The fourth day of May every year is not an ordinary day. Yes, some people may think it’s an ordinary day, since they have to go to work (understandable), but trust us: it’s not. May 4th is Star Wars Day, a sacred date for the most diehard fans of the saga that in Spain we know by the name of Star Wars.
On this “holiday” for fans of George Lucas‘ universe, many events and activities are organized within the Star Wars community. It is of such importance that the day is recognized by Disney itself, the current owner of the intellectual property, and it is usually the ideal time to make announcements of upcoming titles in the saga or merchandising products.
This celebration has a very popular nickname in the international community: “May the 4th be with you”, which will sound familiar to many of you who have seen the original Star Wars productions, and it is a play on words derived from one of the most famous expressions of the saga: “May the Force be with you”.
But you may be wondering: how did this famous Jedi phrase end up becoming an official Star Wars celebration? Who was the creator of “May the 4th be with you” and Star Wars Day?
It will probably surprise many of you to learn that the phrase did not come from George Lucas, the creator of the Star Wars saga, or from any kind of marketing strategy of the brand. Nor is it related to the release date of the first film, which took place on May 25, 1977 (the anniversary is just around the corner). So who was it?
The answer will blow your mind: behind this famous phrase and the origin of Star Wars Day is (drum roll) the British Conservative Party: the Tories. Yes, you read that right. The famous phrase was originally created as part of a newspaper advertisement run by the political party as a celebration following Margaret Thatcher‘s victory in the national election.
What day did he win them? May 4, 1979 (less than two years after the premiere of Star Wars). The newspaper advertisement read: “May the Fourth be with you, Maggie. Congratulations”, clearly inspired by the Jedi expression. But despite the success of the phrase among Star Wars fans, who quickly picked up on the reference, it did not spread into popular culture until just over 20 years later, when the first Internet forums and social networks saw the light of day.
Although this alone would explain the widespread use of the phrase, how did it end up becoming the official day of the Star Wars saga? For that, we must go back to 2012, a rather significant year for fans of the saga, as it was when Disney bought Lucasfilm, the studio behind the Star Wars productions.
Disney, who appreciated the importance of the phrase and the day in the Star Wars community, ended up making the date official, creating events and even a logo to celebrate “May the 4th Be with You” (which is a registered trademark). Obviously, as a company, there was a clear economic motive behind it, and it was the perfect day to carry out marketing campaigns and advertisements related to the Star Wars brand.
If you want to celebrate this day as it deserves, you can have a movie and series marathon with the selection we have made for you, watch the new productions announced by Disney+ or even listen to the radio version of A New Hope, 6 hours long.
Some of the links added in the article are part of affiliate campaigns and may represent benefits for Softonic.
