ReedPOP Issue Official Celebration Update and Virtual Star Wars Day Events

Since my last post at the start of March the world has change. That post was one of my updated "Planning Your Trip" pieces I'd been slowly doing since the start of the year. Then Covid-19 hit. With all the uncertainty it didn't feel right to keep those posts going as if nothing had happened but I also didn't want to say Celebration wasn't happening because everything was just so uncertain and up in the air. So I unintentionally put this blog on hold. I'm sorry about that. I should have said something even if it was just my own thoughts on the situation.

Now, we have an official statement from ReedPOP. This was sent out by email so I know that some people, myself included, won't have received it as for whatever reason Celebration emails can be hit and miss no matter how many times you sign up and set your spam filters. So here is the statement in full:

On the surface this might seem like a bit of a none statement. Essentially just saying "we're monitoring the situation and will let you know." But it is very similar to the statement issued by Comic Con on April 1st:

As we continue to monitor the situation with local authorities, we will post updates on our social channels! Until then, remember: “A hero is an ordinary individual who finds strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” — Christopher Reeve 2/2

— San Diego Comic-Con (@Comic_Con) April 1, 2020

On April 17th SDCC was cancelled.

The Mary Sue has a good article on why companies like ReedPOP and Comic Con International can't just come out and say "we're cancelled" now, even when it seems obvious to everyone watching events that they won't be able to go ahead. Basically they need to wait for the Force Majeure clauses in their contracts to come into effect. When the state officially says the event can't go ahead then insurance kicks in and the event can be officially cancelled. Until then organisers need to at least publicly act like they are trying to move forward.

So if this comes down to what the state will allow, what's California saying?

According to The Orange County Register California Governor Gavin Newsom and Department of Public Health director Dr. Sonia Angell have laid out a four stage road map for reopening from the current lockdown. And Newsom was very specific that "Politics will not drive our decision making. Political pressure will not drive our decision making. Sciene, data and public health will drive our decision making."

California, like much of the world, is currently in Stage 1 with stay-at-home orders in place.

Stage 2, which is "weeks" away will allow for the reopening of "lower risk" workplaces with social distancing adaptations. This includes retail, manufacturing, schools and childcare facilities.

Stage 3, which is likely "months" away, would allow "higher risk" businesses and gatherings that include close contact with some adaptations and limitations on the size of the gatherings. Theaters, weddings, gyms, salons, religious services and weddings would all fall under this stage. Most notably for us is that this stage allows sporting events to return BUT without live audiences.

So if Stage 3 includes limitations on the size of gatherings and sporting events can't have a live audience, that tells us that Star Wars Celebration would come under Stage 4.

Stage 4 is the "highest risk" - including concerts, sports with a live audience, and other large events - and according to Dr. Angell moving to this stage will require a treatment to be in place for Covid-19.

And if that's not enough to convince you that Celebration won't take place in August, we got a tiny glimpse behind the scenes last week when Darth Von Ohlen, Topps organiser for Celebration, revealed that he had been placed on furlough from April 24th. We're now at the point where Celebration would normally begin announcing new guests each week. If their talent organiser is on furlough that confirms they're not working on August's guest list.

I’ve got an update to share with everyone - As of Friday April 24th I will be on furlough from my job at Topps. Thread with more details... pic.twitter.com/oCucpKEZsZ

— Darth Von Ohlen (@DarthVonOhlen) April 24, 2020

Based on all of this I truly believe that the statement issued by ReedPOP yesterday is essentially preparing people for cancellation. Putting the idea of postponement/cancellation in guests minds whilst they finish getting everything in place behind the scenes to make an official announcement in a few weeks time.

So what happens next?

#Revengeofthe5th Schedule! pic.twitter.com/F2PPWWvDy5

— New York Comic Con (@NY_Comic_Con) April 29, 2020

First off, ReedPOP are organising a virtual event for Star Wars Day. Strangely this is being done through their NYCC channel rather than Celebration but the 2 day event, covering both May the 4th be with you and revenge of the 5th, will include live tweeting of the films and Clone Wars finale, Q&As with Ashley Eckstein, Vanessa Marshall, along with Del Rey authors and the writers and artists of Marvel's Star Wars comics.

You can see the full line up on the NYCC website.

Hopefully this is a trial run and, whilst we can't all celebrate together in person, they may be able to host a virtual Celebration in August and still bring us a lot of the new content and exciting reveals that we would have seen in some of the major panels over the long weekend.

As for Celebration itself I guess it depends if they want to remain in Anaheim, the availability of convention centre space (unlike SDCC Celebration won't have the centre booked for the same slot every year), and what happens as we begin to come out of lockdown.

April 2021 would be the earliest likely date, returning Celebration to its now traditional Spring dates. But given California's four stage plan, will a vaccine be ready in time? Given how much planning goes into these events April seems a bit of a gamble based on vaccine availability. Moving to Orlando, who have a different strategy for reopening, might make April more viable.

August 2021, a straight forward year delay, is probably more likely and less risky in terms of vaccine availability. But August 2021 is almost certainly the date of the next D23. So could both events run pretty much back to back? Could one move to Orlando (which would be a nice first for D23)? And if the next film is on track for December 2022, will Lucasfilm want a Celebration in August 2021 when April 2022 would allow them to drop the teaser trailer for the start of the next trilogy or saga?

Which I guess brings me to April 2022. Before all this started this was the most likely date of the next Celebration, timed perfectly to once again kick off the marketing and hype for the next movie due that December. Could Celebration essentially just skip the 2020 event altogether and just move ahead with the next one?

I'm guessing ReedPOP will give us a clearer idea in a few weeks when they make their next announcements.