A disturbance in the force was detected in Sydney, Australia, as thousands of people witnessed a giant glowing lightsaber in the night sky as a promotion for the upcoming Star Wars sequel, "Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi."
Disney spared no expense in promoting the upcoming sequel. The dramatic and over-the-top event took place in Sydney Harbour on Oct. 10, where a 60-meter tall version of Kylo Ren's (Adam Driver) iconic lightsaber was put up. The giant lightsaber replica was suspended by a helicopter and boasted 10,800 light-emitting diodes (LED) to emulate the red glow of the famed lightsaber.
To ensure that everyone in the Harbour saw it, Disney also utilized optical imaging technology so that a projection of the giant lightsaber can be seen from every angle. Needless to say, fans and otherwise were amazed at the light show, with several of them even posting the spectacle on social media.
The event was also held to signal that the tickets for the screening of "The Last Jedi" are now available. This, along with the latest trailer for the movie, set the stage for the new chapter in the "Star Wars" saga.
The trailer shows Ren being conflicted as to whether he should kill his mother Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) just as he had killed his father Han Solo (Harrison Ford) in the previous movie. It also featured snippets of interaction between Ren and Rey (Daisy Ridley) in what appears to be an effort by the former to reconcile with the latter. It is unclear yet whether he intends to lure her to the dark side of the force.
"Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi" will continue where "The Force Awakens" left off. In the previous movie, Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) was finally found by Rey. Skywalker's exile had been upended after Rey asked for his help in training her in the ways of the force. Meanwhile, Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis), de facto leader of the dark side and The First Order, has already moved for a counterattack against the Resistance.
"Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi" is set to arrive on Dec. 15 in theaters worldwide.
