Have you managed to see the new 'The Last Jedi' trailer yet? If not, what are you waiting for? If, however, like me, you have not only seen the trailer, but replayed it several times over, you'll know what I'm talking about when I say Porgs are the most adorable little creatures we've seen in the 'Star Wars' saga since the Ewoks. Apart from the obvious, what else do we know about them? Pablo Hidalgo from Lucasfilm gave us a bit more information about the new additions to the saga: "The porgs are realized through a variety of effects, depending on what's needed. Sometimes they're puppets, with the puppeteers digitally removed from the shot. Other times, they're entirely CG."
Aside from the technical information, Hidalgo also mentioned how Porgs live in the fictional world created by George Lucas: "Porgs are native to Ahch-To, and can be found dwelling along the cliffs of the island where Luke and Rey are. In many ways, they're the 'Star Wars' version of puffins. They build nests. They can fly. Their babies are called porglets... Given how rarely their island has visitors, their curiosity outweighs any skittishness they may have.".
The fact that the Porgs share their island with Luke Skywalker had led some fans to fear the character may have eaten one of them. Mark Hamill, who plays Skywalker then put everyone's worries to rest with the following tweet:
Please be advised: #Porgs are not on any #AhchToMenu-Luke hasn't been a meat-eater since Aunt Beru made that nice #WompRatBrisket back home. pic.twitter.com/KYBHECaRJ2
? @HamillHimself (@HamillHimself) September 30, 2017
"Ever since... 'Return of the Jedi', the idea that there's an entire animal kingdom living amid the drama and adventure of the 'Star Wars' saga is a compelling one. Besides, porgs are cute. You fall into those deep, soulful eyes. I think a lot of people are going to want a porg as a pet". Sound familiar? It appears as though this trilogy takes place before the Ewoks, even though fans have shown a similar reaction to the new creatures.
PORG!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/IGZigkWIYe
? Nocturne Mermaid?? (@Nora_Mermaid) October 10, 2017
If even one Porg dies, I will fucking burn the Star Wars franchise to the ground pic.twitter.com/0l7a2BtFsG
? ?netw3rk (@netw3rk) October 10, 2017
Who else wants one?
As with all crazes, manufacturers are already taking advantage of the new 'Star Wars' creatures, so much so that you can already buy Porg merchandise. Cushions, rugs featuring Chewbacca with some Porgs, blankets, pens, lego figures, and decorated bottles are all available for purchase. At the Disney store, you can get your own Porg plush toy and a matching cup.
On their part, Funko have produced a variety of Porg figures in different colours and positions. You can even purchase a Chewbacca toy with a Porg in its hand. For the most demanding fans amongst us, a fully functional Porg is also up for sale: the figure can move different parts of its body just like the Porgs in the film, and make the same sounds!
It appears as though these little creatures have come to take over homes and toy stores all over. They're not the only ones however, because we also want to adopt the ice fox from the new film.
