The sixth - and final - "Star Wars" movie won't hit theaters until May 19, but the tidal wave of books, toys, games and other licensed goodies breaks today.
No fewer than 11 books from Random House's Del Rey/LucasBooks unit started selling today at a book store near you.
Chief among them is Matthew Stover's "Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith," a novel based on filmmaker George Lucas' dark story and screenplay about Anakin Skywalker's transformation to an evil Sith - Darth Vader.
Del Rey/LucasBooks said it's printed 550,000 copies of "Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith," which ranked No. 27 in orders late yesterday on Amazon.com.
Lucas line-edited Stover's manuscript, which focuses on what the novelist called "the interior lives of the characters," so the book will work as "a companion piece" to the screen action.
Other titles out today include two coffee-table books by Lucasfilm senior editor J.W. Rinzler - "The Making of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith" and "The Art of Star Wars: Episode III: Revenge of the Sith" - and Jeremy Beckett's "Official Price Guide to Star Wars Memorabilia."
The movie-based product blitz started at 12:01 a.m. last night, as Wal-Mart stores and some 300 Toys "R" Us outlets, including the Times Square giant, started selling everything from electronic lightsabers to a special edition of Monopoly tied to "Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith."
Even the maker of M&M;'s is in on the act. Masterfoods USA has brought back dark chocolate M&M;'s, after a 64-year absence, in a special "Darth Mix" featuring black, maroon and other new colors.
Cingular Wireless, Frito-Lay, Burger King, Pepsi and Kellogg also have promotional tie-ins.
Hasbro has a huge stake in the film's success, under a longstanding $505 million deal with Lucas Licensing to make "Star Wars" toys and games.
Though toy sales fell between "Episode I - The Phantom Menace" in 1999 and "Episode II - Attack of the Clones" in 2002 - to $225 million from $500 million - the series' end could be the force for heavier spending.
Maria Weiskott, editor of the trade magazine Playthings, said she believes sales will approach the much higher levels reached after the original "Star Wars" wowed viewers in 1977.
"That's because the toys happen to be imaginative and collectable," Weiskott said. "And if we believe this really is the last film, that adds an edge to it."
Originally published on April 1, 2005
With six weeks before the sixth and final ''Star Wars'' film saga, ''Revenge of the Sith'', hits theaters worldwide on May 19, the movie studios behind the brand have launched a massive marketing and merchandising campaign. It includes toys aimed at children, collectibles for adults active in fandom and other related merchandise such as science fiction novels based in the Star Wars universe.

The 20th Century Fox and Lucasfilm studios make millions of dollars in licensing fees from toy manufacturers and promotional deals with fast-food restaurants, candy and cereal boxes. Even telephone companies are getting into the act. Cingular Wireless will be rolling out a ''Star Wars''-themed promotion and handset downloads within the next few days, according to a company spokesman.

Sales from ''Star Wars'' tie-in merchandise have brought in a lot of money over the years. ''Star Wars'' toy sales themed with ''The Phantom Menace'' brought in $500 million. In 2002, ''Attack of the Clones'' toy sales were $225 million, according to reports.

In January 2003, toymaker Hasbro struck the biggest licensing deal for the brand when it agreed to pay Lucasfilm $200 million in cash and stock for the exclusive rights to make ''Star Wars''-themed toys until 2018. That figure does not include Lucasfilm's percentage of the profit from each toy's sale.

Wal-mart and Target, the two largest toy retailers in the U.S. have entire aisles devoted to tie-in ''Star Wars'' action figures, full-sized mock ups of light sabers and other more whimsical items. Hasbro is even marketing a "Darth Tater" special edition of its classic Mr. Potato Head.

The merchandise also has a literary side. Author Matthew Stover has a monetization of ''Revenge of the Sith'' as part of a multi-book deal between Lucasfilm and publisher Random House's science fiction specialty label, Del Rey. Stover's book has consistently been in the Top 50-most ordered books, according to Amazon.com. Other ''Sith''-themed books released within the past few weeks include coffee table picture books and behind-the-scenes documentation detailing the making of the film.