The British Film Institute (BFI) just kicked off its second film festival, with a very special screening. Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy introduced the first of two sold-out showings of a rare original 1977 print of “Star Wars.” This particular version is so rare because it has the original title card at the beginning, which does NOT have the “Episode VI: A New Hope” title.
Also, the print does not contain any of the special edition additions, which creator George Lucas is adamant are the only “true” versions of his films. (The infamous Han Shot First debate stems from this.)
“When I came into the company, there was endless conversation about where everything was, and what was, in fact, the first print,” Kennedy said. “And it’s quite remarkable— what you are going to see is, in fact, the first print. I’m not even sure there’s another one quite like it. To be able to experience this exactly how it was in 1977 is really special.”
The Original Print
The particular print they screened was created for the first UK release of “Star Wars” in December 1977. It hit theaters roughly seven months after the movie debuted in the USA. One of the only reasons this print has survived was due to the use of the Technicolor dye transfer printing technique. At the time, the Kodak Eastman process was significantly cheaper, but those prints were much flimsier and aged poorly. Technicolor’s layering process added a significant amount of durability to the film stock.
The Future of the Franchise
Kennedy also commented about the future of the franchise, citing Disney+ series “Andor” as “expanding genres” within the galaxy far, far away. “I really think that now we’re in a position where it’s broadened the possibility of stories and filmmakers we can bring in to tell stories that mean something to them – it doesn’t necessarily have to connect to every little thing thats been done in Star Wars; it can actually be a standalone story that then builds into many many other stories.”
Apparently, she was in the UK to prepare for the upcoming “Star Wars: Starfighter.” The movie is set to star Ryan Gosling (“The Fall Guy”) and Mia Goth (“Maxxine”) and Shawn Levy (“Deadpool & Wolverine”) directing. It is currently slated for a May 2027 release window. “It’s gonna be pretty big,” Kennedy said.
