Passing the Lightsaber: Lucasfilm Congratulates 'Avengers' on Box Office Record

Lucasfilm chief Kathleen Kennedy signed a special congratulations note to Marvel on its record-breaking opening for Avengers: Infinity War with a picture which showed a lightsaber symbolically being handed to Iron Man and the note "From a galaxy far, far away...to Earth's Mightiest Heroes...congratulations on the biggest opening weekend in history! From Kathy and everyone at Lucasfilm!"

As Fandango managing editor Erik Davis pointed out on Twitter, the note featuring characters from one movie congratulating those from the record breakers carries on a tradition started by Steven Spielberg, who congratulated his friend George Lucas on Star Wars breaking Jaws' box office record with a picture of R2-D2 hooking himself a great white shark. Lucas returned the sentiment when Spielberg's E.T. took the record back with a picture of E.T. held aloft by the key characters in the Star Wars franchise. 

Congratulations, @MarvelStudios and @Avengers: #InfinityWar. pic.twitter.com/PnHfaouOlP

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— Star Wars (@starwars) May 1, 2018

Lucasfilm’s Kathy Kennedy continues the tradition that began between George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, who sent letters to congratulate the other on breaking their previous record#StarWars #InfinityWar pic.twitter.com/tpaaaKE9I7

— ErikDavis (@ErikDavis) May 1, 2018