Star Wars

The Star Wars narrative has been shared through a sequence of American films, leading to an extensive collection of books and related media, which together constitute the Expanded Universe. The Star Wars universe also serves as the inspiration for numerous toys and games across various formats. The films and novels frequently employ common science-fiction themes.

While Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek, a science fantasy franchise that has enjoyed long-lasting popularity in American popular culture, often blends magical/supernatural elements with a rational and progressive approach to storytelling, Star Wars exhibits a strong mythic dimension alongside its political and scientific aspects.

In contrast to the heroes of earlier science fiction/fantasy films and television shows set in space, such as Flash Gordon, the protagonists of Star Wars are not military figures but romantic individualists. Academics in literature have noted that the Star Wars saga, with its conflict between good and evil, democracy and empire, can be viewed as a national epic for the United States. The film shares many visual and narrative parallels with John Ford's The Searchers, which also provides insight into the relationship between Leia Organa and Luke Skywalker.

George Lucas explained that the strong appeal of Star Wars stems from its foundation as a mythology drawing from age-old psychological themes and human underpinnings. Lucas specifically considered children as the primary audience for these narratives. The Star Wars films bear significant resemblance to Japanese Jidaigeki films, as well as Roman mythology. Lucas has stated that his aim with Star Wars was to create a contemporary mythology, inspired by the research of his friend and mentor Joseph Campbell. He has also described the first movie's similarity to the film The Hidden Fortress (Akira Kurosawa) as an "homage."

The Star Wars films depict a universe filled with grime and technology that appears aged and well-used, contrasting with the polished, futuristic settings typical of earlier science-fiction films. In interviews, Lucas recounted how he rubbed dirt onto new props to give them a weathered look. Lucas may have drawn inspiration from the Sergio Leone Spaghetti Western films of the 1960s, which similarly transformed the Western genre many years prior. It is plausible to suggest that this departure from traditional science-fiction film influenced the cyberpunk genre that emerged around 1984.

Since the release of the original movie in 1977, licensed Star Wars novels have been published. Although Lucas licenses these novels (and thus receives royalties), he maintains ultimate creative control over the Star Wars universe, requiring Lucas Licensing to invest considerable effort in ensuring consistency between the works of different authors and Lucas' films. Occasionally, elements from these novels are incorporated into the highest level of Star Wars canon, the movies. Books, games, and stories not directly based on the nine Star Wars films are classified as the Extended or Expanded Universe (abbreviated as EU). Lucas has stated that he is not deeply involved in the EU, preferring to focus primarily on his movies rather than "…the licensing world of the books, games and comic books."

The original (1977) Star Wars (A New Hope) and its initial sequel, The Empire Strikes Back (1980), have been selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry.

In 1978, Lucas filed a lawsuit against the creators of Battlestar Galactica due to its similarities to Star Wars. The case was dismissed without merit in 1980 by a U.S. Federal judge.

The core narrative of Star Wars, known as the The Skywalker Saga, came to a close in 2019 with the debut of Star Wars: Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker. However, the Star Wars franchise itself has not ended, and is continuing to evolve beyond the original saga's storyline with series such as The Mandalorian and the upcoming project known as Star Wars: The High Republic.

While George Lucas had garnered recognition among some industry insiders for his work at USC, his rise to stardom occurred with the release of American Graffiti in August of 1973. The film generated over $115 million at the box office and was, dollar for dollar, the most profitable film in Hollywood history at that time. Lucas' share of the profits from Graffiti amounted to over $7 million. Lucas became a millionaire and one of the most sought-after young directors globally.

Alan Ladd, Jr., who was then the head of Twentieth Century Fox, viewed a smuggled print of American Graffiti before its theatrical release and was determined that Fox would be the next studio to capitalize on Lucas' brilliance.

Fans, critics, and George Lucas himself have suggested various influences for the Star Wars films. Lucas has mentioned that the plot and characters in the 1958 Japanese film The Hidden Fortress, directed by Akira Kurosawa, were a significant inspiration. Furthermore, the film influenced Lucas to narrate the Star Wars story from the perspective of the humble droids, rather than a major character. It also played a role in the conception of Darth Vader, whose iconic black helmet was intentionally designed to resemble a samurai helmet.

George Lucas has frequently stated that his initial concept for the project that evolved into Star Wars was to remake the Flash Gordon movie serials from the 1930s (a "serial" being a movie presented in weekly segments of approximately 10-20 minutes each). However, the license was unavailable, prompting Lucas to pursue other ideas, beginning with Akira Kurosawa's film The Hidden Fortress and then Joseph Campbell's The Hero With a Thousand Faces. Despite the plot changes, the Star Wars films are still replete with influences from the Flash Gordon movie serials, including the Rebels versus the Imperial Forces, Cloud City, and even the famous "roll up" that initiates the movie.

The second major direction for Star Wars (used in the 1973 synopsis) was to employ the Flash Gordon "vocabulary" to create a space-based version of Akira Kurosawa's Samurai films, primarily Kakushi toride no san akunin (The Hidden Fortress, 1958), Yojimbo (1961), and Tsubaki Sanjūrō (Sanjuro, 1962). Joseph Campbell's The Hero With a Thousand Faces ultimately provided Lucas with a third and final major story direction, but numerous elements from Kurosawa's work persist, including the two quarreling peasants (who evolved into the droids) and the queen who often switches places with her handmaiden. The Darth Vader-like evil general who undergoes a change of heart at the end wears a kamon (a Japanese family crest) that closely resembles the Japanese Imperial Crest.

Lucas had already completed two drafts of Star Wars when he rediscovered Joseph Campbell's The Hero With a Thousand Faces in 1975 (having read it years prior in college). This framework for "The Hero's Journey" provided Lucas with the focus needed to condense his sprawling imaginary universe into a cohesive narrative. Campbell demonstrates in his book that all stories are variations of the same story-pattern, which he termed the Hero's Journey or the monomyth.

Lucas has often cited The Lord of the Rings series as a significant influence on Star Wars. Lucas learned from Tolkien how to effectively handle the delicate elements of myth. Tolkien suggested that myth and fairytale appear to be the optimal means of conveying morality—guidelines for distinguishing between right and wrong—and that this may indeed be their primary function. Lucas has also acknowledged in interviews that the Gandalf and Witch-king characters in the Lord of the Rings influenced the Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader characters, respectively.

Numerous myths surround the writing of Star Wars, many perpetuated by Lucasfilm and George Lucas himself. Author Michael Kaminski attempted to clarify the record in his book The Secret History of Star Wars, as did Jonathan Rinzler in The Making of Star Wars, both published in 2007.

Lucas' initial concept involved a swashbuckling space adventure movie. He stated that "the film was a good concept in search of a story." He initially attempted to purchase the rights to remake Flash Gordon for a child, but was unsuccessful.

In 1971, United Artists agreed to produce American Graffiti and Star Wars under a two-picture contract, although they would reject Star Wars in its early conceptual stages. Graffiti was produced first, and upon its completion in 1973, Lucas commenced work on his space adventure movie. In early 1973, Lucas wrote a brief summary titled "The Journal of the Whills," which narrated the training of apprentice C.J. Thorpe as a "Jedi-Bendu" space commando by the legendary Mace Windy.

Frustrated by the complexity of his story, Lucas wrote a 13-page treatment called The Star Wars, loosely based on the structure of Akira Kurosawa's The Hidden Fortress. By 1974, he had expanded the treatment into a rough-draft screenplay, which incorporated elements such as the Sith and the Death Star, and again featured the protagonist as a young boy named Annikin Starkiller. For the second draft, Lucas made significant simplifications and introduced the young hero on a farm, renaming him Luke instead of Annikin. Luke/Annikin's father remained an active character at this stage, portrayed as a wise Jedi knight, and "the Force" evolved into a supernatural power. The subsequent draft eliminated the father character and replaced him with a substitute named Ben Kenobi, and by 1976, a fourth draft had been prepared for principal photography. The film was titled Adventures of Luke Starkiller, as taken from the Journal of the Whills, Saga I: The Star Wars. During production, Lucas changed Luke's last name to Skywalker and altered the title to simply The Star Wars and eventually Star Wars.

At this juncture, Lucas envisioned the film as a standalone entry—the fourth draft underwent subtle modifications to enhance its self-contained nature, concluding with the destruction of the Empire itself, as the Death Star was intended to achieve; this may have been influenced by the challenging difficulties Lucas faced during pre-production. However, in the past, Lucas had conceived of the film as the first in a series of adventures. The second draft featured a teaser for a never-produced sequel about "The Princess of Ondos," and by the time of the third draft several months later, Lucas had negotiated a contract granting him rights to produce two sequels. Shortly thereafter, Lucas met with author Alan Dean Foster and commissioned him to write these two sequels as novels. The intention was that if Star Wars proved successful—and if Lucas felt inclined—the novels could be adapted into screenplays. He had also developed a fairly detailed backstory by this point—although it was not designed or intended for filming; it was merely backstory. "The backstory wasn't meant to be a movie," Lucas clarified.

