NY-EMPIRE-STATE-REALTY
The Empire State Building (ESB), in collaboration with Disney Consumer Products and Lucasfilm, today unveiled a Star Wars™-themed, villains-inspired takeover for fans in New York City that featured a dynamic light show, immersive experiences for visitors, character appearances, and participation from actor Hayden Christensen in a morning lighting ceremony. Fans who visit ESB this month will have the opportunity to immerse themselves into the Star Wars galaxy photo opportunities which feature a range of new Star Wars consumer products through April 29.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240321369670/en/
The Empire State Building Unveils Star Wars-Themed Takeover with a Dynamic Light Show, Interactive Fan Experiences, Celebrity Visit, and More (Photo: Business Wire)
"We are so pleased to unite Star Wars fans in New York City and throughout the world with this epic trip to a galaxy far, far away….,” said Jean-Yves Ghazi, president of the Empire State Building Observatory. “This one-of-a-kind takeover at the ‘World’s Most Famous Building’ allows fans to come face to face with pop culture’s most iconic villains in an authentic New York City way.”
Star Wars in Lights
This evening, a dynamic light show that featured fan-favorite scenes of Star Wars villains debuted on the building’s south side façade from 8 p.m. in continued intervals until 11 p.m. The montage was synched to the iconic “The Imperial March (Darth Vader’s Theme),” and was streamed simultaneously on iHeartRadio’s Z100 New York radio station and on the iHeartRadio app.
Star Wars actor Hayden Christensen visited the Empire State Building earlier this morning to tour the world-famous Observatory Experience and flip the ceremonial switch ahead of the dynamic light show.
Step into the Scenes
The Empire State Building’s iconic Fifth Avenue Lobby windows now feature special Star Wars-themed artistry that depicts scenes of Darth Vader, Darth Maul, and stormtroopers surrounded by a range of Star Wars merchandise, in collaboration with Disney Consumer Products and Lucasfilm. The window exhibit will remain on display until April 29.
At the base of the building, visitors can also join Hasbro and Amazon for a Star Wars fan experience on March 21-22 from 1-9 p.m. and on March 23 from 10-8 p.m. The experience highlights the villains of the Star Wars galaxy and features photo opportunities with costumed characters, which include Darth Vader and stormtroopers — as well as photo backdrops that recreate iconic scenes and locations inspired by the films like the opening hallway scene from Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, the Star Destroyer bridge, and Emperor Palpatine’s throne. Guests can also pose in the blister card packaging of a Star Wars Vintage Collection figure. Additionally, attendees will be able to check out the latest Hasbro Black Series helmets or wield their favorite character’s FX Elite or Kyber Core Lightsaber™ adult and kid collectibles.
To celebrate 25 years of the LEGO® Star Wars™ collaboration, the Empire State Building features a museum-quality display of life-sized Star Wars villains like six-foot tall brick-built recreations of Darth Vader and Darth Maul on the building’s 80th Floor. Fans also have the chance to pose with a 3D LEGO® Star Wars™ mural of Luke Skywalker and other fan-favorite characters from the film series. This exclusive LEGO® Star Wars™ exhibit will remain on display in the Observatory until April 29.
Once they reach the iconic 86th Floor Observatory, fans can pose for a photo with a life-size Darth Vader-themed POP! Figure from Funko with ESB’s unmatched New York City views as a backdrop until April 29. On March 21 and 22 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Dairy Farmers of America will treat guests to samples of their new TruMoo Star Wars Blue Milk – inspired by the blue milk that made its first appearance in Star Wars: A New Hope.
“The Empire Strikes Back”
The Empire State Building Observatory will host a movie screening of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back on the 80th Floor on March 22. Guests who purchase tickets to the exclusive movie night will receive complimentary drinks and snacks to enjoy with the movie and access to the famed 86th and 102nd Floor Observatories. Tickets can be purchased here.
The Empire State Building Observatory recently underwent a $165 million reimagination that included the addition of a dedicated visitor entrance, an immersive museum with nine galleries, brand-new, bespoke Observatory Host uniforms, and a new 102nd Floor Observatory with unmatched views. The reimagined Observatory Experience has been voted the #1 attraction in the U.S. in Tripadvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Awards: Best of the Best for two consecutive years.
Text CONNECT to 274-16 to receive real-time information about the Empire State Building’s tower lights.
Hi-res imagery and video can be found here. More information about the Empire State Building can be found online.
Lucasfilm, the Lucasfilm logo, STAR WARS and related properties are trademarks and/or copyrights, in the United States and other countries, of Lucasfilm Ltd. and/or its affiliates. © & TM Lucasfilm Ltd.
About the Empire State Building
The Empire State Building, the “World's Most Famous Building," owned by Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. (ESRT: NYSE), soars 1,454 feet above Midtown Manhattan from base to antenna. The $165 million reimagination of the Empire State Building Observatory Experience creates an all-new experience with a dedicated guest entrance, an interactive museum with nine galleries, and a redesigned 102nd Floor Observatory with floor-to-ceiling windows. The journey to the world-famous 86th Floor Observatory, the only 360-degree, open-air observatory with views of New York and beyond, orients visitors for their entire New York City experience and covers everything from the building's iconic history to its current place in pop culture. The Empire State Building Observatory Experience welcomes millions of visitors each year and was declared "America's Favorite Building" by the American Institute of Architects, the world's most popular travel destination by Uber, the #1 attraction in the U.S. in Tripadvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Awards: Best of the Best for two consecutive years, and the #1 New York City attraction in Lonely Planet’s Ultimate Travel List.
