Once considered a nightmare for George Lucas, the next Star Wars theatrical release is now on the horizon. After a seven-year pause following Star Wars – The Rise of Skywalker, Star Wars has made a triumphant return as a cinematic franchise, with The Mandalorian and Grogu paving the way. The most astonishing movie releases for the franchise are set to debut in honor of it’s 50th anniversary next year.
In conjunction with the Star Wars Celebration in Los Angeles and the highly anticipated launch of Ahsoka Season 2 on Disney+, the Star Wars franchise is set to make it’s return to theaters twice in 2027 to celebrate this momentous occasion.
The enigmatic standalone film, Star Wars – Starfighter, directed by Shawn Levy and featuring Ryan Gosling, is scheduled for a global release on May 28. However, before Gosling ventures into the galaxy far, far away, an even more enigmatic Star Wars film will premiere in cinemas a few months prior, in February.
For a limited time, Lucasfilm is bringing back the original Star Wars movie to theaters in a newly restored format — and this isn’t just any version. They will be showcasing the very first, unaltered theatrical release from 1977, before it was famously rebranded as A New Hope.
George Lucas is well-known for making changes to the original Star Wars film throughout it’s history, from its initial theatrical release to the 1981 re-release and the 1997 special editions. He utilized advancements in technology to incorporate new sound, CGI effects, additional scenes, and even made subtle narrative adjustments in certain moments. Remember, Han Solo shot Greedo first!
Although Lucas’ modifications have been thoroughly analyzed and critiqued over the years, the majority of fans have yet to experience a genuine big-screen comparison between the director’s revised version and the original film that catapulted Star Wars into global stardom.
After 47 years, the inaugural official public screening of one of the original prints occurred in June 2025 in London during the British Film Institute’s Film on Film festival; this event was so exceptional that the then-President of Lucasfilm, Kathleen Kennedy, attended to assure fans that it was not an ‘illegal’ screening.
Presenting this revitalized print on such a grand scale is a transformative moment for Star Wars. Even on Disney+, viewers can only access Lucas’ special edition from the 90s, a version he produced due to his lingering dissatisfaction with the original film two decades later.
George Lucas Has Expressed His Thoughts On Altering The Original Star Wars Film
Considering the legend surrounding the 1977 prints and the many alterations made by Lucas, Lucasfilm would approach the release of this version of the film with great care. Nevertheless, the director has consistently been transparent about his motivations for producing the 1997 special editions.
In the end, he expressed dissatisfaction with how the original cut was presented on screen, stating to the Associated Press in 2004 that the film “only came out to be 25 or 30 percent of what [he] wanted it to be,” and that for him, the “special edition ones are the films [he] wanted to make.”
Given the widespread use of green screen technology, motion capture, and various CGI effects in Lucas’ Star Wars prequel trilogy, which debuted just two years later in 1999 with Star Wars Episode I — The Phantom Menace, it’s not surprising to hear Lucas’ thoughts.
He has consistently championed the latest advancements in visual effects technology. One can reasonably conclude that the scale of the prequels aligns more closely with his original vision for the trilogy, as the limited budget of the first Star Wars hindered him from fully realizing his ideas.
Even The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi felt significantly larger in scope compared to the original 1977 Star Wars. As Lucas states, the original film “no longer truly exists [for him] anymore.”
According to George Lucas, “I apologize that you experienced only a partially finished film and became enamored with it. However, I desire it to be exactly how I envision it. Ultimately, I bear the responsibility for it. I am the one who must endure criticism, so if people are going to criticize me, I prefer it to be for something I am passionate about rather than for something I believe lacks quality, or at the very least, something I feel is incomplete.”
It’s fascinating to note that while Star Wars – Starfighter marks a significant advancement for the Star Wars franchise by delving into a completely new era of the galaxy’s timeline — set approximately five years after The Rise of Skywalker — the re-release of Lucas’ most secretive film signifies a contrasting approach.
With the 50th anniversary approaching, 2027 is indeed an ideal time for such a release. However, considering the less-than-impressive Box Office results of The Mandalorian and Grogu, it seems Lucasfilm may be relying on a touch of nostalgia to re-engage fans and remind everyone of the essence of Star Wars.
Star Wars (1977) is set to make a limited theatrical return on February 19, 2027. Don’t miss your chance to experience this iconic film on the big screen once again!