When Star Wars achieved success, becoming not just successful but the highest-grossing film ever at that time, Lucas decided to leverage the film as a launchpad for an elaborate serial, although he contemplated abandoning the series altogether. Nevertheless, Lucas aimed to establish an independent filmmaking center—which would become Skywalker Ranch—and recognized an opportunity to utilize the series as a financing mechanism. Alan Dean Foster had already commenced writing the sequel as a novel, but Lucas opted to disregard it for filming and create more intricate film sequels; the book was released as Splinter of the Mind's Eye the following year. Initially, Lucas envisioned an unlimited number of sequels, akin to the James Bond series, and in an interview with Rolling Stone in August 1977, he expressed his desire for his friends to direct them and offer unique interpretations of the series. He also mentioned that the backstory involving Darth Vader's turn to the dark side, his murder of Luke's father, and his battle with Ben Kenobi on a volcano as the Republic collapsed would make an excellent sequel. Later that year, Lucas hired sci-fi author Leigh Brackett to co-write "Star Wars II" with him. They held story conferences together, and by late November 1977, Lucas had produced a handwritten treatment titled The Empire Strikes Back. The story closely resembled the final film, except that Darth Vader did not reveal himself as Luke's father. In the first draft that Leigh Brackett would write from this, Luke's father appears as a ghost to instruct Luke.

During this period, Lucas had now quantified the number of sequels—he revealed to Time magazine in March 1978 that there would be twelve films in total. This was subsequently disclosed in the official Star Wars fanclub newsletter, Bantha Tracks. The figure of 12 was likely chosen due to its tradition in serial episodes.

Brackett completed her first draft of The Empire Strikes Back in early 1978; Lucas stated that he was disappointed with it, but she passed away from cancer before he could discuss it with her. With no writer available, Lucas had to write his second draft himself. Here, Lucas finally utilized the "Episode" designation in the film—The Empire Strikes Back was Episode II. As Michael Kaminski argues in The Secret History of Star Wars, the disappointment with the first draft likely prompted Lucas to consider different story directions. He introduced a new plot twist: Darth Vader declares that he is Luke's father. According to Lucas, he found this draft enjoyable to write, in contrast to the year-long struggles of the first film, and quickly wrote two more drafts in the same month—April 1978—which both retained the new Vader-as-father plot. He also intensified this darker ending by imprisoning Han Solo in carbonite and leaving him in limbo.

This new storyline, in which Vader was Luke's father, had profound implications for the series. Michael Kaminski argues in his book that it is improbable that this plot point had been seriously considered before 1978, or even conceived of before then, and that the first film was clearly operating under an alternate storyline in which Vader was separate from Luke's father; there is no reference to the Vader-as-father plot point before 1978. Following the second and third drafts of The Empire Strikes Back, where Lucas first introduced this point, he reviewed the new backstory he had created: Annikin Skywalker is Ben Kenobi's brilliant student, has a child (Luke) but is swayed to the dark-side by the Emperor (who was now a Sith and not just a politician), battles Ben Kenobi on the site of a volcano and is wounded but resurrected as Darth Vader; meanwhile, Kenobi hides Luke on Tatooine while the Republic becomes the Empire and Vader has hunted down the Jedi Knights. With this revised backstory, Lucas decided to film this as a trilogy—moving The Empire Strikes Back from Episode II to Episode V in the next draft. Lawrence Kasdan, who had recently completed writing Raiders of the Lost Ark, was then hired to write the subsequent drafts, with additional input from director Irvin Kershner. Kasdan, Kershner, and producer Gary Kurtz viewed the film as a more serious and mature work, which was enhanced by the new, darker storyline, and steered the series far from its light adventure roots of just a year prior.

Around this time, Lucas had also developed a third trilogy, which was set twenty years after Episode VI.

By the time of writing Episode VI—Revenge of the Jedi, as it was then known—in 1981, much had evolved. The production of The Empire Strikes Back was stressful and costly, and Lucas' personal life was falling apart. Exhausted and unwilling to produce any more Star Wars films, he resolved to conclude the series, as he explicitly stated in a May 1983 interview with Time magazine. Lucas' 1981 rough drafts of Revenge of the Jedi depicted Darth Vader competing with the Emperor for possession of Luke—and in the second script, the "revised rough draft," Vader was transformed into a sympathetic character. Lawrence Kasdan was rehired to take over once again, and in these final drafts, Vader was explicitly redeemed and ultimately unmasked. This character transformation would serve as a springboard for the "Tragedy of Darth Vader" storyline in the prequels.

Since the majority of major movie production houses no longer maintained special-effects divisions, or because they believed the American audience had lost interest in movies that weren't realistic, George Lucas found himself in the position of having to build one from the ground up. Ultimately, he assembled a team of model builders and special-effects experts, giving rise to Industrial Light & Magic. This team operated out of a dilapidated area of Van Nuys, enduring a tight workspace that was universally disliked. Lucas himself procured used equipment at bargain prices.

Concurrently, George Lucas was occupied with the task of casting actors for Star Wars. Defying the advice of his acquaintance Francis Ford Coppola, who had chosen well-known stage and screen performers for The Godfather, Lucas opted for a cast of relatively unknown actors. Hundreds of hopefuls auditioned for the three leading roles: Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and Han Solo. While established actors like Burt Reynolds and actresses such as Jodie Foster were considered, Lucas eventually selected Mark Hamill, a 25-year-old with primarily television experience, for the role of Luke Skywalker, and Carrie Fisher, the 19-year-old daughter of Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds, as Princess Leia. Initially, Harrison Ford was ruled out for the role of Han Solo due to his previous collaboration with Lucas on American Graffiti, but he eventually won Lucas over by assisting the other auditioning actors with their lines, ultimately securing the part.

Following the selection of the principal cast, Lucas turned his attention to finding actors for two of the film's droids, C-3PO and R2-D2. Although ILM had created some charming remote-controlled robots, these roles necessitated actors. This led to the casting of Kenny Baker, a diminutive comedian standing at three feet tall. His height, combined with the fact that children couldn't maneuver the bulky machine, secured him the role of R2-D2. Conversely, Anthony Daniels initially hesitated to accept the role of C-3PO, but his perception shifted upon viewing a sketch of C-3PO by Ralph McQuarrie, which instantly made him desire the part, and he was cast. Lucas then discovered Peter Mayhew, a native of Australia standing over seven feet tall, making him the ideal size for Han Solo's towering Wookiee companion, Chewbacca. With the entire cast assembled, production on Star Wars commenced in mid-1976.

The actors and production team of Star Wars commenced principal photography in Tunisia, North Africa, where temperatures soared to 105 degrees by mid-morning. A prevailing sentiment among many crew members and actors was that the movie was a farce, and amidst equipment malfunctions and prop issues, Tunisia experienced its most significant rainstorm in decades during filming. Throughout these challenges, Alec Guinness, the Academy Award-winning actor cast as the wise mentor Obi-Wan Kenobi, maintained a positive demeanor, serving as an inspiration to the cast. The sole consolation was that following the African segment, the team would relocate to a more controlled environment at Elstree Studios in London for filming.

After the conclusion of filming in Africa, the complete cast and crew of Star Wars finally convened to film the action sequences aboard the Death Star battle station. Meanwhile, the challenges at ILM overshadowed those encountered during filming. Lucas eventually found himself having to oversee operations at ILM on a daily basis, nearly leading to a heart attack. Simultaneously, Fox studios grew weary of George Lucas and his perceived "children's movie" and requested that Alan Ladd, Jr. terminate the project. Instead, Alan informed Lucas that he had only a few weeks to complete filming or risk the film's failure. The final, climactic scenes were hastily completed, with Lucas rushing between soundstages on a bicycle. Ultimately, the film was finished, and the editing and refinement process began.

Upon viewing the initial cut of his film, Lucas was deeply disappointed. Adding to his woes, he was compelled to dismiss his editor. Fortunately, his replacements (including his then-wife Marcia) significantly improved the film, but Lucas still insisted on reshooting certain scenes. This, among other factors, prompted Fox to postpone the release date from Christmas 1976 to the summer of 1977. After screening the film without its musical score to a group of friends, only Steven Spielberg, who had recently achieved A-list director status with the release of Jaws, expressed enthusiasm. However, when Fox executives viewed the film, they were delighted. With the film edited and the majority of the sound elements finalized (aided by Ben Burtt), Lucas began to consider the film's score. Spielberg recommended John Williams (who had recently composed the score for Jaws). This was regarded as a risky decision, as thematic scores were out of favor at the time, but Lucas proceeded nonetheless.

Once the score was finished, Lucas initiated the marketing campaign for his film. However, many individuals anticipated it would be a failure, resulting in limited support. One company that did offer support was the toy manufacturer Kenner Products, which decided to produce a small number of action figures for the release. Eventually, Lucas's film was released on May 25, 1977, a day that would be forever etched in their memories.