Since 2011, the building has been fully powered by renewable wind electricity, and its many floors house a diverse array of office tenants such as LinkedIn and Shutterstock, as well as retail options like STATE Grill and Bar, Tacombi, and Starbucks. For more information and Observatory Experience tickets visit esbnyc.com or follow the building's Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, Weibo, YouTube, or TikTok.
Source: Empire State Realty Trust
Category: Observatory
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240321369670/en/
About Business Wire
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Verimatrix: Signing of an Agreement for the Sale of XTD Assets (Code and Application Protection) to Guardsquare8.12.2025 17:45:00 CET | Press release
Sale of XTD assets (mobile application protection) including a portfolio of patents and a team of experts for an initial offer of $8.5m, the final price will be adjusted at the closing.Verimatrix refocuses on Anti-Piracy (video protection), the group's core business representing approximately 90% of its total revenue Regulatory News: VERIMATRIX (Euronext Paris: VMX, FR0010291245), a leading provider of user security solutions for a safer connected world, announces the signing of an agreement with Belgium-based Guardsquare, the leading provider of mobile application security, for the sale of its Extended Threat Defense (XTD) assets. Guardsquare, the creators of the open-source optimization tool, ProGuard, offers the most complete mobile application security platform on the market spanning automated testing and multi-layered protection, real time threat monitoring, and app attestation. Guardsquare’s 975+ customers are located in more than 95 countries and represent all major industries.
WNBA Champion Sabrina Ionescu Becomes Global Brand Ambassador for Ant International8.12.2025 17:00:00 CET | Press release
Four-time WNBA All-Star Sabrina Ionescu today becomes a new Global Brand Ambassador for Ant International, a leading global provider of digital payments, digitisation, and financial technology. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251208536426/en/ The partnership is built on a shared commitment to creating a more inclusive and sustainable world through empowering underserved communities and youth groups with sports and technology innovation. It marks an important step in Ant International’s journey to foster growth and expand access to financial tools through innovative technology. Ionescu serves as the first Ant International global brand ambassador from North America. “Sabrina embodies the spirit of perseverance and the passion for excellence that is driving young talents and small businesses around the world to uplift their communities,” said Douglas Feagin, President of Ant International. “As a legend in a spor
SABCS 2025: REVEAL GENOMICS Presents Major Advance in Predicting Brain Metastasis in HER2+ Breast Cancer8.12.2025 16:20:00 CET | Press release
The new HER2DX central nervous system (CNS) progression score predicts risk of brain progression in advanced HER2+ breast cancer, addressing a major unmet need in identifying patients at the highest risk of CNS involvement. During SABCS 2025, the company presents a total of 7 studies with 1,300 tumor samples analyzed, covering HER2-positive, ER-negative, and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), representing one of the largest and most comprehensive genomic data contributions to the symposium. New clinical evidence includes superior pCR prediction compared with TILs, demonstration of real-time genomic testing feasibility in an international trial, and validation of RNA-based ERBB2 assessment to accelerate clinical decision-making. REVEAL GENOMICS, S.L., a Barcelona-based biotechnology company focused on advancing precision oncology through biomarker innovation, announced today the presentation of seven studies at the upcoming San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS) 2025, held Decem
NetApp Advances EMEA & LATAM Presence with Appointment of Willem Hendrickx as Customer Demand for AI Accelerates8.12.2025 16:15:00 CET | Press release
A leader in driving enterprise transformation, Hendrickx brings nearly three decades of experience, strengthening global partner ecosystems and customer relationships across regions NetApp (NASDAQ: NTAP), the intelligent data infrastructure company, today announced the appointment of Willem Hendrickxas Senior Vice President and General Manager, EMEA & LATAM, effective January 5, 2026. Hendrickxwill lead NetApp’s business strategy, go-to-market execution, and partner engagement across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. Reporting to NetApp President César Cernuda, Hendrickx brings a deep regional knowledge and track record of building high-performing teams, further enabling the acceleration of NetApp’s international footprint by helping global customers navigate the evolving demands of hybrid cloud and AI-driven data infrastructure. Hendrickx holds a Master’s degree in Applied Economics from KU Leuven and is based in Brussels, Belgium. “Willem joins NetApp at a pivotal t
MediaKind and Harmonic’s Video Business to Combine, Creating a Leading Streaming-Infrastructure Platform8.12.2025 15:37:00 CET | Press release
Combined business will be the #1 independent comprehensive streaming-infrastructure platformBrings together complementary product teams to drive faster advancement across cloud and appliance technologiesFurthers MediaKind’s mission to redefine the future of media and entertainment through advanced video technology MediaKind, a global leader in cloud-based video streaming technology, today announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire the Video Business of Harmonic Inc. (NASDAQ: HLIT) for approximately $145 million. Following a French employee works council consultation process, the parties would immediately execute a purchase agreement, and the transaction would be expected to close in the first half of 2026, subject to customary regulatory approvals and closing conditions. The transaction creates a world-class independent SaaS streaming infrastructure provider by combining two established video technology organizations with complementary strengths in SaaS streaming, appliance
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom
