Scaramanga owner and lifelong Star Wars fan Carl Morenikeji is looking forward to seeing its vintage products appearing in Andor Season 2.
A dream will come true tonight for a Fife Star Wars fan when the second season of Star Wars prequel TV show Andor starts on Disney+ in the UK – as it’ll include 194 products from his Scots vintage products firm Scaramanga.
The show’s 12 episodes will include vintage items from stone and iron bowls, trays, wooden spoons and ladles to folding chairs, baskets, tables, barrels, chicken coops and even rat traps bought in seven orders over five months in 2023 by two props buyers for a total of almost £9,000.
Biggest order
It’s the Cupar business’s largest sale by value and number of items to a production over 14 years of supplying vintage and antique items to scores of films and TV shows as well as domestic and commercial customers.
But for lifelong Star Wars fan Carl Morenikeji it’s special for more than that – it’s the realisation of a childhood dream to be involved in the long-running sci-fi entertainment franchise which he’s followed since the original movie.
“I saw the first Star Wars film in 1978 in the ABC cinema when I was 10,” remembers Carl. “It was the first science fiction film I’d ever seen and I thought it was amazing – seeing creatures from other worlds, droids, space battles and rebels fighting against an evil empire.
“I remember my brother and I duelling with blue and red light-up light sabres for years afterwards. That’s where my passion for the franchise began. Since then, I’ve seen all the films, spin off-shows and cartoon versions, too.”
Children fans too
Carl’s son Josh (16) picked up Carl’s passion for the franchise at a young age and has been collecting vintage Star Wars action figures for years. He and his younger sister Ella have also attended several Edinburgh comic conventions dressed as Star Wars characters.
Carl remembers the moment his Star Wars dream came true two years ago. “One of our most regular buyers called me up and said she was looking for pieces for the second season of a sci-fi TV show. I asked if it was Andor and she confirmed it was.
James Bond
“I was so excited – as I’ve always wanted to have a prop or props in a Star Wars film or show. On a scale of dream productions to be involved in for, for me it’s up there with James Bond, which we’ve also had our products in – supplying vintage padlocks to the last film, No Time To Die.”
Now Carl is getting ready to watch the new episodes of the TV show even more closely than usual – to spot where his products will be used. From what one of the buyers said, he suspects they may be seen in a market scene filmed in Spain, but they could appear in other scenes across the season too. Like the rest of us, he’s just going to have to watch the show to find out.
Meantime, he and his staff at Scaramanga are celebrating with a competition for one of their social media followers to win a year’s subscription to Disney+.
Long entertainment supply history
The firm’s involvement in supplying props to the film and TV industry began in 2011 film when a props buyer ordered antique trunks and chests or Liverpool Docks scenes in Tim Burton movie Dark Shadows. Since then the small company has gone on to supply more than 30 movies and more than 30 TV shows and become the front-of-mind choice of props buyers for certain items, most notably vintage and antique padlocks.
Among them are now 17 productions from global entertainment franchises, including seven of the Top 12 highest-grossing movie franchises – from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, The Marvels, Deadpool & Wolverine) and J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World (Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore – padlocks) to the Fast & the Furious (Fast X), Batman (The Batman) and J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-Earth (The Hobbit).
Other franchise films supplied have been: Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny; Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again; Paddington 2 and Paddington in Peru, Maleficent and Maleficent: Mistress of Evil; 2022’s Death on the Nile and The Legend of Tarzan (vintage trunks).
The Cupar firm’s most recent movie clients were Wicked Pt.1, which won the Oscar for best production design, and Snow White.
Global TV franchise successes
Scaramanga has also enjoyed entertainment franchise success on the small screen with its products bought for Strictly Come Dancing, House Of The Dragon, Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, Celebrity Big Brother, His Dark Materials and The Great Season.
“I’m hugely grateful for the loyalty of our props buyers and our staff for continuing to meet their needs so quickly, which is often a crucial factor – as props can be needed for a scene being shot the next day,” says Carl. “Thanks to them I’ve realised a lifelong dream.”
Anyone wanting to bring a bit of as-seen-on-screen vintage style into their home should visit Scaramanga’s website at scaramangashop.co.uk