‘Star Wars’ Celebration Kicks Off With Touching Carrie Fisher Tribute

How do you celebrate 40 years of “Star Wars” in 90 minutes?

With a surprise Harrison Ford appearance, a touching Carrie Fisher tribute, a John Williams performance and a fair amount of jokes about George Lucas’s dialogue, of course.

Attendees at Star Wars Celebration were treated to that and more Thursday in Orlando, Florida, at the kick-off of the four-day fan event marking the anniversary of Lucas’ space saga.

PHOTOS: ‘Star Wars’ Icon Carrie Fisher Through The Years

A jam-packed panel also featured appearances by Lucasfilm chief Kathleen Kennedy, Mark Hamill, Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew and Hayden Christensen, as well as video messages from Liam Neeson and Samuel L. Jackson, who cheekily suggested that his prequel character Mace Windu is not dead.

Actor Warwick Davis moderated the sprawling look-back at the four decade legacy.