This is the dark-side droid that ‘Star Wars’ fans are going to be looking for

BB-8, the adorable droid that is to “Star Wars” heroine Rey what R2-D2 is to Luke Skywalker, will have a dark-side doppelgänger in “The Last Jedi,” which opens in theaters Dec. 15.

The robotic-toy company Sphero introduced BB-9E – already nicknamed BB-H8 (as in “hate”) – as part of the Force Friday II product rollout set for Friday morning. “BB-9E houses sophisticated tech to support the First Order in eliminating galactic threats,” Sphero says in a product description. “This vigilant and intimidating Astromech Droid is always on high alert.” News outlets report the Sphero droid will retail for $150.

The Hollywood Reporter noted that with its silver-on-black paint job, BB-9E looks like “a particularly goth BB-8,” and the website for the movie magazine Empire observes, “BB-9E isn’t exactly an evil twin to BB-8, given that he has some stark differences. There’s his squarer domed head and that baleful, HAL-like red eye.”

Die-hard fans may be able to get their hands on BB-9E merch when Toys R Us stores open at 12:01 a.m. Friday for Force Friday II. Be prepared for a crowd, though – a manager at the Sisk Road store in Modesto said shoppers were lined up outside the store for the first Force Friday.

She wasn’t at liberty to say anything about what the store will have in stock, but an email from Toys R Us said those attending the early-morning event will “be among the first to purchase hundreds of new ‘Star Wars’ items, like the $499 Toys R Us exclusive Luke Skywalker’s Landspeeder ride-on from Radio Flyer.

Brick-and-mortar Toys R Us shoppers will receive special giveaways, including a T-shirt and an exclusive collectible “The Last Jedi” poster, the toy chain said, noting that quantities are limited and items may vary by store. Online shoppers will be able to purchase new merchandise on Toysrus.com/DestinationStarWars beginning at 12 a.m.

Another feature of Force Friday II will be “Find the Force,” a treasure hunt à la Pokémon Go in which fans can “reveal new and favorite characters from ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ in augmented reality, and help the Resistance find information about key personnel,” according to StarWars.com. Playing requires downloading the “Star Wars” app. Learn more at www.starwars.com/findtheforce.

This story was originally published August 31, 2017 at 1:11 PM with the headline "This is the dark-side droid that ‘Star Wars’ fans are going to be looking for."