To see Star Wars: The Last Jedi early many people had to buy tickets months in advance and wait in long lines. It turns out there was one place that was a lot less crowded, though it's a bit of a trip. Astronauts who are spending the holidays orbiting the earth were given a special gift this year as they won't have to wait for their return trip in order to see the newest episode in the new Star Wars trilogy. Check out movie night, complete with The Last Jedi, aboard the International Space Station.
Astronaut Mark T. Vande Hei tweeted the above image from an early moment in the new Star Wars movie, as we see Poe Dameron piloting his X-wing. Then we've got five astronauts huddled around the screen, strapped into chairs so they don't float away in the middle of the film. The best part though, has to be the drink bags. Each one of them looks like they're drinking a massive Capri-Sun, which is just glorious. They look like little kids watching Star Wars with their snacks.
The screen isn't as big as the one that most people are viewing The Last Jedi on, but the theater is a lot less crowded. We're not sure what the best format for watching the newest Star Wars movie actually is, but watching it in actual space has to be pretty amazing. The opening space battle could feel like it was happening right outside. Like they were looking out a window rather than viewing a movie screen.
It will be interesting to hear what the ISS crew thought of Star Wars: The Last Jedi. While many have viewed the film as a breath of fresh air for the franchise, there has been a very vocal contingent who really didn't like some of the decisions the new film made. If the space station crew is a microcosm of the population as a whole, there's a good chance that at least one person in the picture ended up disappointed in the new film, which, depending on how passionate they all feel about Star Wars, could lead to some pretty heated conversations. The Last Jedi is a movie that has people talking so we're guessing that won't be any less true in orbit. Of course, while most of us can end a conversation by just walking away, that isn't really an option for these guys.
It's really nice for Disney to screen Star Wars: The Last Jedi on board the space station. These are some pretty impressive people and the least we can do for them is let see the season's biggest movie since they're about as far away from home as you can get during a time that most people like to spend with friends and family. Then, when they make the trip home, they are up to speed on pop culture and can get in arguments with friends and family about whether or not the movie was any good.
