STAR WARS WOOD SANDCRAWLER COLLECTIBLE TOY Jawa Disney Galaxys Edge RARE retired

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Seller: sidewaysstairsco ✉️ (1,180) 100%, Location: Santa Ana, California, US, Ships to: US & many other countries, Item: 196005384123 STAR WARS WOOD SANDCRAWLER COLLECTIBLE TOY Jawa Disney Galaxys Edge RARE retired. Check out other Star Wars , Galaxy's Edge, and Disney items>>>>>HERE! (click me) FOR SALE: A Disneyland Star Wars : Galaxy's Edge exclusive souvenir DISNEY PARKS STAR WARS  WOODEN SANDCRAWLER WITH JAWAS DETAILS: It's a sandcrawler and Jawas in wooden toy form! At the front of the sandcrawler opening there are two posts for placing the Jawa mini figures on. The rest of the space inside can be used as a stash box for your cash, loot, or anything else very small in size that you value or may want to hide. Each sandcrawler is unique! These sandcrawlers are made from pieces of wood that have various grain and stain patterns - making each creation umique and unlike the next. Dimensions: Sandcrawler: approx. 8" x 4" x 3-3/4" Retired and rare!The wooden sandcrawler and Jawa mini figures set was introduced at the opening of Disneyland's (Anaheim, California) latest land, Star Wars : Galaxy's Edge. The set would become scarce over time especially as Disney eventually retired the Star Wars-themed product. This set was available exclusively inside the market area at Disneyland's Galaxy's Edge. Because it was never sold outside of Galaxy's Edge and is no longer being manufactured the wooden sandcrawler and Jawas set has become a very hard to find and sought after Star Wars Disneyland exclusive souvenir. CONDITION: New. Because these are made by hand of various pieces of non-uniform wood variations can be present. Please see photos. *To ensure safe delivery items are carefully packaged before shipping out.* THANK YOU FOR LOOKING. QUESTIONS? JUST ASK. *ALL PHOTOS AND TEXT ARE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OF SIDEWAYS STAIRS CO. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.* "The sandcrawler is a fictional transport vehicle in the Star Wars universe that is found on the desert planet Tatooine. The vehicle, as it appears in its major appearances in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, is 37 meters long and 18 meters tall. Only a 27-meter length of its lower hull was constructed as a set for the film. Other appearances were simulated with matte paintings and a remote-controlled model. Origin and design The design of the sandcrawler was first inspired by photographs of a NASA-designed rover created to explore alien planets.[1] It was conceived as large, old, very rusty, and having treads.[1] The front of the vehicle was envisioned to have a mouth-like scoop that lowered with hydraulics to pick up things, like a garbage truck.[1] While its original design was streamlined, it was modified to be taller and more awkward-looking.[1] The final design was created on April 5, 1975.[1] Production The prefabricated movie set of the sandcrawler was shipped from England and took special effects expert John Stears and his crew four days to move it thirty miles into the Tunisian desert.[2] It was two stories tall and ninety feet long when it was fully assembled,[2] with the caterpillar tracks being almost twice as tall as a person, and covered in sand and mud to give them a "used" look.[3] The night before the scene with the Jawas was to be shot, a sandstorm blew apart the set, and it took a day to put it back together and an additional day to shoot the scene.[2] Afterwards, it was transformed into a burned-out hulk, taking another day.[2] The construction of the sandcrawler piqued the interest of the Libyan government, who sent inspectors across the border to make sure it was not an actual military vehicle of some kind.[4] Depiction Most sandcrawlers are homes to Jawas. They were originally constructed in Corellia for the purpose of serving as ore haulers during mining operations, and many were brought to Tatooine when it was first settled as a mining colony. When the mining industry collapsed they were abandoned and the native Jawa took them over. The number of sandcrawlers is unknown on Tatooine because most Jawa clans only meet during the annual "swap meets" when Jawa clans meet to trade with each other. Jawa clans usually worship the Sandcrawler they have inhabited for generations. The Sandcrawler is powered by eight massive turbines to power the treads which pull it over the dunes of the desert. Since repairs are not done thoroughly, sandcrawlers are liable to fail at any time. Within the Sandcrawler are a maze of tunnels, living quarters and rooms which keep spare parts, machinery and captured droids. The front of the Sandcrawler opens to form a large ramp though there are also hatches between the giant treads that provide access to and from the crawler. They are powerful enough to withstand Tusken Raiders but are no match for Imperial Stormtroopers. The Sandcrawler first appeared in the 1977 film Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, where R2-D2 and C-3PO were transported across the desert terrain of Tatooine. They make a cameo appearance in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace in the establishing shot for the podrace, and also appeared in the Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones when Anakin Skywalker asks a Jawa leader for directions to a Tusken Raider camp. One also appeared in the post credits of a documentary on The Phantom Menace DVD. It was shown during the podrace, moving faster than and overtaking Sebulba's podracer. A Sandcrawler and Jawas are also seen in the final sequence of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker when Rey arrives on Tatooine.[5] Sandcrawlers, or early predecessors, have made appearances in many Star Wars video games, such as Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (used by the Czerka Corporation), and Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy. A digital pinball table based on Star Wars droids has a cabinet that moves and is shaped like a sandcrawler.[6] The vehicle appears in the Disney+ series The Mandalorian, in a scene where the titular character pursues a sandcrawler carrying the scavenged parts from his ship. Cultural references A 17-inch, radio-controlled toy Sandcrawler was released in 1979 as part of the original Kenner Star Wars toy line; a recolored version with a more "authentic" painted surface was issued in 2004. In 2005, Lego came out with a detailed model. Lucasfilm's Singapore base is shaped and named after the Sandcrawler." (wikipedia.org) "Tatooine (/ˌtætuˈiːn/ TAT-oo-EEN) is a fictional desert planet that appears in the Star Wars franchise. It is a beige-colored, desolate world orbiting a pair of binary stars, and inhabited by human settlers and a variety of other life forms. The planet was first seen in the original 1977 film Star Wars, and has to date featured in a total of six Star Wars theatrical films, three live-action television series, and two animated series. It is the home planet of the protagonist of the Star Wars Trilogy, Luke Skywalker, and also of his father, Anakin Skywalker (Darth Vader). It is also the planet where Obi-Wan Kenobi takes up residence under the name "Ben Kenobi" in order to watch over Luke during his exile following the events of Order 66 and Anakin's fall to the dark side. Shots of the binary sunset over the Tatooine desert are considered to be an iconic image of the film series.[1][2] Development In his early drafts of the Star Wars story, author George Lucas changed the names of planets and characters several times. In his early treatment, Lucas opened the story on the fourth moon of the planet Utapau, the home of a young warrior called Annikin Starkiller.[3] In Lucas's rough draft, The Star Wars (1974), the escaping droids land in a desert on the planet Aquilae; in later drafts the planet again takes the name of Utapau.[4] Prior to production, early artwork commissioned by Lucas from conceptual illustrator Ralph McQuarrie show robots lost on a desert world, scorched by twin suns and mysterious, masked Tusken Raiders riding large horned Banthas.[5][6][7] Hotel Sidi Driss, used for the Lars homestead scenes George Lucas originally envisaged filming the Utapau/Tatooine scenes in Algeria (inspired by Michelangelo Antonioni's 1975 film The Passenger), Libya or Iran, but these locations were rejected by 20th Century Fox. When production began on Star Wars, production designers John Barry and Robert Watts scouted for filming locations in Morocco and Tunisia. Lucas, accompanied by producer Gary Kurtz visited the Tunisian island of Djerba with them and were impressed by the desert landscape and the unusual architecture, and selected Tunisia to provide the desert planet setting. Lucas was also keen to shoot at the Hotel Sidi Driss in Matmata, a decision which extended the shoot, and consequently the budget, by a day. Filming in Tunisia began on March 22, 1976, and immediately ran into difficulty: the region was experiencing its first heavy rainfall in seven years, which disrupted the setting of an arid desert planet.[8] The Matmata hotel consisted of a troglodyte dwelling in a large hole in the ground. Combined with shots at Chott el Djerid, near Nefta, this formed the setting for the Lars homestead and moisture farm. The landing site for C-3PO and R2-D2's escape pod was filmed in sand dunes at La Grande Dune, near Nefta, and exterior shots of Mos Eisley spaceport were shot on Djerba.[9][10][11] The name Tatooine is not actually mentioned in the final screenplay of Star Wars—Lucas was still working on his fourth draft while scouting locations, and adapted the name from a town in southern Tunisia called Tataouine (French spelling, or Tataween spelling in Tunisian Arabic).[12] Certain scenes filmed on Djerba were subsequently deleted from the final cut of the film in order to improve the narrative pace. The most significant material cut was a series of scenes set in the township of Anchorhead which served to introduce the characters of Luke Skywalker and Biggs Darklighter.[13] Lucas asked film editor Richard Chew to cut these scenes as they had been likened to "American Graffiti in outer space" by Fox executives (in reference to Lucas's 1973 film).[14][15] Dante's View, Death Valley, California Footage filmed at Sidi Bouhlel in Tunisia was combined with 1977 second unit filming at Death Valley National Park in California to create the rocky canyon scenes featuring Jawas and Tusken Raiders.[16] [17] Moisture vaporator sets from the prequel films left at Tozeur When crews returned to Tunisia to film for the Star Wars prequel films in 1998, locations at Onk Jemal (Ong Jmal) in Tozeur, Ksar Ouled Soltane and Ksar Hadada, Ghomrassen were used for Tatooine scenes.[10] Abandoned sets for the filming have been left in the desert but can be visited.[18] Film appearances Tatooine originally featured in the 1977 film Star Wars, and was the first planet to be seen in the film franchise. In the opening scene, the planet and two of its moons are seen in space against a sea of stars, forming the backdrop of a space battle which sets in motion the events of the film. Two robots, C-3PO and R2-D2, jettison in an escape pod from a captured spaceship, the Tantive IV, and land on the surface of Tatooine. The droids lose their way in a sparse desert and are captured by small scavenger creatures called Jawas. When the robots are sold on to human settlers, protagonist Luke Skywalker is introduced as a young man living with his aunt and uncle on a farm. The hostility of the arid desert environment is emphasised by the depiction of sandstorms and the heat of the binary stars, as Luke watches a twin sunset over the sand dunes. Humans are constantly threatened by violent bandit creatures called Tusken Raiders. As the film progresses, various leading characters are introduced to the story in scenes set on Tatooine: Obi-Wan Kenobi, Han Solo and Chewbacca. Later Tatooine scenes take place in Mos Eisley, a gritty bustling spaceport on the planet which is a centre of smuggling and organised crime. One of the most celebrated scenes in the Star Wars saga is in the Mos Eisley cantina, a shady saloon populated by exotic alien species.[19][20] Composer John Williams wrote music for the alien band in this scene in the style of swing musician Benny Goodman, and arranged with unusual instrumentation to convey an other-worldly sound.[21] Tatooine features once again in the 1983 film Return of the Jedi, in which the story's heroes return to Tatooine to rescue Han Solo from Jabba the Hutt, a fearsome gangster who dominates the criminal underworld on Tatooine. When the prequel trilogy revived the film franchise in 1999, the action returned to Tatooine for Episode I: The Phantom Menace as the setting for the childhood of Luke's father, Anakin Skywalker. Living as a slave in another spaceport, Mos Espa, Anakin competes in pod races, long-distance airborne races across the desert. The Jedi master Qui-Gon Jinn meets Anakin after making an emergency landing on the planet, and helps him win his freedom. In Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002), an older Anakin returns to Tatooine to search for his mother, Shmi, who has been kidnapped by Tusken Raiders. The prequels depict a vast expanse of desert with jagged rock formations. Tatooine features once more in the final prequel film, Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005); in the closing scene, Obi-Wan Kenobi takes the infant Luke Skywalker and delivers him to his adoptive parents on the Tatooine moisture farm while he goes into hiding by residing in the Junland Wastelands which are in Tatooine's mountainous areas, thus explaining his first appearance in that location in the Episode IV.[19] Tatooine appears briefly at the end of The Rise of Skywalker, when Rey visits the remains of the Lars moisture farm. Description Luke Skywalker stares at the Sunset on Tatooine. Located in an unknown galaxy's desolate Outer Rim, Tatooine orbits a pair of binary G-type stars, Tatoo I and Tatoo II.[22] The planet's indigenous lifeforms such as the womp rat, bantha, Sarlacc, and Krayt dragon are well-adapted to its arid climate. Though its proximity to the suns makes life difficult, it is located near key hyperspace routes, making it a smuggler and gangster haven; debris from shipwrecks also provides resources for scavengers. Annual sandstorms wipe out landmarks and make nomadic life dangerous, with the planet's populations clustered into distinct settlements.[22] A small Imperial presence brings the planet an additional source of water, its most precious commodity. Though tasked to enforce the law, stormtroopers often overlook crime; an efficient black market also enables the procurement of illegal goods. Human settlers often become moisture farmers and live in subterranean dwellings in order to survive.[23] Pipe systems distribute most of the harvested moisture to indoor crops supplying food for the farmers. Rare water sources such as springs in badlands (e.g. Beggar's Canyon) provide hydration for hermits and Tusken Raiders.[24] The planet is dominated by the Hutts, a clan of gangsters and crime lords. Since Tatooine was beyond the reach of the Galactic Republic, the Hutts presided over the lawless planet with little outside interference. When the Galactic Empire subsumed the Old Republic, the new regime established only a token presence on Tatooine, which left Jabba the Hutt's reign unchallenged until his death during the events depicted in Return of the Jedi. The planet gained notability in what is an unknown galaxy as the homeworld of Luke Skywalker.[25] Inhabitants A Tusken Raider, a native inhabitant of Tatooine     Humans – Settlers     Hutts – Wormlike crime lords     Jawas – Humanoid rodent scavengers and traders, and one of the native life forms of Tatooine     Tusken Raiders (or Sand People) – Fierce, nomadic humanoids and one of the native life forms of Tatooine Flora and fauna     Banthas     Dewbacks     Tatooine Howlers     Eopies     Krayt dragons     Rontos     Scurriers     Womp rats     Wraids     Worrts     Galoomps     Anooba     Jakrab     Profoggs     Sarlacc – not native to Tatooine as males spread their seed into space     Urusai     Woodoo     Sketto     Gorg     Rancor (Rare, not native) Locations Because Tatooine features so prominently in the Star Wars film series, a wide range of locations has been represented on-screen. Settlements Although the planet is sparsely populated, settlements of varying size have provided the settings for many scenes in Star Wars films. The first settlement to be shown is Anchorhead where many human settlers on Tatooine pursue a difficult agrarian existence on remote "moisture farms" in the desert, collecting water vapor from the atmosphere to grow crops. Among these moisture farmers is the young hero of the film, Luke Skywalker, who resides with his Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru at the Lars Homestead. The region is dangerous, with kidnappings by Tusken Raiders being a major problem, as shown in Attack of the Clones (2002), when Luke's father Anakin, lost his mother to Tusken Raiders. In the original film, Luke also mentions Tosche Station (or Toshi Station), which was a mechanical repair shop featured in scenes that were deleted from the final cut of the original 1977 film. In the deleted scenes, Luke meets his young friends and bids farewell to Biggs Darklighter, who is about to leave to the Imperial Academy. The Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi is also in self-imposed exile near that region, although his house is remote from other houses, as he is hiding under the alias Ben.[19][20] Bestine is the "capital" of Tatooine; although it does not appear in any films, it is mentioned as "Bestine township" in the 1976 novelisation Star Wars: From the Adventures of Luke Skywalker and is featured prominently in Star Wars Galaxies video games. In the Expanded Universe, there is also a separate planet named Bestine.[26][27] Mos Pelgo briefly known as Freetown, was a town located in the northern hemisphere of the planet Tatooine. Seen in both Star Wars: The Old Republic: Knights of the Eternal Throne and The Mandalorian. Spaceports Two major spaceport locations have been shown on Tatooine:     Mos Eisley (Star Wars, 1977) is the planet's biggest city:[28] a bustling spaceport with an active criminal underworld, described by Obi-Wan Kenobi a "wretched hive of scum and villainy." This is the location of one of the most noted scenes in Star Wars, Chalmun's Cantina, which is shown as a busy saloon bar-style establishment, patronised by exotic and often violent alien species. The Cantina additionally features as a location in Lego Star Wars video games and Fortnite. Mos Espa filming location near Tozeur     Mos Espa (The Phantom Menace, 1999) is home to the Boonta Eve Classic Podrace track. Anakin Skywalker spent his childhood in the city, along his mother Shmi; both were slaves under the ownership of Watto. Anakin became the first human to win the race against Sebulba and other Podracer pilots and earned his freedom in the process, due to a bet between Watto and Jedi Qui-Gon Jinn.[19][29] The city's depiction in The Phantom Menace was intended to look larger than what was seen of Mos Eisley in the original Star Wars.[30] Desert locations Tatooine is mostly a desert environment. Characters in the films make reference to the deserts by name: the Jundland Wastes, a rocky region, is the location of the Tusken Raider attack in Star Wars (1977), and the neighboring Dune Sea (the basin of an ancient ocean)[28] is the setting for Jabba the Hutt's palace has the Rancor pit inside the palace. Also situated in the Dune Sea is the Great Pit of Carkoon, the lair of the deadly omnivorous Sarlacc creature.[31] Appearances Films     Star Wars (1977)     The Empire Strikes Back (1980) (mentioned only)     Return of the Jedi (1983)     Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999)     Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002)     Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005)     Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008)     Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) (mentioned only)[citation needed]     Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) (mentioned only)     Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019) Television     Star Wars Holiday Special (1978)     Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008-2020)     Star Wars Rebels (2014–2018)     The Mandalorian (2019–)     The Book of Boba Fett (2021–2022)     Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022)     Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures (2023) Licensed parodies     Phineas and Ferb: Star Wars (2014)     Robot Chicken: Star Wars     Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode II     Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode III Video games     Super Star Wars     Super Return of the Jedi     Lego Star Wars: The Video Game     Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy     Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga     Lego Star Wars III: The Clone Wars     Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens (mentioned only)     Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga     Star Wars Battlefront (2004)     Star Wars: Battlefront II (2005)     Star Wars: Battlefront (2015)     Star Wars Battlefront II (2017)     Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron     Star Wars Empire At War     Star Wars Bounty Hunter     Star Wars: Droid Works     Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace     Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith     Star Wars Galactic Battlegrounds     Star Wars Commander     Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds: Clone Campaigns     Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided     Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic     Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords (mention only)     Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy     Star Wars: Rogue Squadron (level 1 and a bonus level)     Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (downloadable content)     Star Wars: The Old Republic     Star Wars: Jedi Power Battles     Angry Birds Star Wars     Angry Birds Star Wars II     Disney Infinity 3.0 Theme park attraction Tatooine also appeared in the theme park attraction Star Tours - The Adventures Continue in Disney's Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida and Disneyland Park in Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. Similarity to real planets NASA artist's impression of Kepler-16, an exoplanet compared to the planet Tatooine See also: Physics and Star Wars The discovery of exoplanets in the real universe gained pace in the early 21st century. In 2015, the US space agency NASA published an article which stated that many of the newly discovered astronomical bodies possessed scientifically confirmed properties that are similar to planets in the fictional Star Wars universe. Among them, the planets TOI 1338 b, Kepler-16b and Kepler-453b have been likened to Tatooine because they have been discovered orbiting binary star systems.[32] Influence The desert planet of Jakku in the Star Wars sequel trilogy film The Force Awakens (2015) has been noted as being very similar to Tatooine.[33] In August 2019, rapper Kanye West announced that he was designing prefabricated homes inspired by the settlements on Tatooine seen in A New Hope to serve as low-income housing. His prototypes in Calabasas, California were torn down after he was cited for not obtaining the proper permits and receiving complaints about the "gumdrop-shaped" structures.[34][35] On July 5, 2020, West tweeted a photograph of similar structures being built to promote his presidential campaign." (wikipedia.org) "Jawa A Jawa with the spore of a sarlacc from "Fortune, Fate, and the Natural History of the Sarlacc", Star Wars Tales 6 (2000) The Jawas are a pygmy rodent-like race inhabiting the desert planet of Tatooine. They are usually 1–1.5 m (3 ft 3 in – 4 ft 11 in) tall.[19] They work as scavengers and tinkerers, picking up discarded or broken machinery and fixing it up to resell as well as stealing anything that catches their eye. Jawas are usually peaceful unlike Tusken Raiders, but may sometimes use ion blasters or other weapons to defend themselves. They are entirely covered in tan cloaks, with their faces hidden in hoods and only their glowing yellow[20] or red eyes visible. For transport in the desert world, they use long-abandoned mining Sandcrawlers. These lumbering giants can house a family unit as well as store cargo that they have collected on their journeys. Jawas belong to clans. Half of the clan works in the Sandcrawler, while the other half lives in desert fortresses made from wrecked spaceships for protection against Tusken Raiders and krayt dragons. They also serve as a home for the rest of the Jawa clan which stores the wealth gathered by the other family unit in the Sandcrawler. Jawas have a reputation with Tatooine locals for being swindlers and thieves. Jawas appear briefly in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace during the Boonta Eve Classic Podrace, and in Episode II – Attack of the Clones, giving directions to Anakin Skywalker. They also appear in Star Wars: A New Hope when they picked up C-3PO and R2-D2 and sold them to Owen Lars and Luke Skywalker, as well as multiple Jawas appearing among the riffraff in Jabba the Hutt's palace in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. Two Jawas and a Sandcrawler are seen at the end of The Rise of Skywalker. Jawas also appear on the planet Arvala-7 in "Chapter 2: The Child", the second episode of the television series The Mandalorian, in which they are depicted with red eyes (recalling Ralph McQuarrie's concept art).[21]. Although their faces are never seen by viewers, they are described in The Mandalorian television series as being "very furry." Though Jawas are based upon Tatooine, some Jawas have left the planet and built up their civilizations elsewhere, such as the tribe on Arvala-7. Because Jawas enjoy scavenging, they tend to build their Sandcrawlers and engage in the same activities on other planets as they do on Tatooine.[22] Specialists studying the past of the Sand People of the Tusken Raiders also used the term Ghorfa to denote an earlier sedentary phase of their culture, and, lastly Kumumgah, for the earliest stratum of sentient civilization on the planet, believed by some to represent a common ancestry shared by the Tuskens and the Jawas." (wikipedia.org) "A toy or plaything is an object that is used primarily to provide entertainment. Simple examples include toy blocks, board games, and dolls. Toys are often designed for use by children, although many are designed specifically for adults and pets. Toys can provide utilitarian benefits, including physical exercise, cultural awareness, or academic education. Additionally, utilitarian objects, especially those which are no longer needed for their original purpose, can be used as toys. Examples include children building a fort with empty cereal boxes and tissue paper spools, or a toddler playing with a broken TV remote control. The term "toy" can also be used to refer to utilitarian objects purchased for enjoyment rather than need, or for expensive necessities for which a large fraction of the cost represents its ability to provide enjoyment to the owner, such as luxury cars, high-end motorcycles, gaming computers, and flagship smartphones. Playing with toys can be an enjoyable way of training young children for life experiences. Different materials like wood, clay, paper, and plastic are used to make toys. Newer forms of toys include interactive digital entertainment and smart toys. Some toys are produced primarily as collectors' items and are intended for display only. The origin of toys is prehistoric; dolls representing infants, animals, and soldiers, as well as representations of tools used by adults, are readily found at archaeological sites. The origin of the word "toy" is unknown, but it is believed that it was first used in the 14th century. Toys are mainly made for children.[1] The oldest known doll toy is thought to be 4,000 years old.[2] Playing with toys is an important part of aging. Younger children use toys to discover their identity, help with cognition, learn cause and effect, explore relationships, become stronger physically, and practice skills needed in adulthood. Adults on occasion use toys to form and strengthen social bonds, teach, help in therapy, and to remember and reinforce lessons from their youth. ...Culture The act of children's play with toys embodies the values set forth by the adults of their specific community, but through the lens of the child's perspective. Within cultural societies, toys are a medium to enhance a child's cognitive, social, and linguistic learning.[24] In some cultures, toys are used as a way to enhance a child's skillset within the traditional boundaries of their future roles in the community. In Saharan and North African cultures, play is facilitated by children through the use of toys to enact scenes recognizable in their community such as hunting and herding. The value is placed in a realistic version of development in preparing a child for the future they are likely to grow up into. This allows the child to imagine and create a personal interpretation of how they view the adult world.[25] However, in other cultures, toys are used to expand the development of a child's cognition in an idealistic fashion. In these communities, adults place the value of play with toys to be on the aspirations they set forth for their child. In the Western culture, the Barbie and Action-Man represent lifelike figures but in an imaginative state out of reach from the society of these children and adults. These toys give way to a unique world in which children's play is isolated and independent of the social constraints placed on society leaving the children free to delve into the imaginary and idealized version of what their development in life could be.[25] In addition, children from differing communities may treat their toys in different ways based on their cultural practices. Children in more affluent communities may tend to be possessive of their toys, while children from poorer communities may be more willing to share and interact more with other children. The importance the child places on possession is dictated by the values in place within the community that the children observe on a daily basis....Construction sets Main article: Construction set The Greek philosopher Plato wrote that the future architect should play at building houses as a child.[58] A construction set is a collection of separate pieces that can be joined to create models. Popular models include cars, spaceships, and houses. The things that are built are sometimes used as toys once completed, but generally speaking, the object is to build things of one's own design, and old models often are broken up with the pieces reused in new models. The oldest and perhaps most common construction toy is a set of simple wooden blocks, which are often painted in bright colors and given to babies and toddlers. Construction sets such as Lego bricks and Lincoln Logs are designed for slightly older children and have been quite popular in the last century. Construction sets appeal to children (and adults) who like to work with their hands, puzzle solvers, and imaginative sorts. Some other examples include Bayko, Konstruk-Tubes, K'Nex, Erector Sets, Tinkertoys, and Meccano, and generic construction toys such as Neodymium magnet toys. Dolls and miniatures Main article: doll A girl and her doll in the 1900s A doll is a model of a human (often a baby), a humanoid (like Bert and Ernie), or an animal. Modern dolls are often made of cloth or plastic. Other materials that are, or have been, used in the manufacture of dolls include cornhusks, bone, stone, wood, porcelain (sometimes called china), bisque, celluloid, wax, and even apples. Often, people will make dolls out of whatever materials are available to them. Sometimes intended as decorations, keepsakes, or collectibles for older children and adults, most dolls are intended as toys for children, usually girls, to play with. Dolls have been found in Egyptian tombs that date to as early as 2000 BCE.[4] Dolls are usually miniatures, but baby dolls may be of true size and weight. A doll or stuffed animal of soft material is sometimes called a plush toy or plushie. A popular toy of this type is the Teddy Bear. Teddy Bears A distinction is often made between dolls and action figures, which are generally of plastic or semi-metallic construction and poseable to some extent, and often are merchandising from television shows or films which feature the characters. Modern action figures, such as Action Man, are often marketed towards boys, whereas dolls are often marketed towards girls. Toy soldiers, perhaps a precursor to modern action figures, have been a popular toy for centuries. They allow children to act out battles, often with toy military equipment and a castle or fort. Miniature animal figures are also widespread, with children perhaps acting out farm activities with animals and equipment centered on a toy farm. Vehicles A toy boat Main article: Vehicle Children have played with miniature versions of vehicles since ancient times, with toy two-wheeled carts being depicted on ancient Greek vases.[58] Wind-up toys have also played a part in the advancement of toy vehicles. Modern equivalents include toy cars such as those produced by Matchbox or Hot Wheels, miniature aircraft, toy boats, military vehicles, and trains. Examples of the latter range from wooden sets for younger children such as BRIO to more complicated realistic train models like those produced by Lionel, Doepke and Hornby. Larger die-cast vehicles, 1:18 scale, have become popular toys; these vehicles are produced with a great attention to detail.[citation needed] Puzzles Main article: Puzzle A Rubik's Cube A puzzle is a problem or enigma that challenges ingenuity. Solutions to puzzles may require recognizing patterns and creating a particular order. People with a high inductive reasoning aptitude may be better at solving these puzzles than others. Puzzles based on the process of inquiry and discovery to complete may be solved faster by those with good deduction skills. A popular puzzle toy is the Rubik's Cube, invented by Hungarian Ernő Rubik in 1974. Popularized in the 1980s, solving the cube requires planning and problem-solving skills and involves algorithms. There are many different types of puzzles; for example, a maze is a type of tour puzzle. Other categories include: construction puzzles, stick puzzles, tiling puzzles, disentanglement puzzles, sliding puzzles, logic puzzles, picture puzzles, lock puzzles, and mechanical puzzles. Collectibles Main article: Collectible Some toys, such as Beanie Babies, attract large numbers of enthusiasts, eventually becoming collectibles. Other toys, such as Boyds Bears are marketed to adults as collectibles. Some people spend large sums of money in an effort to acquire larger and more complete collections. The record for a single Pez dispenser at an auction, for example, is US$1100.[59] Promotional merchandise This toy tractor also serves as an advertisement for John Deere. Many successful films, television programs, books and sport teams have official merchandise, which often includes related toys. Some notable examples are Star Wars (a space fantasy franchise) and Arsenal, an English football club. Likewise, many successful children's films, television series, books or franchises extend their marketing campaign to fast food chains by including small toys of fictional characters or the series' associated symbols in a sealed plastic bag within their kids' meals. One famous example is the Happy Meal from McDonald's.[60] Promotional toys can fall into any of the other toy categories; for example, they can be dolls or action figures based on the characters of movies or professional athletes, or they can be balls, yo-yos, or lunch boxes with logos on them. Sometimes they are given away for free as a form of advertising. Model aircraft are often toys that are used by airlines to promote their brand, just as toy cars and trucks and model trains are used by trucking, railroad and other companies as well. Many food manufacturers run promotions where a toy is included with the main product as a prize. Toys are also used as premiums, where consumers redeem proofs of purchase from a product and pay shipping and handling fees to get the toy. Some people go to great lengths to collect these sorts of promotional toys. Digital toys Digital toys are toys that incorporate some form of interactive digital technology.[61] Examples of digital toys include virtual pets and handheld electronic games. Among the earliest digital toys are Mattel Auto Race and the Little Professor, both released in 1976. The concept of using technology in a way that bridges the digital with the physical world, providing unique interactive experiences for the user, has also been referred to as phygital.[62] Physical activity Main article: Physical activity A boy from Jakarta with his ball. Ball games are good exercise, and are popular worldwide. A large amount of toys are part of active play. These include traditional toys such as hoops, tops, jump ropes, and balls, as well as more modern toys like Frisbees, foot bags, fidget toys, astrojax, and Myachi. Playing with these sorts of toys allows children to exercise, building strong bones and muscles and aiding in physical fitness. Throwing and catching balls and Frisbees can improve hand–eye coordination. Jumping rope, (also known as skipping) and playing with foot bags can improve balance. " (wikipedia.org) "Wood is a structural tissue found in the stems and roots of trees and other woody plants. It is an organic material – a natural composite of cellulose fibers that are strong in tension and embedded in a matrix of lignin that resists compression. Wood is sometimes defined as only the secondary xylem in the stems of trees,[1] or it is defined more broadly to include the same type of tissue elsewhere such as in the roots of trees or shrubs.[citation needed] In a living tree it performs a support function, enabling woody plants to grow large or to stand up by themselves. It also conveys water and nutrients between the leaves, other growing tissues, and the roots. Wood may also refer to other plant materials with comparable properties, and to material engineered from wood, woodchips, or fiber. Wood has been used for thousands of years for fuel, as a construction material, for making tools and weapons, furniture and paper. More recently it emerged as a feedstock for the production of purified cellulose and its derivatives, such as cellophane and cellulose acetate. As of 2020, the growing stock of forests worldwide was about 557 billion cubic meters.[2] As an abundant, carbon-neutral[3] renewable resource, woody materials have been of intense interest as a source of renewable energy. In 2008, approximately 3.97 billion cubic meters of wood were harvested.[2] Dominant uses were for furniture and building construction." (wikipedia.org) "This is a list of wooden toys and games. A wooden toy is a toy constructed primarily from wood and wood products. Additional components made from other materials are also sometimes used. Wooden toys A ball-in-a-maze puzzle A bead maze Burr puzzles A peg wooden doll from Val Gardena, 1850 Various spinning tops     Akabeko     Ball-in-a-maze puzzle     Bauernroulette     Bead maze     Bird of Happiness     Burr puzzle     Channapatna toys     Chatter Telephone     Chinese yo-yo     Cup-and-ball     Dalecarlian horse     Dreidel     Etikoppaka toys – traditional wooden toys with lacquer colours made in Etikoppaka, AP, India.