Regina resident Chris Melenchuk is definitely a Star Wars superfan. His vast collection of memorabilia includes many figurines in their original packaging.
Compared to some fans of the franchise, Melenchuk is just getting started, as he only began his collection a year and a half ago.
“I thought it would be cool to have one more thing, and that one more thing turned into 100 things,” Melenchuk quipped.
“It’s just the coolness of it — it’s the story of Star Wars, it’s the whole culture, I guess … everything that’s involved.”
Lisa Watson, associate professor of marketing at University of Regina, says it’s unusual for a film franchise to last this long.
Watson herself knows a thing or two about Star Wars fandom — every corner of her basement features mementos from the franchise.
“Star Wars culture is not unlike Roughrider culture,” Watson explained.
That culture is never more on show than when the latest instalment of the series hits the big screen — some local fans lined up for the first screenings of The Last Jedi three hours ahead of time.
Many fans are passing on their love of the series to the next generation as their kids learn about Jedis and the Dark Side.
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