Disney Asks Star Wars Fans to Lay Down Their Weapons

Chris Gardner at Stuff.co.nz talks to yours truly about the decision by Disney to restrict prop weapon use amongst costumers promoting screenings of The Force Awakens in public.

Star Wars owner Disney has asked cosplayers to lay down their weapons when dressing up as their favourite characters for the new film.

Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens opens across the world on Thursday and members of the international costumers club known as Vader’s Fist: The 501st Legion are likely to turn out in force. But stormtroopers will be marching without their blaster guns.

The ban on the fictional weapons comes after a proliferation of mass shootings in the United States, characterised by James Holmes’ killing of 12 and injuring 70 when he opened fire in a Denver, Colorado, movie theatre three years ago. It was during a midnight showing of The Dark Knight Rises.

Read the full article in the Entertainment section of Stuff.co.nz.