‘I encountered Star Wars as a five-year-old on my very first outing to a cinema and my first figure was purchased that same day’
Collector Matt Fox at the exhibition during its visit to Southport Photo by Ian Cooper(Image: Liverpool Echo)
In a galaxy far, far away a trilogy of sci-fi films was created in the 1970s and 80s which have held millions spellbound ever since, spawning myriad spin-offs and series.
Now – as cinemagoers gear up for the latest cinematic feast from the Jedi-battling juggernaut The Mandalorian and Grogu – a new exhibition celebrating all things Star Wars is heading to the region. And its founder and owner, Matt Fox, has obviously chosen May the fourth to make the big announcement.
The avid enthusiast’s exciting exhibition May The Toys Be With You is heading to Beverley Art Gallery this June for a three month spell. And it promises to immerse fans of all ages in the box office-busting film’s spectacular memorabilia.
East Riding of Yorkshire Council says it is inviting the public to explore the show, one of the UK’s finest collections of vintage Star Wars toys and original cinema posters, from Saturday, 6 June.
Councillor Nick Coultish, cabinet member for culture, leisure and tourism at East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said: “This new and exciting exhibition will give families and visitors alike the opportunity to experience memorabilia from one of the most famous film series of all time.
‘’Those who come along will be able to get up close to the collection, exploring iconic figures such as Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and Han Solo.
Did you know you can make Hull Live a preferred source of Hull news in Google, which will mean you get more of our breaking news, exclusives, and must-read stories straight away? Here’s more information about what this means and how to do it – you can also do it straight away by clicking here.
‘’Beverley Art Gallery will also be hosting a programme of family-friendly Star Wars themed events and activities to support this exhibition, so we hope to see the public come along and enjoy these.’’
When it was released in 1977, the first movie Star Wars – Episode IV A New Hope, broke all box office records, taking over $775m worldwide having had a budget of $11m. And more than 300 million action figures were sold within the first decade.
The May The Toys Be With You showcase acts as both a celebration of the now-highly collectable vintage toy line and also of the iconic design work and art of the Star Wars movies. It represents an unmissable opportunity to view many rarely seen Star Wars treasures, and the touring exhibition has broken visitor attendance records at a host of museums around the country.
The famous collection includes a collection of movie posters made for the star wars films, before the advent of photo shop – painted by some of the best artists in the movie poster business. It also features Storm Troopers, rare and unusual toys and many made here in the UK.
Matt Fox, owner of the collection and curator of May The Toys Be With You, added: ‘’I encountered Star Wars as a wide-eyed five-year-old on my very first outing to a cinema, and my first figure (Darth Vader) was purchased that same day. Now I’m an adult collector, but I don’t think I’ve ever really lost that wide-eyed joy when acquiring new pieces for my collection. I am very pleased to be able to share the collection with everyone who comes to the exhibition at Beverley Art Gallery.’’
The exhibition will be on display until Saturday, 29 August at Beverley Art Gallery, based within the Champney Treasure House.
Want to stay up to date with all the latest event news that’s happening in and around Hull? Well look no further. Sign up to our Never Dull in Hull newsletter and get all the latest news on gigs, food and days out sent straight to your inbox.