Wars: The Force Awakens on Friday, May 16. This is the first of the later trilogy starring Daisy Ridley and John Boyega.
Then things get a little complicated with presentations of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story on Monday, May 19 and Wednesday, May 21. Starring Felicity Jones and Diego Luna, this a critically acclaimed immediate prequel to A New Hope in which a band of rebels steal the plans for the Death Star, the McGuffin in the original film.
Screenings of the last trilogy resume with The Last Jedi on Friday, May 23 and Saturday, May 24. In case you’re wondering, Luke Skywalker, played by Mark Hamill, returns in this film as the last Jedi. Who else were you expecting?
Just to complicate things a little more, the Utah Theatre will screen Solo: A Stars Wars Story on Monday, May 26 and Tuesday, May 27. It’s an independent Han Solo origin story starring Alden Ehrenreich and Woody Harrleson.
Finally, the Stars Wars film fest will conclude with last episode of the most recent trilogy, The Rise of Skywalker. That film will be screened on Wednesday, May 28 and Saturday, May 31.
Unless specifically mentioned at another time, all curtain times at the Utah Theatre are slated for 7 p.m.
The Utah Theatre is located at 18 West Center Street in downtown Logan.