As the world combats the spread of the coronavirus, there’s a new normal that society is being asked to cooperate with: staying in our homes and “social distancing” from others. It’s also a PSA the film community has been trying to promote amidst movie theater closures and production delays, including George Lucas’ Industrial Light & Magic. The visual effects and animation studio is using clever Star Wars-themed illustrations to promote safety guidelines and show support for those on the front lines of COVID-19. Check this out:
Do droids go grocery shopping too? The image shared on ILM’s Twitter features Luke Skywalker stocking up on green milk behind Chewbacca, an Ewok and Porg (who must be quarantining together?), and K-2SO of Rogue One, who might be running errands on behalf of Cassian Andor. Hey, if we lived in a galaxy far, far away droids might be more helpful than ever (yes, even C3PO).
The VFX and animation studio also passed the time with this awesome illustration in honor of all the “heroes” risking their lives everyday to keep food on tables despite the global pandemic. Grocery store clerks and hospital workers are certainly among those on the frontlines who are making a difference in communities during this situation. Take a look:
And here’s another heartfelt illustration from the Twitter page honoring doctors and nurses who are working overtime to keep everyone healthy. As the message notes “the Force is strong with them”:
It’s a nice gesture from ILM to show some support during this time. For a Star Wars fan to see a picture like this during a tough time could do something to lift their spirits. Industrial Light & Magic operates in San Francisco, Vancouver, London, Sydney and Singapore, and is currently working on a ton of projects including Space Jam 2 (which is still on schedule, according to LeBron James).
ILM has also had a hand in Jungle Cruise, Artemis Fowl, F9, Black Widow, No Time To Die and A Quiet Place Part II. All of these titles have been delayed to a later date on the calendar. Artemis Fowl is the first of the bunch being released, now on Disney+ instead of in theaters in June.
Star Wars artists are not the only artists encouraging social distancing through popular movie characters. Karen Gillan recently posted a cute fan art of her Guardians of the Galaxy character Nebula keeping her six feet from Gamora. Ryan Reynolds is also encouraging staying indoors with a perfect reference to Deadpool 2. As you can imagine, not everyone in Hollywood is exactly coping well with all the time indoors. Check out CinemaBlend’s compilation of celebrities losing their minds over the past month on social media, and stay tuned for more news on Star Wars projects.