[1] Some of the toy styles include Lord Ganesha toys, cannon toys and bullock carts.[2] They are prepared using poniki wood.[3]     Froebel gifts     Gee-haw whammy diddle     Hobby horse     Hoop rolling     Jacob's ladder     Jig doll     Jigsaw puzzle     Jumping jack     Kapla     Kendama     KEVA Planks     Klotski     Kondapalli Toys     Lincoln Logs     Le Toy Van     Matador     Matryoshka doll     Mechanical puzzle – some are constructed from wood and wood products     Nirmal toys and craft     Peg wooden doll     Pinewood derby     Puppets     Pyramid puzzle     Rattleback     Reifendrehen     Rocking horse     Roly-poly toy     Snapper Puzzle     Soma cube     Tender Leaf Toys     Tinkertoy     Top     Toy block     Trompo     Unit block     Whittle Shortline     Wood car racing     Wooden toy train     Yo-yo – some yo-yos are made using wood" (wikipedia.org) "Wood carving is a form of woodworking by means of a cutting tool (knife) in one hand or a chisel by two hands or with one hand on a chisel and one hand on a mallet, resulting in a wooden figure or figurine, or in the sculptural ornamentation of a wooden object. The phrase may also refer to the finished product, from individual sculptures to hand-worked mouldings composing part of a tracery. The making of sculpture in wood has been extremely widely practised, but does not survive undamaged as well as the other main materials like stone and bronze, as it is vulnerable to decay, insect damage, and fire. Therefore, it forms an important hidden element in the art history of many cultures.[1] Outdoor wood sculptures do not last long in most parts of the world, so it is still unknown how the totem pole tradition developed. Many of the most important sculptures of China and Japan, in particular, are in wood, and so are the great majority of African sculpture and that of Oceania and other regions. Wood is light and can take very fine detail so it is highly suitable for masks and other sculpture intended to be worn or carried. It is also much easier to work on than stone and can be carved more thinly and precisely due to its fibrous strength.[2] Some of the finest extant examples of early European wood carving are from the Middle Ages in Germany, Russia, Italy and France, where the typical themes of that era were Christian iconography. In England, many complete examples remain from the 16th and 17th century, where oak was the preferred medium. The oldest wood carved sculpture, the Shigir Idol carved from larch, is around 12,000 years old." (wikipedia.org) "A figurine (a diminutive form of the word figure) or statuette, is a small, three-dimensional sculpture that represents a human, deity or animal, or, in practice, a pair or small group of them. Figurines have been made in many media, with clay, metal, wood, glass, and today plastic or resin the most significant. Ceramic figurines not made of porcelain are called terracottas in historical contexts. Figures with movable parts, allowing limbs to be posed, are more likely to be called dolls, mannequins, or action figures; or robots or automata, if they can move on their own. Figurines and miniatures are sometimes used in board games, such as chess, and tabletop role playing games. The main difference between a figurine and a statue is size. There is no agreed limit, but typically objects are called "figurines" up to a height of perhaps two feet (60 cm), though most types are less than one foot (30 cm) high. ...Modern era Modern figurines, particularly those made of plastic, are often referred to as figures. They can encompass modern action figures and other model figures as well as Precious Moments figurines and Hummel figurines, Bobbleheads, Sebastian Miniatures and other kinds of memorabilia. Some companies which produce porcelain figurines are Royal Doulton, Lladró and Camal Enterprises.[2] Figurines of comic book or sci-fi/fantasy characters without movable parts have been referred to by the terms inaction figures (originally used to describe Kevin Smith's View Askew figurines) and staction figures (a portmanteau of statue and action figures coined by Four Horsemen artists to describe Masters of the Universe figures). Also Amiibo is a line of plastic figurines with NFC tags embedded to its base that can be used in order to interact with certain videogames for Nintendo consoles. There is also a hobby known as mini war gaming in which players use figurines (for example toy soldiers) in table top based games. These figurines are mostly made of plastic and pewter. However, some premium models are made of resin. " (wikipedia.org) "Star Wars (retroactively retitled Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope) is a 1977 American epic space opera film written and directed by George Lucas, produced by Lucasfilm and distributed by 20th Century-Fox. It was the first film released in the Star Wars film series and the fourth chronological chapter of the "Skywalker Saga". Set "a long time ago" in a fictional universe where the galaxy is ruled by the tyrannical Galactic Empire, the story focuses on a group of freedom fighters known as the Rebel Alliance, who aim to destroy the Empire's newest weapon, the Death Star. When Rebel leader Princess Leia is apprehended by the Empire, Luke Skywalker acquires stolen architectural plans of the Death Star and sets out to rescue her while learning the ways of a metaphysical power known as "the Force" from Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. The cast includes Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Peter Cushing, Alec Guinness, David Prowse, James Earl Jones, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, and Peter Mayhew. Lucas had the idea for a science-fiction film in the vein of Flash Gordon around the time he completed his first film, THX 1138 (1971), and began working on a treatment after the release of American Graffiti (1973). After numerous rewrites, filming took place throughout 1975 and 1976 in locations including Tunisia and Elstree Studios in Hertfordshire, England. The film suffered production difficulties; the cast and crew involved believed the film would be a failure. Lucas formed the visual effects company Industrial Light & Magic to help create the film's special effects. It also went $3 million over budget due to delays. Star Wars was released in a limited number of theaters in the United States on May 25, 1977, and quickly became a blockbuster hit, leading to it being expanded to a much wider release. The film opened to critical acclaim for its acting, direction, story, musical score, action sequences, sound, editing, screenplay, costume design, and production values, but particularly for its groundbreaking visual effects. It grossed $410 million worldwide during its initial run, surpassing Jaws (1975) to become the highest-grossing film until the release of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982); subsequent releases brought its total gross to $775 million. When adjusted for inflation, Star Wars is the second-highest-grossing film in North America (behind Gone with the Wind) and the fourth-highest-grossing film of all time. It received numerous awards at the Academy Awards, BAFTA Awards, and Saturn Awards, among others. The film has been reissued many times with Lucas's support—most significantly with its 20th-anniversary theatrical "Special Edition"—incorporating many changes including modified computer-generated effects, altered dialogue, re-edited shots, remixed soundtracks and added scenes. Often regarded as one of the greatest and most influential films ever made, the film became a pop-cultural phenomenon, launching an industry of tie-in products, including novels, comics, video games, amusement park attractions and merchandise including toys, games, and clothing. It became one of the first 25 films selected by the United States Library of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry in 1989, while its soundtrack was added to the U.S. National Recording Registry in 2004. The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983) followed Star Wars, rounding out the original Star Wars trilogy. A prequel and a sequel trilogy have since been released, in addition to two anthology films and various television series. Plot Luke Skywalker (Hamill), Princess Leia (Fisher), and Han Solo (Ford) Amid a galactic civil war, Rebel Alliance spies have stolen plans to the tyrannical Galactic Empire's Death Star, a massive space station capable of destroying entire planets. Imperial Senator Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan, secretly one of the Rebellion's leaders, has obtained its schematics, but her ship is intercepted by an Imperial Star Destroyer under the command of the ruthless Darth Vader. Before she is captured, Leia hides the plans in the memory system of astromech droid R2-D2, who flees in an escape pod to the nearby desert planet Tatooine alongside his companion, protocol droid C-3PO. The droids are captured by Jawa traders, who sell them to moisture farmers Owen and Beru Lars and their nephew Luke Skywalker. While Luke is cleaning R2-D2, he discovers a holographic recording of Leia requesting help from one Obi-Wan Kenobi. Later, R2-D2 is missing, and Luke is attacked by scavenging Sand People while searching for him, but is rescued by elderly hermit Obi-Wan Kenobi, who tells Luke of his days as one of the Jedi Knights, former peacekeepers of the Galactic Republic, who drew mystical abilities from a metaphysical energy field known as "the Force", but were ultimately hunted to near-extinction by the Empire. Luke learns that his father fought alongside Obi-Wan as a Jedi Knight during the Clone Wars until Vader, Obi-Wan's former pupil, turned to the dark side of the Force and murdered him. Obi-Wan offers Luke his father's old lightsaber, the signature weapon of Jedi Knights. R2-D2 plays Leia's full message, in which she begs Obi-Wan to take the Death Star plans to Alderaan and give them to her father, a fellow veteran, for analysis. Although Luke initially declines Obi-Wan's offer to accompany him to Alderaan and learn the ways of the Force, he is left with no choice after discovering that Imperial stormtroopers have killed his aunt and uncle and destroyed their farm in their search for the droids. Traveling to a cantina in Mos Eisley to search for transport, Luke and Obi-Wan hire Han Solo, a smuggler indebted to local mobster Jabba the Hutt. Pursued by stormtroopers, Obi-Wan, Luke, R2-D2, and C-3PO flee Tatooine with Han and his Wookiee co-pilot Chewbacca on their ship, the Millennium Falcon. Before the Falcon can reach Alderaan, Death Star commander Grand Moff Tarkin destroys the planet after interrogating Leia for the location of the Rebel Alliance's base. Upon arrival, the Falcon is captured by the Death Star's tractor beam, but the group evades capture by hiding in the ship's smuggling compartments. As Obi-Wan leaves to disable the tractor beam, Luke persuades Han and Chewbacca to help him rescue Leia after discovering that she is scheduled to be executed. After disabling the tractor beam, Obi-Wan sacrifices himself in a lightsaber duel against Vader, allowing the rest of the group to escape the Death Star with Leia. Using a tracking device, the Empire tracks the Falcon to the hidden Rebel base on Yavin IV. The schematics reveal a hidden weakness in the Death Star's thermal exhaust port, which could allow the Rebels to trigger a chain reaction in its main reactor with a precise proton torpedo strike. Han leaves the Rebels to pay off Jabba, after collecting his reward for rescuing Leia. Luke joins their X-wing starfighter squadron in a desperate attack against the approaching Death Star. In the ensuing battle, the Rebels suffer heavy losses as Vader leads a squadron of TIE fighters against them. Han and Chewbacca unexpectedly return to aid them in the Falcon, and knock Vader's ship off course before he can shoot Luke down. Guided by the voice of Obi-Wan's spirit, Luke uses the Force to aim his torpedoes into the exhaust port, destroying the Death Star moments before it fires on the Rebel base. In a triumphant ceremony at the base, Leia awards Luke and Han medals for their heroism. Cast See also: List of Star Wars characters and List of Star Wars cast members A photograph of Mark Hamill A photograph of Harrison Ford A photograph of Carrie Fisher A photograph of Anthony Daniels A photograph of Kenny Baker A photograph of Peter Mayhew A photograph of David Prowse A photograph of James Earl Jones A photograph of Alec Guinness Top: Mark Hamill (2019), Harrison Ford (2017), and Carrie Fisher (2013) Middle: Anthony Daniels (2011), Kenny Baker (2012), Peter Mayhew (2015) Bottom: David Prowse (2013), James Earl Jones (2013), Alec Guinness (1973)     Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker: A young adult raised by his aunt and uncle on Tatooine, who dreams of something more than his current life and learns about the Force and the Jedi. Lucas favored casting young actors who lacked long experience. To play Luke (then known as Luke Starkiller), Lucas sought actors who could project intelligence and integrity. While reading the script, Hamill found the dialogue to be extremely odd because of its universe-embedded concepts. He chose to simply read it sincerely, and he was cast instead of William Katt, who was subsequently cast in Brian De Palma's Carrie (Lucas shared a joint casting session with De Palma, a longtime friend).[5][6] Robby Benson, Will Seltzer, Charles Martin Smith and Kurt Russell also auditioned for the role.[7][8][9][10][11]     Harrison Ford as Han Solo: A cynical smuggler and captain of the Millennium Falcon. Lucas initially rejected casting Ford for the role, as he "wanted new faces"; Ford had previously worked with Lucas on American Graffiti. Instead, Lucas asked Ford to assist in the auditions by reading lines with the other actors and explaining the concepts and history behind the scenes that they were reading. Lucas was eventually won over by Ford's portrayal and cast him instead of Kurt Russell, Nick Nolte,[6] Sylvester Stallone,[12] Bill Murray,[13][14] Christopher Walken, Burt Reynolds, Jack Nicholson, James Caan,[15] Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Steve Martin, Chevy Chase, or Perry King (who later played Han Solo in the radio plays).[5][16][17]     Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia Organa: The princess of the planet Alderaan who is a member of the Imperial Senate and, secretly, one of the leaders of the Rebel Alliance. Many young Hollywood actresses auditioned for the role of Princess Leia, including Amy Irving,[6] Terri Nunn, Cindy Williams,[5] Linda Purl,[18] Karen Allen,[6] and Jodie Foster.[19][20][21] Koo Stark was considered but ended up getting the role of Camie Marstrap, Luke Skywalker's friend, a character that didn't make the final cut of the film.[22][23][a] Fisher was cast under the condition that she lose 10 pounds (4.5 kg) for the role.[25]     Peter Cushing as Grand Moff Tarkin: The commander of the Death Star. Lucas originally offered the role to Christopher Lee but he declined.[26] Lucas originally had Cushing in mind for the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi, but Lucas believed that "his lean features" would be better employed in the role of Tarkin instead. Lucas commended Cushing's performance, saying "[He] is a very good actor. Adored and idolized by young people and by people who go to see a certain kind of movie. I feel he will be fondly remembered for the next 350 years at least." Cushing, commenting on his role, joked: "I've often wondered what a 'Grand Moff' was. It sounds like something that flew out of a cupboard."[27]     Alec Guinness as Obi-Wan Kenobi: An aging Jedi Master and veteran of the Clone Wars who introduces Luke to the Force. Lucas's decision to cast "unknowns" was not taken favorably by his friend Francis Ford Coppola and the studio, so Lucas decided Obi-Wan Kenobi should be played by an established actor. Producer Gary Kurtz said, "The Alec Guinness role required a certain stability and gravitas as a character... which meant we needed a very, very strong character actor to play that part."[5] Before Guinness was cast, Japanese actor Toshiro Mifune (who starred in many Akira Kurosawa films) was considered for the role.[6][28] According to Mifune's daughter, Mika Kitagawa, her father turned down Lucas' offers to play Kenobi and Darth Vader because "he was concerned about how the film would look and that it would cheapen the image of samurai... At the time, sci-fi movies still looked quite cheap as the effects were not advanced and he had a lot of samurai pride."[29] Guinness was one of the few cast members who believed that the film would be successful; he negotiated a deal for 2.25% of the one-fifth gross royalties paid to Lucas, which made him quite wealthy in later life. He agreed to take the part of Kenobi on the condition that he would not have to do any publicity to promote the film.[30] Lucas credited him with inspiring the cast and crew to work harder, saying that Guinness contributed significantly to the completion of the filming.[31] Harrison Ford said, "It was, for me, fascinating to watch Alec Guinness. He was always prepared, always professional, always very kind to the other actors. He had a very clear head about how to serve the story."[5]     Anthony Daniels as C-3PO: A protocol droid affiliated with the Rebellion who is "fluent in over six million forms of communication". Daniels auditioned for and was cast as C-3PO; he has said that he wanted the role after he saw a Ralph McQuarrie drawing of the character and was struck by the vulnerability in the robot's face.[5][32] Initially, Lucas did not intend to use Daniels' voice for C-3PO. Thirty well-established voice actors read for the voice of the droid. According to Daniels, one of the major voice actors, believed by some sources to be Stan Freberg, recommended Daniels' voice for the role.[5][33] Mel Blanc was considered for the role, but according to Daniels, Blanc told Lucas that Daniels was better for the part.[7][34] Richard Dreyfuss was also considered.[35]     Kenny Baker as R2-D2: An astromech droid and C-3PO's companion, who is carrying the Death Star plans and a secret message for Obi-Wan from Princess Leia. When filming was under way in London, where additional casting took place, Baker, performing a musical comedy act with his acting partner Jack Purvis, learned that the film crew was looking for a small person to fit inside a robot suit and maneuver it. Baker, who was 3 feet 8 inches (1.12 m) tall, was cast immediately after meeting George Lucas. He said, "He saw me come in and said 'He'll do' because I was the smallest guy they'd seen up until then." He initially turned down the role three times, hesitant to appear in a film where his face would not be shown and hoping to continue the success of his comedy act, which had recently started to be televised.[36] R2-D2's recognizable beeps and squeaks were made by sound designer Ben Burtt imitating "baby noises", recording this voice as it was heard on an intercom, and creating the final mix using a synthesizer.[37]     Peter Mayhew as Chewbacca: A Wookiee, Han Solo's sidekick, and first mate of the Millennium Falcon. Mayhew learned of a casting call for Star Wars, which was being shot in London, and decided to audition. The 7-foot-3-inch (2.21 m) tall actor was immediately cast as Chewbacca after he stood up to greet Lucas.[5][38] He recounted, "I sat down on one of the sofas, waiting for George. Door opened, and George walked in with Gary behind him. So, naturally, what did I do? I'm raised in England. Soon as someone comes in through the door, I stand up. George goes 'Hmm [looked up].' Virtually turned to Gary, and said 'I think we've found him.'[5] As a result of his height, Mayhew was eligible for either the role of Chewbacca or Darth Vader, ultimately choosing the former because he wanted to play a hero in the story.[38] Mayhew modeled his performance of Chewbacca after the mannerisms of animals he saw at public zoos.[30]     David Prowse as Darth Vader: Obi-Wan's former Jedi apprentice, who fell to the dark side of the Force. Lucas dismissed Prowse for the character's voice due to his West Country English accent, which led to him being nicknamed "Darth Farmer" by the other cast members.[37]     James Earl Jones as the voice of Darth Vader; he was uncredited until 1983. Lucas originally intended for Orson Welles to voice the character after dismissing Prowse.[37] However, determining that Welles' voice would be too familiar to audiences, Lucas instead cast then-relatively less recognizable Jones.[5][6] Other actors include Phil Brown and Shelagh Fraser as Luke's Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru; Jack Purvis, Kenny Baker's partner in his London comedy act, as the Chief Jawa in the film; and Eddie Byrne as Vanden Willard, a Rebel general.[39] Denis Lawson and Garrick Hagon played rebel pilots Wedge Antilles and Biggs Darklighter (Luke's childhood friend), respectively. Don Henderson and Leslie Schofield appear as Imperial Generals Cassio Tagge and Moradmin Bast, respectively, and Richard LeParmentier plays Admiral Motti.[40] Alex McCrindle portrays General Jan Dodonna, Alfie Curtis portrays Dr. Evazan, and Peter Geddis portrays Captain Raymus Antilles. Michael Leader plays a minor role as a Stormtrooper known for accidentally hitting his helmet against a door.[41][42] Heavily synthesised audio recordings of John Wayne from earlier films were used as the voice of the Imperial spy Garindan.[43][44] Robert Clarke appears as Imperial officer Wulff Yularen and Patrick Jordan plays another Imperial officer, Siward Cass. Production Development Director/writer George Lucas in 2007. Lucas described the difficulty of pitching Star Wars, being turned down repeatedly, until 20th Century-Fox bought the idea for "a little strange" film.[45] Lucas had the idea for a space-fantasy film in 1971, after he completed directing his first full-length feature, THX 1138.[46] Originally, Lucas wanted to adapt the Flash Gordon space adventure comics and serials into his own films, having been fascinated by them since he was young.[47] He later said:     I especially loved the Flash Gordon serials ... Of course I realize now how crude and badly done they were ... loving them that much when they were so awful, I began to wonder what would happen if they were done really well.[48] At the Cannes Film Festival following the completion of THX 1138, Lucas pushed towards buying the Flash Gordon rights, but they were already tied-up with Dino De Laurentiis.[48] Lucas later recounted:     I wanted to make a Flash Gordon movie, with all the trimmings, but I couldn't obtain the rights to the characters. So I began researching and went right back and found where Alex Raymond (who had done the original Flash Gordon comic strips in newspapers) had got his idea from. I discovered that he'd got his inspiration from the works of Edgar Rice Burroughs (author of Tarzan) and especially from his John Carter of Mars series books. I read through that series, then found that what had sparked Burroughs off was a science fantasy called Gulliver on Mars, written by Edwin Arnold and published in 1905. That was the first story in this genre that I have been able to trace. Jules Verne had got pretty close, I suppose, but he never had a hero battling against space creatures or having adventures on another planet. A whole new genre developed from that idea.[46] Director Francis Ford Coppola, who accompanied Lucas in trying to buy the Flash Gordon rights, recounted in 1999: "[George] was very depressed because he had just come back and they wouldn't sell him Flash Gordon. And he says, 'Well, I'll just invent my own.'"[48][49] He secured a two-film development deal with United Artists; the two films were American Graffiti and a space opera, tentatively titled "The Star Wars" and inspired by Flash Gordon.[50] Lucas would later say that he had the idea for an original space opera long before 1971,[51] and that he even tried to film it before American Graffiti.[52] Believing that the bleak tone of THX 1138 led to its poor reception, Lucas chose to make Star Wars more optimistic; this is what led to its fun and adventurous tone.[53] Lucas's early plan was to buy the rights to the Flash Gordon film serials and comics of the 1930s and 1940s. Lucas went to United Artists and showed them the script for American Graffiti, but they passed on the film, which was then picked up by Universal Pictures.[49] United Artists also passed on Lucas's space-opera concept, which he shelved for the time being.[54] After spending the next two years completing American Graffiti, Lucas turned his attention to his space opera.[46][49] He drew inspiration from politics of the era, later saying, "It was really about the Vietnam War, and that was the period where Nixon was trying to run for a [second] term."[55][56] Lucas began writing in January 1973, "eight hours a day, five days a week",[46] by taking small notes, inventing odd names and assigning them possible characterizations. Lucas would discard many of these by the time the final script was written, but he included several names and places in the final script or its sequels. He used these initial names and ideas to compile a two-page synopsis titled Journal of the Whills, which told the tale of the training of apprentice CJ Thorpe as a "Jedi-Bendu" space commando by the legendary Mace Windy.[57] Frustrated that his story was too difficult to understand,[58] Lucas then began writing a 13-page treatment called The Star Wars on April 17, 1973, which had narrative parallels with Kurosawa's 1958 film The Hidden Fortress.[59] While impressed with the "innocence of the story, plus the sophistication of the world"[52] of the film, United Artists declined to budget the film. Lucas and producer Gary Kurtz presented the film treatment to Universal Pictures, the studio that financed American Graffiti; while they agreed it could be "a very commercial venture", they had doubts about Mr. Lucas's ability to pull it all off,[52] and said that Lucas should follow American Graffiti with more consequential themes.[45] Coppola brought the project to a division of Paramount Pictures he ran with fellow directors Peter Bogdanovich and William Friedkin, but Friedkin questioned Lucas's ability to direct the film and he, along with Bogdanovich, declined to back it.[60] Star Wars producer Gary Kurtz in 2012 Lucas said, "I've always been an outsider to Hollywood types. They think I do weirdo films."[45] According to Kurtz, Lew Wasserman, the head of Universal, "just didn't think much of science fiction at that time, didn't think it had much of a future then, with that particular audience."[61] He said that "science fiction wasn't popular in the mid-'70s ... what seems to be the case generally is that the studio executives are looking for what was popular last year, rather than trying to look forward to what might be popular next year."[62] Kurtz said, "Although Star Wars wasn't like [then-current science fiction] at all, it was just sort of lumped into that same kind of category."[61] Lucas explained in 1977 that the film is not "about the future" and that it "is a fantasy much closer to the Brothers Grimm than it is to 2001." He added: "My main reason for making it was to give young people an honest, wholesome fantasy life, the kind my generation had. We had Westerns, pirate movies, all kinds of great things. Now they have The Six Million Dollar Man and Kojak. Where are the romance, the adventure, and the fun that used to be in practically every movie made?"[45] Lucas would later recontextualize the discussion around the film, saying it was born out of research into "psychological underpinnings of mythology", a claim that had been dismissed by Kurtz: "The whole idea of Star Wars as a mythological thing, I think came about because of [later Lucas] interviews that tied it to The Hero with a Thousand Faces"[63] and by Steven Hart and Michael Kaminski: "It is here that the true origin of Star Wars comes from – not from myth and legend, but from the 'schlock' sold on newspapers stands and played in matinees."[64] There were also concerns regarding the project's potentially high budget. Lucas and Kurtz, in pitching the film, said that it would be "low-budget, Roger Corman style, and the budget was never going to be more than—well, originally we had proposed about 8 million, it ended up being about 10. Both of those figures are very low budget by Hollywood standards at the time."[61] After Walt Disney Productions turned down the project,[citation needed] Lucas and Kurtz persisted in securing a studio to support the film because "other people had read it and said, 'Yeah, it could be a good idea.'"[61] Lucas pursued Alan Ladd Jr., the head of 20th Century-Fox, and in June 1973 completed a deal to write and direct the film. Although Ladd did not grasp the technical side of the project, he believed that Lucas was talented. Lucas later stated that Ladd "invested in me, he did not invest in the movie."[5] The deal gave Lucas $150,000 to write and direct the film.[30] American Graffiti's positive reception afforded Lucas the leverage necessary to renegotiate his deal with Ladd and request the sequel rights to the film in August 1973. For Lucas, this deal protected Star Wars's potential sequels and most of the merchandising profits.[5]: 19  Writing     It's the flotsam and jetsam from the period when I was twelve years old. All the books and films and comics that I liked when I was a child. The plot is simple—good against evil—and the film is designed to be all the fun things and fantasy things I remember. The word for this movie is fun. —George Lucas, 1977[45] Since commencing his writing process in January 1973, Lucas had done "various rewrites in the evenings after the day's work." He would write four different screenplays for Star Wars, "searching for just the right ingredients, characters and storyline. It's always been what you might call a good idea in search of a story."[46] By May 1974, he had expanded the treatment for The Star Wars into a rough draft screenplay,[5]: 14 [65] adding elements such as the Sith, the Death Star, and a general by the name of Annikin Starkiller. He changed Starkiller to an adolescent boy, and he shifted the general into a supporting role as a member of a family of dwarfs.[5][33] Lucas envisioned the Corellian smuggler, Han Solo, as a large, green-skinned monster with gills. He based Chewbacca on his Alaskan Malamute dog, Indiana (whom he would later use as eponym for his character Indiana Jones), who often acted as the director's "co-pilot" by sitting in the passenger seat of his car.[33] Lucas completed a second draft in January 1975 as Adventures of the Starkiller, Episode One: The Star Wars, making heavy simplifications and introducing the young hero on a farm as Luke Starkiller. Annikin became Luke's father, a wise Jedi knight. "The Force" was also introduced as a mystical energy field.[65] This draft still had some differences from the final version in the characters and relationships. For example, Luke had several brothers, as well as his father, who appears in a minor role at the end of the film. The script became more of a fairy tale quest as opposed to the action/adventure of the previous versions. This version ended with another text crawl, previewing the next story in the series. This draft was also the first to introduce the concept of a Jedi turning to the dark side: the draft included a historical Jedi who was the first to ever fall to the dark side, and then trained the Sith to use it. The script would introduce the concept of a Jedi Master and his son, who trains to be a Jedi under his father's friend; this would ultimately form the basis for the film and, later, the trilogy. However, in this draft, the father is a hero who is still alive at the start of the film.[66] Han Solo and Chewbacca's identities closely resembled those seen in the finished film.[67] According to Lucas, the second draft was over 200 pages long, and led him to split up the story into multiple films spanning over multiple trilogies.[68] Lucas began to rewrite this draft, creating a synopsis for the third draft. During work on this rewrite, Lucas began researching the science-fiction genre by watching films and reading books (including J. R. R. Tolkien's The Hobbit)[69][70] and comics.[71] He also claims to have read scholastic works like Joseph Campbell's The Hero with a Thousand Faces,[72] James George Frazer's The Golden Bough,[69] and even Bruno Bettelheim's The Uses of Enchantment.[73] These claims are doubted by Michael Kaminski and Chris Taylor, with Kaminski pointing out that Bettelheim's book would not come out until after Star Wars was filmed and adding that "the original trilogy-Campbell connection is greatly exaggerated and practically non-existent",[73] noting that, in fact, the second draft is "even closer to Campbell's structure" than the third.[73] According to Lucas, he wrote a rough draft of about 250–300 pages long, which contained the outline for the entire original Star Wars trilogy. He realized that it was too long for a single film, and decided to subdivide it into a trilogy.[5][74][75] Lucas stated that the story evolved over time and that "There was never a script completed that had the entire story as it exists now [in 1983] ... As the stories unfolded, I would take certain ideas and save them ... I kept taking out all the good parts, and I just kept telling myself I would make other movies someday."[76] He later described that, having split the script into three episodes, "the first part didn't really work",[77] so he had to take the ending off of Episode VI and put it in the original Star Wars, which resulted in a Death Star being included in both films.[78][b] In 1975, Lucas suggested he could make a trilogy, which "ends with the destruction of the Empire" and a possible prequel "about the backstory of Kenobi as a young man". After the film's smash success,[81] Lucasfilm announced that Lucas had already written "twelve stories in the Adventures of Luke Skywalker"[82] which, according to Kurtz, were set to be "separate adventures rather than direct sequels."[83] During the writing of the third draft, Lucas hired conceptual artist Ralph McQuarrie to create paintings of certain scenes, several of which Lucas included with his screenplay when he delivered it to 20th Century-Fox.[84] On February 27, the studio granted a budget of $5 million; this was later increased to $8.25 million.[5]: 17:30  Subsequently, Lucas started writing with a budget in mind, conceiving the cheap, "used" look of much of the film, and (with Fox having just shut down its special effects department) reducing the number of complex special effects shots called for by the script.[69] The third draft, dated August 1, 1975, was titled The Star Wars From the Adventures of Luke Starkiller. This third draft had most of the elements of the final plot, with only some differences in the characters and settings. The draft characterized Luke as an only child, with his father already dead, replacing him with a substitute named Ben Kenobi.[65] This script would be re-written for the fourth and final draft, dated January 1, 1976, as The Adventures of Luke Starkiller as taken from the Journal of the Whills, Saga I: The Star Wars. Lucas worked with his friends Gloria Katz and Willard Huyck to revise the fourth draft into the final pre-production script.[85] Lucas finished writing his script in March 1976, when the crew started filming. He said, "What finally emerged through the many drafts of the script has obviously been influenced by science-fiction and action-adventure I've read and seen. And I've seen a lot of it. I'm trying to make a classic sort of genre picture, a classic space fantasy in which all the influences are working together. There are certain traditional aspects of the genre I wanted to keep and help perpetuate in Star Wars."[46] During production, he changed Luke's name from Starkiller to Skywalker[5] and altered the title to The Star Wars and later Star Wars.[65] He would also continue to tweak the script during filming, including adding the death of Obi-Wan after realizing he served no purpose in the ending of the film.[86][87] For the film's opening crawl, Lucas originally wrote a composition consisting of six paragraphs with four sentences each.[30] He said, "The crawl is such a hard thing because you have to be careful that you're not using too many words that people don't understand. It's like a poem." Lucas showed his draft to his friends.[88] Director Brian De Palma, who was there, described it: "The crawl at the beginning looks like it was written on a driveway. It goes on forever. It's gibberish."[89] Lucas recounted what De Palma said the first time he saw it: "George, you're out of your mind! Let me sit down and write this for you." De Palma and Jay Cocks helped edit the text into the form used in the film.[88][90] Design Ralph McQuarrie in 2008 Ralph McQuarrie in 2008. Lucas commissioned him to create conceptual photographs for the film, which visualized the characters, costumes, props, and scenery. George Lucas recruited many conceptual designers, including Colin Cantwell, who worked on 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), to conceptualize the initial spacecraft models; Alex Tavoularis to create the preliminary conceptual storyboard sketches of early scripts; and Ralph McQuarrie to visualize the characters, costumes, props, and scenery.[46] McQuarrie's pre-production paintings of certain scenes from Lucas's early screenplay drafts helped 20th Century-Fox visualize the film, which positively influenced their decision to fund the project. After McQuarrie's drawings for Lucas's colleagues Hal Barwood and Matthew Robbins (who were collaborating for a film) caught his interest, Lucas met with McQuarrie to discuss his plans for the untitled space fantasy film he wanted to make. Two years later, after completing American Graffiti, Lucas approached McQuarrie and asked him if he would be interested "in doing something for Star Wars."[91] McQuarrie produced a series of artworks from simple sketches; these set a visual tone for the film, and for the rest of the original trilogy.[46]     Star Wars has no points of reference to Earth time or space, with which we are familiar, and it is not about the future but some galactic past or some extra-temporal present, it is a decidedly inhabited and used place where the hardware is taken for granted. —Lucas on his "used future" backdrop[92] The film was ambitious as Lucas wanted to create fresh prop prototypes and sets (based on McQuarrie's paintings) that had never been realized before in science fiction films. He commissioned production designers John Barry and Roger Christian, who were working on the sets of the film Lucky Lady (1975) when Lucas first approached them, to work on the production sets. Christian recounted in 2014: "George came to the set I was doing, it was an old salt factory design and he helped me shovel salt, just like two students in plaid shirts and sneakers. And we spoke and he looked at the set and couldn't believe it wasn't real." They had a conversation with Lucas on what he would like the film to appear like, with them creating the desired sets. Christian said that Lucas "didn't want anything [in Star Wars] to stand out, he wanted it [to look] all real and used. And I said, 'Finally somebody's doing it the right way.'"