Upon its debut, Star Wars initially screened in a limited number of theaters. Within a month of its release, Star Wars was playing in almost every theater across the country and in hundreds of locations worldwide. Audiences, particularly children, flocked to experience the adventures of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Princess Leia repeatedly. Lines stretched for miles. Kenner, overwhelmed by demand, exhausted its toy inventory by early fall of the film's release year, leading to the infamous "Empty Box" strategy. Fox's stock soared. Merchandise sold rapidly, and Lucas amassed considerable wealth. Star Wars' theatrical run concluded in early 1978, having grossed over 260 million dollars, making it the most financially successful film in history at that time. It was re-released over the subsequent 20 years, adding an additional 220 million to its total earnings. Currently, it holds the position of the second-highest-grossing American film of all time (adjusted for inflation), surpassed only by Gone with the Wind.

Star Wars garnered 10 Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, and secured 6 wins. The nominations alone validated to Fox and Lucas, who had always believed it, that the film was not merely a "children's film."

In 1978, George Lucas, now a millionaire, began transforming his screenplays for Episodes V and VI into films, as he was already developing the concept of a "trilogy of trilogies," of which Star Wars was intended to be only Episode IV, despite later claims to the contrary. In early 1978, Lucas commenced work on Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back. Star Wars was also retitled Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope. This time, however, Lucas withdrew from the Director's Guild, and Irvin Kershner assumed the role of director, with Lucas serving as producer. Filming commenced in mid to late 1978, with the scenes set on the snowy planet of Hoth being filmed in Norway. However, as if under a curse, Norway experienced its worst snowstorm in years during filming. Mark Hamill, still recovering from injuries sustained in a car accident, filmed a scene in the snow while the crew remained confined to their hotel rooms. Following the completion of filming in Norway, the production shifted to Elstree Studios.

As Lucas aimed to make this film grander and more spectacular than Star Wars, more elaborate sets were constructed, and new characters were introduced, including the first black Star Wars character, Lando Calrissian, portrayed by Billy Dee Williams, and a 2-foot puppet named Yoda, voiced by Frank Oz. It also marked the first instance of Han Solo and Princess Leia sharing a kiss. However, the most significant revelation was Darth Vader's disclosure to Luke. Moments before filming that scene, Kershner informed Hamill that Vader was Luke's father. To prevent the monumental reveal from leaking, David Prowse, the actor in the Vader suit, was given a different line to utter on set: "Obi-Wan killed your father." When Vader's dialogue was recorded with James Earl Jones, the line was changed to "No. I am your father." (help·info) This line would later ignite the lightsaber duel in Episode VI and all the prequels.

Many anticipated that the sequel would not match the quality of Star Wars, but audiences disagreed. The Empire Strikes Back grossed 6.4 million dollars during the weekend of May 21, 1980. It was also regarded as the darkest Star Wars film until the release of Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith. However, its domestic gross in the U.S. reached 290 million dollars, making it the lowest-grossing Star Wars movie.

Prior to commencing production on Episode VI, Lucas utilized the profits from Star Wars and Empire to establish Skywalker Ranch, a haven where Lucas's friends could congregate and collaborate on films, primarily Star Wars-related projects. It would see greater use during the making of the prequel trilogy.

In early 1982, with Lucas still relinquishing the director's chair, Richard Marquand commenced filming Revenge of the Jedi. Notable additions to the films included a speeder-bike chase, a second Death Star, and one of the most contentious groups of characters in Star Wars history, the Ewoks. Furthermore, to safeguard the title of Episode VI from being leaked, the working "title" of the movie was Blue Harvest: Horror Beyond Imagination. After filming for Jedi concluded, a few months before the film's release, Lucas changed the title to Return of the Jedi, asserting that "revenge was not a quality of the Jedi," although some industry insiders attribute the title change to Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan being released around the same time and Fox, and possibly Lucas, wanting to avoid audience confusion between the similar titles. The "Revenge" title would eventually be repurposed for Episode III.

After Jedi shattered single- and opening-day box office records on May 25, 1983, six years after the original Star Wars premiere, George Lucas's wife filed for divorce, leaving him to raise their children. Subsequently, Lucas established several Lucasfilm companies, including THX Sound and Picture, Pixar Animation Studios (which was later sold to Disney), and various others. In May 1987, a decade after the first movie's release, Lucas announced a second trilogy and hinted at a third. In mid-1996, with all the necessary technology available, Lucas began refining the Star Wars movies according to his vision, adding new scenes and modifications along with THX Sound and enhanced picture quality.

Beginning with Splinter of the Mind's Eye, the Star Wars Expanded Universe gradually grew with a steady stream of novels, comic strips, and television specials.

Nearly a decade after the release of Return of the Jedi, Star Wars merchandising sales had come to a standstill. In an effort to reignite interest and capitalize on the success of other franchises in books, Bantam Spectra and Lucas Licensing devised a four-year publication plan that would encompass several Star Wars novels.

It was 1991's Heir to the Empire that ignited the success of the initial wave of new novels and signaled a resurgence in Star Wars publishing. The Thrawn Trilogy by Hugo Award–winning author Timothy Zahn would become one of the most popular science-fiction series to date, and introduced some of the Expanded Universe's best-known characters, like Grand Admiral Thrawn, Mara Jade and Gilad Pellaeon. Bantam would continue to publish dozens of books across a number of eras, leading to the use of era markers after Bantam was sold to Del Rey.

However, books were just the beginning. Coinciding with Zahn's success, Dark Horse Comics released Star Wars: Dark Empire, the first significant Star Wars graphic novel. It too would be followed by dozens of comic series.

Star Wars video and computer games also contributed to the Expanded Universe, but 1996's Shadows of the Empire multimedia campaign marked a pivotal moment. The simultaneous release of a novel, video game, comics, soundtrack, toys, and other promotional tie-ins established the standard that would later be adopted for the merchandising efforts of the prequel trilogy and expanded upon for the Clone Wars.

In the 1990s, with ILM's technological advancements, George Lucas sought to refine his Star Wars films and began altering them to fulfill his original intentions when creating the films. New scenes were added, although some minor aesthetic changes became points of contention among fans. Despite this, some fans lauded other changes.

Following his divorce in 1983 and the loss of a significant portion of his wealth, Lucas harbored no desire to revisit Star Wars and had unofficially canceled his sequel trilogy by the time of Return of the Jedi. However, the prequels, which were quite developed, continued to fascinate him. After Star Wars experienced a resurgence in popularity, spurred by Dark Horse's comic line and Timothy Zahn's Thrawn Trilogy novels, Lucas recognized that a substantial audience still existed. With his children growing older and the emergence of CG technology, he began to consider returning to directing. By 1993, it was announced, in Variety among other sources, that he would be making the prequels. He commenced outlining the story, now suggesting that Anakin Skywalker would be the protagonist rather than Ben Kenobi and that the series would be a tragic one exploring his transformation to evil. He also began to revise the relationship between the prequels and the originals—initially, they were intended to "fill in" history, providing backstory that existed parallel to the originals, but he now envisioned them forming the beginning of one continuous story: commencing with Anakin's childhood and culminating in Anakin's death. This marked the final step in transforming the franchise into a "Saga."

In 1994, Lucas began writing the first screenplay, titled Episode I: The Beginning. The initial plan was to write and then film all three prequels concurrently, but this was revised, possibly due to the writing process taking longer than anticipated. Although Lucas initially intended to have others write and direct, he continued writing on his own and eventually decided to direct the film as well. In 1999, Lucas announced that he would be directing the next two films as well and began working on Episode II at that time. The first draft of this was completed just weeks before principal photography, and Lucas hired Jonathan Hales, a writer from The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, to refine his draft. Lacking a definitive title, Lucas jokingly referred to the film as Jar Jar's Big Adventure. By this point, the backstory had undergone significant changes—Ben Kenobi had discovered Anakin as an adult in Episode I's first draft, but he was changed to be a young student, and Anakin a child, and in Episode II, the Clone Wars were determined to be a personal manipulation of Palpatine's. At the time of the original trilogy, Lucas had numerous ideas for this war: in The Empire Strikes Back, it was decided that Lando was a clone and originated from a planet of clones that triggered a war, but later, a different version was conceived wherein "Shocktroopers," including Boba Fett, waged war against the Republic from a distant galaxy but were ultimately repelled by the Jedi Knights.

Lucas began working on Episode III even before Attack of the Clones was released, informing concept artists that the film would open with a montage of seven Clone War battles. However, upon reviewing the storyline that summer, he stated that he radically reorganized the plot. Michael Kaminski, in The Secret History of Star Wars, presents evidence that issues in Anakin's fall to the dark side prompted Lucas to make massive story changes, first revising the opening sequence to have Palpatine kidnapped and Dooku killed by Anakin as an initial step towards the dark side. Lucas's first draft was written in 2003 and is largely similar to the film, albeit much simplified. After principal photography was completed in 2003, Lucas made even more significant changes to Anakin's character, rewriting his entire turn to the dark side—he would now turn out of a quest to save Padmé from dying, rather than the previous version where that was one of many reasons and genuinely believed that the Jedi were evil and plotting to take over the Republic. This fundamental rewrite was accomplished through editing and many new and revised scenes filmed in additional pick-ups in 2004.

