Brazilian R2-D2 Unable to Pass Metal Detectors at Star Wars Premiere in São Paulo

12/18/2015 - 09h34

The robot R2-D2, one of the main characters in Star Wars, arrived at the São Paulo premiere of "The Force Awakens" in a taxi adapted for the disabled, using a ramp for wheelchair users. It was among 630 guests at the screening on Tuesday (15) in the JK Iguatemi shopping mall - but it could not enter.

The public had to hand over their cellular phones and go through metal detectors for security reasons. According to Carlos Gueiros, the São Paulo man who built the robot, the measures meant that R2-D2 was unable to enter the cinema.

Gueiros' R2-D2 is identical to the original, weighing in at nearly 70kg and standing 1.09m tall. But it is far from being the only replica of its kind. According to R2-D2 builder, a website of 20,000 members created by a fan obsessed with making replicas of Star Wars machines, there are nearly 200 R2-D2s in the world.

In Brazil, aside from Gueiros' robot, there is another built by Douglas Baroni, from Minas Gerais, and another by Erick Pascoalato, also from São Paulo, which is nearing completion. The three men are responsible for R2-D2 Builders Brasil, a Portuguese-language version of the official site. It has 66 active participants and eight robots in production.

The three men were inspired by the announcement, in 2012, of a new Star Wars trilogy, and decided they would go and see the film accompanied by an R2-D2 replica. In the end, Gueiros was the only one who did, after less than a year of work.

A logistics graduate, and a fan of aeromodelling, he says "the hardest part was the electrics." "I spent a long time studying before I tested it, because I was scared of something catching fire," he says.

His R2-D2 is made almost entirely from aluminum, with a few wooden parts and the details in resin. Like the robot from the film, it makes noises and can turn its head.

With less time available, Baroni, a production engineer, took more than two years to complete his robot, but sold it before the premiere to a social project of Star Wars fans. He would not say how much he charged, though he invested R$10,000 (US$2578) in the project and made almost all the parts himself.

"We do it for love," he said. "It's not about making any profit, but this was a special case."

Between members, it is common to trade parts which are difficult to produce. The dome of the three Brazilian R2-D2s, for example, came from the United States and cost on average US$600.

The builders have access to the original designs, with the external measurements, but there is no step-by-step guide. This is why the websites and forums where fans can exchange their experiences are so important.

Despite the success of his R2-D2 at the premiere, Gueiros is still not satisfied. He wants to add a periscope and an arm, which the robot in the film uses to access computer information.

He will not take his creation to the cinema when he goes with his wife and two children. He does not want to have to share his attention.

Translated by TOM GATEHOUSE

Read the article in the original language

	Adriano Vizoni/Folhapress
	Gueiros' (right) R2-D2 is identical to the original, weighing in at nearly 70kg and standing 1.09m tall