[93] Lucas described a "used future" concept to the production designers in which all devices, ships, and buildings to do with Tatooine or the Rebels looked aged and dirty,[5][94][95] as opposed to the sleeker designs of the Empire. Lucas also wanted the spaceships to look "cobbled together, as opposed to a sleek monoshape."[96] Barry said that the director "wants to make it look like it's shot on location on your average everyday Death Star or Mos Eisley Spaceport or local cantina." Lucas believed that "what is required for true credibility is a used future", opposing the interpretation of "future in most futurist movies" that "always looks new and clean and shiny."[92] Christian supported Lucas's vision, saying "All science fiction before was very plastic and stupid uniforms and Flash Gordon stuff. Nothing was new. George was going right against that."[93] The designers started working with the director before Star Wars was approved by 20th Century-Fox.[93] For four to five months, in a studio in Kensal Rise, England,[93][97] they attempted to plan the creation of the props and sets with "no money." Although Lucas initially provided funds using his earnings from American Graffiti, it was inadequate. As they could not afford to dress the sets, Christian was forced to use unconventional methods and materials to achieve the desired look. He suggested that Lucas use scrap in making the dressings, and the director agreed.[93] Christian said, "I've always had this idea. I used to do it with models when I was a kid. I'd stick things on them and we'd make things look old."[97] Barry, Christian, and their team began designing the props and sets at Elstree Studios.[92] According to Christian, the Millennium Falcon set was the most difficult to build. Christian wanted the interior of the Falcon to look like that of a submarine.[93] He found scrap airplane metal "that no one wanted in those days and bought them."[97] He began his creation process by breaking down jet engines into scrap pieces, giving him the chance to "stick it in the sets in specific ways."[93] It took him several weeks to finish the chess set (which he described as "the most encrusted set") in the hold of the Falcon. The garbage compactor set "was also pretty hard, because I knew I had actors in there and the walls had to come in, and they had to be in dirty water and I had to get stuff that would be light enough so it wouldn't hurt them but also not bobbing around."[93] A total of 30 sets consisting of planets, starships, caves, control rooms, cantinas, and the Death Star corridors were created; all of the nine soundstages at Elstree were used to accommodate them. The massive rebel hangar set was housed at a second sound stage at Shepperton Studios; the stage was the largest in Europe at the time.[92] Filming See also: List of Star Wars filming locations In 1975, Lucas formed his own visual effects company Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) after discovering that 20th Century-Fox's visual effects department had been disbanded. ILM began its work on Star Wars in a warehouse in Van Nuys. Most of the visual effects used pioneering digital motion control photography developed by John Dykstra and his team, which created the illusion of size by employing small models and slowly moving cameras.[5] The technology is now known as the Dykstraflex system.[98] Brian Johnson also turned down the opportunity to work on the film because he was busy working on Space: 1999.[99] Lucas tried "to get a cohesive reality" for his feature. Since the film is a fairy tale, as he had described, "I still wanted it to have an ethereal quality, yet be well composed and, also, have an alien look." He designed the film to have an "extremely bizarre, Gregg Toland-like surreal look with strange over-exposed colors, a lot of shadows, a lot of hot areas." Lucas wanted Star Wars to embrace the combination of "strange graphics of fantasy" and "the feel of a documentary" to impress a distinct look. To achieve this, he hired the British cinematographer Gilbert Taylor.[92] Originally, Lucas's first choice for the position was Geoffrey Unsworth, who also provided the cinematography for 2001: A Space Odyssey.[61] Unsworth was interested in working with the director, and initially accepted the job when it was offered to him by Lucas and Kurtz. He eventually withdrew to work on the Vincente Minnelli-directed A Matter of Time (1976) instead, which "really annoy[ed]" Kurtz.[61] Lucas called up for other cinematographers, and eventually chose Taylor, basing his choice on Taylor's cinematography for Dr. Strangelove and A Hard Day's Night (both 1964). On his decision, Lucas said: "I thought they were good, eccentrically photographed pictures with a strong documentary flavor."[92] Taylor said that Lucas, who was consumed by the details of the complicated production, "avoided all meetings and contact with me from day one, so I read the extra-long script many times and made my own decisions as to how I would shoot the picture." Taylor also said, "I took it upon myself to experiment with photographing the lightsabers and other things onstage before we moved on to our two weeks of location work in Tunisia."[100] Taylor was aware of the "enormous amount of process work" to follow principal photography and believed "a crisp result would help."[101] During production, Lucas and Taylor—whom Kurtz called "old-school" and "crotchety"[102]—had disputes over filming.[61] With a background in independent filmmaking, Lucas was accustomed to creating most of the elements of the film himself. His lighting suggestions were rejected by Taylor, who believed that Lucas was overstepping his boundaries by giving specific instructions, sometimes even moving lights and cameras himself. Taylor refused to use the soft-focus lenses and gauze Lucas wanted after Fox executives complained about the look.[102] Kurtz stated that "In a couple of scenes ... rather than saying, 'It looks a bit over lit, can you fix that?', [Lucas would] say, 'turn off this light, and turn off that light.' And Gil would say, 'No, I won't do that, I've lit it the way I think it should be—tell me what's the effect that you want, and I'll make a judgment about what to do with my lights.'"[61] Hotel Sidi Driss, the underground building in Matmata, Tunisia, used to film Luke's home Originally, Lucas envisioned the planet of Tatooine, where much of the film would take place, as a jungle planet. Kurtz traveled to the Philippines to scout locations; however, because of the idea of spending months filming in the jungle would make Lucas "itchy", the director refined his vision and made Tatooine a desert planet instead.[103] Kurtz then researched all American, North African, and Middle Eastern deserts, and found Tunisia, near the Sahara desert, as the ideal location.[92] Lucas later stated that he had wanted to make it look like outer space.[104] When principal photography began on March 22, 1976, in the Tunisian desert for the scenes on Tatooine, the project faced several problems.[105] Lucas fell behind schedule in the first week of shooting due to malfunctioning props and electronic breakdowns.[105][106] Moreover, a rare Tunisian rainstorm struck the country, which further disrupted filming. Taylor said, "you couldn't really see where the land ended and the sky began. It was all a gray mess, and the robots were just a blur." Given this situation, Lucas requested heavy filtration, which Taylor rejected, who said: "I thought the look of the film should be absolutely clean ... But George saw it differently, so we tried using nets and other diffusion. He asked to set up one shot on the robots with a 300 mm, and the sand and sky just mushed together. I told him it wouldn't work, but he said that was the way he wanted to do the entire film, all diffused." This difference was later settled by 20th Century-Fox executives, who backed Taylor's suggestion.[107] Filming began in Chott el Djerid, while a construction crew in Tozeur took eight weeks to transform the desert into the desired setting.[92] Other locations included the sand dunes of the Tunisian desert near Nafta, where a scene featuring a giant skeleton of a creature lying in the background as R2-D2 and C-3PO make their way across the sands was filmed.[108] When Daniels wore the C-3PO outfit for the first time in Tunisia, the left leg piece shattered down through the plastic covering his left foot, stabbing him.[106] He also could not see through his costume's eyes, which was covered with gold to prevent corrosion.[103] Abnormal radio signals caused by the Tunisian sands made the radio-controlled R2-D2 models run out of control. Baker said: "I was incredibly grateful each time an [R2] would actually work right."[103] After several scenes were filmed against the volcanic canyons outside Tozeur, production moved to Matmata to film Luke's home on Tatooine. Lucas chose Hotel Sidi Driss, which is larger than the typical underground dwellings, to shoot the interior of Luke's homestead.[108] During the filming of the Jawa Sandcrawler, Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, who did not have good relations with Tunisia at the time, allegedly mistook the crawler as a military vehicle to be utilized against him. When Gaddafi threatened the Tunisian Government, Lucas and the Tunisian Army quickly moved his filming crew to a more discreet location.[109] Additional scenes for Tatooine were filmed at Death Valley in North America.[110] After two-and-a-half weeks of filming in Tunisia,[108] production moved to Elstree Studios, near London, to film interior scenes.[106] Elstree was chosen as a studio over other options in Hollywood or elsewhere. Star Wars required the use of nine different sound stages simultaneously, which most studios couldn't accommodate.[111] Because of stricter working conditions, filming in Britain had to finish by 5:30 pm, unless Lucas was in the middle of a scene.[30] He often made requests for more time to shoot, but they were usually turned down.[5] Despite Lucas's efforts, his crew had little interest in the film. Most of the crew considered the project a "children's film", rarely took their work seriously, and often found it unintentionally humorous.[5][112] Actor Baker later confessed that he thought the film would be a failure. Ford found it strange that "there's a princess with weird buns in her hair", and called Chewbacca a "giant in a monkey suit."[5] The Elstree sets designed by John Barry, according to Gilbert Taylor, "were like a coal mine." He said that "they were all black and gray, with really no opportunities for lighting at all." To resolve the problem, he worked the lighting into the sets by chopping in its walls, ceiling and floors. This would result in "a 'cut-out' system of panel lighting", with quartz lamps that could be placed in the holes in the walls, ceiling and floors. His idea was supported by the Fox studio, which agreed that "we couldn't have this 'black hole of Calcutta.'" The lighting approach Taylor devised "allowed George to shoot in almost any direction without extensive relighting, which gave him more freedom."[107] In total, the filming in Britain took 14 and a half weeks.[108] Tikal, Guatemala, which served as the setting of the Rebel base Lucas commissioned computer programmer Larry Cuba to create the animated Death Star plans shown at the rebel base on Yavin 4. This was written with the GRASS programming language, exported to a Vector General monitor and filmed on 35 mm to be rear-projected on the set. It is the only computer animation in the original version of the film.[113] The Yavin scenes were filmed in the Mayan temples at Tikal, Guatemala. Lucas selected the location as a potential filming site after seeing a poster of it hanging at a travel agency while he was filming in Britain. This inspired him to send a film crew to Guatemala in March 1977 to shoot scenes. While filming in Tikal, the crew paid locals with a six-pack of beer to watch over the camera equipment for several days.[114] While shooting, Lucas rarely spoke to the actors, who believed that he expected too much of them while providing little direction. His directions to the actors usually consisted of the words "faster" and "more intense".[5] Kurtz stated that "it happened a lot where he would just say, 'Let's try it again a little bit faster.' That was about the only instruction he'd give anybody. A lot of actors don't mind—they don't care, they just get on with it. But some actors really need a lot of pampering and a lot of feedback, and if they don't get it, they get paranoid that they might not be doing a good job." Kurtz has said that Lucas "wasn't gregarious, he's very much a loner and very shy, so he didn't like large groups of people, he didn't like working with a large crew, he didn't like working with a lot of actors."[61] Ladd offered Lucas some of the only support from the studio; he dealt with scrutiny from board members over the rising budget and complex screenplay drafts.[5][106] Initially, Fox approved $8 million for the project; Gary Kurtz said: "we proceeded to pick a production plan and do a more final budget with a British art department and look for locations in North Africa, and kind of pulled together some things. Then, it was obvious that 8 million wasn't going to do it—they had approved 8 million." After requests from the team that "it had to be more," the executives "got a bit scared."[61] For two weeks, Lucas and his crew "didn't really do anything except kind of pull together new budget figures." At the same time, after production fell behind schedule, Ladd told Lucas he had to finish production within a week or he would be forced to shut down production. Kurtz said that "it came out to be like 9.8 or .9 or something like that, and in the end they just said, 'Yes, that's okay, we'll go ahead.'"[61] The crew split into three units, with those units led by Lucas, Kurtz, and production supervisor Robert Watts. Under the new system, the project met the studio's deadline.[5][106] Lucas had to write around a scene featuring a human Jabba the Hutt, which was scrapped due to budget and time constraints.[115] Lucas would later claim he wanted to superimpose a stop-motion creature over the actor—which he did with computer-generated imagery (CGI) in the 1997 Special Edition.[116][117] All of the original script drafts describe Jabba as humanoid, with the notion of him being an alien not coming up until work on the 1979 re-release.[118] According to Greedo actor Paul Blake, his own character was created as a result of Lucas having to cut the Jabba scene.[119] During production, the cast attempted to make Lucas laugh or smile, as he often appeared depressed. At one point, the project became so demanding that Lucas was diagnosed with hypertension and exhaustion and was warned to reduce his stress level.[5][106] Post-production was equally stressful due to increasing pressure from 20th Century-Fox. Moreover, Hamill's car accident left his face visibly scarred, which restricted re-shoots.[106] Post-production Steven Spielberg said he was the only person in the audience to have enjoyed the film in its early cut screening. Star Wars was originally slated for release on Christmas 1976; however, its production delays pushed the film's release to mid-1977.[120] Editor John Jympson began cutting the film together while Lucas was still filming in Tunisia; as Lucas noted, the editor was in an "impossible position" because Lucas had not explained any of the film's material to him. When Lucas watched Jympson's rough cut for the first time, he disliked what he saw. J. W. Rinzler wrote that "Jympson's selection of takes was questionable, and he seemed to be having trouble doing match-cuts." Lucas was prepared to give Jympson more time; Jympson disliked Lucas's working style.[121] As production went on, Lucas still disapproved of Jympson's cut and fired him halfway through the film's production. He commented: "Unfortunately it didn't work out. It's very hard when you are hiring people to know if they are going to mesh with you and if you are going to get what you want. In the end, I don't think he fully understood the movie and what I was trying to do. I shoot in a very peculiar way, in a documentary style, and it takes a lot of hard editing to make it work."[122] After attempting to persuade Jympson to cut the film his way, Lucas replaced him with Paul Hirsch, Richard Chew, and his then-wife, Marcia Lucas, who was also cutting the film New York, New York (1977) with Lucas's friend Martin Scorsese. Richard Chew considered the film to have been cut in a slow, by-the-book manner: scenes were played out in master shots that flowed into close-up coverage. He found that the pace was dictated by the actors instead of the cuts. Hirsch and Chew worked on two reels simultaneously.[5] Jympson's original assembly contained a large amount of footage which differed from the final cut of the film, including several alternate takes and a number of scenes which were subsequently deleted to improve the narrative pace. The most significant material cut was a series of scenes from the first part of the film which introduced Luke Skywalker. These early scenes, set in Anchorhead on the planet Tatooine, presented the audience with Luke's everyday life among his friends as it is affected by the space battle above the planet; they also introduced the character of Biggs Darklighter, Luke's closest friend who departs to join the rebellion.[123] Chew explained the rationale behind removing these scenes as a narrative decision: "In the first five minutes, we were hitting everybody with more information than they could handle. There were too many story lines to keep straight: the robots and the Princess, Vader, Luke. So we simplified it by taking out Luke and Biggs."[124] In an examination of this early cut, which has come to be called the "Lost Cut", David West Reynolds noted the film adopted a "documentary-like" approach that emphasized "clarity, especially in geographic and spatial relationships" over "dramatic or artistic concerns". As a result, the film was more "leisurely paced".[125] Reynolds estimated this early cut contained "30–40%" different footage from the final cut, with most of the differences coming from extended cuts or alternate takes rather than deleted scenes.[125] After viewing a rough cut, Alan Ladd likened the early Anchorhead scenes to "American Graffiti in outer space". Lucas was looking for a way of accelerating the storytelling, and removing Luke's early scenes would distinguish Star Wars from his earlier teenage drama and "get that American Graffiti feel out of it".[123] Lucas also stated that he wanted to move the narrative focus to C-3PO and R2-D2: "At the time, to have the first half-hour of the film be mainly about robots was a bold idea."[126][127] Meanwhile, Industrial Light & Magic was struggling to achieve unprecedented special effects. The company had spent half of its budget on four shots that Lucas deemed unacceptable.[106] With hundreds of uncompleted shots remaining, ILM was forced to finish a year's work in six months. Lucas inspired ILM by editing together aerial dogfights from old war films, which enhanced the pacing of the scenes.[5] Burtt had created a library of sounds that Lucas referred to as an "organic soundtrack". Blaster sounds were a modified recording of a steel cable, under tension, being struck. The lightsaber sound effect was developed by Burtt as a combination of the hum of idling interlock motors in aged movie projectors and interference caused by a television set on a shieldless microphone. Burtt discovered the latter accidentally as he was looking for a buzzing, sparking sound to add to the projector-motor hum.[128] For Chewbacca's growls, Burtt recorded and combined sounds made by dogs, bears, lions, tigers, and walruses to create phrases and sentences. Lucas and Burtt created the robotic voice of R2-D2 by filtering their voices through an electronic synthesizer. Darth Vader's breathing was achieved by Burtt breathing through the mask of a scuba regulator implanted with a microphone,[129] which began the idea of Vader having been a burn-victim, which had not been the case during production.[130] In February 1977, Lucas screened an early cut of the film for Fox executives, several director friends, along with Roy Thomas and Howard Chaykin of Marvel Comics who were preparing a Star Wars comic book. The cut had a different crawl from the finished version and used Prowse's voice for Darth Vader. It also lacked most special effects; hand-drawn arrows took the place of blaster beams, and when the Millennium Falcon fought TIE fighters, the film cut to footage of World War II dogfights.[131] The reactions of the directors present, such as Brian De Palma, John Milius, and Steven Spielberg, disappointed Lucas. Spielberg, who said he was the only person in the audience to have enjoyed the film, believed that the lack of enthusiasm was due to the absence of finished special effects. Lucas later said that the group was honest and seemed bemused by the film. In contrast, Ladd and the other studio executives loved the film; Gareth Wigan told Lucas: "This is the greatest film I've ever seen" and cried during the screening. Lucas found the experience shocking and rewarding, having never gained any approval from studio executives before.[5] The delays increased the budget from $8 million to $11 million.[132] With the project $2 million over budget, Lucas was forced to make numerous artistic compromises to complete Star Wars. Ladd reluctantly agreed to release an extra $20,000 funding and in early 1977 second unit filming completed a number of sequences including exterior desert shots for Tatooine in Death Valley and China Lake Acres in California, and exterior Yavin jungle shots in Guatemala, along with additional studio footage to complete the Mos Eisley Cantina sequence. Soundtrack Main article: Star Wars (soundtrack) Original vinyl release On the recommendation of Spielberg, Lucas hired John Williams, who had worked with Spielberg on the film Jaws, for which he won an Academy Award. Lucas originally hired Williams to consult on music editing choices and to compose the source music for the music, telling Williams that he intended to use extant music.[133][134] Lucas believed that the film would portray visually foreign worlds, but that a grand musical score would give the audience an emotional familiarity. Therefore, Lucas assembled his favorite orchestral pieces for the soundtrack, until Williams convinced him that an original score would be unique and more unified, having viewed Lucas's music choices as a temp track. However, a few of Williams's eventual pieces were influenced by the temp track: the "Main Title Theme" was inspired by the theme from the 1942 film Kings Row, scored by Erich Wolfgang Korngold;[135] and the track "Dune Sea of Tatooine" drew from the soundtrack of Bicycle Thieves, scored by Alessandro Cicognini. Lucas would later deny having ever conceived using extant music for the film.[133] In March 1977, Williams conducted the London Symphony Orchestra to record the Star Wars soundtrack in 12 days.[5] The original soundtrack was released as a double LP in 1977 by 20th Century Records. 20th Century Records also released The Story of Star Wars that year, a narrated audio drama adaptation of the film utilizing some of its original music, dialogue, and sound effects. The American Film Institute's list of best film scores ranks the Star Wars soundtrack at number one.[136] Cinematic and literary allusions See also: Star Wars sources and analogues War films such as The Dam Busters and 633 Squadron, which used aircraft like the Avro Lancaster (top) and the Mosquito (bottom), respectively, were inspirations for the battle sequences. According to Lucas, different concepts of the film were inspired by numerous sources, such as Beowulf and King Arthur for the origins of myth and religion.[5] Lucas had originally intended to remake the 1930s Flash Gordon film serials but was unable to obtain the rights; thus, he resorted to drawing from Akira Kurosawa's 1958 film The Hidden Fortress and, allegedly, Joseph Campbell's The Hero with a Thousand Faces.[48][137] Star Wars features many elements derived from Flash Gordon, such as the conflict between rebels and Imperial Forces, the wipes between scenes, the fusion of futuristic technology and traditional mythology, and the famous opening crawl that begins each film.[137][138] The film has also been compared to The Wizard of Oz.[139][140] The influence of The Hidden Fortress can be seen in the relationship between C-3PO and R2-D2, which evolved from the two bickering peasants, Tahei and Matashichi, and a Japanese family crest seen in the earlier film is similar to the Imperial Crest. Star Wars also borrows heavily from another Kurosawa film, Yojimbo (1961).[137] In both films, several men threaten the hero, bragging about how wanted they are by the authorities, and have an arm being cut off by a blade; Kuwabatake Sanjuro (played by Toshiro Mifune) is offered "twenty-five ryo now, twenty-five when you complete the mission", whereas Han Solo is offered "Two thousand now, plus fifteen when we reach Alderaan." Its sequel Sanjuro (1962) also inspired the hiding-under-the-floor trick featured in the film.[137] Another source of influence was Lawrence of Arabia (1962), which inspired the film's visual approach, including long-lens desert shots. There are also thematic parallels, including the freedom fight by a rebel army against an empire, and politicians who meddle behind the scenes.[137] Tatooine is similar to the desert planet of Arrakis from Frank Herbert's Dune series. Arrakis is the only known source of a longevity spice; Star Wars makes references to spice in "the spice mines of Kessel", and a spice freighter. Other similarities include those between Princess Leia and Princess Alia, and Jedi mind tricks and "The Voice", a controlling ability used by the Bene Gesserit. In passing, Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru are "moisture farmers"; in Dune, dew collectors are used by Fremen to "provide a small but reliable source of water."[141] Frank Herbert reported that "David Lynch, [director of the 1984 film Dune] had trouble with the fact that Star Wars used up so much of Dune." The pair found "sixteen points of identity" and they calculated that "the odds against coincidence produced a number larger than the number of stars in the universe."[142] The Death Star assault scene was modeled after the World War II film The Dam Busters (1955), in which Royal Air Force Lancaster bombers fly along heavily defended reservoirs and aim bouncing bombs at dams to cripple the heavy industry of Germany's Ruhr region.[143] Some of the dialogue in The Dam Busters is repeated in the Star Wars climax; Gilbert Taylor also filmed the special effects sequences in The Dam Busters. In addition, the sequence was partially inspired by the climax of the film 633 Squadron (1964), directed by Walter Grauman,[144] in which RAF de Havilland Mosquitos attack a German heavy water plant by flying down a narrow fjord to drop special bombs at a precise point, while avoiding anti-aircraft guns and German fighters. Clips from both films were included in Lucas's temporary dogfight footage version of the sequence.[145] There are also similarities in the Death Star trench sequence to the bridge attack scene in The Bridges at Toko-Ri.[146] The opening shot of Star Wars, in which a detailed spaceship fills the screen overhead, is a reference to the scene introducing the interplanetary spacecraft Discovery One in Stanley Kubrick's seminal 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey. The earlier big-budget science fiction film influenced the look of Star Wars in many other ways, including the use of EVA pods and hexagonal corridors. The Death Star has a docking bay reminiscent of the one on the orbiting space station in 2001.[147] Although golden and male, C-3PO was inspired by the silver female robot Maria, the Maschinenmensch from Fritz Lang's 1927 film Metropolis.[148] Marketing Rendition of Dan Perri's original Star Wars logotype While the film was in production, a logo was commissioned from Dan Perri, a title sequence designer who had worked on the titles for films such as The Exorcist (1973) and Taxi Driver (1976). Perri devised a foreshortened STAR WARS logotype consisting of block-capital letters filled with stars and skewed towards a vanishing point. This logo design was originally conceived to follow the same perspective as the film's opening crawl. In the end, Perri's logo was not used for the film's opening title sequence, although it was used widely on pre-release print advertising and on cinema marquees.[149][150] The logotype eventually selected for on-screen use originated in a promotional brochure that was distributed by Fox to cinema owners in 1976. This brochure was designed by Suzy Rice, a young art director at the Los Angeles advertising agency Seiniger Advertising. On a visit to ILM in Van Nuys, Rice was instructed by Lucas to produce a logo that would intimidate the viewer, and he reportedly asked for the logo to appear "very fascist" in style. Rice's response to her brief was to use an outlined, modified Helvetica Black. After some feedback from Lucas, Rice decided to join the S and T of STAR and the R and S of WARS. Lucas signed off on the brochure in between takes while filming inserts for the Mos Eisley Cantina scene. Gary Kurtz was impressed with Rice's logo and selected it over Perri's design for the film's opening titles, after modifying the letter W to flatten the pointed tips originally designed by Rice. This finalized the design of one of the most recognizable logos in cinema design, although Rice's contribution was not credited in the film.[149] For the US release in 1977, 20th Century-Fox commissioned a promotional film poster from the advertising agency Smolen, Smith and Connolly. They used the freelance artist Tom Jung who was given the brief of "good over evil." His poster, known as Style ‘A’, depicted Luke Skywalker standing in a heroic pose, brandishing a shining lightsaber above his head, with Princess Leia below him, and a large, ghostly image of Darth Vader's helmet looming behind them. Some Fox executives considered this poster "too dark" and commissioned the Brothers Hildebrandt, a pair of well-known fantasy artists, to rework the poster for the UK release. When the film opened in British theaters, the Hildebrandts' Style ‘B’ poster was used in cinema billboards. Fox and Lucasfilm subsequently decided that they wanted to promote the new film with a less stylized and more realistic depiction of the lead characters. Producer Gary Kurtz turned to the film poster artist Tom Chantrell, who was already well known for his prolific work for Hammer horror films, and commissioned a new version. Two months after Star Wars opened, the Hildebrandts' poster was replaced by Chantrell's Style ‘C’ poster in UK cinemas.[151][152][153][154] Charles Lippincott was the marketing director for Star Wars. As 20th Century-Fox gave little support for marketing beyond licensing T-shirts and posters, Lippincott was forced to look elsewhere. He secured deals with Marvel Comics for a comic book adaptation, and with Del Rey Books for a novelization. A fan of science fiction, he used his contacts to promote the film at the San Diego Comic-Con and elsewhere within science-fiction fandom.[5][62] Release First public screening On May 1, 1977, the first public screening was held at Northpoint Theatre[155][156][failed verification][better source needed] in San Francisco, where American Graffiti was test-screened, four years earlier.[157][158] Premiere and initial release A crowd outside Leicester Square Theatre the day after the film's premiere Worried that Star Wars would be beaten out by other summer films, such as Smokey and the Bandit, 20th Century-Fox moved the release date to May 25, the Wednesday before Memorial Day. However, only 37 theaters ordered the film to be shown in North America. In response, the studio demanded that theaters order Star Wars if they wanted the eagerly anticipated The Other Side of Midnight based on Sidney Sheldon's 1973 novel by the same name.[5] Star Wars debuted on Wednesday, May 25, 1977, in fewer than 32 theaters, and eight more on Thursday and Friday. Kurtz said in 2002, "That would be laughable today." It immediately broke box office records, effectively becoming one of the first blockbuster films, and Fox accelerated plans to broaden its release.[62][159] Lucas himself was not able to predict how successful Star Wars would be. After visiting the set of the Steven Spielberg film Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Lucas was sure Close Encounters would outperform the yet-to-be-released Star Wars at the box office. Spielberg disagreed, and believed Star Wars would be the bigger hit. Lucas proposed they trade 2.5% of the profit on each other's films; Spielberg took the trade, and still receives 2.5% of the profits from Star Wars.[160] Amidst Fox pessimism, Lucas elected to forgo his option to an extra $500,000 fee for directing Star Wars, in exchange for obtaining the merchandising and sequel rights for the movie from Fox.[161] The Other Side of Midnight was supposed to be the studio's big summer hit, while Lucas's movie was considered the "B track" for theater owners nationwide. While Fox requested Mann's Chinese Theatre, the studio promised that the film needed only two weeks.[162] Fearing that the film would fail, Lucas had made plans to be in Hawaii with his wife Marcia. Having forgotten that the film would open that day,[163] he spent most of Wednesday in a sound studio in Los Angeles. When Lucas went out for lunch with Marcia, they encountered a long line of people along the sidewalks leading to Mann's Chinese Theatre, waiting to see Star Wars.[106] He was still skeptical of the film's success, even with enthusiastic reports from Ladd and the studio. While in Hawaii, it was not until he watched Walter Cronkite discuss the gigantic crowds for Star Wars on the CBS Evening News that Lucas realized he had become very wealthy. Francis Ford Coppola, who needed money to finish Apocalypse Now, sent a telegram to Lucas's hotel asking for funding.[163] Even technical crew members, such as model makers, were asked for autographs, and cast members became instant household names;[5] when Ford visited a record store to buy an album, enthusiastic fans tore half his shirt off.[163]     On opening day I ... did a radio call-in show ... this caller, was really enthusiastic and talking about the movie in really deep detail. I said, 'You know a lot about the film.' He said, 'Yeah, yeah, I've seen it four times already.' —Producer Gary Kurtz, on when he realized Star Wars had become a cultural phenomenon[164] The film was a huge success for 20th Century-Fox, and was credited for reinvigorating the company. Within three weeks of the film's release, the studio's stock price had doubled to a record high. Prior to 1977, 20th Century-Fox's greatest annual profits were $37 million, while in 1977, the company broke that record by posting a profit of $79 million.[5] Although the film's cultural neutrality helped it to gain international success, Ladd became anxious during the premiere in Japan. After the screening, the audience was silent, leading him to fear that the film would be unsuccessful. Ladd was reassured by his local contacts that this was a positive reaction considering that in Japan, silence was the greatest honor to a film, and the subsequent strong box office returns confirmed its popularity.[5] After two weeks William Friedkin's Sorcerer replaced Star Wars at Mann's Chinese Theatre because of contractual obligations; Mann Theatres moved the film to a less-prestigious location after quickly renovating it.[162] When Star Wars made an unprecedented second opening at Mann's Chinese Theatre on August 3, 1977, after Sorcerer failed, thousands of people attended a ceremony in which C-3PO, R2-D2 and Darth Vader placed their footprints in the theater's forecourt.[159][5] At that time Star Wars was playing in 1,096 theaters in the United States.[165] Approximately 60 theaters played the film continuously for over a year;[166] in 1978, Lucasfilm distributed "Birthday Cake" posters to those theaters for special events on May 25, the one-year anniversary of the film's release.[167] Star Wars premiered in the UK on December 27, 1977. News reports of the film's popularity in America caused long lines to form at the two London theaters that first offered the film; it became available in 12 large cities in January 1978, and other London theaters in February.[168] Box office Star Wars remains one of the most financially successful films of all time. The film opened on a Wednesday in 32 theaters expanding to 43 screens on the Friday and earning $2,556,418 in its first six days to the end of the Memorial Day weekend[169] ($12.3 million in 2022 dollars). Per Variety's weekly box office charts, the film was number one at the US box office for its first three weeks. It was replaced by The Deep but gradually added screens and returned to number one in its seventh week, building up to $7 million weekends as it entered wide release ($33.8 million in 2022 dollars)[3] and remained number one for the next 15 weeks. It replaced Jaws as the highest-earning film in North America just six months into release,[170] eventually earning over $220 million during its initial theatrical run ($1.06 billion in 2022 dollars).[171] Star Wars entered international release towards the end of the year, and in 1978 added the worldwide record to its domestic one,[172] earning $410 million in total.[173] Its biggest international market was Japan, where it grossed $58.4 million.[174] On July 21, 1978, while still in current release in 38 theaters in the U.S., the film expanded into a 1,744 theater national saturation windup of release and set a new U.S. weekend record of $10,202,726.[175][176][177] The gross prior to the expansion was $221,280,994. The expansion added a further $43,774,911 to take its gross to $265,055,905. Reissues in 1979 ($22,455,262), 1981 ($17,247,363), and 1982 ($17,981,612) brought its cumulative gross in the U.S and Canada to $323 million,[178][179] and extended its global earnings to $530 million.[180] In doing so, it became the first film to gross $500 million worldwide,[181] and remained the highest-grossing film of all time until E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial broke that record in 1983.[182] The release of the Special Edition in 1997 was the highest-grossing reissue of all-time with a gross of $138.3 million, bringing its total gross in the United States and Canada to $460,998,007, reclaiming the all-time number one spot.[183][3][184][185] Internationally, the reissue grossed $117.2 million, with $26 million from the United Kingdom and $15 million from Japan.[174] In total, the film has grossed over $775 million worldwide.[3] Adjusted for inflation, it had earned over $2.5 billion worldwide at 2011 prices,[186] which saw it ranked as the third-highest-grossing film at the time, according to Guinness World Records.[187] At the North American box office, it ranks second behind Gone with the Wind on the inflation-adjusted list.[188] Reception Critical response     What makes the Star Wars experience unique, though, is that it happens on such an innocent and often funny level. It's usually violence that draws me so deeply into a movie—violence ranging from the psychological torment of a Bergman character to the mindless crunch of a shark's jaws. Maybe movies that scare us find the most direct route to our imaginations. But there's hardly any violence at all in Star Wars (and even then it's presented as essentially bloodless swashbuckling). Instead, there's entertainment so direct and simple that all of the complications of the modern movie seem to vaporize. —Roger Ebert, in his review for the Chicago Sun-Times[189] Star Wars received critical acclaim. In his 1977 review, Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times called the film "an out-of-body experience", compared its special effects to those of 2001: A Space Odyssey, and opined that the true strength of the film was its "pure narrative".