The original Star Wars will return to theatres on Feb. 19, 2027, with Disney planning a restored version of the 1977 film and a 70-millimetre Imax presentation to mark its 50th anniversary, CBC News reports.

The release will give audiences another theatrical opportunity to see the film now also known as Star Wars: A New Hope. Disney describes the upcoming presentation as a “restored version” of the original film.

“It is incredibly special to mark the 50th anniversary by returning the original version of Star Wars to theatres so audiences can experience this part of film history on the big screen,” Lucasfilm co-president Lynwen Brennan said in a press release quoted by CBC.

The distinction between the original film and its later editions is significant to this anniversary release. When creator George Lucas brought Star Wars back to cinemas for its 20th anniversary in 1997, the rerelease included computer-generated touchups and additional scenes. Among the changes was the Mos Eisley Cantina confrontation, which showed Greedo firing at Han Solo first.

Disney bought Lucasfilm and the Star Wars franchise in 2012. Brennan and Dave Filoni have led the franchise since Kathleen Kennedy stepped down in January, according to CBC.

The theatrical return is one part of a wider slate of Star Wars projects scheduled for 2027. A documentary about the making of the original film, The Hero Awakens, is due on Disney+ on May 4, the date celebrated as Star Wars Day.

Directed by R.J. Cutler, the documentary will include previously unseen archival footage and audio from the production of the 1977 movie, according to a press release cited in CBC’s report.

The year’s schedule also includes a second season of Ahsoka and the May 28 theatrical release of Star Wars: Starfighter, starring Canadian actor Ryan Gosling and directed by Montreal-born Shawn Levy.

Sources