Disney Shows Off Retractable Lightsaber That Looks Straight Out Of ‘Star Wars’
If there’s one piece of gear Star Wars fans dream of getting their hands on, it’d be the lightsaber. After all, the popular franchise wouldn’t have nearly the same level of appeal without the brightly lit weapon and all of the epic fight scenes.
Now, years after Disney’s Imagineers began working on a realistic remake of the retractable device, it seems the division has finally come up with a prototype that resembles the ones seen in the films.
Ok, agora eu quero um lightsaber desses! 😱
— Ivan Costa (@Ivan_Costa) March 11, 2023
Uma das surpresas do aguardado keynote de Josh D’Amaro, Disney Parks, Experiences & Products Chairman, aqui na @sxsw ! pic.twitter.com/hHNYe49PXk
As Kotaku noted, the production firm’s lightsaber isn’t an actual laser sword that can cut through droids, but it does look as cool. As per the publication, when Disney Parks and Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro recently unveiled the gadget at SXSW, the crowd “audibly gasped.”
D’Amaro showcased a silver lightsaber hilt, from which a neon-blue blade seemingly materialized out of thin air, complete with the noises often heard in the movies. While this isn’t the company’s first go at recreating the device, it does seem to be the closest to the actual thing yet.
During the demonstration, the Chairman was able to swing the lightsaber around, switching it on and off multiple times with ease. Though, before excitement spills over, it’s worth mentioning that Disney doesn’t plan on selling the gadgets anytime soon.
And the official lightsaber comes out! pic.twitter.com/yLvq3L6Imn
— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) March 10, 2023
IFL Science posited that despite the overwhelming demand for lightsabers in the real world, the sales of such devices are probably hindered by safety concerns, though amateurs have successfully attempted at creating their own as seen in the Guinness Book of World Records.
Interestingly, users on Twitter may have found the patent linked to the iteration Disney just unveiled, which describes the lightsaber as a “sword device with retractable, internally illuminated blade,” made of flexible lights that are unrolled using motors.
Take a look at the latest lightsaber in action below.
[via Kotaku and IFL Science, cover image via Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products]