[189] Vincent Canby of The New York Times called the film "the movie that's going to entertain a lot of contemporary folk who have a soft spot for the virtually ritualized manners of comic-book adventure" and "the most elaborate, most expensive, most beautiful movie serial ever made".[190] A.D. Murphy of Variety described the film as "magnificent" and said George Lucas had succeeded in his attempt to create the "biggest possible adventure fantasy" based on the serials and older action epics from his childhood.[191] Writing for The Washington Post, Gary Arnold gave the film a positive review, writing that the film "is a new classic in a rousing movie tradition: a space swashbuckler."[192] However, the film was not without its detractors: Pauline Kael of The New Yorker criticized Star Wars, stating that "there's no breather in the picture, no lyricism", and that it had no "emotional grip".[193] John Simon of New York magazine also panned the film and wrote, "Strip Star Wars of its often striking images and its highfalutin scientific jargon, and you get a story, characters, and dialogue of overwhelming banality."[194] Stanley Kauffmann, reviewing the film in The New Republic, opined that it "was made for those (particularly males) who carry a portable shrine within them of their adolescence, a chalice of a Self that was Better Then, before the world's affairs or—in any complex way—sex intruded."[195] When Star Wars opened in the UK, Derek Malcolm of The Guardian concluded that it "plays enough games to satisfy the most sophisticated", though he stated that Lucas's earlier films were better.[196] Barry Norman of Film... called the movie "family entertainment at its most sublime", which "combines all the best-loved themes of romantic adventure", with a script evoking "everyone's glorious memories of Saturday matinees".[197] The Daily Telegraph's science correspondent Adrian Berry said that Star Wars "is the best such film since 2001 and in certain respects it is one of the most exciting ever made". He described the plot as "unpretentious and pleasantly devoid of any 'message'."[198] A few critics found fault in the film's lack of representation of African Americans.[c][d] Lucas was taken aback by some of the criticisms, while Lippincott stated, "We have barely dug into this galaxy and what it's like."[202] Gene Siskel, writing for the Chicago Tribune in 1977, said, "What places it a sizable cut above the routine is its spectacular visual effects, the best since Stanley Kubrick's 2001."[203][204] Andrew Collins of Empire magazine awarded the film five out of five and said, "Star Wars' timeless appeal lies in its easily identified, universal archetypes—goodies to root for, baddies to boo, a princess to be rescued and so on—and if it is most obviously dated to the 70s by the special effects, so be it."[205] In his 1977 review, Robert Hatch of The Nation called the film "an outrageously successful, what will be called a 'classic,' compilation of nonsense, largely derived but thoroughly reconditioned. I doubt that anyone will ever match it, though the imitations must already be on the drawing boards."[206] In a more critical review, Jonathan Rosenbaum of the Chicago Reader stated, "None of these characters has any depth, and they're all treated like the fanciful props and settings."[207] Peter Keough of the Boston Phoenix said, "Star Wars is a junkyard of cinematic gimcracks not unlike the Jawas' heap of purloined, discarded, barely functioning droids."[208] The film continues to receive critical acclaim from modern critics. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 93% of 137 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.8/10. The website's consensus reads: "A legendarily expansive and ambitious start to the sci-fi saga, George Lucas opened our eyes to the possibilities of blockbuster filmmaking and things have never been the same."[209] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 90 out of 100, based on 24 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[210] In his 1997 review of the film's 20th anniversary release, Michael Wilmington of the Chicago Tribune gave the film four out of four stars, saying, "A grandiose and violent epic with a simple and whimsical heart."[211] A San Francisco Chronicle staff member described the film as "a thrilling experience".[212] In 2001 Matt Ford of the BBC awarded the film five out of five stars and wrote, "Star Wars isn't the best film ever made, but it is universally loved."[213] CinemaScore reported that audiences for Star Wars's 1999 re-release gave the film a "A+" grade.[214] Accolades The film garnered numerous accolades after its release. Star Wars won six competitive Academy Awards at the 50th Academy Awards: Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing, Best Original Score, Best Sound and Best Visual Effects. A Special Achievement for Sound Effects Editing went to sound designer Ben Burtt[215] and a Scientific and Engineering Award went to John Dykstra for the development of the Dykstraflex Camera (shared with Alvah J. Miller and Jerry Jeffress, who were both granted for the engineering of the Electronic Motion Control System).[216] Additional nominations included Alec Guinness for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, which went to Jason Robards for Julia and George Lucas for Best Original Screenplay, Best Director, and Best Picture, which were instead awarded to Woody Allen's Annie Hall.[215] At the 35th Golden Globe Awards, the film was nominated for Best Motion Picture – Drama, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor (Alec Guinness), and it won the award for Best Score.[217] It received six British Academy Film Awards nominations: Best Film, Best Editing, Best Costume Design, Best Production/Art Design, Best Sound, and Best Score; the film won in the latter two categories.[218] John Williams's soundtrack album won the Grammy Award for Best Album of Original Score for a Motion Picture or Television Program,[219] and the film attained the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation.[220] The film also received twelve nominations at the Saturn Awards, winning nine: Best Science Fiction Film, Best Direction and Best Writing for George Lucas, Best Supporting Actor for Alec Guinness, Best Music for John Williams, Best Costume for John Mollo, Best Make-up for Rick Baker and Stuart Freeborn, Best Special Effects for John Stears, John Dykstra, and Outstanding Editing for Paul Hirsch, Marcia Lucas and Richard Chew.[221] Composer John Williams received the Academy Award, BAFTA Award, Golden Globe Award and Saturn Award for the soundtrack of Star Wars. Filmmaker George Lucas received the directing (Academy Award, Directors Guild of America Award, Golden Globe Award, and Saturn Award) and writing (Academy Award, Saturn Award, and Writers Guild of America Award) nominations for Star Wars. Organization     Category     Nominee     Result Academy Awards     Best Picture     Gary Kurtz     Nominated Best Director     George Lucas     Nominated Best Supporting Actor     Alec Guinness     Nominated Best Original Screenplay     George Lucas     Nominated Best Art Direction     John Barry, Norman Reynolds, Leslie Dilley and Roger Christian     Won Best Costume Design     John Mollo     Won Best Film Editing     Paul Hirsch, Marcia Lucas and Richard Chew     Won Best Original Score     John Williams     Won Best Sound     Don MacDougall, Ray West, Bob Minkler and Derek Ball     Won Best Visual Effects     John Stears, John Dykstra, Richard Edlund, Grant McCune and Robert Blalack     Won Special Achievement Academy Award     Ben Burtt     Won American Music Awards     Favorite Pop/Rock Album     John Williams     Nominated British Academy Film Awards     Best Film     Gary Kurtz     Nominated Best Costume Design     John Mollo     Nominated Best Editing     Paul Hirsch, Marcia Lucas and Richard Chew     Nominated Best Original Music     John Williams     Won Best Production Design     John Barry     Nominated Best Sound     Sam Shaw, Robert Rutledge, Gordon Davidson, Gene Corso, Derek Ball, Don MacDougall, Bob Minkler, Ray West, Michael Minkler, Les Fresholtz, Richard Portman and Ben Burtt     Won Directors Guild of America Awards     Outstanding Directing – Feature Film     George Lucas     Nominated Golden Globe Awards     Best Motion Picture – Drama     Gary Kurtz     Nominated Best Director     George Lucas     Nominated Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture     Alec Guinness     Nominated Best Original Score     John Williams     Won Saturn Awards     Best Science Fiction Film     Gary Kurtz     Won Best Director     George Lucas     Won Best Actor     Harrison Ford     Nominated Mark Hamill     Nominated Best Actress     Carrie Fisher     Nominated Best Supporting Actor     Alec Guinness     Won Peter Cushing     Nominated Best Writing     George Lucas     Won Best Costume Design     John Mollo     Won Best Make-up     Rick Baker and Stuart Freeborn     Won Best Music     John Williams     Won Best Special Effects     John Dykstra and John Stears     Won Best Art Direction     Norman Reynolds and Leslie Dilley     Won Best Cinematography     Gilbert Taylor     Won Best Editing     Paul Hirsch, Marcia Lucas and Richard Chew     Won Best Set Decoration     Roger Christian     Won Best Sound     Ben Burtt and Don MacDougall     Won Writers Guild of America Awards     Best Original Screenplay     George Lucas     Nominated Post-release Theatrical re-releases See also: Changes in Star Wars re-releases The introductory graphics for the film feature Suzy Rice's Star Wars logotype; the film's cinematic re-release in 1981 added Episode IV and A New Hope to the head of the opening crawl. Star Wars was re-released theatrically in 1978, 1979, 1981, and 1982,[222] with the subtitles Episode IV and A New Hope being added in 1981. Kurtz said that Lucas and his creative team had been planning on renaming 'Star Wars' since Empire's production.[223] The film was digitally remastered with some altered scenes in 1997 for a theatrical re-release, dubbed the "Special Edition". Since its original release, the film has also been dubbed and subtitled into numerous languages. In 2010, Lucas announced that all six previously released Star Wars films would be scanned and transferred to 3D for a theatrical release, but only 3D versions of the prequel trilogy were completed before the franchise was sold to Disney in 2012.[224] In 2013, Star Wars was dubbed into Navajo, making it the first major motion picture translated into a Native American language.[225][226] The subtitles Episode IV and A New Hope were first published on a title page for the film's script in the 1979 book The Art of Star Wars,[e] in what Kaminski claims as "outright forgery", remarking that "the script itself wasn't even the authentic revised fourth draft, but more like a transcription of the finished film, edited and combined with the real fourth draft."[228] The title was changed when the film entered re-releases.[30][229] Official sources state that the change was made at the theatrical re-release of April 10, 1981.[230][231][f] The retronymic inclusion of subtitles brought the film into line with the introduction to its sequel, The Empire Strikes Back, which was reconceived during rewrites as "Episode V" and eventually released as such in 1980.[232][233] Lucas claims this was intended from the beginning, and was only dropped to avoid confusing audiences: "Star Wars was the fourth story in the saga and was to have been called 'Star Wars, Episode Four: A New Hope'."[234] In 2014, Kurtz recalled they had toyed with the idea "of calling it Episode III, IV, or V."[235][g] Hamill recalls having asked Lucas "Why are we doing episode four?" and being answered that Lucas wanted "to give the audience a feeling that they'd missed something and that they were coming into the middle of this story"[239] or that it was "the most commercial section" of the overriding story.[83] Kaminski, however, points out that all early drafts carry an "Episode One" subtitle, and that even early drafts of the sequel are called "Episode II".[83] Special Edition The 20th-anniversary theatrical release poster of the 1997 Special Edition featured art by Drew Struzan. After ILM began to create CGI for Steven Spielberg's 1993 film Jurassic Park, Lucas decided that digital technology had caught up to his "original vision" for Star Wars.[5] For the film's 20th anniversary in 1997, Star Wars was digitally remastered with some altered scenes and re-released to theaters, along with The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, under the campaign title Star Wars Trilogy: Special Edition. This version of the film runs 124 minutes. The Special Edition contains visual shots and scenes that were unachievable in the original due to financial, technological, and time constraints; one such scene involves a meeting between Han Solo and Jabba the Hutt.[5] The process of creating the new visual effects for Star Wars was featured in the documentary film Special Effects: Anything Can Happen, directed by Star Wars sound designer Ben Burtt.[240] Although most changes are minor or cosmetic in nature, many fans and critics believe that Lucas degraded the film with the additions.[241][242][243] A particularly controversial change in which a bounty hunter named Greedo shoots first when confronting Han Solo has inspired T-shirts bearing the phrase "Han Shot First".[244][245][246] Star Wars required extensive recovery of misplaced footage and restoration of the whole film before Lucas's Special Edition modifications could be attempted. It was discovered that in addition to the negative motion picture stocks commonly used on feature films, Lucas had also used Color Reversal Internegative (CRI) film, a reversal stock subsequently discontinued by Kodak. CRI proved to deteriorate faster than negative stocks did, although it theoretically was of higher quality, as it saved two generations (an interpositive followed by an internegative), where employed. Because of this, the entire composited negative had to be disassembled, and the CRI portions cleaned separately from the negative portions. Once the cleaning was complete, the film was scanned into the computer for restoration. In many cases, entire scenes had to be reconstructed from their individual elements. Digital compositing technology allowed the restorers to correct for problems such as misalignment of mattes and "blue-spill".[247] In 1989, the 1977 theatrical version of Star Wars was selected for preservation by the National Film Registry of the United States Library of Congress.[248] 35 mm reels of the 1997 Special Edition were initially presented for preservation because of the difficulty of transferring from the original prints,[249] but it was later revealed that the Library possessed a copyright deposit print of the original theatrical release. By 2015, this copy had been transferred to a 2K scan, now available to be viewed by appointment.[250] Home media In the United States, France, West Germany, Italy and Japan, parts of or the whole film were released on Super 8.[251] The whole film was released for all these countries (including subtitled silent editions and an American Spanish-language edition), except for Italy, where the film (titled "Guerre stellari") was released by IE International as eight brief scenes: Battaglia spaziale ("Space battle", the Battle of Yavin), Duello col laser ("Duel with the laser",[h] Obi-Wan and Darth Vader's duel), La cattura dell'astronave ("The capture of the spaceship"), La liberazione di Leia ("Leia's liberation", the adventure on the Death Star), Messaggio dallo spazio ("Message from space", Leia giving R2-D2 the plans), SOS nella galassia ("SOS in the galaxy"), and Trappola mortale ("Deadly trap", the Falcon being captured by the Death Star). A full Super 8 version of the film was only made available in Italy as a pirate six-reel set.[252] Clips were also released for the Movie Viewer toy projector by Kenner Products[253] in cassettes featuring very short scenes, including Assault on Death Star, Battle in Hyperspace, Danger at the Cantina, and Destroy Death Star.[254] Star Wars debuted on Betamax,[255] CED,[256] LaserDisc,[257] Video 2000, and VHS[258][259] between the 1980s and 1990s by CBS/Fox Video. The final issue of the original theatrical release (pre-Special Edition) to VHS format occurred in 1995, as part of "Last Chance to Own the Original" campaign, available as part of a trilogy set and as a standalone purchase.[260] The film was released for the first time on DVD on September 21, 2004, in a box set with The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, and a bonus disc of supplementary material. The films were digitally restored and remastered, and more changes were made by Lucas. The DVD features a commentary track from Lucas, Ben Burtt, Dennis Muren, and Carrie Fisher. The bonus disc contains the documentary Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy, three featurettes, teasers, theatrical trailers, TV spots, still galleries, an exclusive preview of Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, a playable Xbox demo of the LucasArts game Star Wars: Battlefront, and a making-of documentary on the Episode III video game.[261] The set was reissued in December 2005 as part of a three-disc limited edition boxed set without the bonus disc.[262] The trilogy was re-released on separate two-disc limited edition DVD sets from September 12 to December 31, 2006, and again in a limited edition tin box set on November 4, 2008;[263] the original versions of the films were added as bonus material. The release was met with criticism as the unaltered versions were from the 1993 non-anamorphic LaserDisc masters and were not re-transferred using modern video standards. The transfer led to problems with colors and digital image jarring.[264] All six Star Wars films were released by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment on Blu-ray Disc on September 16, 2011, in three different editions, with A New Hope available in both a box set of the original trilogy[265][266] and with all six films on Star Wars: The Complete Saga, which includes nine discs and over 40 hours of special features.[267] The original theatrical versions of the films were not included in the box set. New changes were made to the films, provoking mixed responses.[268] On April 7, 2015, Walt Disney Studios, 20th Century Fox, and Lucasfilm jointly announced the digital releases of the six released Star Wars films. Fox released A New Hope for digital download on April 10, 2015.[i][269][270] In December 2016, Rogue One (2016) director Gareth Edwards revealed that Lucasfilm had recently completed a 4K restoration of Star Wars, but did not elaborate on whether the restored version was based on the 1977 original or a subsequent re-release.[271] Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment reissued the film on Blu-ray, DVD, and digital download on September 22, 2019.[272] Additionally, all six films were available for 4K HDR and Dolby Atmos streaming on Disney+ upon the service's launch on November 12, 2019.[273] This version of the film was released by Disney on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray box set on March 31, 2020.[274] Merchandising Main articles: Kenner Star Wars action figures, Star Wars: From the Adventures of Luke Skywalker, and Star Wars comics Little Star Wars merchandise was available for several months after the film's debut, as only Kenner Products had accepted marketing director Charles Lippincott's licensing offers. Kenner responded to the sudden demand for toys by selling boxed vouchers in its "empty box" Christmas campaign. Television commercials told children and parents that vouchers within a "Star Wars Early Bird Certificate Package" could be redeemed for four action figures between February and June 1978.[5] Jay West of the Los Angeles Times said that the boxes in the campaign "became the most coveted empty box[es] in the history of retail."[275] In 2012, the Star Wars action figures were inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame.[276] The novelization of the film was published as Star Wars: From the Adventures of Luke Skywalker in December 1976, six months before the film was released. The credited author was George Lucas, but the book was revealed to have been ghostwritten by Alan Dean Foster. Marketing director Charles Lippincott secured the deal with Del Rey Books to publish the novelization in November 1976. By February 1977, a half million copies had been sold.[5] Foster also wrote the sequel novel Splinter of the Mind's Eye (1978) to be adapted as a low-budget film if Star Wars was not a financial success.[277] Marvel Comics also adapted the film as the first six issues of its licensed Star Wars comic book, with the first issue sold in April 1977. Roy Thomas was the writer and Howard Chaykin was the artist of the adaptation. Like the novelization, it contained certain elements, such as the scene with Luke and Biggs, that appeared in the screenplay but not in the finished film.[131] The series was so successful that, according to Jim Shooter, it "single-handedly saved Marvel".[278] From January to April 1997, Dark Horse Comics, which held the comic rights to Star Wars since 1991, published a comic book adaptation of the "Special Edition" of the film, written by Bruce Jones with art by Eduardo Barreto and Al Williamson; 36 years later, the same company published The Star Wars, an adaptation of the plot from Lucas' original rough draft screenplay, from September 2013 to May 2014.[279] Lucasfilm adapted the story for a children's book-and-record set. Released in 1979, the 24-page Star Wars read-along book was accompanied by a 33⅓ rpm 7-inch phonograph record. Each page of the book contained a cropped frame from the movie with an abridged and condensed version of the story. The record was produced by Buena Vista Records, and its content was copyrighted by Black Falcon, Ltd., a subsidiary of Lucasfilm "formed to handle the merchandising for Star Wars."[280] The Story of Star Wars was a 1977 record album presenting an abridged version of the events depicted in Star Wars, using dialogue and sound effects from the original film. The recording was produced by George Lucas and Alan Livingston, and was narrated by Roscoe Lee Browne. The script was adapted by E. Jack Kaplan and Cheryl Gard.[citation needed] An audio CD boxed set of the Star Wars radio series was released in 1993, containing the original 1981 radio drama along with the radio adaptations of the sequels, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.[281] Legacy and influence Star Wars launched the careers of many of the film's actors, including Hamill, Ford, Fisher, Mayhew, Daniels, Baker, and Jones.[5] Ford, who subsequently starred in the Indiana Jones series (1981–2023), Blade Runner (1982), and Witness (1985) after working on the film, told the Daily Mirror that Star Wars "boosted my career", and said, "I think the great luck of my career is that I've made these family movies which are introduced to succeeding generations of kids by their families at the time it seems appropriate."[282] The film also spawned the Star Wars Holiday Special, which debuted on CBS on November 17, 1978, and is often considered a failure; Lucas himself disowned it.[283] The special has never been aired after its original broadcast, and it has never been officially released on home video. However, many bootleg copies exist, and the special has consequently become something of an underground legend.[284] In popular culture See also: Cultural impact of Star Wars Star Wars and its ensuing film installments have been explicitly referenced and satirized across a wide range of media. Hardware Wars, released in 1978, was one of the first fan films to parody Star Wars.[285] It received positive critical reaction, went to earn over $1 million, and is one of Lucas's favorite Star Wars spoofs.[286][287][288] Writing for The New York Times, Frank DeCaro said, "Star Wars littered pop culture of the late 1970s with a galaxy of space junk."[289] He cited Quark (a short-lived 1977 sitcom that parodies the science fiction genre)[289] and Donny & Marie (a 1970s variety show that produced a 10-minute musical adaptation of Star Wars guest starring Daniels and Mayhew)[290] as "television's two most infamous examples."[289] Mel Brooks's Spaceballs, a satirical comic science fiction parody, was released in 1987 to mixed reviews.[291] Lucas permitted Brooks to make a spoof of the film under "one incredibly big restriction: no action figures."[292] In the 1990s and 2000s, animated comedy TV series Family Guy,[293] Robot Chicken,[294] and The Simpsons[295] have produced episodes satirizing the film series. A Nerdist article published in 2021 argues that "Star Wars is the most influential film of all time" partly on the basis that "if all copies ... suddenly vanished, we could more or less recreate the film ... using other media," including parodies.[296] Star Wars, together with Lucas, is the subject of the 2010 documentary film The People vs. George Lucas that details the issues of filmmaking and fanaticism pertaining to the film franchise and its creator.[297] Many elements of the film are prominent in popular culture. The weapon of choice of the Jedi, the lightsaber, was voted as the most popular weapon in film history in a survey of approximately 2,000 film fans.[298] Characters such as Darth Vader, Han Solo, and Yoda are enduringly popular, and all three were named in the top twenty of the British Film Institute's "Best Sci-Fi Characters of All-Time" list.[299] The expressions "Evil empire" and "May the Force be with you" have become part of the popular lexicon.[300] A pun on the latter phrase has led to May 4 being regarded by many fans of the franchise as an unofficial Star Wars Day.[301] To commemorate the film's 30th anniversary in May 2007, the United States Postal Service issued a set of 15 stamps depicting the characters of the franchise. Approximately 400 mailboxes across the country were also designed to look like R2-D2.[302] Cinematic influence Ebert wrote in his book The Great Movies, "Like The Birth of a Nation and Citizen Kane, Star Wars was a technical watershed that influenced many of the movies that came after." It began a new generation of special effects and high-energy motion pictures. The film was one of the first films to link genres together to invent a new, high-concept genre for filmmakers to build upon.[94] Along with Steven Spielberg's Jaws, it shifted the film industry's focus away from personal filmmaking of the 1970s and towards fast-paced, big-budget blockbusters for younger audiences.[5][303][304] Filmmakers who have said to have been influenced by Star Wars include James Cameron, J. J. Abrams, Damon Lindelof, Dean Devlin, Gareth Edwards,[305] Roland Emmerich, John Lasseter,[306] David Fincher, Peter Jackson, Joss Whedon, Christopher Nolan, Ridley Scott, John Singleton, and Kevin Smith.[94] Scott, Cameron, and Jackson were influenced by Lucas's concept of the "used future" (where vehicles and culture are obviously dated) and extended the concept for their films, such as Scott's science fiction films Alien (1979) and Blade Runner (1982), Cameron's acclaimed sequel Aliens (1986) and his earlier breakthrough film The Terminator (1984). Jackson used the concept for his production of The Lord of the Rings trilogy to add a sense of realism and believability.[94] Christopher Nolan cited Star Wars as an influence when making the 2010 blockbuster film, Inception.[307] Some critics have blamed Star Wars, as well as Jaws, for ruining Hollywood by shifting its focus from "sophisticated" films such as The Godfather, Taxi Driver, and Annie Hall to films about spectacle and juvenile fantasy.[308] On a late 1977 episode of Sneak Previews, Siskel expressed concern that, "It's so successful and so mindless fun that I hope Hollywood doesn't forget that there are people who like to see serious pictures too."[309] Another critic, Peter Biskind, later complained, "When all was said and done, Lucas and Spielberg returned the 1970s audience, grown sophisticated on a diet of European and New Hollywood films, to the simplicities of the pre-1960s Golden Age of movies... They marched backward through the looking-glass."[308][163] In an opposing view, Tom Shone wrote that through Star Wars and Jaws, Lucas and Spielberg "didn't betray cinema at all: they plugged it back into the grid, returning the medium to its roots as a carnival sideshow, a magic act, one big special effect", which was "a kind of rebirth."[304] Recognition In its May 30, 1977, issue, Time magazine named Star Wars the "Movie of the Year". The publication said it was a "big early supporter" of the vision which would become Star Wars. In an article intended for the cover of the issue, Time's Gerald Clarke wrote that Star Wars is "a grand and glorious film that may well be the smash hit of 1977, and certainly is the best movie of the year so far. The result is a remarkable confection: a subliminal history of the movies, wrapped in a riveting tale of suspense and adventure, ornamented with some of the most ingenious special effects ever contrived for film." Each of the subsequent films of the Star Wars saga has appeared on the magazine's cover.[310] AFI 100 Years... series         AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies (1998) – #15[311]         AFI's 100 Years...100 Thrills (2001) – #27[312]         AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes & Villains (2003):             Han Solo – #14 Hero[313]             Obi-Wan Kenobi – #37 Hero[313]         AFI's 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes (2004):             "May the Force be with you." – #8[314]         AFI's 100 Years of Film Scores (2005) – #1[136]         AFI's 100 Years...100 Cheers (2006) – #39[315]         AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies (10th Anniversary Edition) (2007) – #13[316]         AFI's 10 Top 10 (2008) – #2 Sci-Fi Film[317] American Film Institute[318] Star Wars was voted the second most popular film by Americans in a 2008 nationwide poll conducted by the market research firm, Harris Interactive.[319] Star Wars has also been featured in several high-profile audience polls: in 1997, it ranked as the 10th Greatest American Film on the Los Angeles Daily News Readers' Poll;[320] in 2002, the film and its sequel The Empire Strikes Back were voted as the greatest films ever made in Channel 4's 100 Greatest Films poll;[321] in 2011, it ranked as Best Sci-Fi Film on Best in Film: The Greatest Movies of Our Time, a primetime special aired by ABC that counted down the best films as chosen by fans, based on results of a poll conducted by ABC and People magazine; in 2014 the film placed 11th in a poll undertaken by The Hollywood Reporter, which balloted every studio, agency, publicity firm, and production house in the Hollywood region.[322] Reputable publications also have included Star Wars in their best films lists: in 2008, Empire magazine ranked Star Wars at No. 22 on its list of the "500 Greatest Movies of All Time";[323] in 2010, the film ranked among the "All-Time 100" list of the greatest films as chosen by Time magazine film critic Richard Schickel;[324] the film was also placed on a similar list created by The New York Times, "The New York Times Guide to the Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made";[325] in 2012, the film was included in Sight & Sound's prestigious decennial critics poll "Critics' Top 250 Films", ranking at 171st on the list, and in their directors poll at 224th.[326] Lucas's original screenplay was selected by the Writers Guild of America as the 68th greatest of all time.[327] In 1989, the United States Library of Congress named Star Wars among its first selections to the National Film Registry as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant"; at the time, it was the most recent film to be selected and it was the only film from the 1970s to be chosen.[248] Although Lucas declined to provide the Library with a workable copy of the original film upon request (instead offering the Special Edition), a viewable scan was made of the original copyright deposit print.[249][250] In 1991, Star Wars was one of the first 25 films inducted into the Producers Guild of America's Hall of Fame for setting "an enduring standard for American entertainment."[328] The soundtrack was added to the United States National Recording Registry 15 years later (in 2004).[329] The lack of a commercially available version of the 1977 original theatrical edit of the film since early '80s VHS releases has spawned numerous restorations by disgruntled fans over the years, such as Harmy's Despecialized Edition.[330] In addition to the film's multiple awards and nominations, Star Wars has also been recognized by the American Film Institute on several of its lists. The film ranks first on 100 Years of Film Scores,[136] second on Top 10 Sci-Fi Films,[317] 15th on 100 Years...100 Movies[311] (ranked 13th on the updated 10th anniversary edition),[316] 27th on 100 Years...100 Thrills,[312] and 39th on 100 Years...100 Cheers.[315] In addition, the quote "May the Force be with you" is ranked eighth on 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes,[314] and Han Solo and Obi-Wan Kenobi are ranked as the 14th and 37th greatest heroes respectively on 100 Years...100 Heroes & Villains.[313] Adaptations, sequels, and prequels Main articles: Star Wars franchise, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, Star Wars prequel trilogy, and Star Wars sequel trilogy A radio drama adaptation of the film was broadcast on the American National Public Radio network in 1981. The adaptation was written by Brian Daley and directed by John Madden, and was produced with cooperation from George Lucas, who donated the rights to NPR. Williams's music and Burtt's sound design were retained for the show, and Hamill and Daniels reprised their roles.[331] The radio drama narrative began with a version of the backstory to the film, which relates Princess Leia's acquisition of the secret Death Star plans. It also featured scenes not seen in the final cut of the film, such as Luke Skywalker's observation of the space battle above Tatooine through binoculars, a skyhopper race, and Vader's interrogation of Princess Leia. The radio version was originally considered to be part of the official Star Wars canon,[332][333] but has since been supplanted by revised canonical narratives.[334] Star Wars was followed by The Empire Strikes Back in 1980[335] and Return of the Jedi in 1983, which concludes the original film trilogy.[336] The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi continue the backstory of the original trilogy.[336][337] Like the previous film, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi were a financial success and fared well with critics,[336][338] as the original trilogy is considered one of the best film trilogies in history.[339] 22 years after the release of Star Wars, Lucas wrote and directed the prequel trilogy, consisting of the films The Phantom Menace (1999), Attack of the Clones (2002), and Revenge of the Sith (2005). The films chronicle the history between Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker, and the latter's fall to the dark side and transformation into Darth Vader. The prequel trilogy was financially successful, and polarized critics and fans on their release for the storylines and some new characters.[340][341][342][343][344] After Lucas sold the Star Wars franchise to The Walt Disney Company in 2012, Disney developed a sequel trilogy, consisting of The Force Awakens (2015), The Last Jedi (2017), and The Rise of Skywalker (2019).[345][346][347][348][349] Original trilogy cast including Ford, Hamill, and Fisher reprised their roles, alongside new characters portrayed by Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Adam Driver, and Oscar Isaac.[350] Standalone films and television series have also been released, exploring adventures set around the main trilogy arcs." (wikipedia.org) "Lucasfilm Ltd. LLC is an American film and television production company founded by filmmaker George Lucas in 1971 in San Rafael, California, though most of the company's operations were moved to San Francisco in 2005.[3] It has been a subsidiary of Walt Disney Studios since 2012 and is best known for creating and producing the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises, as well as its leadership in developing special effects, sound, and computer animation for films. The company's films Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999), Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015), Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017), and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019) are all among the 50 highest-grossing films of all time, with The Force Awakens becoming the highest-grossing film in the United States and Canada. On October 30, 2012, Disney acquired Lucasfilm for $4.05 billion in the form of cash and stock with $1.855 billion in stock.[4][5][6][7] History Independent era (1971–2012) Lucasfilm was founded by filmmaker George Lucas in 1971 in San Rafael, California,[8] and was incorporated as Lucasfilm Ltd. on September 12, 1977.[9] In the mid-1970s, the company's offices were located on the Universal Studios Lot.[10] Lucas founded the Star Wars Corporation, Inc. as a subsidiary to control various legal and financial aspects of Star Wars (1977),[11] including copyright, and sequel and merchandising rights. It also produced the 1978 Star Wars Holiday Special for 20th Century Fox Television.[12] That year, Lucas hired Los Angeles-based real-estate specialist Charles Weber to manage the company, telling him that he could keep the job as long as he made money.[13] Lucas wanted the focus of the company to be making independent films, but the company gradually became enlarged from five employees to almost 100, increasing in middle management and running up costs. In 1980, after Weber asked Lucas for fifty million dollars to invest in other companies and suggested that they sell Skywalker Ranch to do so, Lucas fired Weber and had to let half of the Los Angeles staff go.[13] By the same year, the corporate subsidiary had been discontinued and its business was absorbed into the various divisions of Lucasfilm. Between 1981 and 1989, three Indiana Jones films, stories by Lucas and directed by Steven Spielberg, were released. While Return of the Jedi (1983) was in production, Lucas decided not to pursue further Star Wars films.[14] Unhappy with the cinema presentation of Return of the Jedi, he created the company THX, which was unveiled on May 20, 1983.[15] Lucasfilm produced the John Korty-directed animated film Twice Upon a Time (1983). 1985 saw the release of Paul Schrader's Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters. The next year, Jim Henson's Labyrinth and an adaptation of Marvel Comics' Howard the Duck were released. Ron Howard directed the fantasy film Willow in 1988 (story by Lucas); the same year the children's animated film The Land Before Time was released. From 1992 to 1993, The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles television series was produced. (created by Lucas) In 1992, after viewing an early computer-generated imagery test created by Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) for Jurassic Park, Lucas announced his intentions to produce a Star Wars Prequel Trilogy.