How did the phrase “May the 4th be with you” lead to a Star Wars holiday?
May the 4th Be with You: All About the Star Wars Holiday
Updated on Mar. 18, 2025
There’s a famous Star Wars pun that launched a holiday, and for good reason: “May the 4th be with you.” It’s clever, it’s catchy and, well, everyone loves Star Wars. Even if you’re not a die-hard fan, it’s nearly impossible not to smile just a little bit at this play on Obi-Wan Kenobi’s memorable line in A New Hope, which has become one of the most famous Star Wars quotes of all time: “May the Force be with you.”
But how did that clever turn of phrase turn into a bona fide Star Wars holiday that fans celebrate on the 4th of May every year by sharing May the 4th Be with You memes, rewatching the movies, cheekily using Star Wars pickup lines and unabashedly celebrating all things Jedi? And when did Star Wars Day start?
Reader’s Digest decided to investigate, getting expert insight from Dan Madsen, founder of the Official Lucasfilm/Star Wars Fan Club, and Mike Avila, host of SYFY Wire’s Behind the Panel podcast. Here’s how Star Wars fans found a really good excuse to celebrate their obsession on Star Wars Day, aka May the 4th.
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Who came up with “May the 4th Be with You”? The unlikely origins of Star Wars Day
If you thought the phrase “May the 4th be with you” came from George Lucas or a really smart marketing team, you’d be wrong. So it must be the day the first movie premiered way back in 1977, right? Wrong again! (For the record, it premiered on May 25 of that year.) In fact, the phrase’s origin is one of the Star Wars facts everyone gets wrong. Credit for that pun goes to England’s conservative party, the Tories, after Margaret Thatcher won the election to become the first female prime minister of the United Kingdom, on May 4, 1979. The group took out a newspaper ad that stated, “May the Fourth be with you, Maggie. Congratulations,” according to Newsweek.
While the pun stuck and became popular with Star Wars fans, it didn’t cross over into mainstream pop culture for another 20 years, says Madsen. “It wasn’t until the early 2000s that the Star Wars holiday became much more in the public eye, due to the fact that fans were using it constantly on social media,” he explains. Giving things an extra boost, the Toronto Underground Cinema hosted the first big organized event to celebrate the day in 2011, complete with screenings of the movies and a celebrity-judged costume contest.
When did Star Wars Day became an actual holiday?
Once Disney bought Lucasfilm in 2012, things got serious. May the 4th got the Disney treatment and in 2013 became, as TheVerge.com aptly describes, “half earnest celebration, half shameless marketing bonanza.” It suddenly involved official events and a May the 4th Be with You logo, calls to dress up on the big day at Disney parks, movie screenings, fireworks shows, dance parties, merchandising deals and so much more.
While cynics may scoff at this blatant day of branding, there’s a reason fans still embrace it as a Star Wars holiday. “It began by the fans, for the fans. Unlike Valentine’s Day or National Enchilada Day, it didn’t begin as a corporate cash grab. It was started as a way for the Star Wars community to bask in their shared love of all things Jedi,” says Avila. “Once Disney bought Lucasfilm and the Star Wars franchise, it made perfect sense for them to embrace it. The marketing plan was already built for them.”
Still, it was more of an unofficial holiday than an actual holiday—until the California legislature voted in 2019 to officially turn May 4th into Star Wars Day. The resolution was prompted by the creation of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in Disneyland, which officials knew would help bring in millions in tax revenue to the southern California city of Anaheim every year, and the recognition of Disney’s “decades-long record of enhancing the quality of life for people in California and beyond,” according to Democratic Assemblyman Tom Daly.
How do fans celebrate May the 4th?
Star Wars fans don’t mess around. Oh, sure, there are the simple “May the 4th be with you” wishes on social media and the shared Star Wars trivia posts, but then there are the Star Wars parties, themed food, movie marathons (with heated debates over the best Star Wars movies), new product releases and charity events.
One of Madsen’s favorite May the 4th events involves the Star Wars costume group the 501st, which makes appearances at children’s hospitals. (The group’s name, by the way, refers to the 501st Legion, Darth Vader’s elite group of stormtroopers.) “The 501st doesn’t just do this on May the 4th. They make appearances all year round, but May the 4th is special,” Madsen says. “You can imagine how the kids’ eyes light up when Darth Vader and his stormtroopers come walking into their room!”
And let’s not forget about the Star Wars gifts you can buy. “The merchandise is just as important to the ongoing success of Star Wars as the movies,” Avila says. “Buying T-shirts, mugs, bedsheets and remote-control R2-D2s and BB-8s are as much a part of ‘Star Wars culture’ as quoting every line of dialogue from The Empire Strikes Back.”
What is May 5th called for Star Wars fans?
Some Star Wars fans take May 5 to the dark side, calling it “Revenge of the Fifth.” This clever twist on Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith gives the day a villainous spin and celebrates the Sith Lords and other infamous bad guys from the galaxy far, far away. And hey, how could any true Star Wars fan pass up the opportunity to celebrate their favorite franchise for one more day, especially when it features another excellent pun?
How do you respond to “May the 4th be with you”?
Keep the Force strong with a reply like “And also with you.” You can also switch things up with “May the 4th be with us” or “With you as well.” Overall, a good response is one that reflects the Force back to the other person.
What’s next for Star Wars?
Worried because the Skywalker saga has come to an end? Don’t be. Star Wars is still strong with the Force … of Disney. A slew of Star Wars movies and TV shows came out in 2024, including an animated series on Disney+ called Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures, a kids show about younglings that’s set 200 years before The Phantom Menace, and the second volume of Star Wars: Visions, which featured nine new shorts from around the globe. There was also Ahsoka, a Disney+ series starring Rosario Dawson as Anakin’s former Padawan, as well as Star Wars: Tales of the Empire, Star Wars: The Acolyte and Star Wars: Skeleton Crew.
Some highlights for 2025 and beyond include:
- Season 2 of Star Wars: Andor, which will continue to follow rebel spy Cassian Andor’s years with the Rebellion, will premiere on Disney+ on April 22, 2025.
- Season 3 of Star Wars: Visions is set to premiere on Disney+ in 2025, although the exact date has yet to be announced.
- The Mandalorian & Grogu, a live-action spinoff that takes place after Season 4 of The Mandalorian, will be in theaters on May 22, 2026.
- Season 2 of Star Wars: Ahsoka is currently in development.
A number of Star Wars movies are also in development, including Taika Waititi’s Star Wars movie, James Mangold’s Dawn of the Jedi, Dave Filoni’s New Republic and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s New Jedi Order. Make sure to keep your eyes peeled for further details—which should be coming soon to this very galaxy!
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At Reader’s Digest, we’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experience where appropriate. For this piece on Star Wars Day, Reader’s Digest senior editor Dawn Yanek tapped her experience as a longtime journalist, editor and Star Wars fan. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing, and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.
Sources:
- Dan Madsen, founder of the Official Lucasfilm/Star Wars Fan Club and founder and former publisher of Star Wars Insider magazine
- Mike Avila, host of SYFY Wire’s Behind the Panel podcast
- IGN: “Upcoming New Star Wars Movies and TV Shows: 2025 Release Dates and Beyond”
- National Today: “Revenge of the 5th – May 5, 2025”
