Duracell stages another epic Star Wars battle in early holiday commercial

Laser fire breaks out in a children's hospital as a valiant group of young rebel fighters attempt to break through stormtrooper ranks to deliver a toy R2-D2 to a sick child.

Following up on the success of a similar intergalactic effort last year, Duracell is once again teaming with the creative forces behind Star Wars to bring a galaxy far, far away to life for a good cause.

The battery maker worked with Lucasfilm to produce a 70-second early holiday commercial with the same movie magic and special effects animating the real Star Wars movies.

"The sheer power of Star Wars has been igniting imaginations for decades so we felt like it was a great fit for a holiday campaign," said Ramon Velutini, marketing director for Duracell.

In addition to the ad campaign, Duracell will be donating one million batteries to Children's Miracle Network, a nationwide chain of youth hospitals.

Velutini said the donation was inspired by the fact that the hospital receives thousands of donated toys every year but often comes up short on batteries to power them.

The Berkshire Hathaway-owned brand has consistently championed this sort of cause-based marketing. Past campaigns have focused on helping the hard of hearing and supporting veterans, among other charitable undertakings.

Duracell says last year's Star Wars commercial was its most widely shared ever.