[16] In 1994, the long-delayed Radioland Murders (story by Lucas) was released. In 1995, Lucas began production on the prequel trilogy. The trilogy took 10 years to make, ending with the release of the third prequel Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith in 2005. In addition to the prequels, Lucas released the Special Editions for the Star Wars Original Trilogy in 1997, 2004 and 2011, for VHS, DVD and Blu-ray. In 1987, the company, which at that time, was expanding from three to five films a year on its own, decided to increase making its Northern California production facilities available to other filmmakers.[17] In 1989, Lucasfilm launched a new subsidiary Lucasfilm Entertainment Group (later LucasArts Entertainment Company) to consolidate all four units, which are Industrial Light & Magic, Lucasfilm Commercial Productions, Lucasfilm Games, and Sprocket Systems.[18] In 2005, Lucasfilm opened a new studio in Singapore.[19] That same year, Lucasfilm Animation commenced production of a 3D animated Star Wars television series called Star Wars: The Clone Wars, with key production team members including executive producer Catherine Winder, supervising director Dave Filoni, Head of Lucasfilm Animation Singapore Chris Kubsch, and Henry Gilroy.[20] Primary production took place at Lucasfilm Animation's Singapore studio.[21] Airing on Cartoon Network between 2008 and 2013,[22] The Clone Wars was well received by fans and was nominated for several film awards including the Daytime Emmy Awards and the Annie Awards.[23][24] In January 2012, Lucas announced his retirement from producing large-scale blockbuster films and instead re-focusing his career on smaller, independently budgeted features.[25][26] In June 2012, it was announced that Kathleen Kennedy, a long-term collaborator with Steven Spielberg and a producer of the Indiana Jones films, had been appointed as co-chair of Lucasfilm Ltd. It was reported that Kennedy would work alongside Lucas, who would remain chief executive and serve as co-chairman for at least one year, after which she would succeed him as the company's chairperson, which she did in June 2013.[27] On July 8, 2012, Lucasfilm's marketing, online, and licensing units moved into the new Letterman Digital Arts Center located in the Presidio in San Francisco. It shares the complex with Industrial Light & Magic. Lucasfilm had planned an expansion at Skywalker Ranch in Marin County, California, but shelved the plan in 2012 due to opposition from neighbors. However, it still plans to expand elsewhere.[28] Skywalker Sound remains the only Lucasfilm division based at Skywalker Ranch.[29] On September 5, 2012, Micheline Chau, who served as president and COO of Lucasfilm for two decades, announced that she was retiring. With her departure, senior executives for each of the Lucasfilm divisions would report directly to Kathleen Kennedy. Chau was credited with keeping the Lucasfilm and Star Wars brands strong, especially through animation spin-offs and licensing initiatives.[30] Subsidiary of The Walt Disney Studios (2012–present) Acquisition process Discussions relating to the possibility of The Walt Disney Company signing a distribution deal with Lucasfilm officially began in May 2011, after a meeting that George Lucas had with the then Disney CEO Bob Iger during the inauguration of the Star Tours – The Adventures Continue attraction.[31] Lucas told Iger he was considering retirement and planned to sell the company, as well as the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises.[32] On October 30, 2012, Disney announced a deal to acquire Lucasfilm for $4.05 billion,[33] with approximately half in cash and half in shares of Disney stock.[4] Lucasfilm had previously collaborated with the company's Walt Disney Imagineering division to create theme park attractions centered on Star Wars and Indiana Jones for various Walt Disney Parks and Resorts worldwide.[34] Kathleen Kennedy, co-chairwoman of Lucasfilm, became president of Lucasfilm, reporting to Walt Disney Studios Chairman Alan Horn. Additionally, she serves as the brand manager for Star Wars, working directly with Disney's global lines of business to build, further integrate, and maximize the value of this global franchise. Kennedy serves as producer on new Star Wars feature films, with George Lucas originally announced as serving as a creative consultant.[35] The company also announced the future release of new Star Wars films, starting with Episode VII: The Force Awakens in 2015.[34] Under the deal, Disney acquired ownership of Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and Lucasfilm's operating businesses in live-action film production, consumer products, video games, animation, visual effects, and audio post-production.[36] Disney also acquired Lucasfilm's portfolio of entertainment technologies. The intent was for Lucasfilm employees to remain in their current locations.[37] Star Wars merchandising would begin under Disney in the fiscal year 2014.[38] Starting with Star Wars Rebels, certain products will be co-branded with the Disney name,[39][40] akin to what Disney has done with Pixar.[41] On December 4, 2012, the Disney-Lucasfilm merger was approved by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), allowing the acquisition to be finalized without dealing with antitrust problems.[42] On December 18, 2012, Lucasfilm Ltd. converted from a corporation to a limited liability company (LLC), changing its name to Lucasfilm Ltd. LLC in the process.[43] On December 21, 2012, Disney completed the acquisition and Lucasfilm became a wholly owned subsidiary of Disney.[6][7] At the time of Disney's acquisition of Lucasfilm, 20th Century Fox, the original distributor of the first six Star Wars films, were to retain the physical and theatrical distribution rights to both the prequel trilogy and Episodes V and VI of the original trilogy until May 2020, along with full distribution rights for the original 1977 film in perpetuity.[44] Lucasfilm retained the television and digital distribution rights to Star Wars Episodes I through VI with exception to Episode IV.[45] On March 20, 2019, Disney officially acquired 20th Century Fox after acquiring its owner, 21st Century Fox, thus consolidating all the distribution and ownership rights to all the films under its umbrella.[7] In December 2013, Walt Disney Studios purchased the distribution and marketing rights to future Indiana Jones films from Paramount Pictures, although the latter studio would retain the distribution rights to the first four films and would receive "financial participation" from any additional films.[46][47] This would make the fifth installment, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, become the first film in the franchise and Lucasfilm's first film overall to be co-produced by Walt Disney Pictures.[48] Kathleen Kennedy era, 2012–present ‹ The template below (Summarize section) is being considered for merging. See templates for discussion to help reach a consensus. ›     This section may be too long and excessively detailed. Please consider summarizing the material. (August 2023) In early 2013, Iger confirmed that Lucasfilm planned to have standalone Star Wars films released during the six-year period the Sequel Trilogy was released.[49] The first of these released was Rogue One (2016),[50] and the second was Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018).[51] In April 2013, the video game development arm at LucasArts was closed down and most of its staff laid off.[52][53] LucasArts remained open with a skeleton staff of fewer than ten employees so it could retain its function as a video game licensor.[54] On May 6, 2013, Disney announced an exclusive deal with Electronic Arts (EA) to produce Star Wars games for the core gaming market for a decade. LucasArts retained the ability to license, and Disney Interactive Studios retained the ability to develop Star Wars games for the casual gaming market. On April 14, 2014, EA released its first Star Wars game under the Disney brand and their ten-year contract is set to expire on April 14, 2024.[55][56] On January 3, 2014, Lucasfilm announced that Dark Horse Comics' license for Star Wars comics would end in 2015, and return to fellow Disney subsidiary Marvel Comics.[57] On April 24, 2014, Lucasfilm announced that the Star Wars Expanded Universe would be rebranded 'Legends' and no longer be canon and that only Lucas' episodic films and The Clone Wars would be considered canon in addition to new works, including the Rebels animated series, which would be overseen by a new story group.[58] Disney Publishing Worldwide also announced that Del Rey would publish a new line of canon Star Wars books under the Lucasfilm story group being released starting in September on a bi-monthly schedule.[59] On January 16, 2014, Lucasfilm opened its Sandcrawler building on Fusionopolis View in Singapore as its regional headquarters with all staff moved from Changi Business Park. The Walt Disney Company Southeast Asia and ESPN Asia Pacific were also moved into the building.[19] Between December 2015 and May 2018, Lucasfilm released four Star Wars cinematic films: Episode VII: The Force Awakens (December 18, 2015),[60] Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (December 10, 2016),[50] Episode VIII: The Last Jedi (December 9, 2017),[61] and Solo: A Star Wars Story (May 10, 2018).[51] While The Force Awakens, Rogue One, and The Last Jedi were critical and box office successes, Solo received mixed responses and underperformed at the box office.[62][63][64][65] In April 2017, IDW Publishing acquired a license to produce a range of all-ages Star Wars comics, commencing with Star Wars Adventures.[66] In mid-September 2018, Disney CEO Bob Iger stated in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter that there would be a "slow down" in the production of Star Wars films following the under-performance of Solo at the box office. In addition, Iger also confirmed that several Star Wars films including The Rise of Skywalker and David Benioff and D. B. Weiss' films were in development.[67][68][69] Benioff and Weiss subsequently exited their film production deal with Lucasfilm in October 2019 after entering into a US$200 million film production deal with Netflix.[70] In late September 2018, Kennedy's contract as president was renewed for three additional years and was set to retire on October 30, 2021.[71] In June 2019, Michelle Rejwan was named as senior vice president of live-action development and production.[72] On December 20, 2019, Lucasfilm released its fifth cinematic film The Rise of Skywalker, which wrapped up The Skywalker Saga and received mixed reception from fans and critics.[73] In addition to the cinematic films, Lucasfilm Animation also produced several animated television shows including Star Wars Rebels (2014–2018),[74] Star Wars Forces of Destiny (2017–2018),[75] and Star Wars Resistance (2018–2020).[76] In October 2018, Lucasfilm commenced work on a live-action streaming series called The Mandalorian with Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni, Kathleen Kennedy, and Colin Wilson serving as executive producers.[77] Premiering on the Disney+ streaming service on November 12, 2019,[78] the series received critical acclaim and was renewed for a second season.[79] In late February 2020, Lucasfilm launched a multimedia publishing project called Star Wars: The High Republic, which is set 200 years before the events of The Phantom Menace and features the Jedi at the height of their power. The High Republic involved several authors including Claudia Gray, Justina Ireland, Daniel José Older, Cavan Scott and Charles Soule.[80][81] During Disney Investor Day's conference in December 2020, Kennedy announced that Lucasfilm would be producing several new films and television shows including a Rogue Squadron movie directed by Patty Jenkins, an untitled film Star Wars film co-written and directed by Taika Waititi, the Ahsoka, Rangers of the New Republic, Andor, Obi-Wan Kenobi and The Acolyte live-action Disney+ streaming series, the animated Star Wars: The Bad Batch and anime Star Wars: Visions Disney+ streaming series. In addition, Lucasfilm announced that it was working on a sequel to the 1988 fantasy film Willow and an adaptation of Tomi Adeyemi's young adult novel Children of Blood and Bone.[82][83] In the summer of 2020, Lucasfilm quietly promoted Dave Filoni as executive producer and executive creative director for the studio. However, his promotion was never announced to the public until Lucasfilm updated its list of executives on its website with the addition of Filoni in May 2021.[84][85] In mid-November 2021, Dark Horse Comics announced that it would be collaborating with Lucasfilm and Disney Publishing Worldwide to publish a new line of all-ages Star Wars comics and graphic novels. Dark Horse had previously held the licensing rights for producing Star Wars comics between 1991 and 2015.[86][87] In January 2022, Paramount Pictures acquired the rights to Adeyemi's Children of Blood and Bone from Lucasfilm.[88] According to The Hollywood Reporter, Adeyemi had grown dissatisfied with the pace of Lucasfilm's production efforts and their decision to deny her request to serve as scriptwriter. Since Lucasfilm wanted to focus on its own intellectual properties Star Wars, Willow and Indiana Jones, the company allowed the rights to Children of Blood and Bone to lapse in late 2021.[89] In mid-September 2022, Lucasfilm confirmed release dates for several television series including Andor, Willow, the second season of Star Wars: The Bad Batch, and the third season of The Mandalorian at the D23 expo. In addition, Lucasfilm confirmed that it was working on several new productions including the animated series Tales of the Jedi, the live-action series Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, a fifth Indiana Jones film, and the animated series Young Jedi Adventures.[90][91] In November 2022, Studio Ghibli teased a collaboration with Lucasfilm on Twitter.[92] This was then promptly revealed to be Zen - Grogu and Dust Bunnies, an animated short film set in the Star Wars universe, to be released on Disney+.[93] In April 2023, Kennedy confirmed that Lucasfilm was working on three live-action films by James Mangold, Dave Filoni, and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy. Mangold's film will explore the dawn of the Jedi while Filoni's film will be set in the New Republic era and connect several Disney+ TV shows including The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, and Ahsoka. Obaid-Chinoy's film will be set after the events of The Rise of Skywalker with Daisy Ridley reprising her role as Rey.[94][95] In addition, Lucasfilm confirmed that Ahsoka would be released in August 2023 and The Acolyte would be released in 2024[" (wikipedia.org) "Star Wars is an American epic space opera[1] multimedia franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the eponymous 1977 film[a] and quickly became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon. The franchise has been expanded into various films and other media, including television series, video games, novels, comic books, theme park attractions, and themed areas, comprising an all-encompassing fictional universe.[b] Star Wars is one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time. The original 1977 film, retroactively subtitled Episode IV: A New Hope, was followed by the sequels Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983), forming the original Star Wars trilogy. Lucas later returned to the series to direct a prequel trilogy, consisting of Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999), Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002), and Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005). In 2012, Lucas sold his production company to Disney, relinquishing his ownership of the franchise. This led to a sequel trilogy, consisting of Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015), Episode VIII: The Last Jedi (2017), and Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker (2019). All nine films, collectively referred to as the "Skywalker Saga", were nominated for Academy Awards, with wins going to the first two releases. Together with the theatrical live action "anthology" films Rogue One (2016) and Solo (2018), the combined box office revenue of the films equated to over US$10 billion, making Star Wars the third-highest-grossing film franchise of all time. Premise The Star Wars franchise depicts the adventures of characters "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away",[3] in which humans and many species of aliens (often humanoid) co-exist with robots (typically referred to in the films as 'droids'), who may assist them in their daily routines; space travel between planets is common due to lightspeed hyperspace technology.[4][5][6] The planets range from wealthy, planet-wide cities to deserts scarcely populated by primitive tribes. Virtually any Earth biome, along with many fictional ones, has its counterpart as a Star Wars planet which, in most cases, teem with sentient and non-sentient alien life.[7] The franchise also makes use of other astronomical objects such as asteroid fields and nebulae.[8][9] Spacecraft range from small starfighters, to huge capital ships such as the Star Destroyers, to space stations such as the moon-sized Death Stars. Telecommunication includes two-way audio and audiovisual screens, holographic projections, and HoloNet (internet counterpart). The universe of Star Wars is generally similar to the real universe but its laws of physics are less strict allowing for more imaginative stories.[10] One result of that is a mystical power known as the Force which is described in the original film as "an energy field created by all living things ... [that] binds the galaxy together".[11] The field is depicted as a kind of pantheistic god.[12] Through training and meditation, those whom "the Force is strong with" exhibit various superpowers (such as telekinesis, precognition, telepathy, and manipulation of physical energy).[13] It is believed nothing is impossible for the Force.[14] The mentioned powers are wielded by two major knightly orders at conflict with each other: the Jedi, peacekeepers of the Galactic Republic who act on the light side of the Force through non-attachment and arbitration, and the Sith, who use the dark side by manipulating fear and aggression. While Jedi Knights can be numerous, the Dark Lords of the Sith (or 'Darths') are intended to be limited to two: a master and their apprentice.[15] Force-wielders are very limited in numbers in comparison to the population. The Jedi and Sith prefer the use of a weapon called a lightsaber, a blade of plasma that can cut through virtually any surface and deflect energy bolts. The rest of the population, as well as renegades and soldiers, use plasma-powered blaster firearms. As a result of galaxy-scaled politics (involving republics, empires, kingdoms, alliances, etc.), all this weaponry is made use of in various military conflicts during which most Star Wars material takes place. In the outer reaches of the galaxy, crime syndicates such as the Hutt cartel are dominant. Bounty hunters are often employed by both gangsters and governments. Illicit activities include smuggling and slavery. The combination of science fiction and fantasy elements makes Star Wars a very universal franchise, capable of telling stories of various genres.[16] Films Main article: List of Star Wars films The Skywalker Saga Film     U.S. release date     Directed by     Screenplay by     Story by     Produced by     Refs. Original trilogy: Episodes IV–VI Star Wars     May 25, 1977     George Lucas     Gary Kurtz     [17][18] The Empire Strikes Back     May 21, 1980     Irvin Kershner     Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan     George Lucas     [19][20] Return of the Jedi     May 25, 1983     Richard Marquand     Lawrence Kasdan and George Lucas     Howard Kazanjian     [21][22] Prequel trilogy: Episodes I–III The Phantom Menace     May 19, 1999     George Lucas     George Lucas     George Lucas     Rick McCallum     [23] Attack of the Clones     May 16, 2002     George Lucas and Jonathan Hales     [24][25] Revenge of the Sith     May 19, 2005     George Lucas     [26][27] Sequel trilogy: Episodes VII–IX The Force Awakens     December 18, 2015     J. J. Abrams     Lawrence Kasdan & J. J. Abrams and Michael Arndt     Kathleen Kennedy, J. J. Abrams and Bryan Burk     [21][28] The Last Jedi     December 15, 2017     Rian Johnson     Kathleen Kennedy and Ram Bergman     [29][30] The Rise of Skywalker     December 20, 2019     J. J. Abrams     Chris Terrio & J. J. Abrams     Derek Connolly & Colin Trevorrow and J. J. Abrams & Chris Terrio     Kathleen Kennedy, J. J. Abrams and Michelle Rejwan     [31][32] Anthology films Film     U.S. release date     Directed by     Screenplay by     Story by     Produced by     Refs. Star Wars: The Clone Wars     August 10, 2008     Dave Filoni     Henry Gilroy, Steven Melching & Scott Murphy     Catherine Winder     [33] Rogue One: A Star Wars Story     December 16, 2016     Gareth Edwards     Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy     John Knoll and Gary Whitta     Kathleen Kennedy, Allison Shearmur and Simon Emanuel     [34] Solo: A Star Wars Story     May 25, 2018     Ron Howard     Jonathan Kasdan & Lawrence Kasdan     [35] Upcoming films Film     U.S. release date     Directed by     Screenplay by     Story by     Produced by     Status     Refs. Untitled New Jedi Order film     TBA     Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy     Steven Knight     Kathleen Kennedy     In development     [36] Untitled Dawn of the Jedi film     James Mangold     [36] Untitled New Republic film     Dave Filoni     [36] Lando     TBA     Donald Glover & Stephen Glover     [37] Untitled Star Wars film     Taika Waititi     Taika Waititi and Krysty Wilson-Cairns     [38] Rogue Squadron     Patty Jenkins     Matthew Robinson     [39] Untitled Star Wars film     Shawn Levy     TBA     TBA     [40] The Star Wars film series centers around three sets of trilogies, the nine films of which are collectively referred to as the "Skywalker Saga".[41] They were produced non-chronologically, with Episodes IV–VI (the original trilogy) being released between 1977 and 1983, Episodes I–III (the prequel trilogy) being released between 1999 and 2005, and Episodes VII–IX (the sequel trilogy), being released between 2015 and 2019. Each trilogy focuses on a generation of the Force-sensitive Skywalker family. The original trilogy depicts the heroic development of Luke Skywalker, the prequels tell the backstory of his father Anakin, while the sequels feature Luke's nephew, Ben Solo, and Luke's protegé Rey. An anthology series set between the main episodes entered development in parallel to the production of the sequel trilogy,[42] described by Disney chief financial officer Jay Rasulo as origin stories.[43] The first entry, Rogue One (2016), tells the story of the rebels who steal the Death Star plans just before Episode IV.[44][45] Solo (2018) focuses on Han Solo's backstory, also featuring original trilogy co-protagonists Chewbacca and Lando Calrissian and involving prequel trilogy villain Darth Maul. As of June 2023, three dates have been reserved for Star Wars films: May 22, 2026, December 18, 2026, and December 17, 2027.[46][47] In April 2023, three new films were announced with stories spanning different eras within the franchise. James Mangold will write and direct an untitled "Dawn of the Jedi" film, which will take place 25,000 years prior to A New Hope and will explore the earliest Jedi. Dave Filoni will direct an untitled "New Republic" movie, described as an event film culminating the various television series on Disney+, which will serve as the end of The Mandalorian show. Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy will direct a third movie, currently untitled but set during an age the studio named as the "New Jedi Order". Steven Knight wrote the script, which will take place fifteen years after The Rise of Skywalker, and explore Rey Skywalker's experiences as a new Jedi Master re-establishing the Jedi Order.[36][48] Other potential projects Lucasfilm has a number of Star Wars films in development, two of which were confirmed during Disney Investor Day 2020.     Untitled Rian Johnson trilogy: In November 2017, a trilogy of movies written by The Last Jedi writer/director Rian Johnson was announced to be in development.[49][50] In April 2023, Kennedy stated that trilogy of films is still in open development at the studio, with the writer/director working on the story, although it is not currently a priority.[51]     Untitled David Benioff & D.B. Weiss trilogy: In February 2018, it was announced that David Benioff and D.B. Weiss would serve as writers and producers on a trilogy of new Star Wars movies.[52] The plot would take place chronologically before the Prequel Trilogy, and center around the origin of the Jedi.[53] By May 2019, the duo were also slated to serve as co-directors of the first installment in their three films.[54] In October of the same year however, the filmmaking duo exited development of the projects due to scheduling conflicts with projects they are developing for Netflix. Kennedy stated that the studio is open to working with the duo, and developing their films once their schedule allows it.[55]     Untitled Kevin Feige film: In September 2019, it was announced that Kathleen Kennedy and Kevin Feige would collaborate to develop a Star Wars film.[56] In January 2021, Michael Waldron was hired as screenwriter for the project;[57] however, the film's active development was stalled as of May 2022.[58] In April 2023, Kennedy stated that the project had never advanced past preliminary discussions,[59] despite the fact that Alan Horn, the former-Chairman of The Walt Disney Company, officially announcing the project in September 2019.[60][61] In the same interview, she acknowledged that the studio is still open to the project, and would like to work with Feige.[59]     Untitled Taika Waititi film: In May 2020, Taika Waititi signed onto the project which was stated to be the first priority for the studio, with the filmmaker Waititi serving as director from a script he is co-writing with Krysty Wilson-Cairns.[62] In May 2022, the movie was named as the next Star Wars film to begin production ahead of Rogue Squadron, with Kennedy stating that the studio was tentatively looking towards late 2023 for a debut, but had not yet officially set a release date.[58][63] By April 2023, she stated that the project is still in development, with Waititi continuing to work on the script.[46][51]     Rogue Squadron: An anthology film, following the events of Rogue One, will be directed by Patty Jenkins with a script written by Matthew Robinson.[64] In April 2023, Kennedy stated that the script is still in development, with the studio considering changing the project into a television series.[65]     Untitled J.D. Dillard film: In February 2020, a film was announced to be in development from director J. D. Dillard and writer Matt Owens;[66] although, Dillard announced he was no longer to direct that film in November 2022.[67]     Star Wars: A Droid Story: In December 2020, an animated film centered around the adventures of R2-D2 and C-3PO was announced as being in development; the story will introduce a new heroic character to the franchise, alongside these characters. The project will be a joint-venture production between Lucasfilm Animation, and Industrial Light & Magic. The film is being developed to debut via streaming, exclusively through Disney+.[68][69][70]     Untitled Shawn Levy film: In November 2022, Shawn Levy entered talks to direct a Star Wars film, following his work on Deadpool 3 (2024) and the fifth and final season of Stranger Things.[71] History Original trilogy Main article: Star Wars original trilogy The original trilogy's main cast includes (from left to right) Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker), Harrison Ford (Han Solo), Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia), and James Earl Jones (Darth Vader's voice). In 1971, George Lucas wanted to film an adaptation of the Flash Gordon serial, but could not obtain the rights, so he began developing his own space opera.[72][c] After directing American Graffiti (1973), he wrote a two-page synopsis, which 20th Century Fox decided to invest in.[73][74] By 1974, he had expanded the story into the first draft of a screenplay.[75] Fox expected the film would be of limited financial success, and so it was given a relatively low budget, with production being moved to Elstree Studios in England to help save on cost.[76] Many of the scenes were shot in England, and so featured a number of British actors. The Star Wars robots were built by the small English company Peteric Engineering. A 2019 BBC documentary revealed how the parts required to create these machines and other now iconic film props, including the light sabers (originally called 'laser guns'), were ingeniously recycled from items scavenged in junk shops, ever conscious of the need to spend as little money as possible.[77] The 1977 movie's success led Lucas to make it the basis of an elaborate film serial.[78] With the backstory he created for the sequel, Lucas decided that the series would be a trilogy of trilogies.[79] Most of the main cast would return for the two additional installments of the original trilogy, which were self-financed by Lucasfilm. Star Wars was released on May 25, 1977, and first subtitled Episode IV: A New Hope in the 1979 book The Art of Star Wars.[80] Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back was released on May 21, 1980, also achieving wide financial and critical success. The final film in the trilogy, Episode VI: Return of the Jedi was released on May 25, 1983. The story of the original trilogy focuses on Luke Skywalker's quest to become a Jedi, his struggle with the evil Imperial agent Darth Vader, and the struggle of the Rebel Alliance to free the galaxy from the clutches of the Galactic Empire. Prequel trilogy Main article: Star Wars prequel trilogy The prequel trilogy's main cast includes (from left to right) Ewan McGregor (Obi-Wan Kenobi), Natalie Portman (Padmé Amidala), Hayden Christensen (Anakin Skywalker),[d] and Ian McDiarmid (Palpatine). According to producer Gary Kurtz, loose plans for a prequel trilogy were developed during the outlining of the original two films.[81] In 1980, Lucas confirmed that he had the nine-film series plotted,[82] but due to the stress of producing the original trilogy, he had decided to cancel further sequels by 1981.[83] In 1983, Lucas explained that "There was never a script completed that had the entire story as it exists now ... As the stories unfolded, I would take certain ideas and save them ... I kept taking out all the good parts, and I just kept telling myself I would make other movies someday."[84] Technical advances in the late 1980s and early 1990s, including the ability to create computer-generated imagery (CGI), inspired Lucas to consider that it might be possible to revisit his saga. In 1989, Lucas stated that the prequels would be "unbelievably expensive".[85] In 1992, he acknowledged that he had plans to create the prequel trilogy.[86] A theatrical rerelease of the original trilogy in 1997 "updated" the 20-year-old films with the style of CGI envisioned for the new trilogy. Episode I: The Phantom Menace was released on May 19, 1999, and Episode II: Attack of the Clones on May 16, 2002. Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, the first PG-13 film in the franchise, was released on May 19, 2005.[87] The first two movies were met with mixed reviews, with the third being received somewhat more positively. The trilogy begins 32 years before Episode IV and follows the Jedi training of Anakin Skywalker, Luke's father, and his eventual fall from grace and transformation into the Sith lord Darth Vader, as well as the corruption of the Galactic Republic and rise of the Empire led by Darth Sidious. Together with the original trilogy, Lucas has collectively referred to the first six episodic films of the franchise as "the tragedy of Darth Vader".[88] Sequel trilogy Main article: Star Wars sequel trilogy The sequel trilogy's main cast includes (from left to right) Adam Driver (Kylo Ren), Daisy Ridley (Rey), John Boyega (Finn), and Oscar Isaac (Poe Dameron). Prior to releasing the original film, and made possible by its success, Lucas planned "three trilogies of nine films".[79][89] However, he announced to Time in 1978 that he planned "10 sequels".[90] He confirmed that he had outlined the prequels and sequels in 1981.[91] At various stages of development, the sequel trilogy was to focus on the rebuilding of the Republic,[92] the return of Luke in a role similar to that of Obi-Wan Kenobi in the original trilogy,[89] Luke's sister (not yet determined to be Leia),[81] Han, Leia,[93] R2-D2 and C-3PO.[79][94] However, after beginning work on the prequel trilogy, Lucas insisted that Star Wars was meant to be a six-part series and that there would be no sequel trilogy.[95][96] Lucas decided to leave the franchise in the hands of other filmmakers, announcing in January 2012 that he would make no more Star Wars films.[97] That October, the Walt Disney Company agreed to buy Lucasfilm and announced that Episode VII would be released in 2015.[98] The co-chairman of Lucasfilm, Kathleen Kennedy, became president and served as executive producer of new Star Wars feature films.[99] Lucas provided Kennedy his story treatments for the sequels during the 2012 sale,[100] but in 2015 it was revealed Lucas's sequel outline had been discarded.[101][102] The sequel trilogy also meant the end of the existing Star Wars Expanded Universe, which was discarded from canon to give "maximum creative freedom to the filmmakers and also preserve an element of surprise and discovery for the audience."[2] Episode VII: The Force Awakens was released on December 16, 2015, Episode VIII: The Last Jedi on December 13, 2017, and Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker on December 18, 2019, in many countries.[e] The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi were both critical and box office successes.[103][104] Episode IX received a mixed reception from critics and audiences.[105] The sequel trilogy starts 30 years after Episode VI and focuses on the journey of the Force-sensitive orphan Rey, guided by Luke Skywalker. Along with ex-stormtrooper Finn and ace X-Wing pilot Poe Dameron, Rey helps the Resistance, led by Leia, fight the First Order, commanded by Han and Leia's son (and Luke's nephew), Kylo Ren. Anthology films The anthology films' main casts include (from left to right) Felicity Jones (Jyn Erso) and Diego Luna (Cassian Andor) from Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Alden Ehrenreich (Han Solo) and Woody Harrelson (Tobias Beckett) from Solo: A Star Wars Story. Lucasfilm and Kennedy have stated that the standalone films would be referred to as the Star Wars anthology series[44] (though the word anthology has not been used in any of the titles, instead carrying the promotional "A Star Wars Story" subtitle). Focused on how the Rebels obtained the Death Star plans introduced in the 1977 film, the first anthology film, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, was released on December 16, 2016, to favorable reviews and box office success. The second, Solo: A Star Wars Story, centered on a young Han Solo with Chewbacca and Lando as supporting characters, was released on May 25, 2018, to generally favorable reviews and underperformance at the box office. The television series Obi-Wan Kenobi was originally going to be a film instead but changed to a limited series due to Solo underperforming.[106] Despite this, more anthology films are expected to be released,[107] following a hiatus after 2019's The Rise of Skywalker.[108] Television The Star Wars franchise has been spun off to various television productions, including two animated series released in the mid-1980s. Further animated series began to be released in the 2000s, the first two of which focused on the Clone Wars. After Disney's acquisition of Lucasfilm, only the later CGI series remained canon. Eight live-action Star Wars series will be released on Disney+. The first, The Mandalorian, premiered on November 12, 2019, and won the 2020 Webby Award for Television & Film in the category Social.[109] Disney+ later released the Ewoks movies and animated series, along with the animated first appearance of Boba Fett from the Star Wars Holiday Special, and the Clone Wars animated micro-series in a section called "Star Wars Vintage", which also includes the Droids animated series.[110][111] Certain aspects of the original Clone Wars micro-series are considered to not contradict the canon, while others do.[112] Series Main article: List of Star Wars television series Many Star Wars series have been produced, both animated and live-action, the first being Droids and Ewoks in 1985. The Mandalorian, the first live-action series to take place in the Star Wars universe, has spawned multiple spinoffs and inspired other live-action series to be created. Confirmed upcoming live-action series include Skeleton Crew, The Acolyte, and Lando. Series    Seasons    Episodes    Originally released    Network Animated series Droids    1    13    September 7, 1985 – June 7, 1986    ABC Ewoks    2    26    September 7, 1985 – December 13, 1986 The Clone Wars    7    133    October 3, 2008 – May 4, 2020    Cartoon Network / Netflix / Disney+ Rebels    4    75    October 3, 2014 – March 5, 2018    Disney XD Resistance    2    40    October 7, 2018 – January 26, 2020    Disney Channel The Bad Batch    2    32    May 4, 2021 – present    Disney+ Visions    2    18    September 22, 2021 – present Tales of the Jedi    1    6    October 26, 2022 – present Young Jedi Adventures    1    13    May 4, 2023 – present    Disney+ / Disney Junior Animated micro-series and shorts Clone Wars    3    25    November 7, 2003 – March 25, 2005    Cartoon Network Blips    1    8    May 3 – September 4, 2017    YouTube Forces of Destiny    2    32    July 3, 2017 – May 25, 2018 Galaxy of Adventures    2    55    November 30, 2018 – October 2, 2020 Roll Out    1    16    August 9, 2019 – April 1, 2020 Galaxy of Creatures    2    24    October 14, 2021 – February 21, 2023    StarWarsKids.com Galactic Pals    1    12    April 12 – November 1, 2022 "Zen – Grogu and Dust Bunnies"    Short    1    November 12, 2022    Disney+ Live-action series The Mandalorian    3    24    November 12, 2019 – present    Disney+ The Book of Boba Fett    1    7    December 29, 2021 – February 9, 2022 Obi-Wan Kenobi    1    6    May 27 – June 22, 2022 Andor    1    12    September 21, 2022 – present Ahsoka    1    7    August 22, 2023 – present Game shows Jedi Temple Challenge    1    10    June 10 – August 5, 2020    StarWarsKids.com Films and specials Film     U.S. release date     Director(s)     Teleplay by     Story by     Producer(s)     Network Star Wars Holiday Special     November 17, 1978     Steve Binder     Pat Proft, Leonard Ripps, Bruce Vilanch, Rod Warren, and Mitzie Welch     Joe Layton, Jeff Starsh, Ken Welch, and Mitzie Welch     CBS The Ewok Adventure     November 25, 1984     John Korty     Bob Carrau     George Lucas     Thomas G. Smith and Patricia Rose Duignan     ABC Ewoks: The Battle for Endor     November 24, 1985     Jim Wheat and Ken Wheat     Thomas G. Smith and Ian Bryce Fictional timeline See also: Star Wars in other media § Legends fictional timeline The Star Wars canon fictional universe spans multiple eras, of which three are focused around each of the film trilogies. The following eras were defined in January 2021,[113] and further refined and expanded in April 2023.