George Lucas has often exaggerated the amount of material he had written for the series, with most of these exaggerations originating from the post-1978 period when the film evolved into a true phenomenon. Lucasfilm frequently indicated that he had written twelve stories to be filmed, and Lucas was quick to emphasize how Star Wars was always Episode IV, intended as a middle chapter. Lucas also began to assert that Darth Vader's parentage of Luke and redemption was always a major part of his plan from early on, and even that this was his very first script or treatment. As Jonathan Rinzler and Michael Kaminski demonstrate, this is demonstrably false. Kaminski rationalizes that these exaggerations serve as both a publicity device and a security measure—with the series and story radically changing throughout the years, Lucas would emphasize that its current embodiment was the original intention; with the series previously existing as different and often contradictory forms, this makes audiences view the material only from the perspective that Lucas wishes them to view the material, and it also may protect against outrage that such a popular storyline was being changed post-release after being cherished by so many.

Information on the screenplays comes from many sources. Most of the drafts of Star Wars were leaked to the public in 1977 and have circulated since then. 1987's Annotated Screenplays thoroughly documented the early drafts of the trilogy, and Rinzler's The Making of Star Wars supplemented this info with even more detail, including drafts which had not yet been publicly leaked, as well as Lucas' personal notes. Information on the prequel scripts is comparatively more scarce, but a number of making-of books give insight into the writing process and early drafts. The prequels' drafts are largely similar to the final films due to Lucas exploring ideas in the art department rather than on paper.

In 1994, George Lucas initiated the writing of his prequel trilogy, slated for production in the coming years. In 1997, production commenced for Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace. Lucas would revisit Tunisia, Africa, and encounter further challenges as his Star Wars past came back to haunt him. However, this time, Lucas filmed all non-location photography at Leavesden Studios in England.

Following the completion of filming, Lucas began finalizing the special effects and other minor details. This would ultimately be his last film shot on traditional film. Meanwhile, as Lucas was wrapping up his film, the inaugural Star Wars: Celebration took place, commemorating the release of Episode I and recurring for Episodes II and III.

After his film was released on May 19, 1999, Lucas promptly commenced writing Episode II while The Phantom Menace shattered box-office records and grossed over 900 million dollars worldwide, despite receiving unfavorable reviews and criticism regarding the acting and overall appearance of characters, particularly the widely derided Jar Jar Binks.

Filming for Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones commenced at Fox Studios, Sydney, Australia, featuring new actors like Hayden Christensen and the return of the now-renowned Ewan McGregor and Natalie Portman, along with a fully digitized Yoda.

However, upon the film's release, many viewers criticized Lucas's love scenes and dialogue, as well as Hayden's portrayal of a "whiny" Anakin. It became the first Star Wars film not to be the top-earning film of the year, ranking only fourth globally (second to Spider-Man in North America).

In late 2002, Lucas began writing the screenplay for his final Star Wars film, Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith, which would be the darkest Star Wars film. Anakin turns to the dark side, the Jedi Order is destroyed and Palpatine becomes Emperor. It would be a heartfelt moment when the last scene was finished and the cast left on their separate ways foreseeable the premiere in May 2005.

The film received praise from critics as well as fans. Revenge of the Sith broke midnight, opening, three-day and five-day records, becoming the fastest film to reach $100 million and $300 million. It has so far grossed $848 million and became the second highest grossing film of 2005 in a year of letdowns at the box office.

Following the completion of the prequels, Lucas embarked on various Star Wars projects, including a new Clone Wars animated series, a live-action series, and a 3D conversion of all six films. The Clone Wars debuted in late 2008, and The Phantom Menace was released to theaters in 3D on February 10, 2012. However, the live-action series was put on hold due to budgetary issues.

George Lucas declared his departure from the world of filmmaking in January 2012, citing the arrival of his daughter, his advancing years relative to the decade he anticipated it would take to produce any potential sequel trilogy, his intentions to establish a museum, his desire for direct control, and his aspiration to savor his life as his driving forces. During a visit to New York for The Daily Show, Lucas shared a meal with seasoned producer and filmmaker Kathleen Kennedy, inquiring if she would accept the role of co-chair of Lucasfilm with the intention of transferring leadership to her completely after approximately one year. On June 1, 2012, Kennedy commenced her tenure at Lucasfilm, and Lucas proposed that they initiate work on the sequel trilogy. At this juncture, Lucasfilm initiated preliminary development on Episodes VII, VIII, and IX, enlisting Michael Arndt to begin work on Episode VII with Lawrence Kasdan as a consultant.

After contemplating directing Episode VII himself, Lucas and his company entered into negotiations with The Walt Disney Company and CEO Robert Iger in June 2012, with negotiations spanning five months. Lucas ensured that essential Lucasfilm personnel would remain, and was initially hesitant to relinquish control over the new Star Wars films but had his fears reassured. Lucasfilm's acquisition was announced on October 30, 2012, for which Disney paid Lucas USD $4.05 billion. As part of the announcement, Disney revealed that it would be producing the sequel trilogy and new films.

On November 9, 2012, Lucasfilm confirmed that pre-production began on Episode VII, and that Michael Arndt would write the script. Arndt worked on the Episode VII script throughout 2013, and at some point, Lucas's story outlines for the sequels were set aside. A writer's room was assembled, including Arndt, Kiri Hart, Lawrence Kasdan, Kathleen Kennedy, and Simon Kinberg.

As Lucasfilm was working on the screenplay for Episode VII, the creation of two Star Wars-themed expansions for Disneyland and Walt Disney World began back in 2013. Star Wars Rebels, a fresh animated TV series, was initially revealed on March 11, 2013, as an unnamed animated show intended to take the place of Star Wars: The Clone Wars. By May 2013, production had been in progress for quite some time, with the first season concluding its pre-production phase by December of that year.

Concurrently, the Episode VII writing process dragged on for several months without much headway. Abrams characterized these sessions as being filled with numerous concepts and outlines, involving "a lot of cards on the wall, a lot of writing on whiteboards." Ultimately, Arndt was taken off the project, and Kasdan was tapped to collaborate with Episode VII director J.J. Abrams on a revised script in November 2013. By January 2014, Abrams and Kasdan had come up with a script, although they were still refining crucial story components even after production had commenced in May of that year due to the intense pressure to deliver the script quickly. The previous month, April, saw the start of initial filming.

By March 2014, the complete first season of Star Wars Rebels had been outlined, with Dave Filoni, Simon Kinberg, and Greg Weisman serving as executive producers for the series. On April 25, 2014, Lucasfilm made the announcement that the Expanded Universe of Star Wars would be immediately rebranded as Star Wars Legends. From that moment on, the only Star Wars content regarded as official and current canon comprised the six original Star Wars films, the Star Wars: The Clone Wars movie, the Star Wars: The Clone Wars TV show, specific content from the StarWars.com website, certain exceptions, and forthcoming material. Some content, such as the expansions for Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic that were still in development, was not included and remained within Star Wars Legends. The Lucasfilm Story Group was established to guarantee consistency between all future material and existing canon storylines. Simultaneously, new releases, including new novels and games, were announced.

Lucasfilm revealed on May 22, 2014, that Gareth Edwards and Gary Whitta would be developing a standalone Star Wars film, marking the first installment in the Star Wars Anthology Series. Star Wars Rebels debuted with four short films on August 11, 2014, with the initial two episodes being presented as a single movie titled Star Wars Rebels: Spark of Rebellion on October 3. The day before, on October 2, Lucasfilm verified that Disney XD had ordered a second season of Rebels. Thirteen additional episodes were broadcast, culminating in the season finale on March 2, 2015. Several months prior, principal photography for the first sequel trilogy film, Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens, was completed on November 6, 2014.

On March 12, 2015, Lucasfilm announced that the standalone film would be called Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and would be released on December 16 of the following year. It was also revealed that Rian Johnson would be the writer and director of the next film in the Star Wars saga, Episode VIII. Star Wars Rebels Season Two premiered with another TV movie consisting of the first two episodes, Star Wars Rebels: The Siege of Lothal. The film was broadcast on June 20, 2015. Lucasfilm revealed on July 7, 2015, that Christopher Miller and Phil Lord would be directing a second standalone film centered on the iconic Han Solo. Principal photography for Rogue One commenced in August in London. The remaining episodes of the second season of Rebels were first broadcast on October 14 of the same year, with new episodes airing each week. The third season of Star Wars Rebels was announced on November 30.

Around this time, The Force Awakens was being heavily promoted and marketed in anticipation of its release, which finally occurred on December 18, 2015. According to industry reports, The Force Awakens had an approximate budget of $200 million USD, but it eventually made $2.069 billion USD by the conclusion of its initial theatrical run in early 2016, making it the Star Wars movie with the highest revenue. Shortly after, principal photography for Episode VIII began in February. The second season of Star Wars Rebels concluded on March 30, 2016, with the episode "Twilight of the Apprentice."

