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May The 4th Be With You: 4 Essentials for celebrating Star Wars Day

by Stephan Lee

May 4, 2020

Lucasfilm Ltd.

Thanks to a homophonic pun on the famous line "May the Force be with you," May the 4th is known as Star Wars Day to fans of the franchise. In honor of the made-up but no less necessary holiday, Lucasfilm and Disney has unleashed Star Wars: Rise Of Skywalker to Disney+ two months earlier than planned. Thank the Maker!

With Rise Of Skywalker now available, all nine parts of the central Skywalker saga are now streaming, starting with the original trilogy that kicked off with A New Hope in 1977, to the prequels of the early aughts, to the most recent trilogy that started with The Force Awakens in 2015.

The core feature films are only a few ships in the star fleet, however. Disney+ has spin-off films, tons of series, LEGO versions, and behind-the-scenes documentaries that are required viewing for any Star Wars diehard. Also, for the week of May the 4th, all of the film and series' artwork on Disney+ will be replaced with actual concept paintings to commemorate the artistry of Star Wars.

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Give yourself or a fellow Star Wars obsessive the ideal May the 4th gift by signing up for Disney+ for its definitive Star Wars collection, plus thousands of hours of Disney, Marvel, and National Geographic content. Or better yet, sign up for the Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ bundle to get fully stocked on your viewing needs for the best price. Here are just a few of the treasures from the galaxy far, far away that you'll find with a subscription.

1. The Mandalorian

Pretty much universally beloved by Star Wars fans, Disney+'s signature original series features incredible visuals, an enigmatic anti-hero, and of course, Baby Yoda. A twist on the Western genre, The Mandalorian became an instant classic to add to the Star Wars canon.

2. The Clone Wars

This award-winning animated series will have you seeing the Star Wars galaxy in a completely new light. With complex storylines, nuanced new characters like Ashoka, as well as a more textured version of Anakin than we saw in the prequels, The Clone Wars is a must-watch — and it's all available on Disney+, with the series finale releasing just in time for May the 4th.

3. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Combining elements of a heist film with the Star Wars universe, this standalone is a fresh take on what a Star Wars movie can be and contains a fresh, international cast and one of the best space battles of the entire franchise. Solo, the other standalone movie — which, in my opinion, is quite underrated — is coming to Disney+ this July.

4. Behind-The-Scenes Docs

Every Star Wars fan needs spend a day with Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy to appreciate how George Lucas and his team of innovators turned the original trilogy into blockbusters that changed filmmaking forever. It's a saga that's as odds-defying as the Rebels taking on the Empire.

Also releasing on May the 4th is an eight-part documentary Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian, featuring work of legendary Star Wars designers and artists.

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