[114]     Dawn of the Jedi: The time of the first Jedi. It includes James Mangold's untitled film.[114]     The Old Republic: The Republic is founded, with the Jedi Order forming to protect the worlds within the Galactic Core. The Sith also form following a schism within the Jedi.[114][115]     The High Republic: The era of the "High Republic", set 200 years before the prequel trilogy. It includes the media released in The High Republic literary material, the animated Young Jedi Adventures, and the upcoming live-action The Acolyte.[113][115]     Fall of the Jedi: The era of the prequel trilogy, in which the democratic Galactic Republic is corrupted by the Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, who is secretly the Sith Lord Darth Sidious. After orchestrating the Clone Wars between the Republic and a Separatist confederation, Palpatine exterminates the Jedi Order, overthrows the Republic, and establishes the totalitarian Galactic Empire.[116][117] It includes the prequel trilogy films and the animated The Clone Wars and Tales of the Jedi.[113][115]     Reign of the Empire: The era after the prequel trilogy, exploring the reign of the Empire.[113] It includes the animated The Bad Batch, the video game Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Solo: A Star Wars Story, Obi-Wan Kenobi, the video game Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, Andor, the animated Star Wars Rebels, the video game Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series, and Rogue One.[115]     Age of Rebellion: The era of the original trilogy,[f] in which the Empire is fought by the Rebel Alliance in a Galactic Civil War that spans several years, climaxing with the death of the Emperor and fall of the Empire.[119][120] It includes the original trilogy films, and the video games Star Wars Battlefront II (2017) and Star Wars: Squadrons.[115]     The New Republic: The era after the original trilogy, set during the formative years of the New Republic following the fall of the Empire. It includes The Mandalorian and its spin-off series, The Book of Boba Fett and Ahsoka, as well as the upcoming Skeleton Crew.[113][114]     Rise of the First Order: The era of the sequel trilogy,[g] in which the remnants of the Empire have reformed as the First Order.[122] Heroes of the former Rebellion, aided by the New Republic, lead the Resistance against the oppressive regime and its rulers—the mysterious being known as Snoke and the revived Palpatine.[123] It includes the animated Star Wars Resistance, the sequel trilogy films,[113][114] and Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy's Edge.[115]     New Jedi Order: Rey Skywalker begins to train a new generation of Jedi. It includes Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy's untitled film.[114] The Expanded Universe of spin-off media depicts different levels of continuity, which were deemed non-canonical and rebranded as Legends on April 25, 2014, to make most subsequent works align to the episodic films, The Clone Wars film, and television series.[2] Other media Main article: Star Wars in other media From 1976 to 2014, the term Expanded Universe (EU) was an umbrella term for all officially licensed Star Wars storytelling material set outside the events depicted within the theatrical films, including novels, comics, and video games.[124] Lucasfilm maintained internal continuity between the films and television content and the EU material until April 25, 2014, when the company announced all of the EU works would cease production. Existing works would no longer be considered canon to the franchise and subsequent reprints would be rebranded under the Star Wars Legends label,[124] with downloadable content for the massively multiplayer online game The Old Republic the only Legends material to still be produced. The Star Wars canon was subsequently restructured to only include the existing six feature films, the animated film The Clone Wars (2008), and its companion animated series. All future projects and creative developments across all types of media would be overseen and coordinated by the story group, announced as a division of Lucasfilm created to maintain continuity and a cohesive vision on the storytelling of the franchise.[2] Multiple comics series from Marvel and novels published by Del Rey were produced after the announcement. Print media Star Wars in print predates the release of the first film, with the November 1976 novelization of Star Wars, initially subtitled "From the Adventures of Luke Skywalker". Credited to Lucas, it was ghostwritten by Alan Dean Foster.[125] The first "Expanded Universe" story appeared in Marvel Comics' Star Wars #7 in January 1978 (the first six issues being an adaptation of the film), followed by Foster's sequel novel Splinter of the Mind's Eye the following month. Novels Further information: List of Star Wars books Timothy Zahn authored the Thrawn trilogy, which was widely credited with revitalizing the dormant Star Wars franchise in the early 1990s. After penning the novelization of the original film, Foster followed it with the sequel Splinter of the Mind's Eye (1978). The novelizations of The Empire Strikes Back (1980) by Donald F. Glut and Return of the Jedi (1983) by James Kahn followed, as well as The Han Solo Adventures trilogy (1979–1980) by Brian Daley,[126] and The Adventures of Lando Calrissian trilogy (1983) by L. Neil Smith.[127][128] Timothy Zahn's bestselling Thrawn trilogy (1991–1993) reignited interest in the franchise and introduced the popular characters Grand Admiral Thrawn, Mara Jade, Talon Karrde, and Gilad Pellaeon.[129][130][131][132] The first novel, Heir to the Empire, reached #1 on the New York Times Best Seller list,[133] and the series finds Luke, Leia, and Han facing off against tactical genius Thrawn, who is plotting to retake the galaxy for the Empire.[134] In The Courtship of Princess Leia (1994) by Dave Wolverton, set immediately before the Thrawn trilogy, Leia considers an advantageous political marriage to Prince Isolder of the planet Hapes, but she and Han ultimately marry.[135][136] Steve Perry's Shadows of the Empire (1996), set between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, was part of a multimedia campaign that included a comic book series and video game.[137][138] The novel introduced the crime lord Prince Xizor, another popular character who would appear in multiple other works.[137][139] Other notable series from Bantam include the Jedi Academy trilogy (1994) by Kevin J. Anderson,[140][141] the 14-book Young Jedi Knights series (1995–1998) by Anderson and Rebecca Moesta,[141][142] and the X-wing series (1996–2012) by Michael A. Stackpole and Aaron Allston.[143][144][145] Del Rey took over Star Wars book publishing in 1999, releasing what would become a 19-installment novel series called The New Jedi Order (1999–2003). Written by multiple authors, the series was set 25 to 30 years after the original films and introduced the Yuuzhan Vong, a powerful alien race attempting to invade and conquer the entire galaxy.[146][147] The bestselling multi-author series Legacy of the Force (2006–2008) chronicles the crossover of Han and Leia's son Jacen Solo to the dark side of the Force; among his evil deeds, he kills Luke's wife Mara Jade as a sacrifice to join the Sith. Although no longer canon, the story is paralleled in The Force Awakens with Han and Leia's son Ben Solo, who becomes the evil Kylo Ren.[148][149][150][151] Three series set in the prequel era were published by Scholastic for younger audiences: the 18-book Jedi Apprentice (1999–2002) chronicles the adventures of Obi-Wan Kenobi and his master Qui-Gon Jinn in the years before The Phantom Menace; the 11-book Jedi Quest (2001–2004) follows Obi-Wan and his own apprentice, Anakin Skywalker in between The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones; and the 10-book The Last of the Jedi (2005–2008), set almost immediately after Revenge of the Sith, features Obi-Wan and the last few surviving Jedi. In 2019, a new prequel era novel, starring Qui-Gon and the young Obi-Wan, was published by Del Rey under the title Star Wars: Master and Apprentice.[152] Although Thrawn had been designated a Legends character in 2014, he was reintroduced into the canon in 2016 for the third season of the Rebels animated series, with Zahn returning to write more novels based on the character and set in the new canon.[153][154] Comics Main articles: Star Wars comics and List of Star Wars comic books Marvel Comics published a Star Wars comic book series from 1977 to 1986.[155][156][157][158] Original Star Wars comics were serialized in the Marvel magazine Pizzazz between 1977 and 1979. The 1977 installments were the first original Star Wars stories not directly adapted from the films to appear in print form, as they preceded those of the Star Wars comic series.[159] From 1985 to 1987, the animated children's series Ewoks and Droids inspired comic series from Marvel's Star Comics line.[160][161][162] According to Marvel comics former Editor-In-Chief Jim Shooter, the strong sales of Star Wars comics saved Marvel financially in 1977 and 1978.[163] Marvel's Star Wars series was one of the industry's top selling titles in 1979 and 1980.[164] The only downside for Marvel was that the 100,000 copy sales quota was surpassed quickly, allowing Lippincott to renegotiate the royalty arrangements from a position of strength.[165] In the late 1980s, Marvel dropped a new Star Wars comic it had in development, which was picked up by Dark Horse Comics and published as the popular Dark Empire series (1991–1995).[166] Dark Horse subsequently launched dozens of series set after the original film trilogy, including Tales of the Jedi (1993–1998), X-wing Rogue Squadron (1995–1998), Star Wars: Republic (1998–2006), Star Wars Tales (1999–2005), Star Wars: Empire (2002–2006), and Knights of the Old Republic (2006–2010).[167][168] After Disney's acquisition of Lucasfilm, it was announced in January 2014 that in 2015 the Star Wars comics license would return to Marvel Comics,[169] whose parent company, Marvel Entertainment, Disney had purchased in 2009.[170] Launched in 2015, the first three publications were titled Star Wars, Darth Vader, and the limited series Princess Leia.[171][172][173] First announced as Project Luminous at Star Wars Celebration in April 2019, the Star Wars: The High Republic publishing initiative were revealed in a press conference in February 2020. Involving the majority of the then current officially licensed publishers, a new era set 200 years before the Skywalker Saga was explored in various books and comics. Including ongoing titles by Marvel and IDW Publishing, written by Cavan Scott and Daniel José Older respectively.[174] Audio Soundtracks and singles Further information: Music of Star Wars John Williams composed the soundtracks for the nine episodic films; he has stated that he will retire from the franchise with The Rise of Skywalker.[175] He also composed Han Solo's theme for Solo: A Star Wars Story; John Powell adapted and composed the rest of the score.[176] Michael Giacchino composed the score of Rogue One.[176] Ludwig Göransson scored and composed the music of The Mandalorian.[177] Williams also created the main theme for Galaxy's Edge.[178] Audio novels Further information: The Story of Star Wars and List of Star Wars books The first Star Wars audio work is The Story of Star Wars, an LP using audio samples from the original film and a new narration to retell the story, released in 1977. Most later printed novels were adapted into audio novels, usually released on cassette tape and re-released on CD. As of 2019, audio-only novels have been released not directly based on printed media.[179] Radio Further information: Star Wars (radio) Radio adaptations of the films were also produced. Lucas, a fan of the NPR-affiliated campus radio station of his alma mater the University of Southern California, licensed the Star Wars radio rights to KUSC-FM for US$1. The production used John Williams's original film score, along with Ben Burtt's sound effects.[180][181] The first was written by science-fiction author Brian Daley and directed by John Madden. It was broadcast on National Public Radio in 1981, adapting the original 1977 film into 13 episodes.[182][180][181] Mark Hamill and Anthony Daniels reprised their film roles.[182][180] The overwhelming success, led to a 10-episode adaptation of The Empire Strikes Back debuted in 1983.[183] Billy Dee Williams joined the other two stars, reprising his role as Lando Calrissian.[citation needed] In 1983, Buena Vista Records released an original, 30-minute Star Wars audio drama titled Rebel Mission to Ord Mantell, written by Daley.[181][184] In the 1990s, Time Warner Audio Publishing adapted several Star Wars series from Dark Horse Comics into audio dramas: the three-part Dark Empire saga, Tales of the Jedi, Dark Lords of the Sith, the Dark Forces trilogy, and Crimson Empire (1998).[184] Return of the Jedi was adapted into 6-episodes in 1996, featuring Daniels.[180][184] Video games Further information: Star Wars video games and List of Star Wars video games The Star Wars franchise has spawned over one hundred[185] computer, video, and board games, dating back to some of the earliest home consoles. Some are based directly on the movie material, while others rely heavily on the non-canonical Expanded Universe (rebranded as Star Wars Legends and removed from the canon in 2014). Star Wars games have gone through three significant development eras, marked by a change in leadership among the developers: the early licensed games, those developed after the creation of LucasArts, and those created after the closure of the Lucasfilm division by Disney and the transfer of the license to Electronic Arts. Early licensed games (1979–1993) The first officially licensed electronic Star Wars game was Kenner's 1979 table-top Star Wars Electronic Battle Command.[186][187] In 1982, Parker Brothers published the first Star Wars video game for the Atari 2600, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back,[188] followed soon the year later by Star Wars: Jedi Arena, the first video game to depict lightsaber combat. They were followed in 1983 by Atari's rail shooter arcade game Star Wars, with vector graphics to replicate the Death Star trench run scene from the 1977 film.[189] The next game, Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1984), has more traditional raster graphics,[190] while the following Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1985) has vector graphics.[191] Platform games were made for the Nintendo Entertainment System, including the Japan-exclusive Star Wars (1987), an international Star Wars (1991), and Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1992). Super Star Wars (1992) was released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, with two sequels over the next two years. LucasArts and modern self-published games (1993–2014) Main article: LucasArts Lucasfilm founded its own video game company in 1982, becoming best known for adventure games and World War II flight combat games, but as George Lucas took more interest in the increasing success of the video game market, he wanted to have more creative control over the games and founded his own development company, LucasArts. Improved graphics allowed games to tell complex narratives, which allowed for the retelling of the films, and eventually original narratives set in the same continuity, with voice-overs and CGI cutscenes. In 1993, LucasArts released Star Wars: X-Wing, the first self-published Star Wars video game and the first space flight simulator based on the franchise.[192] It was one of the bestselling video games of 1993 and established its own series of games.[192] The Rogue Squadron series was released between 1998 and 2003, also focusing on space battles set during the films. Dark Forces (1995), a hybrid adventure game incorporating puzzles and strategy,[193] was the first Star Wars first-person shooter.[194] It featured gameplay and graphical features not then common in other games, made possible by LucasArts' custom-designed game engine, the Jedi.[194][193][195][196] The game was well received,[197][198][199] and it was followed by four sequels.[200][201] The series introduced Kyle Katarn, who would appear in multiple games, novels, and comics.[202] Katarn is a former stormtrooper who joins the Rebellion and becomes a Jedi,[194][203][204] a plot arc similar to that of Finn in the sequel trilogy films.[148] A massively multiplayer online role-playing game, Star Wars Galaxies, was in operation from 2003 until 2011. After Disney bought Lucasfilm, LucasArts ceased its role as a developer in 2013, although it still operates as a licensor.[205] EA Star Wars (2014–present) Following its acquisition of the franchise, Disney reassigned video game rights to Electronic Arts. Games made during this era are considered canonical, and feature more influence from the Star Wars filmmakers. Disney partnered with Lenovo to create the augmented reality video game Jedi Challenges, released in November 2017.[206][207] In August 2018, it was announced that Zynga would publish free-to-play Star Wars mobile games.[208] The Battlefront games received a canonical reboot with Star Wars: Battlefront in November 2015, which was followed by a sequel, Battlefront II, in November 2017. A single-player action-adventure game, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, with an original story and cast of characters, was released in November 2019. A space combat game titled Star Wars: Squadrons, which builds upon the space battles from Battlefront, was released in October 2020. Theme park attractions Main article: List of Star Wars theme parks attractions In addition to the Disneyland ride Star Tours (1987) and its successor, Star Tours: The Adventures Continue (2011), many live attractions have been held at Disney parks, including the traveling exhibition Where Science Meets Imagination, the Space Mountain spin-off Hyperspace Mountain, a walkthrough Launch Bay, and the night-time A Galactic Spectacular. An immersive themed area called Galaxy's Edge (2019) opened at Disneyland and opened at Walt Disney World in mid-2019.[209] A themed hotel, Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, is currently under construction at Walt Disney World.[210]     This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (January 2020) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) Title     Park(s)     Opening date     Closing date Star Tours     Disneyland     January 9, 1987     July 27, 2010 Tokyo Disneyland     July 12, 1989     April 2, 2012 Disney's Hollywood Studios     December 15, 1989     September 7, 2010 Disneyland Paris     April 12, 1992     March 16, 2016 Star Wars Weekends     Disney's Hollywood Studios     1997     November 2015 Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination     Multiple locations     October 19, 2005     March 23, 2014 Jedi Training Academy     Disneyland     July 1, 2006     November 15, 2015 Disney's Hollywood Studios     October 9, 2007     October 5, 2015 Star Tours: The Adventures Continue     Disney's Hollywood Studios     May 20, 2011     N/A (operating) Disneyland     June 3, 2011 Tokyo Disneyland     May 7, 2013 Disneyland Paris     March 26, 2017 Star Wars: Hyperspace Mountain     Disneyland     November 14, 2015     May 31, 2017 Hong Kong Disneyland     June 11, 2016     N/A (operating) Disneyland Paris     May 7, 2017 Star Wars Launch Bay     Disneyland     November 16, 2015 Disney's Hollywood Studios     December 4, 2015 Shanghai Disneyland Park     June 16, 2016 Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple     Disney's Hollywood Studios     December 1, 2015 Disneyland     December 8, 2015 Disneyland Paris     July 11, 2015 Hong Kong Disneyland     June 25, 2016 Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular     Disney's Hollywood Studios     June 17, 2016 Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge     Disneyland     May 31, 2019 Disney's Hollywood Studios     August 29, 2019 Star Wars: Millennium Falcon - Smugglers Run     Disneyland     May 31, 2019 Disney's Hollywood Studios     August 29, 2019 Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance     Disney's Hollywood Studios     December 5, 2019 Disneyland     January 17, 2020 Multimedia projects A multimedia project involves works released across multiple types of media. Shadows of the Empire (1996) was a multimedia project set between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi that included a novel by Steve Perry, a comic book series, a video game, and action figures.[137][138] The Force Unleashed (2008–2010) was a similar project set between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope that included a novel, a 2008 video game and its 2010 sequel, a graphic novel, a role-playing game supplement, and toys.[211][212] Merchandising Main articles: Kenner Star Wars action figures, List of Kenner Star Wars action figures, Star Wars: The Vintage Collection, Lego Star Wars, Star Wars trading card, and Star Wars role-playing games George Lucas made much of his fortune by retaining his rights to the franchise's merchandising. The success of the Star Wars films led the franchise to become one of the most merchandised franchises in the world. While filming the original 1977 film, George Lucas decided to take a $500,000 pay cut to his salary as director in exchange for full ownership of the franchise's merchandising rights. By 1987, the first three films have made US$2.6 billion in merchandising revenue.[213] By 2012, the first six films produced approximately US$20 billion in merchandising revenue.[214] Kenner made the first Star Wars action figures to coincide with the release of the original film, and today the original figures are highly valuable. Since the 1990s, Hasbro holds the rights to create action figures based on the saga. Pez dispensers began to be produced in 1997.[215] Star Wars was the first intellectual property to be licensed in Lego history.[216] Lego has produced animated parody short films and mini-series to promote their Star Wars sets.[217] The Lego Star Wars video games are critically acclaimed bestsellers.[218][219] In 1977, the board game Star Wars: Escape from the Death Star was released.[220][h] A Star Wars Monopoly and themed versions of Trivial Pursuit and Battleship were released in 1997, with updated versions released in subsequent years. The board game Risk has been adapted in two editions by Hasbro: The Clone Wars Edition (2005)[222] and the Original Trilogy Edition (2006).[223] Three Star Wars tabletop role-playing games have been developed: a version by West End Games in the 1980s and 1990s, one by Wizards of the Coast in the 2000s, and one by Fantasy Flight Games in the 2010s. Star Wars Trading Cards have been published since the first "blue" series, by Topps, in 1977.[224] Dozens of series have been produced, with Topps being the licensed creator in the United States. Each card series are of film stills or original art. Many of the cards have become highly collectible with some very rare "promos", such as the 1993 Galaxy Series II "floating Yoda" P3 card often commanding US$1,000 or more. While most "base" or "common card" sets are plentiful, many "insert" or "chase cards" are very rare.[225] From 1995 until 2001, Decipher, Inc. had the license for, created, and produced the Star Wars Customizable Card Game. Themes See also: Star Wars sources and analogues Star Wars features elements such as knighthood, chivalry, and Jungian archetypes such as "the shadow".[226] There are also many references to Christianity, such as in the appearance of Darth Maul, whose design draws heavily from traditional depictions of the devil.[227] Anakin was conceived of a virgin birth, and is assumed to be the "Chosen One", a messianic individual. However, unlike Jesus, Anakin falls from grace, remaining evil as Darth Vader until Return of the Jedi. According to Adam Driver, sequel trilogy villain Kylo Ren, who idolizes Vader, believes he is "doing what he thinks is right".[228] George Lucas has said that the theme of the saga is redemption.[229] The saga draws heavily from the hero's journey, an archetypical template developed by comparative mythologist Joseph Campbell.[227] Each character—primarily Anakin, Luke, and Rey—follows the steps of the cycle or undergoes its reversal, becoming the villain.[230] A defining step of the journey is "Atonement with the Father".[231] Obi-Wan's loss of a father figure could have impacted his relationship with Anakin,[232] whom both Obi-Wan and Palpatine are fatherlike mentors to.[233] Luke's discovery that Vader is his father has strong repercussions on the saga and is regarded as one of the most influential plot twists in cinema.[234] Supreme Leader Snoke encourages Kylo Ren to kill his father, Han Solo.[228] Kylo uses the fact that Rey is an orphan to tempt her into joining the dark side.[235] According to Inverse, the final scene in The Last Jedi, which depicts servant children playing with a toy of Luke and one boy using the Force, symbolizes that "the Force can be found in people with humble beginnings."[236] Historical influences Political science has been an important element of Star Wars since the franchise launched in 1977, focusing on a struggle between democracy and dictatorship. Battles featuring the Ewoks and Gungans against the Empire and Trade Federation, respectively, represent the clash between a primitive society and a more advanced one, similar to the Vietnam-American War.[237][238] Darth Vader's design was initially inspired by Samurai armor, and also incorporated a German military helmet.[239][240] Originally, Lucas conceived of the Sith as a group that served the Emperor in the same way that the Schutzstaffel served Adolf Hitler; this was condensed into one character in the form of Vader.[241] Stormtroopers borrow the name of World War I German "shock" troopers. Imperial officers wear uniforms resembling those of German forces during World War II,[242] and political and security officers resemble the black-clad SS down to the stylized silver death's head on their caps. World War II terms were used for names in the films; e.g. the planets Kessel (a term that refers to a group of encircled forces) and Hoth (after a German general who served on the snow-laden Eastern Front).[243] Shots of the commanders looking through AT-AT walker viewscreens in The Empire Strikes Back resemble tank interiors,[244] and space battles in the original film were based on World War I and World War II dogfights.[245] Palpatine being a chancellor before becoming the Emperor in the prequel trilogy alludes to Hitler's role before appointing himself Führer.[242] Lucas has also drawn parallels to historical dictators such as Julius Caesar, Napoleon Bonaparte, and politicians like Richard Nixon.[246][247][i] The Great Jedi Purge mirrors the events of the Night of the Long Knives.[249] The corruption of the Galactic Republic is modeled after the fall of the democratic Roman Republic and the formation of an empire.[250][251] On the inspiration for the First Order formed "from the ashes of the Empire", The Force Awakens director J. J. Abrams spoke of conversations the writers had about how the Nazis could have escaped to Argentina after WWII and "started working together again."[122]     The aerial warfare of WWII inspired the space fights.     The aerial warfare of WWII inspired the space fights.     The flag and iconography of the Empire resembles those of the Nazi Party and Germany during its rule.     The flag and iconography of the Empire resembles those of the Nazi Party and Germany during its rule. Cultural impact Main article: Cultural impact of Star Wars The lightsaber and the blaster are iconic elements of the franchise. The Star Wars saga has had a significant impact on popular culture,[252] with references to its fictional universe deeply embedded in everyday life.[253] Phrases like "evil empire" and "May the Force be with you" have become part of the popular lexicon.[254] The first Star Wars film in 1977 was a cultural unifier,[255] enjoyed by a wide spectrum of people.[256] The film can be said to have helped launch the science-fiction boom of the late 1970s and early 1980s, making science-fiction films a mainstream genre.[257] The widespread impact made it a prime target for parody works and homages, with popular examples including Hardware Wars, Spaceballs, The Family Guy Trilogy and Robot Chicken: Star Wars. In 1989, the Library of Congress selected the original Star Wars film for preservation in the U.S. National Film Registry, as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."[258] The Empire Strikes Back was selected in 2010,[259][260] and Return of the Jedi was selected in 2021.[261] 35 mm reels of the 1997 Special Editions were the versions initially presented for preservation because of the difficulty of transferring from the original prints,[262][263] but it was later revealed that the Library possesses a copyright deposit print of the original theatrical releases.[264] Industry The original Star Wars film was a huge success for 20th Century Fox, and was credited for reinvigorating the company. Within three weeks of the film's release, the studio's stock price doubled to a record high. Prior to 1977, 20th Century Fox's greatest annual profits were $37 million, while in 1977, the company broke that record by posting a profit of $79 million.[245] The franchise helped Fox to change from an almost bankrupt production company to a thriving media conglomerate.[265] With over $10.3 billion in worldwide box office receipts, Star Wars is the second-highest-grossing film franchise of all time.[266][267] Star Wars fundamentally changed the aesthetics and narratives of Hollywood films, switching the focus of Hollywood-made films from deep, meaningful stories based on dramatic conflict, themes and irony to sprawling special-effects-laden blockbusters, as well as changing the Hollywood film industry in fundamental ways. Before Star Wars, special effects in films had not appreciably advanced since the 1950s.[268] The commercial success of Star Wars created a boom in state-of-the-art special effects in the late 1970s.[265] Along with Jaws, Star Wars started the tradition of the summer blockbuster film in the entertainment industry, where films open on many screens at the same time and profitable franchises are important.[269][256] It created the model for the major film trilogy and showed that merchandising rights on a film could generate more money than the film itself did.[255] Film critic Roger Ebert wrote in his book The Great Movies, "Like The Birth of a Nation and Citizen Kane, Star Wars was a technical watershed that influenced many of the movies that came after." It began a new generation of special effects and high-energy motion pictures. The film was one of the first films to link genres together to invent a new, high-concept genre for filmmakers to build upon.[270] Finally, along with Steven Spielberg's Jaws, it shifted the film industry's focus away from personal filmmaking of the 1970s and towards fast-paced, big-budget blockbusters for younger audiences.[245][271][272] Some critics have blamed Star Wars and Jaws for "ruining" Hollywood by shifting its focus from "sophisticated" films such as The Godfather, Taxi Driver, and Annie Hall to films about spectacle and juvenile fantasy, and for the industry shift from stand-alone, one and done films, towards blockbuster franchises with multiple sequels and prequels.[273] One such critic, Peter Biskind, complained, "When all was said and done, Lucas and Spielberg returned the 1970s audience, grown sophisticated on a diet of European and New Hollywood films, to the simplicities of the pre-1960s Golden Age of movies... They marched backward through the looking-glass."[273][274] In an opposing view, Tom Shone wrote that through Star Wars and Jaws, Lucas and Spielberg "didn't betray cinema at all: they plugged it back into the grid, returning the medium to its roots as a carnival sideshow, a magic act, one big special effect", which was "a kind of rebirth".[272] The original Star Wars trilogy is widely considered one of the best film trilogies in history.[275] Numerous filmmakers have been influenced by Star Wars, including Damon Lindelof, Dean Devlin, Roland Emmerich, John Lasseter,[276] David Fincher, Joss Whedon, John Singleton, Kevin Smith,[270] and later Star Wars directors J. J. Abrams and Gareth Edwards.[277] Lucas's concept of a "used universe" particularly influenced Ridley Scott's Blade Runner (1982) and Alien (1979), James Cameron's Aliens (1986) as well as The Terminator (1984), George Miller's Mad Max 2 (1981), and Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001–2003).[270] Christopher Nolan cited Star Wars as an influence when making the 2010 blockbuster film Inception.[278] Fan works Main article: Star Wars fan films The Star Wars saga has inspired many fans to create their own non-canon material set in the Star Wars galaxy. In recent years, this has ranged from writing fan fiction to creating fan films. In 2002, Lucasfilm sponsored the first annual Official Star Wars Fan Film Awards, officially recognizing filmmakers and the genre. Because of concerns over potential copyright and trademark issues, however, the contest was initially open only to parodies, mockumentaries, and documentaries. Fan fiction films set in the Star Wars universe were originally ineligible, but in 2007, Lucasfilm changed the submission standards to allow in-universe fiction entries.[279] Lucasfilm has allowed but not endorsed the creation of fan fiction, as long as it does not attempt to make a profit.[280] Academia As the characters and the storyline of the original trilogy are so well known, educators have used the films in the classroom as a learning resource. For example, a project in Western Australia honed elementary school students storytelling skills by role-playing action scenes from the movies and later creating props and audio/visual scenery to enhance their performance.[281] Others have used the films to encourage second-level students to integrate technology in the science classroom by making prototype lightsabers.[282] Similarly, psychiatrists in New Zealand and the U.S. have advocated their use in the university classroom to explain different types of psychopathology." (wikipedia.org) "Disneyland is a theme park in Anaheim, California. Opened in 1955, it was the first theme park opened by The Walt Disney Company and the only one designed and constructed under the direct supervision of Walt Disney. Disney initially envisioned building a tourist attraction adjacent to his studios in Burbank to entertain fans who wished to visit; however, he soon realized that the proposed site was too small for the ideas that he had. After hiring the Stanford Research Institute to perform a feasibility study determining an appropriate site for his project, Disney bought a 160-acre (65 ha) site near Anaheim in 1953. The park was designed by a creative team hand-picked by Walt from internal and outside talent. They founded WED Enterprises, the precursor to today's Walt Disney Imagineering. Construction began in 1954 and the park was unveiled during a special televised press event on the ABC Television Network on July 17, 1955. Since its opening, Disneyland has undergone expansions and major renovations, including the addition of New Orleans Square in 1966, Bear Country in 1972, Mickey's Toontown in 1993, and Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge in 2019.[2] Additionally, Disney California Adventure Park opened in 2001 on the site of Disneyland's original parking lot. Disneyland has a larger cumulative attendance than any other theme park in the world, with 757 million visits since it opened (as of December 2021).[3] In 2022, the park had approximately 16.9 million visits, making it the second most visited amusement park in the world that year, behind only Magic Kingdom, the very park it inspired.[4] According to a 2005 Disney report, 65,700 jobs are supported by the Disneyland Resort, including about 20,000 direct Disney employees and 3,800 third-party employees (independent contractors or their employees).[5] Disney announced "Project Stardust" in 2019, which included major structural renovations to the park to account for higher attendance numbers.[6] History Original dedication     To all who come to this happy place: Welcome. Disneyland is your land. Here age relives fond memories of the past, and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future. Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams, and the hard facts that have created America, with the hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration to all the world. Walter E. Disney, July 17, 1955[7][8][9][10] 20th century Origins Walt Disney with Orange County officials Walt Disney (center) showing Orange County officials plans for Disneyland's layout, December 1954 The concept for Disneyland began when Walt Disney was visiting Griffith Park in Los Angeles with his daughters Diane and Sharon. While watching them ride the merry-go-round, he came up with the idea of a place where adults and their children could go and have fun together, though his dream lay dormant for many years.[11][12] The earliest documented draft of Disney's plans was sent as a memo to studio production designer Dick Kelsey on August 31, 1948, where it was referred to as a "Mickey Mouse Park", based on notes Disney made during his and Ward Kimball's trip to the Chicago Railroad Fair the same month, with a two-day stop in Henry Ford's Museum and Greenfield Village, a place with attractions like a Main Street and steamboat rides, which he had visited eight years earlier.[13][14][15][16] When people wrote letters to Disney to inquire about visiting the Walt Disney Studios, he realized that a functional movie studio had little to offer to visiting fans, and began to foster various ideas about building a site near the Burbank studios for tourists to visit. His ideas evolved to a small play park with a boat ride and other themed areas. The initial park concept, the Mickey Mouse Park, was originally planned for an eight-acre (3.2 ha) plot to the south, across Riverside Drive from the studio. Besides Greenfield Village and the Chicago Railroad Fair, Disney was also inspired by Tivoli Gardens in Denmark, Knott's Berry Farm, Colonial Williamsburg, the Century of Progress in Chicago, and the New York's World Fair of 1939.[17] His designers began working on concepts, though the project grew much larger than the land could hold.[18] Disney hired Harrison Price from Stanford Research Institute to identify the proper area in which to position the planned theme park based on expected future growth. Based on Price's analysis (for which he would be recognized as a Disney Legend in 2003), Disney acquired 160 acres (65 ha) of orange groves and walnut trees in Anaheim, southeast of Los Angeles in neighboring Orange County.[18][19] The small Burbank site originally considered by Disney is now home to Walt Disney Animation Studios and ABC Studios. Difficulties in obtaining funding prompted Disney to investigate new methods of fundraising, and he decided to create a show named Disneyland. It was broadcast on then-fledgling ABC. In return, the network agreed to help finance the park. For its first five years of operation, Disneyland was owned by Disneyland, Inc., which was jointly owned by Walt Disney Productions, Walt Disney, Western Publishing and ABC.