Lego Star Wars

Star Wars Celebration opens the blast doors to McCormick Place in Chicago this weekend, and LEGO will be there to celebrate a milestone.

The year 1999 marked the dawn of a new era in Star Wars fandom with the release of Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace. But it was also the year that a then-unusual pairing hit toy departments. In the building section, just a few aisles away from where Star Wars action figures were making their first appearance since the mid-1980s, the first LEGO Star Wars sets hit shelves.

At the time, LEGO was not known for licensed products — but the company was struggling.  Licensing, as Obi-Wan Kenobi might have said, was a “first step into a larger world.” And what a tremendous world it’s become. …

LEGO Star Wars Timeline

Two decades later, LEGO Star Wars is going strong, and a special presentation, 20 Years of the LEGO Star Wars Story — A Retrospective and Forward Look, will take place on Friday, April 12 at Star Wars Celebration Chicago.

Additionally, a limited-edition LEGO Darth Vader Bust will be offered as a Celebration exclusive.

LEGO Star Wars 20th Anniversary sets are available now, with new sets based on Star Wars: Episode IX slated for release in October.

Photos: LEGO Group

About the author

James Zahn

James Zahn

James Zahn, AKA The Rock Father, is Editor-in-Chief of The Toy Book, a Senior Editor at The Toy Insider and The Pop Insider, and Editor of The Toy Report, The Toy Book‘s weekly industry newsletter. As a pop culture and toy industry expert, Zahn has appeared as a panelist and guest at events including Comic-Con International: San Diego (SDCC) Wizard World Chicago, and the ASTRA Marketplace & Academy. Zahn has more than 30 years of experience in the entertainment, retail, and publishing industries, and is frequently called upon to offer expert commentary for publications such as Forbes, Marketwatch, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, USA Today, Reuters, the Washington Post, and more. James has appeared on History Channel’s Modern Marvels, was interviewed by Larry King and Anderson Cooper, and has been seen on Yahoo! Finance, CNN, CNBC, FOX Business, NBC, ABC, CBS, WGN, The CW, and more. Zahn joined the Adventure Media & Events family in 2016, initially serving as a member of the Parent Advisory Board after penning articles for the Netflix Stream Team, Fandango Family, PBS KIDS, Sprout Parents (now Universal Kids), PopSugar, and Chicago Parent. He eventually joined the company full time as a Senior Editor and moved up the ranks to Deputy Editor and Editor-in-Chief.

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