'Star Wars' Dreamliner will feature likeness of R2-D2

Ben Mutzabaugh | USA TODAY

Yes, that Dreamliner is painted like the R2-D2 character from Star Wars.

Japanese carrier All Nippon Airways (ANA) on Thursday unveiled plans to paint one of its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners in a Star Wars livery that features the likeness of R2-D2. The R2-D2 livery will begin flying on one of the carrier's Dreamliners this fall, though ANA has not yet determined the routes of schedule for its Star Wars plane.

The special paint scheme is the start of what the airline calls a "a five-year ANA Star Wars Project." ANA says it's the first time a Star Wars character will appear on the exterior of a commercial aircraft.

The R2-D2 design was initially unveiled to Star Wars fans Thursday at a movie-themed event in Anaheim, Calif. ANA' revealed its Star Wars livery just as a new trailer was released for the latest installment of the film franchise: Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

"We're excited to be involved in this collaboration with ANA, one of the world's leading 5-star airlines," Kayleen Walters, VP-Marketing for Lucasfilm, says in a statement. "We're proud of the innovative R2-D2 design, and we look forward to witnessing the first-ever flight of a passenger aircraft featuring a Star Wars character. We're confident that Star Wars fans around the world will absolutely love this design."

ANA became the first airline in the world to put Boeing's new-age Boeing 787 Dreamliner into regular commercial passenger service, debuting the jet on a route between Tokyo and Hong Kong in October 2011.

The carrier currently flies to eight cities in the United States, with plans to add a ninth in June. ANA flies from Tokyo to Chicago O'Hare, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York JFK, San Francisco, San Jose (Calif.), Seattle and Washington Dulles. ANA also flies to Vancouver in Canada. Flights to Houston begin in June.

"Although it's a lofty goal, we hope that like Star Wars, ANA will become well known and loved across all borders and generations," Takashi Shiki, ANA Executive Vice President, Sales & Marketing, says in a statement announcing the R2-D2 livery. "Through the introduction of the new Star Wars livery we hope to welcome more passengers from around the world to experience ANA as the Inspiration of Japan."