Nearly 50 years after Star Wars (1977) introduced Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo, Darth Vader, and Obi-Wan Kenobi, Disney and Lucasfilm are giving George Lucas’ original classic an entirely new voice.
While the story itself remains unchanged, audiences will soon hear every major character voiced by someone new.
Star Wars Gets a Brand-New Cast
Disney, Lucasfilm, Welsh broadcaster S4C, and Creative Wales have officially announced the first-ever Welsh-language version of Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope (1977), replacing every original performance with an entirely new Welsh voice cast.
The project was created to celebrate the franchise’s 50th anniversary in 2027 while also showcasing the Welsh language to a wider audience.
Lucasfilm Co-President Lynwen Brennan described Welsh as having “such a rich history of storytelling and a beautiful lyrical language.” She added, “We have never before had a translation of Star Wars into Welsh and I am so thankful that in celebration of our 50th anniversary, we have been able to work with some incredible Welsh talent to make that a reality.”
Related: Original ‘Star Wars’ Movie Gets Major Change Nearly 50 Years Later
The Welsh release is officially titled Star Wars: Gobaith Newydd.
Alongside the new title comes a completely new cast, including Osian Morgan as Luke Skywalker, Aimee-Ffion Edwards as Princess Leia, Matthew Rhys as Han Solo, Rhys Ifans as Obi-Wan Kenobi, Mark Lewis Jones as Darth Vader, Llŷr Ifans as C-3PO, Nia Roberts as Aunt Beru, Richard Harrington as Grand Moff Tarkin, Owain Arthur as Red Leader, and Rhodri Meilir as Gold Leader.
The official teaser already offers fans their first chance to experience the translated opening crawl, offering a glimpse at how the landmark film has been adapted into Welsh.
Star Wars: Gobaith Newydd premieres on S4C and its streaming platforms on Christmas Day.
What do you think of Lucasfilm’s latest Star Wars announcement? Let us know in the comments below!
