Ripley’s says Luke’s original lightsaber Hollywood bound

Luke Skywalker’s original lightsaber from the first “Star Wars” film is going on public display for the first time at the Ripley’s Believe It or Not attraction in Hollywood, Calif.

It will debut there Saturday, coinciding with the first weekend of the new “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” film.

Ripley Entertainment, based in Orlando, bought the movie prop wielded by actor Mark Hamill for $450,000 in June. It was constructed from a 1930s Graflex camera flash gun. (Remember, it doesn’t really slice through objects or enemies.)

The lightsaber handle from the 1977 film joins other “Star Wars” objects at the Hollywood attraction such as a C-3PO head used on “Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back,” Peter Mayhew’s (Chewbacca) handprint in concrete and a portrait of Princess Leia made by Oviedo artist Doug Powell from 6,872 keyboard keys.

“Luke Skywalker’s original lightsaber is the crown jewel in our Hollywood memorabilia collection. It is the most important and famous movie prop of all time,” said Edward Meyer, vice president of exhibits and archives for Ripley’s. “I can think of nowhere better to unveil it for the first time to the general public than Ripley’s Hollywood Odditorium.”

The relic remains at that Ripley’s through mid-January. “We will display it with some sort of film imagery to create the light as if it were working,” he said in August, noting that it doesn’t light up on its own. The Thrillist website recently ranked Luke’s weapon as the No. 1 movie prop of all time.

It will be touring next year as part of Ripley’s 100th anniversary, Meyer said. Eventually, it will settle down and be displayed alongside another Ripley purchase: A 15-foot Millennium Falcon made of matchsticks, one of the tribute items the company holds. Other such items include character portraits made from staples and eight figures made from car parts.