Celebration Europe took place in London from July 15 to July 17. On July 22, principal photography for Episode VIII wrapped up. Sticking to the established pattern, the first two episodes of Rebels Season Three were released as a film called Star Wars Rebels: Steps Into Shadow, which came out on September 24, 2016. The episodes then started airing weekly on October 1. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story was released in the United Kingdom on December 15, followed by its standard release the next day on December 16. Rogue One's initial theatrical run ended in early 2016, with the film earning $1.056 billion USD worldwide against a reported $200 million USD budget.

The title for Episode VIII of the Star Wars saga was revealed on January 23, 2017 as The Last Jedi. On March 3, the fourth season of Star Wars Rebels was confirmed, with the third season concluding on March 25 with the two-part episode special "Zero Hour." Celebration Orlando, the largest Star Wars Celebration Event with 70,000 attendees, occurred from April 13 to April 16. The event commemorated the 40th Anniversary of Star Wars, with George Lucas, John Williams, and many others appearing to celebrate the occasion alongside numerous panels and events. Filoni screened the TV film premiere of Rebels Season Four, Star Wars Rebels: Heroes of Mandalore, for Celebration attendees on April 15. On September 21, 2017, Rian Johnson, the director of The Last Jedi, announced that post-production on the film had been completed. The Rebels Season Four film was later released on October 16, with the regular season beginning its weekly broadcast on October 23.

Star Wars: Episode VIII The Last Jedi premiered on December 15, 2017, although it was released earlier in some regions on December 13. The film made $1.332 billion USD against a $317 million USD budget by the end of its initial theatrical run, which concluded in early January of 2018. The Last Jedi garnered widespread critical acclaim, according to various polling sites and film reviews. It was reported that George Lucas enjoyed the film, describing it as "beautifully made." Audience reception was also largely positive, although online user-generated reviews, which lacked controlled sampling, contained significantly more negative scores. The film faced considerable backlash on social media, creating division within the Star Wars fandom and contributing to online toxicity.

Solo: A Star Wars Story was released on May 25, 2018. Ron Howard directed it, and Jonathan Kasdan & Lawrence Kasdan wrote it. The third film in the trilogy, marketed as Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, was released on December 20, 2019. Abrams directed it, and Chris Terrio & Abrams wrote it, based on a story by Derek Connolly & Colin Trevorrow and Terrio & Abrams.

Another installment in the Star Wars Anthology Series was announced on June 4, 2014, with Josh Trank slated to direct. The film was rumored to focus on the legendary bounty hunter Boba Fett and the group of bounty hunters from The Empire Strikes Back. The plan was to announce the film at a panel during Celebration Anaheim on April 19, 2015, but instead, the focus was shifted to the upcoming Rogue One film. However, on May 1, 2015, Lucasfilm announced that Trank had left the second Anthology film project. Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy mentioned that the film was something Lucasfilm wanted to continue developing but had postponed. Solo: A Star Wars Story was moved up to be released in 2018, and Trank's film was pushed back to 2020. On August 17, 2017, it was reported that the film would center around Obi-Wan Kenobi. No film was released in 2020, as Lucasfilm transitioned to streaming.

Lucasfilm announced on February 6, 2018, that D.B. Weiss and David Benioff, the creators of the Game of Thrones series, were going to write and create a Star Wars film series, and the two confirmed that they would start working on the project after the eighth and final season of Game of Thrones aired. On August 15, Lucasfilm art director Neil Lamont revealed that a film featuring Tatooine was being developed but was later canceled. It was reported on February 10, 2019, that the film series was a trilogy and that Benioff and Weiss were collaborating with Rian Johnson, the director of The Last Jedi, as he created his own Star Wars trilogy. Disney announced on May 7 that the next three Star Wars films would be released in 2023, 2025, and 2027. On October 28, it was reported that Benioff and Weiss had left the project to focus on new projects for Netflix.

George Lucas had been developing Star Wars: Underworld, a live-action Star Wars series with a planned 100 episodes, before Disney acquired Lucasfilm. However, the level of quality that Lucas wanted proved to be too expensive to produce as a live-action series, and the series was shelved in 2012. In 2017, Disney tasked Lucasfilm with making another attempt at producing live-action television series to support its upcoming Disney+ streaming service and compete with Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.

President Kathleen Kennedy's main goal was to launch a new era of films with the sequel trilogy. Although the films made billions at the box office, the inconsistent narrative was obvious and led to what was called "the hiatus," a break in the Star Wars film planning that was announced in early 2019, months before the final chapter of the sequel trilogy was released, so that Lucasfilm could regroup. Kennedy said that the company knew that this time was a new chapter for them and that they all needed to work together to build the architecture for the future. Lucasfilm had been releasing one film per year with the Star Wars anthology films, so Kennedy eliminated the annual deadlines and wanted to rethink their goals. Kennedy believed that Star Wars needed more professional dedication from filmmakers. Kennedy noted that anyone who entered the Star Wars universe had to understand that it was a three- to five-year commitment and that it needed nurturing. Kennedy felt that their series had to feel as big as the films to prepare for Disney+. As a result, Kennedy turned to Jon Favreau.

Favreau, who had worked with Disney on the groundbreaking visual effects films The Jungle Book and The Lion King, was always very interested in Star Wars as Kennedy understood it. Favreau had previously played a Mandalorian animated character in Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Because of this, Favreau was the first person Kennedy approached for this new era, and he showed that he was not only interested but also had an idea. Kennedy felt that Favreau met her new criteria, in that his only focus was being committed to Star Wars. After meeting in Kennedy's office, Favreau started working without even having a contract and had already written the first four episodes for his series about a lone gunslinging Mandalorian by the time he was hired. At the same time, Lucasfilm executive Dave Filoni approached Kennedy and wanted a series about the Mandalorians because he wanted to explore some of the ideas that were never fully realized when developing The Clone Wars with George Lucas. Filoni started playing a crucial role in Lucasfilm's new TV strategies and was indispensable as he channeled George Lucas, and Kennedy had been nurturing his filmmaking ambitions since she arrived in 2012.

Even though Favreau and Filoni were friendly, Kennedy was afraid that a conflict might arise and arranged a meeting between them. The two got along right away, exchanging ideas and drawings for a Mandalorian show that could combine their ideas. Filoni's knowledge of Mandalorian history went well with the lone gunslinger idea that Favreau wanted to develop. They also challenged each other, with Favreau's idea for the Child, Grogu, being the biggest point of contention. That caused development to pause for a bit, with Filoni having reservations and sketches and concepts being created. There were many different looks until Christian Alzmann's sketch made everything click. In addition, Industrial Light & Magic developed the "Volume" in 2018, which is a large curved LED wall that can surround a film crew in a photorealistic digital environment.

The technology was unstable but was further refined, and in the spring of 2018, legendary filmmaker James Cameron visited as he was working on the Avatar sequels nearby. Favreau had the team show the test shot that had been done earlier on the monitors. Cameron approached the Volume and approved of how convincing it was. The Volume allowed Lucasfilm to produce The Mandalorian in a more cost-effective way and in half the time of a Star Wars or Marvel film. The Mandalorian premiered on November 12, 2019, to critical and commercial success, and more seasons were planned. It was one of the most-watched series in 2019 and received many awards, being nominated for fifteen Emmy Awards and winning seven. The second season debuted on October 30, 2020 and was nominated for twenty-four Emmy Awards, winning seven. The third season debuted on March 1, 2023.

Before The Mandalorian launched in November 2019, Lucasfilm revealed at the D23 Expo Event in July 2019 that the company was creating Obi-Wan Kenobi, a live-action TV series starring Ewan McGregor returning as Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi after the events of Revenge of the Sith. On February 21, 2020, The Final Season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars premiered on Disney+ with twelve episodes, culminating in the finale's release on May 4.

Guillermo del Toro had a Star Wars film in production about Jabba the Hutt's rise to power, but it was eventually canceled. Star Wars: The High Republic, announced at Star Wars Celebration Chicago as Project Luminous, was revealed in early February 24, 2020, as a large multi-media project spanning novels, comics, audio plays, and more, establishing and expanding the High Republic Era set before the events of the prequel films. Split into three phases with three waves each, The High Republic includes dozens of storytelling materials. A new animated spin-off series of The Clone Wars, Star Wars: The Bad Batch, was announced on July 13, 2020.

After the success of The Mandalorian and during the release of The Mandalorian Seasons Two, Disney held the Disney Investor's Day 2020 event on December 10, showcasing the various future projects across the entire company. Kennedy led the section on Lucasfilm for the presentation, revealing a number of new live-action and animated projects, both films and series. Kennedy announced The Mandalorian spin-off series Rangers of the New Republic and Ahsoka, The Acolyte, Lando, A Droid Story, Star Wars: Visions, Rogue Squadron, and a film by Taika Waititi. Only eight days after the Investor's Day event on December 18, the finale of the second season of The Mandalorian revealed The Book of Boba Fett, the next chapter in the realm of The Mandalorian stories.

