The original Star Wars movie came out in theaters on May 25, 1977, and it changed cinema forever. Along with 1975’s Jaws, the film helped launch the age of the blockbuster event movie. We are still living in that age today, with movies like Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Toy Story 5 cleaning up at the box office.
Star Wars has been re-released before, but Disney has found a way to make it feel exciting all over again.
Star Wars is coming to IMAX for the first time
It’s a great way to reenergize a classic
On Friday, February 19, 2027, the original Star Wars movie will return to theaters. “The newly restored version of the original movie, later renamed Star Wars: A New Hope, will be shown across a select number of IMAX 70mm film locations as well as playing in select theaters for a limited time,” reads a statement.
IMAX screens are larger than normal movie screens; there are about 400 in North America. IMAX 70mm screens, the only screens capable of showing a movie filmed with IMAX 70 mm cameras in its intended resolution and aspect ratio, are even rarer; there are only 41 such theaters in the world, 25 of which are in the United States. Seeing a movie in these kinds of theaters offers an immersive experience no other can match.
Obviously, a movie as legendary as Star Wars deserves to be seen in this kind of environment. It’s also interesting that the statement calls this a “newly restored version of the original movie, later renamed Star Wars: A New Hope.” Although we don’t have all the details yet, this implies that customers may get to see a restored version of the original film as it was in 1977, rather than the special edition that’s been in regular rotation since the late 1990s. Han Solo may shoot first once again.
Star Wars jumps on the IMAX bandwagon
Thank goodness
It’s frankly surprising that at no point in the last 50 years was any attempt ever made to show Star Wars on IMAX screens. Adjusted for inflation, Star Wars is the second highest-grossing movie of all time. Even if you’ve never seen it, you’re likely familiar with stuff like lightsabers and the Force. It’s spawned sequels and spin-offs that continue to this day. How has it taken this long to get it on IMAX?
I give a lot of credit to director Christopher Nolan, who has long been passionate about showing his movies on the biggest screens possible. He filmed portions of his 2023 movie Oppenheimer on IMAX 70mm cameras, and this talky biopic about a nuclear scientist ended up making nearly $1 billion at the box office. Earlier this year, The Odyssey was the first movie ever to be filmed entirely in IMAX 70mm cameras, and it’s become the highest-grossing movie of Nolan’s career. He’s opened the door for more studios and filmmakers to make use of premium formats, and Disney is walking through it.
In 2026, movie theaters have finally bounced back from the funk they’ve been in ever since COVID-19 effectively shut down theaters in 2020. That’s happened for a lot of reasons, but one of them is the use of premium formats like IMAX to turn movies into events. With streaming at home easier than ever, theaters need something to make the theatrical experience feel special. Premium formats are an important part of that strategy. There are Star Wars superfans out there who have seen this movie more times than they can count, but seeing it on an impossibly large IMAX screen may feel like seeing it for the first time.
Disney is mounting a Star Wars revival
Re-releasing the original movie is only the first step
Disney has overexposed the Star Wars franchise in recent years. The latest Star Wars movie, The Mandalorian and Grogu, is the lowest-grossing film in the history of the franchise. Next year is the 50th anniversary of the original movie, which is why it’s coming back into theaters. But Disney is also hoping to relaunch the franchise.
To that end, the next Star Wars film, Star Wars: Starfighter, will open on May 28, 2027, the same weekend that Star Wars opened 50 years prior. Naturally, it will be playing on IMAX screens, both the normal ones and those of the 70mm variety. Will that be enough to reenergize the fanbase? It’s hard to know, but it’s a step in the right direction.
Back on the big screen
Dune: Part Three, another major blockbuster coming later this year, filmed scenes with IMAX 70mm cameras, meaning it will look especially spectacular in premium format theaters. Look for it to impress everyone when it opens in December.
In the meantime, other classics are returning to the big screen. 2019’s Avengers: Endgame will return to theaters, IMAX and otherwise, on September 25, and Gone With The Wind — which is the highest-grossing movie of all time, adjusted for inflation, FYI — will return to theaters on October 10.
- Release Date
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May 25, 1977
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Mark Hamill
Luke Skywalker
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Carrie Fisher
Princess Leia Organa
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Peter Cushing
Grand Moff Tarkin
