For more than four decades, the first Star Wars movie has been known as A New Hope. In 2027, Lucasfilm is taking it back to where it began.
How A New Hope Got Its Name
The film premiered in 1977 without any of the labels audiences now take for granted. The Episode IV – A New Hope subtitle arrived ahead of the movie’s theatrical re-release on April 10, 1981, and it became the standard title.
The 50th anniversary presentation reverses that change. Artist Matt Ferguson has created new key art for the occasion featuring Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker, Harrison Ford as Han Solo, and Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia. Theaters will offer the film in a broad range of formats, from Digital IMAX and 4DX to 35mm.
The Full Lineup
The rerelease is one half of the theatrical plan for Lucasfilm’s “Global Year-Long Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Star Wars.” The studio described both releases in its announcement:
“Tentpole Theatrical Releases:
Star Wars (1977): Screenings of the original 1977 version of Star Wars, in cinemas nationwide starting 19 February. In addition to the previously announced IMAX 70mm screenings, the film will also be presented in Digital IMAX, Digital Cinema, 70mm, 35mm, and 4DX and other motion cinemas. Ticket on sale information to follow. 50th anniversary rerelease key art by Matt Ferguson.
“Star Wars: Starfighter”: The all-new adventure from filmmaker Shawn Levy starring Ryan Gosling hits screens worldwide May 28. The film will be released in a wide variety of formats including IMAX 70mm in a select number of IMAX film locations, with more formats to be announced.”
Your 2027 Star Wars Calendar
The anniversary year starts on Disney+ on January 20, 2027, when Ahsoka Season 2 premieres. The original Star Wars follows in cinemas on February 19.
On May 28, Star Wars: Starfighter opens worldwide. Directed by Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) filmmaker Shawn Levy, the film casts Ryan Gosling as Kade Auberon in a story set after Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker (2019). Flynn Gray, Amy Adams, Mia Goth, Matt Smith, and Aaron Pierre round out the new cast.
Further down the line, Dave Filoni is developing a second season of Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord.
The Movies Still Waiting in the Wings
The celebratory lineup leaves a larger question unanswered: what happened to the films announced at Star Wars Celebration 2023? Kathleen Kennedy introduced three features that year. James Mangold’s Dawn of the Jedi would explore the dawn of the Force, Filoni would tackle the New Republic and the Mando-Verse, and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy would direct a New Jedi Order story.
None of them is on the schedule. They have not been officially canceled, but reports have cast doubt on all three, and Taika Waititi’s long-gestating project is in a similar holding pattern. Jon Favreau’s The Mandalorian and Grogu jumped the queue to open in May 2026, and Starfighter, revealed at last year’s Celebration in Tokyo, did the same.
Those decisions now rest with Filoni, Lucasfilm’s co-president and chief creative officer, and co-president Lynwen Brennan. They took charge after Kennedy stepped down in early 2026.
What This Means for You
Ticket sale details for the February screenings are still to come. Fans hoping to see the original Star Wars in IMAX 70mm or 70mm film should be ready to book quickly once sales open. Both versions of the original film and Starfighter will offer premium large-format options, so 2027 gives audiences two chances to see the franchise on its biggest screens.
How do you feel about the next chapter for the Star Wars franchise? Let us know in the comments below!
