The national release date for Star Wars merchandise featuring depictions from the new movie, Revenge of the Sith, is this Saturday, and at least two mass merchants are mounting extensive programs to capitalize on interest in the property. 

 

Toys R Us stores will open at 12:01 a.m. to sell the new toys, with a major media event at the Times Square store.  There will be special Star Wars shops inside all Toys R Us stores, which will include Hasbro action figures and playsets, TV Games from Jakks Pacific, and LEGO sets. 

 

Target has an exclusive Hasbro Darth Vader figure, Darth Vader (Lava Reflection) on which it is limiting purchasers to one per visit.  Target also has a Star Wars gift card, and a fairly large range of collectible products on Target.com, from replica lightsabers and blasters to three-dimensional posters. 

 

Release dates were a little choppy, as is almost inevitable with a roster of products and channels this big.  Diamond shipped the Star Wars Visionaries graphic novel to retailers early, then had to ask them not to sell it until this weekend.  In the other direction, we've heard that chain retailers were putting out the first issue of the Revenge of the Sith adaptation comic as early as last weekend.