Lucasfilm has released a new image from Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker introducing Babu Frik. The new character is a droidsmith who was first seen during the Force Friday announcement. Frik is the little Anzellan alien packaged with the C-3PO action figure and the latest official image from the upcoming movie gives us a better idea of what he looks like. Frik works among the Spice Runners of Kijimi and can "reprogram or modify virtually any droid - regardless of the security measures protecting its systems."
Since The Rise of Skywalker is going to feature C-3PO with glowing red eyes while taking on Chewbacca's bowcaster, it's safe to say that Babu Frik is the little guy behind the long-speculated reprogramming of the iconic golden droid. This element has been rumored for months now, and it will apparently show the droid making the ultimate sacrifice to help The Resistance. Though this has not been officially confirmed, seeing glowing red eyes and weapons isn't something we're used to seeing from C-3PO.
In addition to Babu Frik, Lucasfilm also announced the official corporate sponsors for The Rise of Skywalker. United Airlines, Porsche, Bose, Samsung Mobile, GE Appliances, McDonald's, General Mills, and Dannon have all partnered with Lucasfilm to help promote the final installment in the Skywalker Saga. United Airlines will have some exclusive video tying the Star Wars universe to their flights, while Porsche is promoting the movie along with their upcoming Taycan model, which is their first electric vehicle. Bose will provide audio augmented reality experiences through the official Star Wars app, bringing fans closer to the saga than ever before. With Bose AR-enabled wearable devices, fans can unlock an all-new, 360-degree audio storytelling journey into the Star Wars universe.
The Rise of Skywalker Samsung collaboration showcases a connected world powered by the Galaxy. No other information was provided. GE Appliances is combining with the Force of Innovation with its GE Profile series, which is set on helping families to make their homes and lives easier through meaningful advances in smart technology for the kitchen and laundry room. The partnership with GE will also offer special film engagement opportunities for families.
McDonald's is also partnering with The Rise of Skywalker for a special Happy Meal experience. There will be 16 different stylized Star Wars collectible characters. Each character will contain 1 of 4 special hologram features when lit up. They have not announced which characters will be available at this time. Lucasfilm has partnered with General Mills: Big G Cereals, Chex Mix, and Nature Valley for Do Good in the Galaxy, an interactive campaign that benefits Feeding America. Finally, Dannon will redecorate its packaging for its Danimals, which will show the characters dressed like they're from the Star Wars universe. You can check out the new image of Babu Frik from The Rise of Skywalker below, thanks to the official Star Wars site.