[20] In addition, Disney rented out many of the shops on Main Street, U.S.A. to outside companies. By 1960, Walt Disney Productions bought out all other shares, but the partnership had already led to a lasting relationship with ABC which would eventually culminate in the Walt Disney Company's acquisition of ABC in the mid-1990s. Construction began on July 16, 1954, and cost $17 million to complete (equivalent to $138 million in 2021[21]). The park was opened one year and one day later.[22] U.S. Route 101 (later Interstate 5) was under construction at the same time just north of the site; in preparation for the traffic Disneyland was expected to bring, two more lanes were added to the freeway before the park was finished.[19] Opening day Disneyland was dedicated at an "International Press Preview" event held on Sunday, July 17, 1955, which was open only to invited guests and the media. Although 28,000 people attended the event, only about half of those were invitees, the rest having purchased counterfeit tickets,[23] or snuck into the park by climbing over the fence.[24] The following day, it opened to the public, featuring twenty attractions. The Special Sunday events, including the dedication, were televised nationwide and anchored by three of Walt Disney's friends from Hollywood: Art Linkletter, Bob Cummings, and Ronald Reagan.[25] ABC broadcast the event live, during which many guests tripped over the television camera cables.[26][page needed] In Frontierland, a camera caught Cummings kissing a dancer. When Disney started to read the plaque for Tomorrowland, he read partway then stopped when a technician off-camera said something to him, and after realizing he was on-air, said, "I thought I got a signal",[26][page needed] and began the dedication from the start. At one point, while in Fantasyland, Linkletter tried to give coverage to Cummings, who was on the pirate ship. He was not ready and tried to give the coverage back to Linkletter, who had lost his microphone. Cummings then did a play-by-play of him trying to find it in front of Mr. Toad's Wild Ride.[26][page needed] Traffic was delayed on the two-lane Harbor Boulevard.[26][page needed] Famous figures who were scheduled to show up every two hours showed up all at once. The temperature was an unusually high 101 °F (38 °C), and because of a local plumbers' strike, Disney was given a choice of having working drinking fountains or running toilets. He chose the latter, leaving many drinking fountains dry. This generated negative publicity since Pepsi sponsored the park's opening; disappointed guests believed the inoperable fountains were a cynical way to sell soda, while other vendors ran out of food. The asphalt that had been poured that morning was soft enough to let women's high-heeled shoes sink into it. Some parents threw their children over the crowd's shoulders to get them onto rides, such as the King Arthur Carrousel.[27] In later years, Disney and his 1955 executives referred to July 17, 1955, as "Black Sunday". After the extremely negative press from the preview opening, Walt Disney invited attendees back for a private "second day" to experience Disneyland properly. At the time, and during the lifetimes of Walt and Roy Disney, July 17 was considered a preview, with July 18 the official opening day.[24] Since then, aided by memories of the television broadcast, the company has adopted July 17 as the official date, the one commemorated every year as Disneyland's birthday.[24] 1950s and 1960s Disneyland aerial view, 1963, which includes the new Melody Land Theater at the top of the photo In September 1959, Soviet First Secretary Nikita Khrushchev spent thirteen days in the United States, with two requests: to visit Disneyland and to meet John Wayne, Hollywood's top box-office draw. Due to the Cold War tension and security concerns, he was famously denied an excursion to Disneyland.[28] The Shah of Iran and Empress Farah were invited to Disneyland by Walt Disney in the early 1960s.[29] There was moderate controversy over the lack of African American employees. As late as 1963, civil rights activists were pressuring Disneyland to hire black people,[30] with executives responding that they would "consider" the requests.[citation needed] The park did however hire people of Asian descent, such as Ty Wong and Bob Kuwahara.[31] As part of the Casa de Fritos operation at Disneyland, "Doritos" (Spanish for "little golden things") were created at the park to recycle old tortillas that would have been discarded. The Frito-Lay Company saw the popularity of the item and began selling them regionally in 1964, and then nationwide in 1966.[32] 1970s On August 6, 1970, an estimated 300+ anti-war Yippies entered Disneyland in a planned protest against the Vietnam War. The protestors held grievances with specific aspects of the theme park itself, such as the Aunt Jemima-themed pancake restaurant in Frontierland and the park's association with Bank of America, a subject of controversy at the time for its lending to military contractors such as Boeing.[33] The Yippies were met by an estimated 100 riot police who established lookouts within the park and another 300 on standby just outside of the entrance gates. Around 4:00 p.m., many of the Yippies occupied Tom Sawyer Island, purportedly smoking cannabis and causing cast members to halt park guests from boarding rafts to the island. An hour later, the group of Yippies converged at Main Street, U.S.A. and became confrontational with other park guests and riot police after tearing down patriotic bunting while unfurling Viet Cong and Youth International Party flags. Standby riot police entered and the park was evacuated around 5:00 p.m. when some of the insurgents approached the park's Bank of America branch, sparking concern that the building could be burned in a similar fashion to the arson of a Bank of America in Isla Vista in February 1970. Police arrested 23 park guests and it was only the second unexpected early closure in park history, the first being in response to the assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963. The incident was cited as a clash of the park management's perceived appeal to tradition following the death of Walt Disney and the growing counterculture movement among young people in the United States.[34][35] Despite the opening of the more expansive Walt Disney World resort in 1971, Disneyland continued to set attendance records and maintained its status as a major tourist attraction. In 1972, the Bear Country land was opened and the Main Street Electrical Parade was introduced. Disneyland underwent several changes in preparation for the United States Bicentennial. In 1974, Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress was replaced with America Sings, an audio-animatronic theater show featuring the history of American music. America on Parade debuted in 1975 and ran through 1976 in celebration of the bicentennial. Several of the park's earliest attractions received major changes or were replaced in the mid-to-late 1970s. The Flight to the Moon attraction was rethemed as Mission to Mars in March 1975, five years after Apollo 11 had successfully landed humans on the moon. Construction of Space Mountain began that same year adjacent to the new Mission to Mars attraction but was delayed by El Niño-related weather complications. The ride opened in 1977 to much acclaim as lines would often stretch all the way to Main Street, U.S.A. The final major change of the decade came in 1977 when the slow-paced Mine Train Through Nature's Wonderland was closed and replaced by the similarly-themed Big Thunder Mountain Railroad rollercoaster in 1979.[36] 1980s Fantasyland was closed for refurbishment in 1982 and reopened to the public in 1983 as "New Fantasyland." On December 5, 1985, to celebrate Disneyland's 30th year in operation, one million balloons were launched along the streets bordering Disneyland as part of the Skyfest Celebration.[37] 1990s In the late 1990s, work began to expand the one-park, one-hotel property. Disneyland Park, the Disneyland Hotel, the site of the original parking lot, and acquired surrounding properties were earmarked to become part of the Disneyland Resort. At that time, the property saw the addition of the Disney California Adventure theme park, a shopping, dining and entertainment complex named Downtown Disney, a remodeled Disneyland Hotel, the construction of Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, and the acquisition and re-branding of the Pan Pacific Hotel as Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel. The park was renamed "Disneyland Park" to distinguish it from the larger complex under construction. Because the existing parking lot (south of Disneyland) was repurposed by these projects, the six-level, 10,250-space Mickey and Friends parking structure was constructed in the northwest corner. Upon completion in 2000, it was the largest parking structure in the United States.[38] The park's management team during the mid-1990s was a source of controversy among fans and employees. In an effort to boost profits, various changes were begun by then-executives Cynthia Harriss and Paul Pressler. While their initiatives provided a short-term increase in shareholder returns, they drew widespread criticism for their lack of foresight. The retail backgrounds of Harriss and Pressler led to a gradual shift in Disneyland's focus from attractions to merchandising. Outside consultants McKinsey & Company were brought in to help streamline operations, resulting in many changes and cutbacks. After nearly a decade of deferred maintenance, the original park was showing signs of neglect. Fans of the park decried the perceived decline in customer value and park quality and rallied for the dismissal of the management team.[39] 21st century Disneyland in 2005 An aerial view of Disneyland in 2004 Matt Ouimet, the former president of the Disney Cruise Line, was promoted to assume leadership of the Disneyland Resort in late 2003. Shortly afterward, he selected Greg Emmer as Senior Vice President of Operations. Emmer was a long-time Disney cast member who had worked at Disneyland in his youth prior to moving to Florida and held multiple executive leadership positions at the Walt Disney World Resort. Ouimet set about reversing certain trends, especially concerning cosmetic maintenance and a return to the original infrastructure maintenance schedule, in hopes of restoring Disneyland's former safety record. Similarly to Walt Disney, Ouimet and Emmer could often be seen walking the park during business hours with members of their respective staff, wearing cast member name badges, standing in line for attractions, and welcoming guests' comments. In July 2006, Ouimet left The Walt Disney Company to become president of Starwood. Soon after, Ed Grier, executive managing director of Walt Disney Attractions Japan, was named president of the resort. In October 2009, Grier announced his retirement, and was replaced by George Kalogridis. The "Happiest Homecoming on Earth" celebrated the 50th anniversary of the theme park. Sleeping Beauty Castle was altered for the occasion. The "Happiest Homecoming on Earth" was an eighteen-month-long celebration (held through 2005 and 2006) of the fiftieth anniversary of Disneyland Park, also celebrating Disneyland's milestone throughout Disney parks worldwide. In 2004, the park underwent major renovations in preparation, restoring many attractions, notably Space Mountain, Jungle Cruise, the Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room. Attractions that had been in the park on opening day had one ride vehicle painted gold, and the park was decorated with fifty Golden Mickey Ears. The celebration started on May 5, 2005, and ended on September 30, 2006, and was followed by the "Year of a Million Dreams" celebration, lasting twenty-seven months and ending on December 31, 2008. Beginning on January 1, 2010, Disney Parks hosted the Give a Day, Get a Disney Day volunteer program, in which Disney encouraged people to volunteer with a participating charity and receive a free Disney Day at either a Disneyland Resort or Walt Disney World park. On March 9, 2010, Disney announced that it had reached its goal of one million volunteers and ended the promotion to anyone who had not yet registered and signed up for a specific volunteer situation. In July 2015, Disneyland celebrated its 60th Diamond Celebration anniversary.[40] Disneyland Park introduced the Paint the Night parade and Disneyland Forever fireworks show, and Sleeping Beauty Castle is decorated in diamonds with a large "60" logo. The Diamond Celebration concluded in September 2016 and the whole decoration of the anniversary was removed around Halloween 2016. Disneyland Park, along with Disney California Adventure, Downtown Disney, and the resort hotels, closed indefinitely starting March 14, 2020, in response to the coronavirus pandemic.[41][42] After nearly four months of closure, Downtown Disney reopened on July 9, 2020.[43] The parks had been scheduled to reopen on Disneyland's 65th anniversary on July 17, 2020, but due to rising cases in California, the parks' reopening was once again postponed.[44][45] It was expected to stay closed until at least December 31, 2020.[46] In February 2021, Disneyland announced a limited-capacity ticketed event called "A Touch of Disney", which would offer guests to shop at stores and enjoy eateries around the park from March 18 through April 19, 2021.[47][48] On March 5, 2021, it was announced by the California Department of Public Health that Disneyland could reopen with capacity restrictions beginning April 1, 2021.[49][50] The following week, then-Disney CEO Bob Chapek said that the company was planning on officially reopening the park in late April 2021.[51] Disneyland along with Disney California Adventure officially reopened on April 30, 2021, with limited capacity and social distancing/mask guidelines in effect.[52][53] The following week, the company announced a plan titled DisneylandForward to expand the park with more rides, restaurants, and shops with The Anaheim City Council expected to receive the development plans for approval by 2023.[54][55] On June 15, 2021, Disneyland, Disney California Adventure and other theme parks in California were permitted to return to full capacity with most COVID-19 pandemic restrictions lifted per California governor Gavin Newsom's Blueprint for a Safer Economy phased re-opening. Prior to this, Disneyland was operating at reduced guest capacity since it re-opened on April 30, 2021, after 13 months of closure due to the pandemic.[56] On January 27, 2023, Disneyland kicked off the year-long celebration of the centennial of The Walt Disney Company, Disney100. Disneyland Park introduced the Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway attraction and Wondrous Journeys fireworks show. On April 13, 2023, it was announced that Disneyland would be holding its first official "Pride Nite", supporting the LGBTQ community. This comes 25 years after the first celebrated 'Gay Day' at Disneyland, which is identical to the Gay Days at Walt Disney World celebration.[57][58] In May 2023, a male employee of Disneyland was dressed as 'Fairy Godmother's apprentice' welcoming the visitors to Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique in Fantasyland, generating both criticism and support on social media.[59] Park layout and attractions     This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (May 2015) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) Main articles: List of Disneyland attractions and List of former Disneyland attractions Disneyland Park consists of nine themed "lands" and a number of concealed backstage areas, and occupies over 100 acres (40 ha) with the new addition of Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway that came to Mickey's Toontown in 2023.[18] The park opened with Main Street, U.S.A., Adventureland, Frontierland, Fantasyland, and Tomorrowland, and has since added New Orleans Square in 1966, Bear Country (now known as Critter Country) in 1972, and Mickey's Toontown in 1993, and Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge in 2019.[60] In 1957, Holidayland opened to the public with a nine-acre (3.6 ha) recreation area including a circus and baseball diamond, and was closed in late 1961. Throughout the park are "Hidden Mickeys", representations of Mickey Mouse heads inserted subtly into the design of attractions and environmental decor. An elevated berm supports the 3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge Disneyland Railroad that circumnavigates the park.     Lands of Disneyland     Main Street, U.S.A. (2010)     Main Street, U.S.A.     (2010)     Adventureland (themed for a 1950s view of adventure, capitalizing on the post-war Tiki craze)     Adventureland     (themed for a 1950s view of adventure, capitalizing on the post-war Tiki craze)     Frontierland (Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in 2008)     Frontierland     (Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in 2008)     New Orleans Square (the Haunted Mansion and Fantasmic! viewing area in 2010)     New Orleans Square     (the Haunted Mansion and Fantasmic! viewing area in 2010)     Critter Country (Splash Mountain; 1989–2023)     Critter Country     (Splash Mountain; 1989–2023)     Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge (Star Wars: Millennium Falcon – Smugglers Run in 2019)     Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge     (Star Wars: Millennium Falcon – Smugglers Run in 2019)     Fantasyland (Peter Pan's Flight and the Matterhorn Bobsleds)     Fantasyland     (Peter Pan's Flight and the Matterhorn Bobsleds)     Mickey's Toontown (2010)     Mickey's Toontown     (2010)     Tomorrowland (Space Mountain in 2010)     Tomorrowland     (Space Mountain in 2010) Main Street, U.S.A. Main article: Main Street, U.S.A. § Disneyland Main Street, U.S.A. is patterned after a typical Midwest town of the early 20th century, and took much inspiration from Walt Disney's hometown, Marceline, Missouri.[61] Main Street, U.S.A. has a train station, town square, movie theater, city hall, firehouse with a steam-powered pump engine (this is where Walt Disney had his personal apartment), emporium, shops, arcades, double-decker bus, horse-drawn streetcar, and jitneys.[62] Main Street is also home to the Disney Art Gallery and the Opera House which showcases Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, a show featuring an Audio-Animatronic version of Abraham Lincoln. At the far end of Main Street, U.S.A. is Sleeping Beauty Castle, the Partners statue, and the Central Plaza (also known as the Hub), which is a portal to most of the themed lands: the entrance to Fantasyland is by way of a drawbridge across a moat and through the castle.[63] Adventureland, Frontierland, and Tomorrowland are on both sides of the castle. Several lands are not directly connected to the Central Plaza—namely, New Orleans Square, Critter Country, Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge and Mickey's Toontown. The design of Main Street, U.S.A. uses the technique of forced perspective to create an illusion of height.[64] Buildings along Main Street are built at 3⁄4 scale on the first level, then 5⁄8 on the second story, and 1⁄2 scale on the third—reducing the scale by 1⁄8 each level up. Adventureland Main article: Adventureland (Disney) § Disneyland Adventureland is designed to recreate the feel of an exotic tropical place in a far-off region of the world. "To create a land that would make this dream reality", said Walt Disney, "we pictured ourselves far from civilization, in the remote jungles of Asia and Africa." Attractions include opening day's Jungle Cruise, the Indiana Jones Adventure, and the upcoming Adventureland Treehouse, inspired by Walt Disney's 1960 film Swiss Family Robinson.[65] Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room, which opened in 1963 and is located at the entrance to Adventureland, was the first attraction to employ Audio-Animatronics, a computer synchronization of sound and robotics. New Orleans Square Main article: New Orleans Square New Orleans Square is based on 19th-century New Orleans, opened on July 24, 1966.[66] It is home to Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion, with nighttime entertainment Fantasmic!. This area is the home of the private Club 33. Frontierland Main article: Frontierland § Disneyland Frontierland recreates the setting of pioneer days along the American frontier. According to Walt Disney, "All of us have cause to be proud of our country's history, shaped by the pioneering spirit of our forefathers. Our adventures are designed to give you the feeling of having lived, even for a short while, during our country's pioneer days."[67] Frontierland is home to the Pinewood Indians band of animatronic Native Americans, who live on the banks of the Rivers of America. Entertainment and attractions include Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, the Mark Twain Riverboat, the Sailing Ship Columbia, Pirate's Lair on Tom Sawyer Island, and Frontierland Shootin' Exposition. Frontierland is also home to the Golden Horseshoe Saloon, an Old West-style show palace. Critter Country Main article: Critter Country § Disneyland Critter Country opened in 1972 as "Bear Country", and was renamed in 1988. Formerly the area was home to Indian Village, where indigenous tribespeople demonstrated their dances and other customs. The main draw of Critter County was Splash Mountain (1989–2023), a log-flume ride based on the animated sequences of Disney's 1946 film Song of the South. Splash Mountain is being rethemed to Tiana's Bayou Adventure, inspired by Disney's 2009 film The Princess and the Frog.[68][69] In 2003, a dark ride called The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh replaced the Country Bear Jamboree (1972–2001). The area also includes Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes.[70] Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge Main article: Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge § Disneyland Park Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge is set within the Star Wars universe, in the Black Spire Outpost village on the remote frontier planet of Batuu. Attractions include the Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.[71] The land opened in 2019, replacing Big Thunder Ranch and former backstage areas.[72][73] Fantasyland Main article: Fantasyland § Disneyland Fantasyland is the area of Disneyland of which Walt Disney said, "What youngster has not dreamed of flying with Peter Pan over moonlit London, or tumbling into Alice's nonsensical Wonderland? In Fantasyland, these classic stories of everyone's youth have become realities for youngsters – of all ages – to participate in." Fantasyland was originally styled in a medieval European fairground fashion, but its 1983 refurbishment turned it into a Bavarian village. Attractions include several dark rides, the King Arthur Carrousel, and various family attractions. Fantasyland has the most fiber optics in the park; more than half of them are in Peter Pan's Flight.[74] Sleeping Beauty's Castle features a walk-through telling the story of Disney's 1959 film Sleeping Beauty. The attraction opened in 1959, was redesigned in 1972, closed in 1992 for reasons of security and the new installation of pneumatic ram firework shell mortars for "Believe, There's Magic in the Stars", and reopened 2008 with new renditions and methods of storytelling and the restored work of Eyvind Earle. Mickey's Toontown Main article: Mickey's Toontown § Disneyland Mickey's Toontown opened in 1993 and was partly inspired by the fictional Los Angeles suburb of Toontown in the Touchstone Pictures 1988 release Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Mickey's Toontown is based on a 1930s cartoon aesthetic and is home to Disney's most popular cartoon characters. Toontown features three rides: Chip 'n' Dale's GADGETcoaster, Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway and Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin. The land also includes Mickey's House and Meet Mickey, Minnie's House, Goofy's How-To-Play Yard, and Donald's Duck Pond. From March 9, 2022 to March 18, 2023 the land underwent a refurbishment. In January 2023, Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway opened in Mickey's Toontown replacing the Toontown Five and Dime shop. The new family-friendly dark ride increased the size of Mickey's Toontown as well as the size of Disneyland Park from 99 to 101 acres (40 to 41 ha). Tomorrowland Main article: Tomorrowland § Disneyland During the 1955 inauguration, Walt Disney dedicated Tomorrowland with these words: "Tomorrow can be a wonderful age. Our scientists today are opening the doors of the Space Age to achievements that will benefit our children and generations to come. The Tomorrowland attractions have been designed to give you an opportunity to participate in adventures that are a living blueprint of our future." Disneyland producer Ward Kimball had rocket scientists Wernher von Braun, Willy Ley, and Heinz Haber serve as technical consultants during the original design of Tomorrowland.[75] Initial attractions included Rocket to the Moon, Astro-Jets and Autopia; later, the first incarnation of the Submarine Voyage was added. The area underwent a major transformation in 1967 to become New Tomorrowland, and then again in 1998 when its focus was changed to present a "retro-future" theme reminiscent of the illustrations of Jules Verne. Current attractions include Space Mountain, Star Wars Launch Bay, Autopia, Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple, the Disneyland Monorail Tomorrowland Station, Astro Orbitor, and Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters. Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage opened on June 11, 2007, resurrecting the original Submarine Voyage which closed in 1998. Star Tours was closed in July 2010 and replaced with Star Tours–The Adventures Continue in June 2011. Operations Backstage     This section includes a list of references, related reading, or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please help to improve this section by introducing more precise citations. (October 2010) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) Major buildings backstage include the Frank Gehry-designed Team Disney Anaheim,[76] where most of the division's administration currently works, as well as the Old Administration Building, behind Tomorrowland. Photography is forbidden in these areas, both inside and outside, although some photos have found their way to a variety of web sites. Guests who attempt to explore backstage are warned and often escorted from the property.[77] Transportation Disneyland Railroad Disneyland Railroad Engine 2 at the New Orleans Square station. Walt Disney had a longtime interest in transportation, and trains in particular. Disney's passion for the "iron horse" led to him building a miniature live steam backyard railroad—the "Carolwood Pacific Railroad"—on the grounds of his Holmby Hills estate. Throughout all the iterations of Disneyland during the 17 or so years when Disney was conceiving it, one element remained constant: a train encircling the park.[12] The primary designer for the park transportation vehicles was Bob Gurr who gave himself the title of Director of Special Vehicle Design in 1954.[78] Encircling Disneyland and providing a grand circle tour is the Disneyland Railroad (DRR), a 3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge short-line railway consisting of five oil-fired and steam-powered locomotives, in addition to three passenger trains and one passenger-carrying freight train. Originally known as the Disneyland and Santa Fe Railroad, the DRR was presented by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway until 1974. From 1955 to 1974, the Santa Fe Rail Pass was accepted in lieu of a Disneyland "D" coupon. With a 3 ft (914 mm) gauge, the most common narrow track gauge used in North America, the track runs in a continuous loop around Disneyland through each of its realms. Each 1900s-era train departs Main Street Station on an excursion that includes scheduled station stops at: New Orleans Square Station; Mickey's Toontown Depot; and Tomorrowland Station. The Grand Circle Tour then concludes with a visit to the "Grand Canyon/Primeval World" dioramas before returning passengers to Main Street, U.S.A.[79] photo of new Monorail Monorail Red travels over the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage in Tomorrowland. One of Disneyland's signature attractions is its Disneyland Monorail System monorail service, which opened in Tomorrowland in 1959 as the first daily-operating monorail train system in the Western Hemisphere. The monorail guideway has remained almost exactly the same since 1961, aside from small alterations while Indiana Jones Adventure was being built. Five generations of monorail trains have been used in the park since their lightweight construction means they wear out quickly. The most recent operating generation, the Mark VII, was installed in 2008. The monorail shuttles visitors between two stations, one inside the park in Tomorrowland and one in Downtown Disney. It follows a 2.5-mile-long (4.0 km) route designed to show the park from above. Currently, the Mark VII is running with the colors red, blue and orange. The monorail was originally a loop built with just one station in Tomorrowland. Its track was extended and a second station opened at the Disneyland Hotel in 1961. With the creation of Downtown Disney in 2001, the new destination is Downtown Disney, instead of the Disneyland Hotel. The physical location of the monorail station did not change, but the original station building was demolished as part of the hotel downsizing, and the new station is now separated from the hotel by several Downtown Disney buildings, including ESPN Zone and the Rainforest Café.[80] Horseless carriage Main Street at Disneyland, as seen from a horseless carriage All of the vehicles found on Main Street, U.S.A., grouped together as the Main Street Vehicles attraction, were designed to accurately reflect turn-of-the-century vehicles, including a 3 ft (914 mm) gauge[81] tramway featuring horse-drawn streetcars, a double-decker bus, a fire engine, and an automobile.[82] They are available for one-way rides along Main Street, U.S.A. The horse-drawn streetcars are also used by the park entertainment, including The Dapper Dans. The horseless carriages are modeled after cars built in 1903 and are two-cylinder, four-horsepower (3 kW) engines with manual transmission and steering. Walt Disney used to drive the fire engine around the park before it opened, and it has been used to host celebrity guests and in the parades. Most of the original main street vehicles were designed by Bob Gurr. From the late 1950s to 1968, Los Angeles Airways provided regularly scheduled helicopter passenger service between Disneyland and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and other cities in the area. The helicopters initially operated from Anaheim/Disneyland Heliport, located behind Tomorrowland. Service later moved, in 1960, to a new heliport north of the Disneyland Hotel.[83] Arriving guests were transported to the Disneyland Hotel via tram. The service ended after two fatal crashes in 1968: The crash in Paramount, California, on May 22, 1968, killed 23 (the worst helicopter accident in aviation history at that time). The second crash in Compton, California, on August 14, 1968, killed 21.[84] Effects on commercial aviation On October 27, 2014 the United States Federal Aviation Administration declared a permanent zone of prohibited airspace around both Disneyland and some of the surrounding areas at Sleeping Beauty Castle. No aircraft, including recreational and commercial drones, are permitted to fly within this zone. This level is shared with Walt Disney World, other pieces of critical infrastructure (military bases, Pantex), and is typically temporarily established during large sporting events.[85] Live entertainment Disneyland Musical Chairs Alice and characters from her movie host "Disneyland Musical Chairs" at Coca-Cola Refreshment Corner, accompanied by a ragtime pianist. Fantasmic Fantasmic! finale on July 4, 2010 In addition to the attractions, Disneyland provides live entertainment throughout the park. Most of the mentioned entertainment is not offered daily, but only on selected days of the week, or selected periods of the year. Many Disney characters can be found throughout the park, greeting visitors, interacting with children, and posing for photos. Some characters have specific areas where they are scheduled to appear, but can be found wandering as well. Some of the rarest are characters like Rabbit (from Winnie-the-Pooh), Max, Mushu, and Agent P.[86] Periodically through recent decades (and most recently during the summers of 2005 and 2006), Mickey Mouse would climb the Matterhorn attraction several times a day with the support of Minnie, Goofy, and other performers. Other mountain climbers could also be seen on the Matterhorn from time to time. As of March 2007, Mickey and his "toon" friends no longer climb the Matterhorn but the climbing program continues. Every evening at dusk, there is a military-style flag retreat to lower the U.S. Flag by a ceremonial detail of Disneyland's Security staff. The ceremony is usually held between 4:00 and 5:00 pm, depending on the entertainment being offered on Main Street, U.S.A., to prevent conflicts with crowds and music. Disney does report the time the Flag Retreat is scheduled on its Times Guide, offered at the entrance turnstiles and other locations. The Disneyland Band, which has been part of the park since its opening, plays the role of the Town Band on Main Street, U.S.A. It also breaks out into smaller groups like the Main Street Strawhatters, the Hook and Ladder Co., and the Pearly Band in Fantasyland. However, on March 31, 2015, the Disneyland Resort notified the band members of an "end of run". The reason for doing so is that they would start a new higher energy band. The veteran band members were invited to audition for the new Disneyland band and were told that even if they did not make the new band or audition, they would still play in small groups around the park. This sparked some controversy with supporters of the traditional band.[87]Each year since 1960 during the holiday season, Disney's Candlelight Processional is performed in Town Square. Parades Disneyland has featured a number of different parades traveling down the park's central Main Street – Fantasyland corridor. There have been daytime and nighttime parades that celebrated Disney films or seasonal holidays with characters, music, and large floats. One of the most popular parades was the Main Street Electrical Parade, which recently ended a limited-time return engagement after an extended run at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. From May 5, 2005, through November 7, 2008, as part of Disneyland's 50th anniversary, "Walt Disney's Parade of Dreams" was presented, celebrating several Disney films including The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, Alice in Wonderland, and Pinocchio. In 2009, "Walt Disney's Parade of Dreams" was replaced by "Celebrate! A Street Party", which premiered on March 27, 2009. Disney did not call "Celebrate! A Street Party" a parade, but rather a "street event." During the Christmas season, Disneyland presents "A Christmas Fantasy" Parade. "Walt Disney's Parade of Dreams" was replaced by "Mickey's Soundsational Parade", which debuted on May 27, 2011.[88] Disneyland debuted a new nighttime parade called "Paint the Night", on May 22, 2015, as part of the park's 60th anniversary.[89] For two weeks in 2020 before the closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the parade "Magic Happens" debuted. There was also a virtual parade available for a limited time.[90] At D23 Expo 2022, it was announced that "Magic Happens" would return to Disneyland in spring 2023.[91] Fireworks shows Disneyland fireworks Disneyland fireworks from Sleeping Beauty Castle Elaborate fireworks shows synchronized with Disney songs and often have appearances from Tinker Bell (and other characters) flying in the sky above Sleeping Beauty Castle. Since 2000, presentations have become more elaborate, featuring new pyrotechnics, launch techniques, and story lines. In 2004, Disneyland introduced a new air launch pyrotechnics system, reducing ground-level smoke and noise and decreasing negative environmental impacts. At the time the technology debuted, Disney announced it would donate the patents to a non-profit organization for use throughout the industry.[92] Projection mapping technology debuted on It's a Small World with the creation of The Magic, the Memories and You in 2011, and expanded to Main Street and Sleeping Beauty Castle in 2015 with the premiere of Disneyland Forever.     Regular fireworks shows:         1958–1999; 2015: Fantasy in the Sky         2000–2004: Believe... There's Magic in the Stars         2004–2005: Imagine... A Fantasy in the Sky         2005–2014; 2017–2019: Remember... Dreams Come True         2009–2014 (summer): Magical: Disney's New Nighttime Spectacular of Magical Celebrations         2019 and 2022 (summer): Disneyland Forever     Seasonal fireworks shows:         September to October: Halloween Screams         Independence Day Week: Disney's Celebrate America: A 4th of July Concert in the Sky         November to January: Believe... In Holiday Magic     Limited edition fireworks shows         60th Anniversary: Disneyland Forever         Pixar Fest: Together Forever         Get Your Ears On – A Mickey and Minnie Celebration: Mickey's Mix Magic         Disney100: Wondrous Journeys Since 2009, Disneyland has moved to a rotating repertoire of firework spectaculars. Scheduling of fireworks shows depends on the time of year. During the slower off-season periods, the fireworks are only offered on weekends. During the busier times, Disney offers additional nights. The park offers fireworks nightly during its busy periods, which include Easter/Spring Break, Summer and Christmas time. Disneyland spends about $41,000 per night on the fireworks show. The show is normally offered at 8:45 or 9:30 pm if the park is scheduled to close at 10 pm or later, but shows have started as early as 5:45 pm. A major consideration is the weather and wind, especially at higher altitude, which can force the delay or cancellation of the show. In response to this, alternate versions of the fireworks spectaculars have been created in recent years, solely using the projections and lighting effects. With a few minor exceptions, such as July 4 and New Year's Eve, shows must finish by 10:00 pm due to the conditions of the permit issued by the City of Anaheim. In recent years, Disneyland uses smaller and mid-sized fireworks shells and more low-level pyrotechnics on the castle to allow guests to enjoy the fireworks spectaculars even if there is a weather issue such as high wind. This precedent is known as B-show. The first fireworks show to have this format was Believe... In Holiday Magic from the 2018 holiday season. Attendance     Graphs are temporarily unavailable due to technical issues. Annual attendance at Disneyland Park. See or edit source data. Annual attendance at Disneyland Park (in millions) 1950s     Year         1955     1956     1957     1958     1959 Attendance     1.0     4.0     4.5     4.6     5.1 1960s     Year     1960     1961     1962     1963     1964     1965     1966     1967     1968     1969 Attendance     5.0     5.3     5.5     5.7     6.0     6.5     6.7     7.8     9.2     9.1 1970s     Year     1970     1971     1972     1973     1974     1975     1976     1977     1978     1979 Attendance     10.0     9.3     9.4     9.8     9.5     9.8     9.8     10.9     11.0     11.1 1980s     Year     1980     1981     1982     1983     1984     1985     1986     1987     1988     1989 Attendance     11.5     11.3     10.4     9.9     9.8     12.0     12.0     13.5     13.0     14.4 1990s     Year     1990     1991     1992     1993     1994     1995     1996     1997     1998     1999 Attendance     12.9     11.6     11.6     11.4     10.3     14.1     15.0     14.2     13.7     13.5 2000s     Year     2000     2001     2002     2003     2004     2005     2006     2007     2008     2009 Attendance     13.9     12.3     12.7     12.7     13.3     14.26     14.73     14.87     14.72     15.9 2010s     Year     2010     2011     2012     2013     2014     2015     2016     2017     2018     2019 Attendance     15.98     16.14     15.96     16.20     16.77     18.28     17.94     18.30     18.66     18.66 2020s     Year     2020     2021     2022     Attendance     3.67     8.57     16.88 References     [93] [94] [95] [96] [97] [98] [99] [100] [101] [102] [103] [104] [105] [106] [107] [108] [109] [110] [111] [112] [113]     Tickets From Disneyland's opening day until 1982, the price of the attractions was in addition to the price of park admission.