Toys “R” Us gets intergalactic help in Paramus, N.J., in the loading of trucks carrying “Star Wars” merchandise. “The Clone Wars” opens later this month.

FPS

A long time ago, Toys “R” Us helped introduce a generation of children to a galaxy far, far away.

Thirty-one years, six films and countless tiny plastic storm troopers later, the toy retailer is hoping to once again establish itself as the ultimate destination for all things Star Wars.

Starting this week, Toys “R” Us is mounting digital clocks in all 585 of its stores nationwide that will count down to July 26, when more than 225 of those stores will open at midnight to begin selling toys from the latest Star Wars film, The Clone Wars, an animated movie that opens in the United States on Aug. 15. Two of the retailer’s flagship outlets, in San Diego’s Mission Bay and New York’s Times Square, will hold costume and trivia contests that night as well, and will give away limited-edition Star Wars toys with every purchase.

The bulk of those toys are manufactured by Pawtucket-based Hasbro Inc., with Lego playing a supporting role

This time, even McDonald’s is getting involved, with its first ever Happy Meal promotion for a Star Wars movie.

At Toys “R” Us, the promotion will last at least through the Christmas shopping season, according to executives at the company. Until then, all Star Wars items, some of which are exclusive to the retailer, will occupy their own branded boutiques in the stores. Also, a special section of the retailer’s Web site will be dedicated to the movie.

The approach is not altogether new for Toys “R” Us, which has held midnight openings and other promotional events for each of the past three Star Wars movies, dating back to 1999’s Episode I: The Phantom Menace. What is notable is the loyalty of Toys “R” Us to the Star Wars franchise as it shifts from blockbuster live-action films to a smaller, animated feature with a more niche focus.

The Clone Wars is the first fully animated Star Wars film, as well as the first that is not part of the originally conceived trilogies. It builds off an animated miniseries also called The Clone Wars that appeared on Cartoon Network from 2003-2005. Many of the original actors lend their voices to the characters in the movie (Samuel L. Jackson plays Mace Windu, for instance, and Anthony Daniels is C3PO), but some others are new to the Star Wars family. Still in development is yet another Clone Wars animated series, which is slated to be shown on Cartoon Network later this year.

The approximately 90-minute feature being released this summer was originally intended for TV as well, but was reformatted for a theatrical release after George Lucas, the head of the Lucasfilm studio that makes the Star Wars films, saw an early cut and decided that it should be seen on a larger screen.

“Sometimes George works in strange ways,” said Greg Ahearn, senior vice president of marketing and e-commerce for Toys “R” Us in the United States.

That shift in focus brings with it some change in marketing partners. Pepsi, Burger King and Kellogg’s have no connection to the new movie, although all three made major investments in the previous three movies in the form of product tie-ins and promotions.

Their absence, according to Lucasfilm, is a consequence of the last-minute decision to release the film in theaters.

“When we were doing the Star Wars prequels, we kind of laid out [the marketing plan] very far in advance. We had a decade-long plan,” Howard Roffman, president of Lucas Licensing, said. “Our decision to release this film came later in the process, so it was just the way that it worked out for us.

Burger King declined to comment about its decision not to participate in the new film, but a spokeswoman from Kellogg’s said in an e-mail message that the company makes “every effort to offer promotions that are both interesting and enjoyable to our consumers.” A spokeswoman for Pepsi, meanwhile, was unaware that a new Star Wars movie was being released.

In their absence, however, is a significant new partner. For the first time in the history of the Star Wars franchise, McDonald’s is coming along for the ride. Starting Aug. 15, the fast-food chain will be offering Clone Wars Happy Meals. Each will come with a specially designed box and one of 18 exclusive toys. Collectors will have to be diligent however, as the promotion only lasts four weeks, and the toys will only be available with purchase of a Happy Meal.

As other marketing partners come and go, Toys “R” Us remains uniquely committed to the franchise. That loyalty lay in part from a shared history: the toy seller, which is based in Wayne, N.J., was the first to offer Star Wars toys when the original movie came out in 1977. But then there is also the strength of the Star Wars brand itself.

“Star Wars is one of the strongest and most iconic brands in the kids market, especially the toy market,” said Ahearn. “It really is a beacon that draws people in to our stores 365 days a year.”

Driven by fanatical collectors as well as children, sales of Star Wars toys have continued to thrive in recent years, even after the final film had supposedly been released.

According to Anita Frazier, a toy and video game analyst with research firm NPD Group, Star Wars was the third-highest ranked toy brand overall for 2005, the year the last film, Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, was released. The following year, they were the top-selling boys’ toy brand in the United States, and in 2007 remained in the top 10 overall.

Those figures are not lost on Toys “R” Us competitors. Both Target and KB Toys said they would be devoting significant shelf space to The Clone Wars line this summer. “This is the largest property for this year as far as movie tie-ins go,” said Geoffrey Webb, director of ad sales and promotion for KB Toys. Neither Target nor KB Toys, however, said they had any plans for a midnight opening.