Star Wars: The Bad Batch premiered on May 4, 2021 with the hour-long episode "Aftermath." Starting a season of sixteen episodes, the series focused on Clone Force 99 during the fall of the Galactic Republic and the rise of the Galactic Empire. On August 5, a second season of The Bad Batch was confirmed. Later that same year on September 22, Star Wars: Visions premiered with nine short anime films, the first Star Wars project in an anime format.

The Book of Boba Fett was released on December 29, 2021, and centered on the legendary bounty hunter Boba Fett. Initially, before The Mandalorian, Lucasfilm planned to feature the bounty hunter in a feature film developed by James Mangold, but the film was put on hold. Eventually, Favreau and Filoni picked up Boba Fett's story, officially reintroducing the titular bounty hunter in "Chapter 9: The Marshal" and fully in "Chapter 14: The Tragedy," with the latter episode directed by Robert Rodriguez.

Favreau was pleased with Rodriguez's direction on the episode and brought him on board to executive produce The Book of Boba Fett alongside himself and Filoni. Filming reportedly began by late November 2020 and brought titular characters such as Ahsoka Tano and Luke Skywalker, who had appeared in the second season of The Mandalorian.

In 2017, Obi-Wan Kenobi actor Ewan McGregor was invited to the El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles for a screening of every Star Wars film. There, they asked McGregor if he would like to help introduce a new Star Wars film, and McGregor recalled that he suddenly felt that he really did want to continue being Kenobi. By this time, younger audiences who grew up with the prequel films enjoyed them, and McGregor found himself realizing that he enjoyed playing Obi-Wan. Around this time, McGregor was often asked in interviews if he would ever consider playing Obi-Wan Kenobi, which he always answered yes to. In 2018, Kiri Hart, then Vice President of Development at Lucasfilm, asked McGregor if he was genuine and authentic, to which McGregor recalled that he would be happy to perform as Obi-Wan.

At the start, the plan involved crafting the new Obi-Wan Kenobi narrative as a movie, with Stephen Daldry set to direct and McGregor taking on executive producing duties. Subsequently, the film evolved into an Obi-Wan TV show, intended as a key component of Lucasfilm's fresh projects for the Disney+ streaming platform. Consequently, Daldry left the project, and Deborah Chow, a director known for her work on The Mandalorian, joined the series' development to ensure a genuinely cinematic feel. Initially, Darth Vader was absent from the story's early iterations, sparking a recurring discussion at Lucasfilm: To what extent should established characters be utilized, and how much should their appearances be reserved? During the story's development, Lucasfilm deliberated whether incorporating Vader into an Obi-Wan narrative set after Revenge of the Sith would diminish the impact of their confrontation in A New Hope, or instead enhance that iconic scene. Michelle Rejwan, Kenobi producer and Senior Vice President of Live Action Development and Production, confirmed that these types of discussions are a constant occurrence.

In the autumn of 2019, Chow approached Hayden Christensen, the actor who portrayed Anakin Skywalker, about potentially reprising his role as Vader in Star Wars, an offer he eventually accepted. While Chow championed a rematch between Vader and Kenobi, reportedly at the urging of Dave Filoni, Lucasfilm's Story Group debated the merits of pursuing that direction. As a direct consequence, soundstages that had been booked in England were canceled, and the story underwent further internal scrutiny, leading to concerns among fans that the show might be canceled altogether. In March of 2020, the decision to include Vader in Obi-Wan Kenobi was ultimately made.

Around the year 2019, Diego Luna, the actor who portrayed [Cassian Jeron Andor](/article/cassian_jeron_andor], the spy captain within the Rebel Alliance in Rogue One, received a phone call from Tony Gilroy. Gilroy had previously revised Rogue One's script during reshoots, and contacted Luna while he was in Mexico City. During this call, Gilroy shared his plans with Luna for a new series centered around Andor. Officially unveiled at Investor's Day 2020, Andor had been initially confirmed on November 8, 2018. By December 3, 2020, filming was already in progress in London, concluding in September 2021. The first season of Andor was released in the late summer of 2022, with production for the second season already underway by May of that same year.

Also revealed at Investor's Day 2020 as a spin-off from The Mandalorian, Ahsoka debuted in August of 2023. The series revolves around Ahsoka Tano, the titular character first introduced in The Clone Wars, and was both written and produced by Dave Filoni. Filoni, who co-created the character with George Lucas, focuses the series on the quest to locate Grand Admiral Thrawn following her live-action introduction in The Mandalorian, with a subsequent appearance in The Book of Boba Fett. Filoni has stated that Star Wars: Ahsoka would present a continuous narrative driving towards a specific goal, rather than individual, self-contained episodes. Filming for the series commenced on May 9, 2022.

As Star Wars enters this new phase, Lucasfilm will require new actors, characters, and time periods to further develop the existing canon timeline. One such endeavor is the mystery thriller The Acolyte, which unfolds in the newly established High Republic Era, initially introduced through the Star Wars: The High Republic multimedia project. The first season of The Acolyte premiered in June 2024, concluding its run in July 2024. Leslye Headland had been actively developing The Acolyte since 2020, largely from her own home. Another fresh Star Wars series, currently under the working title "Grammar Rodeo," is also in development at Lucasfilm, with Jon Watts serving as executive producer and Christopher Ford as the writer. Lucasfilm describes this series as a classic coming-of-age adventure. The series of animated shorts, Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi, was initially announced at Celebration Anaheim on April 27, 2022.

Celebration Anaheim began on May 26, triggering a wave of new announcements and information. "Grammar Rodeo" was revealed to be Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, and Andor showcased its first teaser trailer. On May 27, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor was officially unveiled, accompanied by a teaser trailer.

Given Lucasfilm's shift towards television series, a return to the frequent theatrical releases of the past may be unlikely. President Kathleen Kennedy mentioned that the company has established a roadmap for their theatrical projects, with the Star Wars film by Krysty Wilson-Cairns and Taika Waititi potentially being the first to debut, followed by Rogue Squadron helmed by Patty Jenkins. In May 2022, Kathleen Kennedy verified in an interview with Vanity Fair, that Rogue Squadron had been placed on hold by Lucasfilm. Despite the announcement of a Star Wars film from Marvel CEO Kevin Feige on October 2, 2019, Kennedy clarified that no such project exists.

Reports surfaced in February 2020 that J.D. Dillard was developing a new Star Wars film, but by November 8, 2022, he disclosed that his Star Wars project was no longer in active development. Furthermore, the trilogy of Star Wars films from Rian Johnson, the director of The Last Jedi, has been delayed, as Johnson remains focused on producing multiple Knives Out films for Netflix. Kennedy expressed her reluctance to use the term "trilogies" in relation to Star Wars at present, emphasizing that the franchise is now more about consistent storytellers, and that she is now focused on recruiting feature filmmakers who share her vision.

During Celebration Europe, on April 7, 2023, the announcement was made that three new Star Wars films were in development. One film, directed by James Mangold, will explore the origins of the Jedi, set before the events of The Phantom Menace. Another, directed by Dave Filoni, will center on the New Republic era, taking place between the events of Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens, and will weave together the narratives presented in The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, and Ahsoka. The final film announced will be directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, and will be set after the events of The Rise of Skywalker, focusing on Rey as she establishes a new Jedi Order.

The phrase "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.…," which is displayed at the start of each Star Wars movie, represents the sole definition of the Star Wars galaxy in relation to our own world. It is reminiscent of the classic fairy tale opening, "Once upon a time, in a land far, far away…" and similar variations. This may suggest that the films are intended to be interpreted as future myths, rather than a literal depiction of events occurring in the past. Lucas deliberately maintained ambiguity in the specifics, leaving them open to individual interpretation.

The saga depicts an "ancient" galactic civilization that is thousands of years old. This setting exists entirely independently from Earth, the Milky Way Galaxy, or any aspect of reality, granting it greater creative freedom. The Star Wars galaxy prominently features humans who closely resemble those from Earth. According to the Expanded Universe, their civilization achieved advancements in space travel, terraforming, the construction of ecumenopoleis, and the establishment of space colonies as far back as 200,000 years "ago."

The term Star Wars originally referred to the Galactic Civil War that unfolds within the original trilogy. However, when considering the prequel trilogy (which focuses on the Invasion of Naboo and the Clone Wars), the sequel trilogy (which depicts the First Order-Resistance War), and the Expanded Universe, these events constitute only a fraction of the millennia-long conflict between the Sith and the Jedi/Galactic Republic.

Star Wars also blends scientific elements with supernatural aspects that have strong connections to epic narratives and fairy tales, incorporating elements such as magic, knights, witches, princes, and "whimsical" alien races like Ewoks and Wisties.

While the scope of Star Wars history encompasses many thousands of years across all recorded Star Wars history, and over 36,100 years in all the fictional works produced to date (from Dawn of the Jedi to Star Wars: Legacy), the films themselves span only two generations.

Later novels within a series known as The New Jedi Order broadened the Star Wars setting by introducing alien beings known as the Yuuzhan Vong, who originated from a different galaxy, surprising some fans. Prior to this series, nearly all species and events were confined to a single galaxy.

