Star Wars: A New Hope' Returns to Theaters for Its 50th Anniversary

In 1977, George Lucas revolutionized the film industry with the debut of Star Wars. While it quickly became evident that Lucas had created a hit, few could have predicted the immense franchise that would emerge from it. Today, the galaxy far, far away encompasses a vast universe of sequels, spin-offs, television shows, novels, and countless other media.

As fans eagerly anticipate upcoming projects, including a diverse array of films and animated series like Star Wars: Visions Volume 3 and Maul: Shadow Lord, Lucasfilm is gearing up for a nostalgic trip back in time. The original film, now officially titled Star Wars: A New Hope, will return to theaters to commemorate its 50th anniversary in 2027. While specific details about this re-release are limited, Lucasfilm has announced a “yearlong 50th anniversary celebration” for 2027.

 

Mark your calendars! Star Wars: A New Hope is set to hit theaters worldwide on April 30, 2027, for a limited engagement, including special screenings on May the Fourth (May 4). Stay tuned for updates on ticket sales as Lucasfilm prepares to celebrate this monumental milestone.

Fun Trivia:

• Did you know that Star Wars: A New Hope was originally released simply as Star Wars? The subtitle was added later when the sequels were developed.
• The film was groundbreaking in its use of special effects and sound design, earning it an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects.
• The iconic opening crawl of Star Wars: A New Hope was inspired by the Flash Gordon serials of the 1930s, which Lucas loved as a child.
• The character of Yoda was originally designed to be played by a trained monkey before the decision was made to use puppetry and voice acting.

Prepare to relive the magic of Star Wars: A New Hope as it returns to the big screen!

The Acolyte Season 2 Preview And Release Date

Disney+’s Star Wars: The Acolyte wrapped up its first season earlier this year, leaving fans eager to know if a second season was in the cards. The series is set during the High Republic era and follows twin sisters Mae and Osha (played by Amandla Stenberg), who find themselves entangled in a complex relationship with both the Sith and the Jedi.

Plot Highlights

As the season finale approached, many questions remained unanswered. Showrunner Leslye Headland promised a satisfying conclusion, but the show has already showcased the immense potential of the High Republic setting to delve into the Jedi Order and its morals. Additionally, The Acolyte introduced a new coven of witches with unique powers and a powerful Sith lord (played by Manny Jacinto), elements that fans are eager to see explored further.

Fan Campaign

Ahead of the season finale, fans began campaigning for another season, successfully getting #RenewTheAcolyte trending. Their efforts even managed to overshadow the constant negativity from online trolls. But did Disney listen to their pleas?

Renewal Status

Unfortunately, The Acolyte has not yet been renewed for a second season. According to a report from Deadline, the series, despite facing a lot of online criticism, will not be continuing. This news is particularly disheartening given the dedicated fanbase the show has garnered.

Viewership and Reception

The decision likely came down to viewership numbers. Typically, both viewership and reception are considered for renewals. The news is surprising, especially since a third-party analytics firm, Reelgood, told Screen Rant that The Acolyte was the second highest-performing original Star Wars show in terms of streaming and engagement. It also outperformed an estimated 90% of the top 100 streaming shows.

While The Acolyte’s premiere fell 3 million views short of Ahsoka’s debut, it still marked Disney+’s biggest TV show debut of the year. Despite trolls attempting to skew the show’s performance, viewership reports and critic reviews indicate that The Acolyte was a hit. Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough to secure a second season.

Final Thoughts

The decision not to renew The Acolyte is upsetting for fans who were excited to see what a second season could bring, especially with the inclusion of Yoda in the show’s final moments. The potential for further exploration of the High Republic era and the intriguing characters introduced in the first season leaves many questions unanswered.

Trivia

Setting: High Republic era
Main Characters: Twin sisters Mae and Osha (Amandla Stenberg)
Notable Characters: Powerful Sith lord (Manny Jacinto), new coven of witches
Fan Campaign: #RenewTheAcolyte trended successfully
Viewership: Second highest-performing original Star Wars show according to Reelgood
Fans remain hopeful that the story of The Acolyte will continue in some form, whether through another season or other Star Wars media.

New Star Wars: Visions Anime Trailer And Release Dates

Welcome to a galaxy far, far away as you’ve never seen it before. The first trailer for the Disney+ anthology Star Wars: Visions dropped today, giving us a new look at the beloved franchise’s first major anime series. The series will showcase nine original stories from seven top Japanese anime studios. Fans can catch glimpses of these new tales in the Visions trailer, which preview a wide range of Star Wars tales. Jabba the Hutt appears in a rock opera in one moment, while two characters engage in a classic Sith and Jedi battle in another.

