Toys R Us Pushes ‘Star Wars’ Flick with In-Store Event, Giveaways w/art

Toys R Us is teaming up with LucasFilm for an in-store promotion to hype up the upcoming release of the CG-animated movie “Star Wars: The Clone Wars.”

More than 225 Toys R Us stores nationwide will open at midnight on July 26 to give “Star Wars” fans the first chance to buy toys from the new collection. The retailer has erected digital clocks in its 585 stores to tick down the minutes it will begin selling the movie-theme toys.

The company is also staging two big celebrations tied to toy-selling event, one at the Toys R Us store in New York City’s Times Square and the other in Mission Bay in San Diego. There, movie enthusiasts can dress as their favorite characters and take part in a Cloned Costume Contest. Attendees can also participate in movie-themed trivia and games win prizes.

Customers who buy “Star Wars” merchandise at Toys R Us stores during the midnight events will receive special gifts, including a holographic General Grievous action figure from Hasbro or a Lego reversible poster.

Toys R Us will also open a virtual store at www.Toysrus.com/StarWars at 12:01 a.m. July 26.

The firm plans to reset its countdown clocks to count the minutes until the theatrical release of “Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” opens on Aug. 12. It will further count down the release of the animated series on Cartoon Network and the movie release on DVD.

In-store signage and print ads support the promotion.

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