The initial concept for Star Wars emerged in the early 1970s and underwent numerous revisions, generating substantial material for the films. The original Star Wars film (Episode IV) was initially released in 1977, but the novelization was available six months earlier, in 1976. The sixth Star Wars film (Episode III) was released in 2005. The original plan was for nine films across three trilogies (some accounts suggest twelve films in four trilogies); however, Lucas has stated that he has no intention of creating any more Star Wars films following Episode III.

On October 30, 2012, alongside the announcement of their acquisition of Lucasfilm, The Walt Disney Company revealed plans to produce a new series of films, beginning with Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens in 2015, as well as plans for additional films. George Lucas declared that he would not be directing the films but would serve as a creative consultant.

All of the original films were filmed at Elstree Studios, among other locations. Episode I was filmed at Leavesden Studios, while the subsequent prequels were filmed in Sydney, Australia. Tunisia has been used as the setting for scenes taking place on the desert planet Tatooine.

Collectively, the initial nine films in the main saga have grossed a total of $8,789,255,249 worldwide at the box office. An eighth film, titled Star Wars: Episode VIII The Last Jedi, was released in 2017, followed by a ninth, Star Wars: Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker.

Films in order of release:

• Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope ( May 25 , 1977 )
• Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back ( May 21 , 1980 )
• Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi ( May 25 , 1983 )
• Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace ( May 19 , 1999 )
• Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones ( May 16 , 2002 )
• Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith ( May 19 , 2005 )
• Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens ( December 18 , 2015 )
• Star Wars: Episode VIII The Last Jedi ( December 15 , 2017 )
• Star Wars: Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker ( December 20 , 2019 )

George Lucas has consistently modified the original trilogy. For the Special Editions of Episodes IV through VI, the films underwent extensive cleaning and restoration, and Lucas used this chance to implement a number of changes, including previously cut scenes and new effects. The Special Editions were released in theaters in early 1997, and on VHS later that year. Further alterations were made for the films' initial DVD release in September 2004. In 2006, Lucas finally released the original trilogy in its unaltered form on DVD.

At a ShoWest convention in 2005, George Lucas showcased new technology and stated his intention to release all six films in a new 3D film format, starting with A New Hope in 2007. While this did not come to fruition, on September 28, 2010, StarWars.com announced the 3D release of Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace in theaters in 2012.

Despite Disney's 2012 acquisition of Lucasfilm Ltd. and the rights to release all future Star Wars films, Fox was set to retain the original distribution rights to A New Hope, which they co-produced and co-financed, in perpetuity across all media worldwide. Fox was also to retain theatrical, nontheatrical, and home video rights worldwide for the franchise's five subsequent films, which Lucasfilm produced and financed independently, through May 2020, at which point ownership would transfer to Disney. This complex relationship between Fox and Disney, particularly concerning Fox's perpetual rights to Episode IV, posed a challenge for any future boxed set encompassing all nine films. On December 14, 2017, The Walt Disney Company announced its acquisition of most of Fox's parent company, 21st Century Fox, including the film studio and all distribution rights to A New Hope.

The Expanded Universe (or EU) serves as a continuation of the movies, playing a significant role in expanding the storyline. Readers can explore books set during the prequel era, between the films, or after Episode VI. Numerous books also delve into the lives of Han Solo and Lando Calrissian in the time leading up to the movies. There are even books focusing on Wedge Antilles, who is only briefly shown in the films. Notable characters within the EU include the twins Jaina and Jacen Solo, Mara Jade, a former Emperor's Hand, Corran Horn, a pilot-turned-Jedi, and Grand Admiral Thrawn, a tactical genius.

The books that take place during or after the original Star Wars trilogy follow Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo, and other minor characters, as well as the growth of the New Republic. The Truce at Bakura by Kathy Tyers is the first book chronologically set after Return of the Jedi, but the first Expanded Universe story written was Alan Dean Foster's Splinter of the Mind's Eye.

Authors in the Expanded Universe often provided context for details presented in the movies, such as explaining that the scarcity of non-humans in the Galactic Empire (compared to their numbers in the Rebellion) was due to the xenophobic tendencies of most Imperials.

The earliest Expanded Universe stories in chronological order are found in Dawn of the Jedi. Novels such as the Darth Bane Trilogy, The Old Republic: Revan, and Knight Errant feature both the Galactic Republic and the Jedi Order thousands of years before the rise of the Galactic Empire.

Thousands of years later, series focusing on Obi-Wan Kenobi's training and the Naboo Crisis introduce the characters and situations that form the foundation of the story told in the films. The narrative then centers on the Skywalker family and their allies and enemies. The Skywalkers are involved in every significant event from that point onward, experiencing numerous wars, with the last known being Cade Skywalker and the Second Imperial Civil War.

Star Wars, the NPR radio adaptation (1981), was followed by adaptations of the subsequent two films in the series. These adaptations were written by science-fiction author Brian Daley, who also authored three novels detailing the adventures of Han Solo and Chewbacca before their appearance in Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope.

There are six official feature-length works in addition to the main films of the three trilogies:

• The Star Wars Holiday Special ( 1978 )
• Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure ( 1984 )
• Ewoks: The Battle for Endor ( 1985 )
• Star Wars: The Clone Wars ( 2008 )
• Rogue One: A Star Wars Story ( 2016 )
• Solo: A Star Wars Story ( 2018 )

The first three of these are live-action and were initially created for television, although the 1984 Ewok film was screened in theaters in some regions outside the U.S. Star Wars: The Clone Wars is an animated theatrical film that launched the 2008 TV series. Rogue One and Solo are live-action standalone films.

The Star Wars Holiday Special gained notoriety for featuring Boba Fett's debut appearance. The Wookiee food wookiee-ookiees, originally a minor detail, has become a cult symbol within the Star Wars fan community, inspiring plays on its name like wookiee-cookiees (a Star Wars-themed dessert).

The term "Wookiee hooky" has been used by the media to describe high absenteeism rates related to the release of a new Star Wars film.

In addition, other filmmakers with no affiliation to Lucasfilm have created films that pay tribute to, document, parody, or unofficially extend the Star Wars universe.

Mel Brooks' Spaceballs (1987) parodies Star Wars as well as other science-fiction works.

The Official Star Wars Fan Film Awards is a Lucasfilm-sponsored competition for short films created by Star Wars fans that are about, reference, or parody the Star Wars phenomenon.

Animated Series by release order:

• Star Wars: Droids ( 1985 ) - Premiered in 1985
• Ewoks ( 1985 ) - Also premiered in 1985
• Star Wars: Clone Wars ( 2003 ) - Released in 2003
• Star Wars: The Clone Wars ( 2008 ) - Aired starting in 2008
• Star Wars Rebels ( 2014 ) - Debuted in 2014
• Star Wars Forces of Destiny ( 2017 ) - Launched in 2017
• Star Wars Resistance ( 2018 ) - First broadcasted in 2018
• Star Wars: The Bad Batch ( 2021 ) - Began airing in 2021
• Star Wars: Visions ( 2021 ) - Also began airing in 2021
• Tales (2022) - Released in 2022
• Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures ( 2023 ) - Started airing in 2023

Animation is another facet of the Star Wars universe. The initial two series were launched in 1985, while Clone Wars was introduced in 2003, The Clone Wars in 2008, Rebels in 2014, Forces of Destiny in 2017, Resistance in 2018, The Bad Batch in 2021, and Tales in 2022. Ewoks chronicled the adventures of the Ewoks before the events of Return of the Jedi. Droids revolved around the escapades of C-3PO and R2-D2 between Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope.

Animated Series by release order:

• The Mandalorian ( 2019 )
• The Book of Boba Fett ( 2021 )
• Obi-Wan Kenobi ( 2022 )
• Andor ( 2022 )
• Ahsoka ( 2023 )
• The Acolyte ( 2024 )
• Skeleton Crew ( 2024 )

Back in 1984 and 1985, George Lucas served as executive producer for a pair of live-action television episodes forming a short series titled Ewok Adventures. These episodes, set before the Battle of Endor, narrated the brief experiences of the Towani family after their stranding on Endor. These two episodes were entitled Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure and Ewoks: The Battle for Endor, and Warwick Davis reprised his role as the spirited Ewok Wicket W. Warrick. A peculiar aspect of this series was Wicket's acquisition of English-speaking skills, an ability he never displayed during Return of the Jedi.

On November 9, 2017, Disney's chairman, Bob Iger, announced the upcoming release of a new live-action Star Wars television series, The Mandalorian, which would be available on Disney, the new streaming platform scheduled to launch in 2019.

In addition to The Mandalorian, several other Star Wars television projects are under development for Disney+, including the television series Obi-Wan Kenobi, Andor, and The Acolyte by Leslye Headland, who also created Russian Doll.

Star Wars-related fiction was available even before the first film's release, with the novelization of A New Hope (penned by Alan Dean Foster but attributed to George Lucas) hitting shelves several months prior to the movie's debut. Foster also authored the inaugural original Star Wars novel, Splinter of the Mind's Eye, whose 1978 publication marked the beginning of a highly successful literary spin-off franchise.