However, the trailer also teases plenty of things we’ve never seen before: In one moment, a character wields two red lightsabers with four more attached directly to her body. It also previews the “Ninth Jedi,” aka the first Star Wars tale set after the events of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. “[These] stories showcase the full spectrum of bold storytelling found across Japanese animation; each told with a freshness and voice that expands our understanding of what a Star Wars story can be, and celebrates a galaxy that has been such an inspiration to so many visionary storytellers,” executive producer James Waugh said in a statement.

In addition to revealing the trailer, Disney+ announced that both Japanese and English dubs of the series will be available when it arrives on September 22. The star-studded English-dubbed voice cast, which includes Lucy Liu, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Neil Patrick Harris, Alison Brie, Simu Liu, Kyle Chandler, David Harbour, George Takei, Karen Fukuhara, Jordan Fisher, Bobby Moynihan, Kimiko Glenn, Henry Golding, and more. Iconic Star Wars character Boba Fett will appear in the episode “Tattoine Rhapsody,” voiced by actor Temuera Morrison. Disney+ also revealed a full list of participating studios and their corresponding episodes, which include Kamikaze Douga’s “The Duel,” Gene Studio’s “Lop and Ochō,” Studio Colorido’s “Tattoine Rhapsody,” Trigger’s “The Twins” and “The Elder,” Kinema Citrus’ “The Village Bride,” Science Saru’s “Akakiri” and “TO-B1,” and Production IG’s “The Ninth Jedi.” Scroll up to watch the first trailer for Star Wars: Visions, which will premiere on Disney+ on September 22.

Mark Hamill and Patrick Stewart Star in Insane UberEats Commercial

We're finally getting the Star Wars and Star Trek crossover we deserve. Mark Hamill revealed Sunday night he and Star Trek superstar Patrick Stewart are finally appearing on-screen together — just not in the way you'd expect. Taking to his Twitter account to reveal the news, Hamill shared a teaser for an upcoming commercial for UberEats both he and Stewart are appearing in.

 

While not all's revealed in the teaser Hamill shared, one thing is apparent — the two superstars can't agree on how to say tomato. To-may-toe, to-mah-toe, right?

Hamill last appeared in the Star Wars franchise in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker while Stewart actively portrays Jean-Luc Picard in Paramount+'s Picard series. Earlier this year, Picard was nominated for five Emmy Awards, including Outstanding sound Editing and Outstanding Character Makeup.

“It was a scene where Marina was talking to me about Soji and talking to me about me, and so forth. Long speech,” Stewart previously said of his return to the role. “And she did it so brilliantly. It was one of those moments which happens, I think, to all actors when I stopped being in a scene and was simply an audience admiring what was going on in front of me. I thought her work was brilliant.

“The other one was almost the penultimate scene of the season when I was alone with Data in a strange, rather grim, grey room. And we were talking about his life and what he expressed as the one thing that he most missed in his life was knowing that he would die. Because of my relationship with Brent, which is very special, as are my relationships with the entire crew of the Enterprise, my principle colleagues, and there was a moment in that scene where I had to stand up out of the chair and prepare to leave the room knowing what I had agreed to do, the last thing I would do to help Data. And I had to turn and say ‘Goodbye, Commander.’ We did that shot several times because I’d get to my mark and I couldn’t say it because it was just too emotional."

Star Wars: Squadrons Pre-Order Guide: Release Date, Price, Platforms, Bonuses and More

EA pulled back the curtain a bit on their upcoming Star Wars: Squadrons game, revealing a release date, platform list, price, details on microtransactions, and more. You can find these details below along with links where the game can be pre-ordered.

As the title of the game suggests, Star Wars: Squadrons is a first-person dogfighting game, and we've learned that it will be set after the events of Return of the Jedi. It will feature both a single player campaign and multiplayer as well as full compatibility with VR headsets for both the PS4 and the PC - which is awesome. What's more, there won't be any microtransactions - all upgrades will be earned through gameplay only. You can check out a trailer for the game here and screenshots here. Stay tuned for a full gameplay reveal at EA Play Live event on June 18th at 4pm PT (7pm ET).

Release Date, Price, and Platforms: Star Wars: Squadrons will be available on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC (crossplay enabled) for $39.99 beginning on October 2nd (details on upcoming PS5 releases can be found here. Xbox Series X details can be found here).

Pre-Orders: At the time of writing, pre-orders are live via the retailers below. Additional retailer links will be added as they become available.

Pre-Order Bonuses: Pre-order bonuses include the following cosmetic items - New Republic Recruit Flight Suit, Imperial Ace Flight Suit, New Republic Recruit Starfighter Skins, Imperial Ace Starfighter Skins, New Republic Recruit Decal, and Imperial Ace Decal.

EA's official description for Star Wars: Squadrons reads:

"Master the art of starfighter combat in the authentic piloting experience Star Wars™: Squadrons. Buckle up, feel the adrenaline of first-person multiplayer space dogfights alongside your squadron, and learn what it means to be a pilot in a thrilling Star Wars™ single-player story."