With one look at the right arm of Todd Hoffman you know this is a serious “Star Wars” fan. If the 17 different versions of Storm Troopers displayed on the tattoo “sleeve” on his arm aren’t enough, perhaps a peek at the man cave in his Manhattan home might be more convincing.
Four cabinets are filled with action figures from the movie franchise. He has more than 100 “Star Wars” related books. Placed strategically on the walls and hallway are more than 25 prints and custom artwork done by comic book artists. A full-size Yoda overlooks it all from a corner.
More Top Picks Best Affordable Rain Jackets For Men
And on Thursday, Hoffman and eight of his friends were planning to be at the first showing of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” on the Ultra Screen in 3D at Marcus Theaters in Orland.
“I spent an hour trying to get those tickets the day they went on sale. I was in a complete panic,” said Hoffman, who planned to dress as “a poor man’s Darth Vader. Some people think I’m weird, but that’s OK.”
Hoffman was not alone. According to The Hollywood Reporter, in North America just the pre-sale for J.J. Abrams’ sequel surpassed the $100 million mark.
Since Thursday night, the movie has played on seven screens around the clock, and will do so through Sunday at Marcus, according to Kara Kotula, assistant manager at the theater. The first showing sold out within an hour the day tickets went on sale, she said.
The theater was expecting more than 8,000 people this weekend, and another 12,000 on Tuesday due to a $5-a-movie promotion the theater runs each week.
“We are anticipating that it is going to surpass our record,” she said.
The new movie and the related hype are just another chapter for Hoffmann in a life semi-obsessed with “Star Wars” that started at the age of 5. The journey began after his first viewing of “The Empire Strikes Back.”
“To me it was the universal theme,” he said. “And it had all those space ships! As a young boy I was fascinated by it.”
When Nicholas Smith was 5, his Batman phase abruptly ended the day he sat down with his mother Nanci to watch “Star Wars.” At that point, the now-24-year-old Homer Glen resident became an instant fan, not because of the storyline but rather the light saber.
“It was one of the coolest things I ever saw in a film,” Smith said. “It’s not just for show, it is really a symbol of a Jedi.”
Now, he said, he realizes the movie is about good versus evil and “a farm boy who wanted adventure. I can relate to that.”
Today Smith’s bedroom is a shrine to everything “Star Wars,” with approximately 100 related items on display, including toys, posters, costumes and six different custom-made light sabers which cost anywhere from $70 to $500 each.
Smith and his oldest sister, Angelica Phillips of Lockport, bonded over the movie when they were young.
“I recently acquired my first prop light saber,” said Phillips, who planned to see the movie at Marcus. “My brother is helping to put together my own costume. My light saber is hot pink because I plan to raise awareness for breast cancer.”
At the Lanigan household in Mokena, Jim and his wife Jennifer, their children Eryn, 4 and Erik, 2 have all been swept up in the “Star Wars” mania.
When he was young, Jim Lanigan played “Star Wars” rather than cowboys and Indians. And his most-cherished possession is a full-size Darth Mall, a character from one of the more recent movies, in his family room.
“My kids are scared of it. My dogs are scared of it. But my wife and I love it,” Lanigan said.
The family dressed up as “Star Wars” characters on Halloween, and Jim and Jennifer Lanigan planned to see the movie soon after it came out sans the children.
“The other day I heard my daughter tell a neighbor, ‘Daddy doesn’t know if “Star Wars” is appropriate for kids, so he is going to watch it first,'” Lanigan said with a laugh.
Patricia Trebe is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.