Disney’s Star Wars celebration to take place in Japan in 2025

By Mike Bedigan, PA Los Angeles Correspondent

Disney’s next Star Wars Celebration will take place in Japan in 2025, it has been announced.

The franchise’s annual convention, which is scheduled for April 18th to 20th in two years’ time, will be held at the Makuhari Messe convention centre, outside of Tokyo.

The news was confirmed at the closing ceremony of this year’s festival, which took place at London’s ExCel Centre.

Thousands of fans attended the event, many in elaborate cosplay costumes, which included exclusive panels, screenings and sneak peaks at upcoming spin-off series.

Star Wars celebration was previously held in Japan in 2008.

The franchise’s creator George Lucas has previously said he drew inspiration from Japanese mythology for his films, as well as the work of filmmaker Akira Kurosawa.

Organisers said that the return of the event to Japan would see Star Wars return to its “creative roots” for the first time in 17 years.

Stars of the franchise including Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Anthony Daniels and Peter Mayhew were among those at the event in 2008.

During this year’s convention, fans were treated to previews of upcoming shows including series Ahsoka – due to be released in August, and appearances from stars including Jude Law and Daisy Ridley.

Ridley revealed on Friday that she will be reprising the role of jedi knight Rey in a live action film, set to take place after the events of 2019’s Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker.

The film will see Rey build a new Jedi Order after the apparent defeat of the dark forces in her last movie.

Elsewhere, a new trailer for upcoming Indiana Jones film The Dial Of Destiny was released.