History of Star Wars: Premiered 49 Years Ago

Star Wars: From the Adventures of Luke Skywalker

HISTORY OF STAR WARS

The original Star Wars movie premiered on May 25, 1977.

Long ago, in a galaxy far, far away…

…in Berkeley, in November 1976, I picked up a new science fiction novel called “Star Wars: From the Adventures of Luke Skywalker” by George Lucas. I did not know then that it was ghostwritten by Alan Dean Foster, a famous sci-fi writer, based on Lucas’ outline.

The following May, the movie initially debuted in only 40 theaters nationwide, with little of the advanced fanfare we are used to today. But word of mouth spread fast, and when I heard it was showing at the Coronet Theater in San Francisco, I went with my buddies the first week it was out—the line to get in stretched around the block.    

Imperial Destroyer

When I first saw the Imperial Star Destroyer come across the screen after the title scroll, I yelled out, “I’m impressed!”

A reporter stopped me for a radio interview on my way out of the theater. “Did you think it was fun?” As I began to explain its relative place among Science Fiction novels and films, he interrupted again and asked,

“But was it fun?”

“Yes, it was fun,”

…I said, but it was so much more. I would return several times to see it again. Star Wars ran there at the Coronet for 29 weeks. The new Star Wars movies are now open in over 10,000 theaters in the US. How times have changed.

Star Wars Movie

The original Star Wars was not expected to be a success, far from it. The studio was not optimistic; hence, only 40 opening theaters. The head of 20th Century Fox was Alan Ladd, Jr. He agreed to produce the film with an initial $8M budget after being impressed by George Lucas’ 1973 film American Graffiti.

Even Lucas was not hopeful. Instead of attending the opening, he went to Hawaii with his friend Stephen Spielberg to commiserate. While there, they conceived of the Indiana Jones movie, named after Lucas’ dog, which was subsequently filmed there. It would make Harrison Ford a much bigger star than he would have been as just Han Solo.

Success of Star Wars

Star Wars Marvel comic book

The general pessimism about the movie allowed George Lucas to accept a small salary, but he negotiated to retain a sizable chunk of the merchandising rights. That first book turned into a book empire. The Star Wars Expanded Universe also includes comic books and games — board, video, online, and computer — plus TV shows and movies. There were t-shirts, toasters, lightsabers, bottle openers, headphones, tape dispensers, popcorn makers, action figures, watches, cups, pens, slippers, and class rings.

Darth Vader shower curtain

And lunch pails, shower curtains, and Underoos. In 1977, the movie was considered either the #1 or #2 highest-grossing film of all time, perhaps behind Gone with the Wind, when adjusted for inflation.

Though George Lucas sold his Lucasfilm production company to Disney for $4B (about $6B today) years ago, the franchise’s total value is over $70B due to television and theme park tie-ins. Lucas holds the second-largest block of Disney stock after the Steve Jobs family, which sold Pixar to Disney.

The Star Wars movie franchise has been the most successful in history until Marvel’s recent rise.

Infographic: The Biggest Movie Franchises at the U.S. Box Office. Source: Statista

Star Wars is often compared to or at least contrasted with Star Trek. Indeed, I compare these two franchises in this article at the link. However, George Lucas was a fan of Star Trek, and the first Star Trek movie in the franchise received the studio’s “green light” due to the success of the Star Wars movie two years earlier.

Star Wars at Disney

X-wing fighter at Galaxy Edge, Disney Paris. Author’s photo

Speaking of Disney, they have featured a Star Tours ride at several of their parks worldwide for many years. I visited that attraction at Disneyland Paris, in what is called Discoveryland.

Additionally, each park features prominent Star Wars themes in its music, shopping, and rides in its respective Tomorrowland and Galaxy’s Edge.