[114] Guests paid a small admission fee to get into the park, but admission to most of the rides and attractions required guests to purchase tickets, either individually or in a book, that consisted of several coupons, initially labeled "A" through "C".[115] "A" coupons allowed admission to the smaller rides and attractions such as the Main Street Vehicles, whereas "C" coupons were used for the most common attractions like Peter Pan's Flight, or the Mad Tea Party. As more thrilling rides were introduced, such as the Disneyland Monorail or the Matterhorn Bobsleds, "D" and then eventually "E" coupons were introduced. Coupons could be combined to equal the equivalent of another ticket (e.g., two "A" tickets equal one "B" ticket). The term E ticket attraction is still used to refer to these most in-demand attractions, even though the coupons themselves are long consigned to history. Disneyland later featured a "Keys to the Kingdom" booklet of tickets, which consisted of 10 unvalued coupons sold for a single flat rate. These coupons could be used for any attraction regardless of its regular value. In 1982, Disney dropped the idea for individual ride tickets, replacing them with "passports", charging a single admission price with unlimited access to all attractions, "except shooting galleries".[116] While this idea was not original to Disney, it had business advantages: in addition to guaranteeing that everyone paid the same entry amount regardless of their length of stay or number of rides ridden, the park no longer had to print ride tickets, provide staff for ticket booths, nor provide staff to collect tickets or monitor attractions for people sneaking on without tickets. Later, Disney introduced other entry options such as multi-day passes, Annual Passes (which allow unlimited entry to the Park for an annual fee), and Southern California residents' discounts. In February 2016, Disneyland adopted a demand-based pricing system for single-day admission, charging different prices for "value", "regular", and "peak" days, based on projected attendance. Approximately 30% of days will be designated as "value", mainly weekdays when school is in session, 44% will be designated as "regular", and 26% will be designated as "peak", mostly during holidays and weekends in July.[117][118] In February 2020, Disneyland switched to a multi-tiered system, initially with 5 pricing tiers, with approximately 64% of days being in Tier 4 and above.[119] A sixth and seventh tier were added in October 2021[120] and October 2022.[121] One-day, one-park, adult admission prices over time[122][123][124][121] Date     1981*     June 1982     October 1983     May 1984     January 1985     May 1985 Price US$     $10.75     $12.00     $13.00     $14.00     $15.00     $16.50 Date     March 1986     January 1987     September 1987     December 1988     December 1989     November 1990 Price US$     $17.95     $20.00     $21.50     $23.50     $25.50     $27.50 Date     June 1992     May 1993     May 1994     January 1995     January 1996     March 1997 Price US$     $28.75     $30.00     $31.00     $33.00     $34.00     $36.00 Date     January 1998     January 5, 1999     January 5, 2000     November 6, 2000     March 19, 2002     January 6, 2003 Price US$     $38.00     $39.00     $41.00     $43.00     $45.00     $47.00 Date     March 28, 2004     January 10, 2005     June 20, 2005     January 4, 2006     September 20, 2006     September 21, 2007 Price US$     $49.75     $53.00     $56.00     $59.00     $63.00     $66.00 Date     August 3, 2008     August 2, 2009     August 8, 2010     June 12, 2011     May 20, 2012     June 18, 2013 Price US$     $69.00     $72.00     $76.00     $80.00     $87.00     $92.00 Date     May 18, 2014     February 22, 2015     February 28, 2016     February 12, 2017     February 11, 2018     January 6, 2019 Price US$     $96.00     $99.00     $95/$105/$119     $97/$110/$124     $97/$117/$135     $104/$129/$149 Date     February 11, 2020[119]     October 25, 2021[120]     October 11, 2022[121] Price US$     $104/$114/$124/$139/$154     $104/$119/$134/$149/$159/$164     $104/$114/$129/$144/$159/$169/$179 ^* Before 1982, passport tickets were available to groups only.[125]     Graphs are temporarily unavailable due to technical issues. Disneyland Park adult regular admission fee 1981–2021. See or edit source data. Closures Disneyland has had six unscheduled closures:     In 1963, following the assassination of John F. Kennedy.[126]     In 1970, due to an anti-Vietnam riot instigated by the Youth International Party.     In 1987, on December 16 due to a winter storm.[127]     In 1992, on December 7 due to a winter storm.[128]     In 2001, after the September 11 attacks.     In 2020–2021, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and safety protocols, the park closed on March 14, 2020[42][129][46] and reopened on April 30, 2021.[130] Additionally, Disneyland has had numerous planned closures:     In the early years, the park was often scheduled to be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays during the off-season.[131] This was in conjunction with nearby Knott's Berry Farm, which closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays to keep costs down for both parks, while offering Orange County visitors a place to go seven days a week.     On May 4, 2005, for the 50th Anniversary Celebration media event.[132]     The park has closed early to accommodate various special events, such as special press events, tour groups, VIP groups, and private parties. It is common for a corporation to rent the entire park for the evening. In such cases, special passes are issued which are valid for admission to all rides and attractions. At the ticket booths and on published schedules, regular guests are notified of the early closures. In the late afternoon, cast members announce that the park is closing, then clear the park of everyone without the special passes. In addition, the park has closed early for inclement weather. Promotions Every year in October, Disneyland has a Halloween promotion. During this promotion, or as Disneyland calls it a "party", areas in the park are decorated in a Halloween theme. Space Mountain and the Haunted Mansion are temporarily re-themed as part of the promotion. A Halloween party is offered on selected nights in late September and October for a separate fee, with a special fireworks show that is only shown at the party. From early November until the beginning of January, the park is decorated for the holidays. Seasonal entertainment includes the Believe... In Holiday Magic firework show and A Christmas Fantasy Parade, while the Haunted Mansion and It's a Small World are temporarily redecorated in a holiday theme. The Sleeping Beauty Castle is snow-capped and decorated with colorful lights during the holidays. Revenue The theme park grossed $65,151,000 in 1968." (wikipedia.org) "Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge is a themed area inspired by the Star Wars franchise, located in Disneyland Park at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, and Disney's Hollywood Studios at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida.[2] It encompasses 14 acres (5.7 ha) at each park,[3] and is set in the village of Black Spire Outpost, on the remote frontier planet of Batuu, featuring attractions, shops, restaurants and entertainment. The lands were announced on August 15, 2015,[4] and construction at both parks began on April 14, 2016.[5] The Disneyland version opened May 31, 2019, and Disney's Hollywood Studios' version opened August 29, 2019.[1] Walt Disney Imagineering executive Scott Trowbridge supervised development and construction at both parks.[6][7] History Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI) initially developed plans in the early 2010s for a Star Wars-themed land at Disney's Hollywood Studios[8] in Florida. Based on characters and settings from the original trilogy of Star Wars films, including Tatooine and Endor, the area would have encompassed the park's Echo Lake area, replacing the Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular and Sounds Dangerous attractions and incorporating the existing Star Tours – The Adventures Continue.[9] However in 2014, after consultation with Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy, The Walt Disney Company CEO and chairman Bob Iger cancelled all of WDI's development on Star Wars-themed projects, postponing any creative development until the release of the sequel trilogy and anthology films.[8] After a creative shift in design, a Star Wars-themed land was first publicly announced by Iger for both Disney's Hollywood Studios and Disneyland at the D23 Expo on August 15, 2015. According to Iger, the unnamed land would be "occupied by many inhabitants; humanoids, aliens and droids ... the attractions, the entertainment, everything we create will be part of our storytelling. Nothing will be out of character or stray from the mythology."[2] Bob Chapek, then-chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, stated that the land "will introduce you to a Star Wars planet you've never seen before — a gateway planet located on the outer rim, full of places and characters familiar and not so familiar."[3] In an interview for the winter 2015 issue of the official Disney fan club publication Disney twenty-three, Trowbridge stated: "[O]ur intent is to make it feel as if you just walked into one of the movies... Bringing Star Wars to life in the physical world gives us the opportunity to play with a whole bunch of things we've never done before... to really engage all of the senses. What does that street feel like? What does that animal smell like? What does blue milk taste like?"[7] Construction of the landscape at Disney's Hollywood Studios in December 2017 Iger announced in March 2016 that construction on both versions of the land would begin in April 2016.[10] Construction began at both locations on April 14, 2016.[5] In February 2017, Iger stated that the lands are scheduled to open in 2019 at both Disneyland and Hollywood Studios.[11][12] In July 2017, at the D23 Expo, Chapek revealed that the themed lands would be called Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge. Chapek also announced that the Disneyland version would open first.[13] In November 2017, Trowbridge announced that the planet portrayed by the land is called Batuu,[14] which appears in the 2018 novel Star Wars: Thrawn: Alliances.[15] In May 2018, Trowbridge revealed the village in which the land is set would be called Black Spire Outpost,[16] a location briefly mentioned in the 2018 film Solo: A Star Wars Story.[17] It was also announced that the Disneyland version of the land would open in summer 2019, followed by the Disney's Hollywood Studios version in late fall 2019.[11][12] The names of the two new attractions at each location were announced in November 2018, during the D23 Destination D event held at Walt Disney World.[18] A five-issue comic miniseries by Marvel Comics introduced the area's location in April 2019.[19] Iger announced the opening dates for both locations on March 7, 2019.[1] The Disneyland version was dedicated on May 29, 2019. In attendance at the dedication ceremony were Iger, Star Wars creator George Lucas, and series actors Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, and Billy Dee Williams.[20] The Disneyland version opened to the public on May 31, and because of its high popularity, a virtual queuing system was implemented on June 24.[21] The land at Disney's Hollywood Studios opened on August 29, 2019.[1] Design Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI) designed the project in collaboration with the Lucasfilm Story Group, with Imagineer Scott Trowbridge supervising the project, Asa Kalama and Chris Beatty serving as executive creative directors, Bryshere Casiano as the structural engineer, and Lucasfilm's Pablo Hidalgo and designer Doug Chiang of Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) involved as consultants.[22] Together, the team decided to set the lands on a new planet, located within the Outer Rim of the Unknown Regions.[23] Described as a "remote frontier outpost", the planet Batuu has not previously appeared in other media, although it has existed within canon "for thousands and thousands of years."[24][23][14] The team chose to create a newly designed world instead of using an existing planet from the films, such as Tatooine or Hoth, because those locations evoked a pre-existing familiarity with guests, with Trowbridge explaining, "We wanted to build new Star Wars stories, new Star Wars destinations." He says of the new planet,     This used to be a vibrant trading port back in the old sub-lightspeed days, but now with advent of hyperspace, its prominence has kind of fallen and faded a little bit which has made it a great spot for those who didn't want to be on that kind of mainstream path. The smugglers, the bounty hunters, the rogue adventurers looking to crew up, the people who don't want to be found — basically all the interesting people.[23] The distinct rock spires found within Galaxy's Edge at Disney's Hollywood Studios The development team drew inspiration from real-world locations, including Istanbul, Morocco, Jerusalem and Egypt and traveled there to study the architecture, culture, and weather.[25][26] The team also cited Ralph McQuarrie's concept art for the original Star Wars trilogy as a basis for the architecture and aesthetic look of the land.[25] The landscape of Galaxy's Edge features 135 foot (41 m)-tall spires standing amongst the rockwork that are intended to be the petrified remains of massive trees of an ancient forest; Imagineers based this landscape from the Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona.[27] WDI used in-house virtual reality programs to realize where to use forced perspective and place thematic details in relation to sightlines to hide the park's show buildings from guest view.[28] Disney consciously modified traditional theme park attributes throughout the lands—such as having signs written in the fictional Aurebesh language rather than English, and omitting attraction marquees and Star Wars-branded merchandise—as a way of maintaining the natural theming of the land.[29] Being located in California and Florida, both iterations of Galaxy's Edge are situated at different latitudes and also face in separate cardinal directions; Disneyland has an east–west orientation and Disney's Hollywood Studios has a north–south orientation.[30] This contrast in layout means both locations receive different amounts of sunlight at various angles throughout the seasonal year.[30] As a result, both locations were designed with distinct shades of paint and color palettes in mind.[30] The story events are set between the films Episode VIII – The Last Jedi and Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker,[31] and depicts the presence of both the First Order and Resistance.[22][24] At the time of their openings, both locations of Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge had one attraction: Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, which allows riders to control the Falcon during a "customized secret mission".[32] This would be followed by Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, that places guests into the middle of a battle between the First Order and the Resistance.[33][34] Concept art depicted a full-size Millennium Falcon situated among alien buildings built into tall cliffs.[33] Rise of the Resistance is a 28 minute long experience with more than 300 animated objects; housed within one of the largest show buildings Disney has ever built for a dark ride.[35] Film actors Daisy Ridley, Oscar Isaac, John Boyega, Adam Driver, Domhnall Gleeson, and Kipsang Rotich reprised their roles in the attraction as Rey, Poe Dameron, Finn, Kylo Ren, General Hux, and the voice of Nien Nunb, respectively.[36][37][38] Frank Oz also reprised the role as the voice of Yoda, for the character's vocal appearance in Savi's Workshop.[39][40] In addition, the area features Oga's Cantina,[41] which is the first location in Disneyland Park to sell alcoholic drinks to the public.[42] Riders' performances on the Millennium Falcon influence how they are treated at the cantina, adding to the immersive experience. According to the Disney Parks Blog, "perform with skill and you may earn extra galactic credits, while bringing the ship back banged up could put you on the list of a bounty hunter. End up on Harkos' list and you may face a problem if you show up at the local cantina."[43] The cantina's music is provided by R-3X, a droid that was first seen as RX-24 (a.k.a. Captain Rex) in Star Tours, and is now the cantina's DJ.[44] Paul Reubens returned to voice the character.[37] The Black Spire Outpost marketplace contains a toy stall run by a Toydarian, an alien species that was seen on Tatooine in Episode I – The Phantom Menace.[45] There is also a creature stall.[46] A TIE Echelon, where Kylo Ren makes his daily appearance, was developed by Colin Trevorrow during his work on Episode IX before being replaced as the film's director.[47] The Coca-Cola Company provided Star Wars-themed iterations of Coke products such as Coca-Cola, Sprite, Diet Coke, Dasani, Powerade, and Minute-Maid to be served in the lands.[39] Music Longtime Star Wars composer John Williams returned to compose the main musical theme for Galaxy's Edge.[18] Williams' theme is interpolated and arranged diversely throughout the land as ambient music, instead of in its traditional symphonic format.[48] William Ross, who conducted the symphonic recording of the theme with the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) on Williams' behalf, was also responsible for arranging Williams' original composition in different musical contexts for use. Ross and the LSO recorded nearly an hour of musical material at Abbey Road Studios in November 2018.[48] The musical score for Smugglers Run and Rise of the Resistance attractions feature reprisals of previous Star Wars themes written by Williams, adapted and conducted by Ross. A five-minute symphonic suite was released digitally by Walt Disney Records on May 3, 2019.[49][18] The suite was first heard in its entirety at Star Wars Celebration Chicago in 2019. In addition to Williams's score, 29 original songs were commissioned to the music team for use as ambience as well.[40] On September 6, 2019, Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge Oga's Cantina: R-3X's Playlist #1 was released by Walt Disney Records, featuring eighteen tracks heard at Oga's Cantina inside Galaxy's Edge.[50] Music from Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge Oga's Cantina: R-3X's Playlist #1 was publicly played for the first time at Star Wars Celebration Chicago 2019. Williams won the Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition for the Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge Symphonic Suite. The suite currently has over 313,000 views on YouTube.[51] Locations Disneyland Park Oga's Cantina at Disneyland Park At Disneyland Park, Galaxy's Edge is located in the northwest portion of the park, with three entries from Frontierland, Critter Country, and Fantasyland.[41] As a result of the expansion, Disney closed Big Thunder Ranch and adjacent backstage areas, and purchased nearby properties to relocate the office and warehouse space that was on the land.[52] One of the backstage areas thus closed was Circle D Ranch, a facility for training and exercising the park's horses.[53] To replace it, Disney purchased an existing ranch in Norco, California and renovated the facility into the new Circle D Ranch, which opened in June 2017.[53] Since then, the park's horses have commuted to Disneyland in special trailers in groups of four at a time.[53] Each group spends three or four days working in the park (and resting in a backstage barn), then the horses are driven back to the Norco ranch.[53] The construction of Galaxy's Edge required a reconfigured route for the Disneyland Railroad and Rivers of America. A first look at how these changes would impact the park was revealed in January 2016, when concept art was released depicting the northern bank of the river after construction was completed.[54] On January 11, 2016, several attractions in Frontierland and Critter Country were closed. Big Thunder Ranch closed permanently, including the multifunction event space, barbecue restaurant and petting zoo. Other attractions closed temporarily, including the Disneyland Railroad and Rivers of America. Tom Sawyer Island reopened on June 16, 2017, Fantasmic! reopened on July 17, and the Disneyland Railroad, Mark Twain Riverboat, Sailing Ship Columbia, and Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes all reopened on July 29.[55][56][57] The land opened on May 31, 2019.[1] Disney's Hollywood Studios Black Spire Outpost at Disney's Hollywood Studios At Disney's Hollywood Studios, Galaxy's Edge is located in the southwest portion of the park, with two entries from Grand Avenue and Toy Story Land. Galaxy's Edge replaced the majority of the park's former Streets of America area, including the Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show and Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: Movie Set Adventure attractions, which closed on April 2, 2016, as well as the surrounding New York-San Francisco backlot facades, restaurants, and shops.[3][58][59][60][61] The remaining operating portion of Streets of America, containing Muppet*Vision 3D, and a surviving block of the New York facades, was rethemed as Grand Avenue, a Los Angeles-themed street.[62][63] An earthen berm with a Figueroa Street themed-tunnel was constructed between Galaxy's Edge and Grand Avenue to divide and connect the two lands.[64] The land opened on August 29, 2019.[1] The land is accompanied by the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser themed hotel.[13][65][66][67] Attractions     Star Wars: Millennium Falcon – Smugglers Run – a simulator ride in which guests pilot the Millennium Falcon.[18]     Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance – a dark ride in which guests are involved in a battle between the First Order and the Resistance.[18] The attraction opened at Disney's Hollywood Studios on December 5, 2019,[68] and at Disneyland Park on January 17, 2020.[69] Restaurants and shops     Oga's Cantina – a restaurant to sample custom drinks and snacks.[70]     Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo – a restaurant inside a hangar bay     Ronto Roasters – a stand for grilled sausage and roasted pork wraps.     Kat Saka's Kettle – a stand for popcorn snack.     Savi's Workshop – a shop for custom lightsabers[71]     Dok-Ondar's Den of Antiquities – a store for Jedi or Sith Holocrons, artifacts, and lightsabers     Mubo's Droid Depot – a shop for custom droids     Bina's Creature Stall – a shop with plush creatures and critters from around the galaxy     Toydarian Toymaker – a workshop with handcrafted toys made by local artisans     First Order Cargo – a shop with outfits aligned with the First Order     Resistance Supply – a shop with outfits aligned against the First Order     The Milk Stand – a stand for blue or green milk.     Black Spire Outfitters – an apparel shop to dress like the citizens of Batuu Reception The Disneyland version was named one of Time magazine's "World's Greatest Places 2019".[72][73] While the themed area initially drew crowds to the point of leaving the rest of Disneyland relatively empty,[74] a drop in attendance after the first few months led to the resignation of Catherine Powell, who oversaw the U.S. themed areas.[75] However, in October 2019, some visitors reported that Disney's Hollywood Studios area was crowded during their visit.[76] Related media Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge Original work    Theme park land based on Star Wars by George Lucas Owner    Disney Parks Print publications Book(s)    Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge: Black Spire Novel(s)    A Crash of Fate Short stories    Star Wars: Myths and Fables Comics    5 issue mini-series Audio Original music    John Williams composition Miscellaneous Theme park attraction(s)        Star Wars: Millennium Falcon – Smugglers Run     Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance Theme parks (pending)        Disneyland     Disney's Hollywood Studios Soundtrack The land's theme music was composed by John Williams and then recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra at Abbey Road Studios conducted by William Ross. A 5-minute symphonic suite was released digitally by Walt Disney Records on May 3, 2019,[18] which won a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition.[77] Comics The Black Spire Outpost is the focus of the tie-in five-issue miniseries Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, published by Marvel Comics. It was written by Ethan Sacks with art by Will Sliney, and was published from April 2019 onward.[19] Prose fiction     Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge: Black Spire (or in abbreviated form, Black Spire) (Del Rey, September 2019) by Delilah S. Dawson was a tie-in novel in which General Leia Organa dispatches a spy to Batuu to look for possible Resistance allies.     In A Crash of Fate, a young adult novel (Disney Lucasfilm Press) by Zoraida Córdova; childhood friends are reunited as they are chased by the planet's smugglers.     In Star Wars: Myths and Fables, a middle grade collection published by Disney Lucasfilm Press and written by George Mann,with art by Grant Griffin; includes two stories based on Batuu.[78] Television A two-hour behind-the-scenes TV special, titled Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge – Adventure Awaits, premiered on September 29, 2019.[79] Virtual reality Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy's Edge is a virtual reality experience for Oculus and PlayStation VR2 platforms." (wikipedia.org) "The Disneyland Resort, commonly known as Disneyland, is an entertainment resort in Anaheim, California. It is owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company through its Parks, Experiences and Products division and is home to two theme parks (Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure), three hotels, and a shopping, dining, and entertainment district known as Downtown Disney. The resort was developed by Walt Disney in the 1950s. When it opened to guests on July 17, 1955, the property consisted of Disneyland, its 100-acre parking lot (which had 15,167 spaces),[1] and the Disneyland Hotel, owned and operated by Disney's business partner Jack Wrather. After the success with the multi-park, multi-hotel business model at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, Disney acquired large parcels of land adjacent to Disneyland to apply the same business model in Anaheim. During the expansion, the property was named the Disneyland Resort to encompass the entire complex, while the original theme park was named Disneyland Park. The company purchased the Disneyland Hotel from the Wrather Company and the Pan Pacific Hotel from the Tokyu Group. The Pan Pacific Hotel became Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel in 2000. In 2001 the property saw the addition of Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, a second theme park, named Disney California Adventure, and the Downtown Disney shopping, dining, and entertainment district. History Concept and construction See also: Disneyland § History     This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (February 2020) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) Walt Disney's early concepts for an amusement park called for a "Mickey Mouse Park" located adjacent to the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank (presently the site of the West Coast headquarters of ABC). As new ideas emerged, Walt and his brother Roy realized that the Burbank location would be too small for the project, and hired a consultant from Stanford Research Institute to provide them with information on locations and economic feasibility. The consultant recommended a remote location in Anaheim, adjacent to the then-under-construction Santa Ana Freeway. The consultant correctly predicted that the location – covered by orange groves at the time – would become the population center of Southern California. Since the location was far from Southern California population centers in the 1950s, Walt Disney wanted to build a hotel so that Disneyland visitors traveling long distances could stay overnight. However, the park had depleted his financial resources, so he negotiated a deal with Hollywood producer Jack Wrather in which he would build and operate a hotel called the Disneyland Hotel across the street from Disneyland. In 1963, city planner James Rouse, in a commencement speech at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, called Disneyland "the greatest piece of urban design in the United States today."[2] 1955–1998: one park, one hotel Disneyland opened on July 17, 1955, with a televised press preview event on ABC, and the inauguration drew nearly 30,000 guests on the first day [3] Despite the disastrous event, later dubbed "Black Sunday", during which several rides broke down, and other mishaps occurred, Disneyland became a huge success in its first year of operation. The hotel, which opened three months after the park, enjoyed similar success. Walt Disney wanted to build more facilities for Disneyland visitors to stay in Anaheim, but since his financial resources were drained, entrepreneurs established their own independent hotels in the area surrounding the park and hotel to capitalize on Disneyland's success.[4] Topographical map of Disneyland from 1965 To Walt Disney's dismay, the city of Anaheim was lax in restricting their construction, eager for the tax revenue generated by more hotels in the city. The area surrounding Disneyland became suffused with the kind of tacky atmosphere of colorful lights, flashy neon signs, and then-popular Googie architecture which he had wanted to avoid (and which years earlier had caused the city of Burbank to deny his initial request to build his project in Burbank).[5] The Anaheim Convention Center was built across the street from Disneyland's original parking lot, and residences were constructed in the area as part of the city's growth in the late 20th century. Eventually, Disneyland was "boxed in", a factor which would later lead Walt Disney to acquire a significantly larger parcel of land for the construction of Walt Disney World. The Walt Disney Company gradually acquired the land west of the park, notably the Disneyland Hotel in 1988 following Jack Wrather's death in 1984, the Pan Pacific Hotel (now Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel) in 1995, and several properties north of the Disneyland Hotel in the mid to late 1990s.[citation needed] 1998–2001: planning an expansion After Walt's and Roy's deaths in 1966 and 1971, respectively, the Walt Disney Company would go on to achieve success with the multi-park, multi-hotel resort complex business model of Walt Disney World in Florida, which opened in 1971. In the 1990s, Disney decided to turn Disneyland into a similar multi-park, multi-hotel resort destination. In 1991, Disney announced plans to build WestCOT, a theme park based on Walt Disney World's EPCOT Center, on the site of the original Disneyland parking lot.[6] Its estimated cost was US$3 billion, largely due to the cost of land that Disney would need to acquire. With the new Euro Disney Resort, which opened in 1992, becoming a financial and public relations albatross for the company, Disney was unable to finance the project, and cancelled WestCOT in 1995. That summer, Disney executives gathered in Aspen, Colorado for a 3-day retreat, where they came up with the idea for a California-themed park, dubbed Disney's California Adventure Park, to be built on the same site slated for WestCOT. $1.4 billion was budgeted to build the park, a retail district, and hotels.[6] 2001–present: Disneyland Resort complex Grizzly Peak at Disney California Adventure In January 2015, Tom Staggs, Disney Parks chair, and Steve Davison, VP of Park Entertainment, announced upcoming changes to the park to celebrate the park's 60th anniversary. The changes began on May 22, 2015, and ran for sixteen months.[7] The updates included an updated World of Color water show, Paint the Night parade, and a new fireworks show titled Disneyland Forever. Disney California Adventure also received a makeover, with Condor Flats remade into Grizzly Peak Airfield and Soarin' Over California equipped with a new laser projection system. Peter Pan's Flight reopened on July 1. In October 2017, Disney announced a new Pixar Pals parking structure for the resort, which includes a 6,500-space parking structure, and a new transportation hub, which opened in July 2019.[8] The parking structure opened in June 2019 and is now used daily. In August 2015, it was announced that Disneyland Park would receive a 14-acre Star Wars-themed land scheduled to open in 2019.[9] It opened on May 31, 2019. Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge is home of two attractions, Millennium Falcon – Smugglers Run, and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. In March 2018, it was announced that A Bug's Land would close in September 2018. It was replaced by Avengers Campus which was set to open July 18, 2020, but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic[10][11] and opened on June 4, 2021.[12] In April 2019, Disneyland announced that Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway would be coming to Disneyland in 2023. The attraction was built behind Mickey's Toontown in a former backstage area and opened on January 27, 2023. [13] Future expansion and proposed DisneylandForward Disney announced plans to build a fourth hotel at the resort in 2016, slated for an opening in 2021.[14] In August 2018, the hotel was placed on hold indefinitely because of a dispute with the city of Anaheim, which concerned a tax rebate that would have subsidized the hotel's construction.[15][16] Later, the hotel was cancelled as Disney and Anaheim could not come to an agreement on the tax rebate. In March 2021, the Walt Disney Company announced a new project for the Anaheim, California resort called Disneyland Forward. This proposal is designed to change the city of Anaheim's zoning rules so that Disney can build more theme park space for both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure. Proposals have included building more space where Disney's Paradise Pier hotel and the surrounding parking lots on the west-side of the resort currently reside. Rumors have surfaced that a new version of a mixed-use Disney Springs would be built near the Toy Story parking lot.[17] Location Map of Disneyland Resort in 2012 The Disneyland Resort is located several miles south of downtown Anaheim, in an area branded by the city as the Anaheim Resort near the border of neighboring Garden Grove. The resort is generally bounded by Harbor Boulevard to the east, Katella Avenue to the south, Walnut Street to the west and Ball Road to the north. Interstate 5 borders the resort at an angle on the northeastern corner. Not all land bordered by these streets is part of the Disneyland Resort, particularly near the intersection of Harbor Boulevard and Katella Avenue, and along Ball Road between Disneyland Drive and Walnut Street. Disneyland Drive cuts through the resort on a north–south route and provides access to the Mickey & Friends Parking Structure, Downtown Disney, and the three hotels. Magic Way connects Walnut Street to Disneyland Drive just south of the Mickey & Friends Parking Structure and provides access to the parking structure, Disneyland Hotel, and Downtown Disney. Special offramps from Interstate 5 combined with a reversible flyover over the intersection of Ball Road and Disneyland Drive permit access into and out of the Mickey & Friends parking garage during peak morning and evening traffic times. The official address of the resort is 1313 South Harbor Boulevard; the address number is a Hidden Mickey.[18] Attractions     This section is in list format but may read better as prose. You can help by converting this section, if appropriate. Editing help is available. (February 2016) Parks     Disneyland Park, the original theme park built by Walt Disney, which opened on July 17, 1955.     Disney California Adventure Park, a theme park based on Disney's interpretation of California, which opened on February 8, 2001. Shopping, Dining, and Entertainment     Downtown Disney, an outdoor retail, dining, and entertainment district located between the entrance promenade of the Disneyland Resort theme parks and the Disneyland Hotel. Hotels     Disneyland Hotel, the resort's original hotel built by Jack Wrather which opened on October 5, 1955, and was purchased by Disney in 1988.     Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel, a hotel themed after the section of Disney California Adventure it overlooks. Formerly operated by the Tokyu Group (opening in 1984 under the name Emerald of Anaheim),[19] the hotel was purchased by Disney in December 1995, for a reported US$36 million, and renamed the Disneyland Pacific Hotel.[20] As part of the 1998–2001 expansion of the resort, it was re-branded as Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel.[21] The lobby and convention/banquet facilities have undergone several renovations since the re-branding, most notably in 2004 and 2005. On April 27, 2022, Disney announced that the hotel will be re-themed to the artwork of Pixar Animation Studios.[22] On September 11, 2022, it was announced that the name would be the Pixar Place Hotel.     Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, based on the Craftsman style of architecture of the early 1900s, which opened on January 2, 2001. Attendance The 2019 issue of "TEA/AECOM 2018 Theme Index and Museum Index: The Global Attractions Attendance Report" reported the following attendance estimates for 2018 compiled by the Themed Entertainment Association:     Disneyland: 18,666,000 visits (No. 2 worldwide/in the US, up 2% from 2017)[23]     Disney's California Adventure: 9,861,000 visits (No. 11 worldwide/No. 7 in the US, up 3% from 2017)" (wikipedia.org)
  • Condition: New
  • Brand: Disney
  • Character/Story/Theme: Star Wars
  • Year: 2019
  • Franchise: Disney
  • Country/Region of Manufacture: China

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