The six Star Wars films have served as inspiration for over a hundred novels. These novels, authorized by Lucasfilm, were initially published by Bantam Books (with a few early titles from Ballantine), although Del Rey has since regained the publishing rights. The narratives within these books span from thousands of years before The Phantom Menace to multiple generations after Return of the Jedi. These Lucas-approved books are crafted by fans of the films and form part of the collection known as the Expanded Universe. The initial books considered part of the Expanded Universe began to appear in the late 1970s.

The majority of the novels written are set after the events depicted in the films, with a smaller number bridging the gaps between the movies and an increasing number set before the films. For some enthusiasts, these stories can be more captivating, as they provide narratives for characters who only have minor or fleeting appearances in the movies. A particularly noteworthy example is Steve Perry's Shadows of the Empire, which is set between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Besides focusing on relatively minor characters, it connects some events between the two films.

Furthermore, certain elements initially introduced in the Expanded Universe were later incorporated into the films. These include Coruscant and Aayla Secura.

Besides books offering narratives, there are also reference books that detail aspects of the Star Wars universe in a nonfiction style, revealing details that cannot be accommodated in a story. Examples include The Wildlife of Star Wars: A Field Guide, Inside the Worlds of, and the Visual Dictionaries.

Marvel Comics released adaptations of the original trilogy, as well as a Star Wars comic book series that ran from 1977 to 1986, comprising a total of 107 issues and 3 annuals. A diverse group of creators contributed to this series, including Archie Goodwin, Howard Chaykin, Al Williamson, Carmine Infantino, Walter Simonson, Michael Golden, Chris Claremont, Whilce Portacio, Mary Jo Duffy, and Ron Frenz. During the 1980s, Marvel, as part of their Star Comics line aimed at young children, also published the short-lived series Ewoks and Droids, which were based on the Saturday-morning cartoons.

Star Wars also appeared as a daily newspaper comic strip from 1979 to 1984, primarily written by Archie Goodwin and illustrated by Al Williamson.

From the 1990s onwards, Dark Horse Comics has published a considerable number of original adventures set within the Star Wars universe. As of 2006, these mainly include Star Wars: Republic, Star Wars: Empire, Star Wars Tales, Star Wars: Jedi, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, and Star Wars: Legacy. Dark Horse has also released collections of the Marvel series in seven volumes, as well as the comic strip as Classic Star Wars.

Since 1983, more than 120 video games have been released under the Star Wars banner, starting with Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, which was published for the Atari 2600 by Parker Brothers.

The initial games inspired by the franchise were launched on the Atari 2600. In the first, The Empire Strikes Back (1982), players controlled a snowspeeder during the Battle of Hoth, tasked with destroying AT-AT walkers. Despite its simplicity, the game effectively captured the essence of the movie within the limitations of available technology. Several other games followed, such as Return of the Jedi: Death Star Battle (1982), where players piloted the Millennium Falcon on a mission to destroy the second Death Star, and Jedi Arena (1983), the first attempt to simulate a lightsaber battle (clearly inspired by the scene in A New Hope where Luke Skywalker trains with a seeker). Also in 1983, Star Wars was released, based on A New Hope. In this game, the player assumes the role of Luke Skywalker towards the film's climax, battling through numerous TIE fighters in an effort to destroy the first Death Star.

Due to the video-game crash of 1983, which decimated the home-console market, no further games based on the franchise were released until 1991, when the platformer Star Wars was launched for both the NES and Game Boy. A year later, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back reused the engine with the plotline of the saga's fifth episode. It was in 1992 that Super Star Wars was released for the SNES (the Super prefix was often used in remakes of 8-bit games), followed by the remaining games in the trilogy: Super Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back (1993) and Super Star Wars: Return of Jedi (1994).

Other early titles include the game Star Wars for the Nintendo Entertainment System (published by JVC) and three other titles for the Atari 2600.

Video game pioneer Atari produced arcade games based on the original trilogy, beginning with Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back, which were both flight-simulator-style games that utilized vector graphics. The third, Return of the Jedi, used more traditional raster graphics and a "3/4" perspective.

Star Wars: X-Wing (1993) marked the arrival of the "new generation" of PC games released by LucasArts. It revisits the space-fighter combat gameplay unseen since the Atari arcade games. Players typically assumed the role of a pilot for the Rebel Alliance, completing a range of objectives that culminated in the destruction of the Death Star. This game spawned sequels in the form of Star Wars: TIE Fighter and Star Wars: X-Wing Alliance.

The longest-running series of computer games is the groundbreaking Dark Forces series. This first person shooter series began in 1995 with Star Wars: Dark Forces. The subsequent game in the series was Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II, which enabled players to assume the role of a Jedi. The third game in the Dark Forces series, Star Wars: Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast, shifted its focus towards a third-person Jedi adventure compared to its predecessors. The fourth and final release was Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy, which originated as an expansion pack for Jedi Outcast but evolved into a standalone game.

Another long-running video-game series commenced with Star Wars: Rogue Squadron for the Nintendo 64 and continued in Star Wars: Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader and Star Wars: Rogue Squadron III: Rebel Strike for the Nintendo GameCube. The initial title was also available for PCs, and all were developed by Factor 5 and published by LucasArts. Rogue Squadron III featured emulated versions of the original Atari Star Wars arcade games.

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, released in 2003, garnered "Game of the Year" recognition from various prominent gaming magazines, websites, etc. A sequel, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords, was released for the Xbox in December 2004 and the PC in February 2005. Bioware released a MMORPG sequel to Knights of the Old Republic I and II called Star Wars: The Old Republic on December 20, 2011, set approximately 300 years after the events of Knights of the Old Republic II.

Star Wars Galaxies, an MMORPG developed by Sony, was released on June 26, 2003, in the United States, November 7 in Europe, December 23, 2004, in Japan, and in 2006 in Australia. The game was set after the events of the Battle of Yavin and allowed players to create characters of various species and specializations (such as Bounty Hunter and Smuggler) and choose to align themselves with the Rebel Alliance or the Galactic Empire.

Star Wars: Battlefront was released in 2004 and is a first-/third-person shooter game capable of online play where you can play in both trilogies, as all factions, in many different battlefields. Its sequels, Star Wars: Battlefront II, Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron and Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron, were released in 2005, 2007, and 2009 respectively.

Star Wars: Republic Commando is a tactical shooter computer game featuring the elite commandos of Delta Squad and set during the Clone Wars. It was released on March 1, 2005.

Star Wars: Empire at War, a real-time strategy game, was developed by Petroglyph Games and released on February 16, 2006, and an expansion pack, Star Wars: Empire at War: Forces of Corruption, was released in 2007.

LEGO Star Wars is a LEGO spinoff series in which the characters of Star Wars and most other vehicles and objects are made of LEGO bricks. The second game of the series is LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy. The third game of this series, LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga, combines the first two games. LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars is a LEGO version of the Clone Wars animated series, taking place during seasons 1 and 2.

Three role-playing games set in the Star Wars universe have been published: a d6-based game from West End Games, a Wizards of the Coast game using the d20 system on which their popular Dungeons & Dragons is based, and a game from Fantasy Flight Games.

The movie casts include well-known actors, such as Sofia Coppola and Keisha Castle-Hughes. Acclaimed actors played notable supporting roles, including Alec Guinness, Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, and Oliver Ford Davies. In the prequel trilogy, professional models were cast in non-speaking, minor roles.

The core concept within Star Wars is surrender. George Lucas posits that contentment arises from accepting reality's occurrences and practicing compassion by relinquishing selfishness—including the fear of loss, indicative of greed—to embrace selflessness.

Star Wars underscores the self-destructive nature of anger and hate, encapsulated in Yoda's words ("Fear is the path to the dark side: fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering" (help·info)), as well as prioritizing one's feelings for certain people. For instance, Luke Skywalker is instructed to remain on Dagobah to complete his training instead of rescuing his friends from Cloud City, as doing so would "destroy all for which they have fought and suffered."

Lucas has identified the idea of a democracy transforming into a dictatorship as a central theme of the saga. He has stated that the saga raises such ideas as the people relinquishing their power in desperation, and betrayal by their leaders who may think they are doing the right thing while sacrificing freedom. In this way, Star Wars serves as a cautionary narrative in which Lucas, by his own admission, cautions against the ever-present dangers to democracy and freedom, as demonstrated throughout history.

The films appear to contain anti-technological messages: the primitive Ewoks defeating technological adversaries, and the general idea of technology opposed to humanity, fitting with Lucas' vision. Lucas explicitly attributed the Ewoks' defeat of the Galactic Empire to the exploits of the Vietnamese National Liberation Front (otherwise known as the Vietcong) that operated during the Vietnam War, and also implied in his 1973 draft that the Rebels were similar representations of said theme in the original film.

The films' main story arc follows Anakin Skywalker's rise, fall, and redemption, mirrored by political events on a galactic scale. As Anakin succumbs to the dark side, the Republic descends into despotism and war; when Anakin reclaims the Jedi values of peace and justice, the evil Empire that supplanted the Republic is overthrown by the Rebel Alliance.

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