Film Star Wars 1977

Star Wars: Episode IV

A New Hope

⭐ 8.6 / 10 — IMDb 🍅 93% — Rotten Tomatoes
Director
George Lucas
Released
May 25, 1977
Studio
20th Century Fox / Lucasfilm
Runtime
2h 1m (original) · 2h 5m (Special Edition)
Box Office
$775.4 million worldwide (original release)
Genre
Space Opera · Science Fiction · Adventure
Rating
PG
Screenplay
George Lucas
Music
John Williams
Cinematography
Gilbert Taylor
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Synopsis

In a galaxy far, far away, the tyrannical Galactic Empire has constructed the Death Star — a moon-sized battle station capable of destroying entire planets. Princess Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher), a member of the Rebel Alliance, intercepts the technical readouts for the weapon before being captured by the Empire's feared enforcer, Darth Vader.

On the desert planet Tatooine, a young farm boy named Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) stumbles upon a message hidden inside the droid R2-D2. Guided by the elderly Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness) and aided by roguish smuggler Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and his Wookiee co-pilot Chewbacca, Luke embarks on a mission to rescue Leia and deliver the Death Star plans to the Rebellion.

The film culminates in a desperate assault on the Death Star — with Luke using the Force to guide a proton torpedo into the station's one weakness, destroying it moments before the Rebellion's base is annihilated. A New Hope introduced the concept of "the Force," lightsabers, the Jedi, and a mythology that would captivate audiences for generations.

Principal Cast

🧑
Mark Hamill
Luke Skywalker
👤
Harrison Ford
Han Solo
👸
Carrie Fisher
Princess Leia Organa
🧓
Alec Guinness
Obi-Wan Kenobi
🦹
David Prowse
Darth Vader (body)
🎙️
James Earl Jones
Darth Vader (voice)
🤖
Anthony Daniels
C-3PO
🤖
Kenny Baker
R2-D2
🐻
Peter Mayhew
Chewbacca
🧔
Peter Cushing
Grand Moff Tarkin

Awards & Legacy

Academy Awards (1978)

  • Film Editing
  • Art Direction
  • Costume Design
  • Sound
  • Visual Effects
  • Original Score (John Williams)

Cultural Impact

  • AFI Top 100 American Films (#15)
  • Library of Congress — Culturally Significant
  • Highest-grossing film of 1977
  • Spawned the modern blockbuster era
  • Created the modern toy/collectibles industry

Collectibles from this Film

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Buy or Stream

📀 4K UHD Blu-ray

The definitive home video release with Dolby Vision HDR and Atmos audio.

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Available in 4K with Disney+ subscription. Includes Special Edition and theatrical versions.

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💿 Collectible Steelbooks

Limited edition Steelbook releases with exclusive artwork. Highly collectible formats.

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