Ever been watching a film that couldn’t be farther removed from Star Wars and then suddenly a Star Wars reference pops up? Well, when this happens, it absolutely has me grinning from ear to ear. The legacy and impact of the saga reverberates far and wide and filmmakers love to slot in references and Easter eggs where they can.
In a special new series that kicks off today, we’re going to be taking a look at some of the most fun, popular and subtle references to Star Wars that have occurred on the big screen.
TOY STORY 2 (1999)
Let’s kick off with one of the greatest sequels ever made (this is actually a factually true statement if you check out its score on Rotten Tomatoes.)
The seminal sequel was a powerhouse hit when it was released at the tail-end of 1999 and though there are references to Star Wars throughout the four films in this series, it’s the second instalment that features the best. The most obvious connection on the surface is that of John Ratzenberger, the voice of Hamm in all Toy Story films and he of course played Major Bren Derlin in The Empire Strikes Back. The filmmakers over at Pixar are self-confessed movie fanatics and this shines through in all their work.
The opening sequence of the film features Buzz Lightyear on a mission, which we later learn is actually Rex playing a video game. There are Star Wars sound effects galore in this sequence with the most glaring being Darth Vader’s breathing as we see a POV shot of the planet from inside Buzz’s helmet.
Towards the end of the film, as the toys are facing off against the evil emperor Zurg, we’re treated to one of the biggest laughs of the movie. Buzz’s true parentage is revealed. Zurg looms over Buzz (a different Buzz mind you – not our hero but one who thinks he’s the real Buzz) and Zurg utters the words no toy wants to hear; “I am your father.” As the elevator descends, the camera stays on Buzz screaming a “Noooooooooo.”
FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF (1986)
One of the hit comedies of the decade is still highly enjoyable and has aged really well. Matthew Broderick’s performance as the high school kid who bunks off school is the stuff of dreams and contains a quote that still resonates today, more so than ever really. “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you might miss it.”
The Star Wars reference comes as the band of pupils playing truancy have stolen Cameron’s Dad’s car and as the car powers over the hill, the main Star Wars theme blares out to a slow-motion shot that is reminiscent of the opening of the original Star Wars too.
TOMORROWLAND (2015)
This sci-fi/adventure from Disney is based upon their theme park attractions of the same name starring George Clooney and Hugh Laurie and is directed by Brad Bird, who was actually touted to direct Episode VII before J.J Abrams.
It’s great fun and a real popcorn flick with some brilliant production design and the cast on fine form. There are several Star Wars references throughout the film. Clooney’s character, Frank, slices off a robot’s hand that is a nod to Luke losing his hand to Vader, Emperor Zurg from Toy Story 2 has a cameo and the character of Ursula has a hairstyle that reminds us of Leia’s from Episode IV.
The real fun occurs in the ‘Blast from the Past’ collectable store though. It’s a treasure trove of pop-culture in there with countless references to comics, films and television. For Star Wars, you’ll be able to spot a life-size Han in carbonite, R2-D2, The Falcon, a life-size Stormtrooper and a poster of Yoda on the wall.
What makes this fun, too, is that this film was released in May 2015, the intended release date for Episode VII, and having these Easter eggs in the film gave us a little nudge to be patient just a little while longer until Christmas of that year.
E.T: THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL (1982)
Steven Spielberg’s classic story of friendship remains one of his finest and a personal favourite of my Mum, who has a stuffed E.T on her bed.
The friendship between Spielberg and Lucas is legendary and references between the pair’s films are quite extensive but this one really is fun and as many of us will know – Lucas returned the favour with this Easter egg some years later.
Our main characters are taking E.T out for an evening of trick-or-treating and they have dressed him in a white sheet. As they’re plodding along down the road, they walk past a child who is dressed as Yoda. As E.T sees him, he says; “Home.” Cue Yoda’s theme, by John Williams, of course, and we have a truly brilliant moment that’s not so much of a wink to fans but a stand-up-and-shout-it-moment.
Flash-forward to 1999 with The Phantom Menace and Lucas appears to want to make E.T a member of Star Wars canon. With a vote of no confidence on the cards for Chancellor Valorum, the senate erupts and begin their screams, shouts and chants. Look closely, and there for us to see, is a pod with a few E.T’s in it casting their vote. Maybe E.T calling Yoda ‘home’ back in 1982 wasn’t so much of a gag after all.
INDIANA JONES (1981 – 2023)
Sticking with Lucas and Spielberg, we might as well dive into the adventures of the man with a hat. There are tons of references throughout the five films and this started way back with Raiders with R2-D2 and C-3PO being among the hieroglyphics on the walls in the tomb.
In Temple of Doom, the club that the opening sequence has taken place in is famously called ‘Club Obi-Wan’ and in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull as Indy and our heroes are in the temple at Akator, they stand before the thirteen skeletons of the ‘interdimensional beings’ (aka saucer men) and something doesn’t sit quite right with our hero. So much so, in fact, that Indy forgets which franchise he’s in. “I have a bad feeling about this,” he exclaims.
Last year’s Dial of Destiny also featured the engine start from the Millennium Falcon before the character’s made the jump through the ‘fissure of time.’
SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING (2017)
This film features fun nods to only Star Wars but also fandom and collector’s too. Peter Parker’s best friend, Ned, loves LEGO and tries to convince Peter to help him build his LEGO Death Star. Ned has fun imitating The Emperor himself and says in a cackling voice; “Join me…”
The LEGO set becomes a running gag. We all know how much time and effort would have gone into building this set and when Peter reveals that his alter ego is indeed Spider-Man, Ned drops the Death Star and smashes it into a million pieces. It’s a gag that works well but also leaves us with a knotted stomach as we imagine that happening to us.
All ends well, however, as later on after the climactic battle, Peter and Ned have finished construction on what is now the ‘second’ Death Star. (fun fact; I just thought of that connection as I was writing it – ha!)
FREE GUY (2021)
If you’ve seen the film, you’ll know the reference. Ryan Reynolds’s character pulls out a lightsaber towards the end of the movie and uses it fairly adeptly it has to be said.
The real fun here, though, is the behind-the-scenes of how it came to be. The references to pop-culture are bursting in every scene in this film from video games to movies – you name it. It probably goes into the hundreds.
Director Shawn Levy, who has a Star Wars film in development, wanted Marvel and Star Wars references in the film. It was proving a little tricky but then along came the Disney question of 20th Century Fox to save the day. Bob Iger made the move to buy Fox (now 20th Century Studios) in order to gain more content for Disney+ but when this happened it meant that Lucasfilm/Marvel and now Free Guy were all under the same Disney banner.
Levy and Reynolds wrote a letter to Disney to ask for the use of lightsabers and Hulk, among other things. Disney agreed and it gave us a really fun moment in quite a fun film.
- Hardcover Book
- English (Publication Language)
- 144 Pages - 03/05/2024 (Publication Date) - Titan Comics (Publisher)