In recent years, Disney has opened “Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge,” a 14-acre themed land at Disneyland and Walt Disney World. I visited the one in Disneyland a couple of years ago. The newer ride, “Rise of the Resistance,” is stunning, as shown below. What’s funny is that the Disney cast members, who are usually cordial and friendly, need to be mean when dressed like First Order soldiers. When arriving at the hangar, we were told:

“Move along, nothing to see here.”

…as dozens of armed stormtroopers stood before the portal, exposing a Star Destroyer sailing by.

Rise of the Resistance ride, Disneyland. Author’s photo

Since the first film, I’ve seen all the subsequent films on their opening day. I had made the mistake of reading everything I could get my hands on between the first and second films — including the August 1977 issue of Rolling Stone – and it spoiled The Empire Strikes Back.

I’m more vigilant now about reading spoilers.

Non-canonical Order of Star Wars

I’ve rewatched the previous films in what is called the Machete Order: Episodes IV, V, II, III, VI. Why this order? The prequel trilogy is essentially a backstory—everything you need to know from Episode I is mentioned in Episode II. Episode III, in turn, has a greater impact on Episode VI.

Machete Order

J.J. Abrams, who had a successful run at the recent Star Trek reboot films, co-wrote, directed, and produced Episode VII. In popular culture, there is an unnecessary rivalry between Star Trek and Star Wars, but I like both. Star Wars differs from Star Trek in that the former spends less time on the science and features “lived-in” spaceships that are not military-clean. Its themes are different as well. While Star Trek always mirrored current-day political and social issues, Star Wars takes a more heroic or epic approach.

Star Wars Saga

Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi, which I reviewed at the link, was written and directed by Rian Johnson, who took a markedly different approach from J.J. Abrams and did not answer all the questions posed in Episode VII.

For the final film of the saga, Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker, which I reviewed at the link, J.J. Abrams again took the reins as writer and director and put the saga back on track as it concluded.

Non-saga Star Wars

Meanwhile, other non-saga “anthology” films from the Star Wars universe include the prequel to Episode IV, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, which I reviewed at the link, and Solo: A Star Wars Story, which was not worth reviewing.

Star Wars and The Power of Myth

It’s well known that George Lucas favored Joseph Campbell’s Power of Myth and the Hero’s Journey. The first Star Wars movie picks up that motif as Luke wants

“to become a Jedi like my father before me.”

Themes of:

• (Jedi) knights of the roundtable
• squires (padawans, apprentices)
• a fair Princess (Leia) to be rescued

harken back to King Arthur’s court. In that way, it plays more to fantasy themes than traditional sci-fi themes.

And because it was “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away” rather than the future, you see a parallel with the fall of the Roman Senate and its Republican form of government, to be replaced by a Galactic Empire and a dictatorial power-hungry Emperor.

Infographic: How To Create the Perfect Story | Statista

But you cannot miss the sci-fi homages to:

• Isaac Asimov’s 1951 Foundation trilogy of books, with its Galactic Empire
• Kurosawa’s 1958 film The Hidden Fortress
• Drone robots (droids) from Douglas Trumbull’s 1972 film Silent Running.

We now have nine movies in the saga, but there will be more. We’re reminded of Star Wars each year on May the Fourth.

P.S. Now that Disney owns Lucasfilm, there are so many TV spinoffs of prequels, sequels, and side-quels that it’s challenging to keep track.

Disney+ Star Wars

P.P.S. Earlier this week, on May 22, 2026, Disney released its latest Star Wars movie to theatres: The Mandalorian and Grogu, based on the TV series.

The Mandalorian and Grogu poster

P.P.P.S. Coincidentally, the Force not withstanding, the second Star Wars movie, The Empire Strikes Back, was released the same day, May 22, back in 1980. The local Colorado Springs Colorado Springs Philharmonic performed the music as we watched the film. My wife and I went to see it to celebrate our first date together. We originally saw it the first week it came out. I had already seen it the first day it was released… as is the way.

The Empire Strikes Back, with the Colorado Springs Philharmonic. Author’s photo

Bill Petro, your friendly neighborhood historian
billpetro.com