‘Star Wars’ Movie Releasing in 2027 Will Feature Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford

Since 1977, Star Wars has grown into one of the largest entertainment franchises on the planet. What began as one film from writer-director George Lucas now includes three film trilogies, several animated and live-action TV shows, and countless novels, comic books, video games, and merchandise lines. And then, of course, there are all the theme park attractions. Disney Parks currently host the 14-acre Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, where guests and fans alike can board the Millennium Falcon or explore the remote world of Batuu.

Put simply, Star Wars is a global franchise that spans generations and media formats — but it all began with one film, released in 1977.

Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope is one of the most iconic films in cinematic history. The opening text crawl, John Williams’ score, Luke Skywalker staring toward the binary sunset, Obi-Wan Kenobi’s duel with Darth Vader, the Death Star trench run — there’s barely a frame that hasn’t been permanently etched into our collective subconscious.

The 1977 film, which stars Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker), Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia), Harrison Ford (Han Solo), James Earl Jones (Darth Vader), and Alec Guinness (Obi-Wan Kenobi), led to the sequels Star Wars: Episode V — The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Star Wars: Episode VI — Return of the Jedi (1983), forming the “original trilogy” that built the entire Skywalker Saga. But the version of the first film most audiences have been able to watch has been the “Special Edition”, which has for many become the dominant cut.

That edition included several new visual effects and altered scenes, which has faced criticism from some fans over the years; however, George Lucas, who also went on to direct every film in the prequel trilogy (The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith), defended those changes in a 2004 Associated Press interview, saying:

“The Special Edition, that’s the one I wanted out there. The other movie, it’s on VHS, if anybody wants it. I’m not going to spend the — we’re talking millions of dollars here — the money and the time to refurbish that, because to me, it doesn’t really exist anymore. It’s like this is the movie I wanted it to be, and I’m sorry you saw a half-completed film and fell in love with it. But I want it to be the way I want it to be. I’m the one who has to take responsibility for it. I’m the one who has to have everybody throw rocks at me all the time, so at least if they’re going to throw rocks at me, they’re going to throw rocks at me for something I love rather than something I think is not very good, or at least something I think is not finished.”

Now, Disney and Lucasfilm are preparing to put the 1977 film back on the big screen. The official Star Wars website has announced that a “newly restored” version of A New Hope will be released in theaters on February 19, 2027, in time for the film’s 50th anniversary.

“On February 19, 2027, we’ll celebrate the 50th anniversary of Star Wars with a re-release of the 1977 original back for a limited time, in theaters everywhere.

Part of Lucasfilm’s yearlong 50th anniversary celebration, a newly restored version of the classic Star Wars (1977) theatrical release — later renamed Star Wars: A New Hope — will play in theaters for a limited time.

Switch on your targeting computer and keep your eyes on StarWars.com for more details, including when and where to buy tickets to this once-in-a-generation event.”

Though unconfirmed, it’s likely to be the same restoration that was screened earlier this year in London at the Film on Film Festival, which ran original film prints.

Related: Disney Attempts to Redeem the Galaxy With Return of Iconic ‘Star Wars’ Figure | Disney Dining

News of the film’s re-release arrives as Disney and Lucasfilm resume their focus on continuing with the theatrical side of the franchise following a hiatus on the big screen since 2019’s Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker. Next May will see the release of The Mandalorian & Grogu, an adaptation of the Disney+ series The Mandalorian, which is being directed by Jon Favreau (2019’s The Lion King) and stars Pedro Pascal (Din Djarin. And in May, 2027, Star Wars: Starfighter, a “standalone” film set after the sequel trilogy directed by Shawn Levy and starring Ryan Gosling (La La Land), will also hit the big screen.

However, there are several Star Wars movies that are no longer in development, including Rian Johnson’s long-gestating standalone trilogy and Patty Jenkins’ Rogue Squadron.

Are you excited about all the upcoming Star Wars movies? Let us know in the comments down below!