Star Wars and Marvel Comics have had an interesting history. Marvel Comics published the original set of Star Wars comics in the 1970s and 80s until Dark Horse acquired the rights. Both Marvel and Star Wars became part of the Walt Disney Company, and in 2014, Marvel Comics once again became the publisher for Star Wars comics. However, the two iconic pop culture franchises have never truly crossed over in a meaningful way…until now.
Entertainment Weekly announced the launch of Star Wars/Marvel: Hope Assembles, the five-part limited comic book series written by filmmaker Kevin Smith with art by David Marquez. The story will see the heroes of Star Wars join forces with the Marvel heroes of Earth-616 to stop the combined forces of Darth Vader, Doctor Doom, Thanos, and the Empire. The comic will anchor Star Wars’ 2027 publishing slate as part of the franchise’s 50th anniversary. Issue 1 will be released in Jan. 2027, with the final issue set to hit shelves in May 2027 before Star Wars‘ 50th anniversary on May 25.
Smith, who has referenced Star Wars in many of his films and wrote the iconic Daredevil storyline, Guardian Devil storyline back in the 1990s, told Entertainment Weekly:
“Back in the early ‘80s, I had a subscription to Marvel’s Star Wars comics. And as fun as it was to follow the continuing adventures of Luke, Leia, and Han, I always wished that Spider-Man or Doctor Doom could cross over into their cinematic saga. So when the opportunity arose to actually tell that story, nobody had to Force my hand! I’m ecstatic to be writing Hope Assembles for the 50th anniversary of Star Wars! Many thanks to Marvel Comics and Lucasfilm for trusting me to fly the Falcon and the Quinjet!”
Michael Siglain, creative director at Lucasfilm Publishing, says.
“With Hope Assembles, Kevin Smith has written a true love letter to Star Wars, to Marvel, and to comics in general, and combined with David Marquez’s incredible art, we’ll see the heroes and villains of Star Wars team up and battle with the heroes and villains of Earth-616. Hope Assembles is exciting, unpredictable, and heartfelt. In short, it’s comics at its best, and we can’t wait for readers to experience both franchises as never before.”
C.B. Cebulski, the outgoing editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics, calls the comic a dream come true, and adds, “It’s an idea we’ve wanted to explore since getting the Star Wars license back over a decade ago, but we knew we’d have to wait with the patience of a Jedi to make it happen. The 50th anniversary of A New Hope has finally given us the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to bring these two universes together, in this incredible story being told by Kevin Smith and David Marquez. Getting the call with the green light from Lucasfilm was a magical moment; it was as if Han Solo himself had called to tell me, ‘You’re all clear, kid!'”
Stephen Wacker, the newly appointed editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics, adds, “Marvel and Star Wars’ histories have been intertwined for 50 years and continue to set the standard for storytelling across the world…and across the media landscape. Lifelong lovers of both Star Wars and Marvel have a lot to look forward to as we finally bring the characters together in ways fans have been dreaming about for decades!”
The Star Wars/Marvel crossover is just one part of Disney’s 50th anniversary celebration for Star Wars. The Star Wars-themed land at Disneyland, Galaxy’s Edge, has been given an original series makeover ahead of the anniversary. The original unaltered cut of 1977’s Star Wars is set for a theatrical re-release on Feb. 19, 2027. Star Wars Celebration 2027 will begin on April 1 and is expected to feature major announcements, including the Ryan Gosling-led movie Star Wars Starfighter, set for release on May 27, two days after the original film opened in 1977. 2027 is going to be a good year for Star Wars fans.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
