Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977)
99%RT Audience Score: 96%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 3 Oscars
26 wins & 69 nominations total
A legendarily expansive and ambitious start to the sci-fi saga, George Lucas opened our eyes to the possibilities of blockbuster filmmaking and things have never been the same
Holy space balls, have you seen Star Wars: A New Hope? George Lucas totally blew our minds with this epic sci-fi adventure. It’s like he took all the coolest things from every space movie ever made and mashed them together into one epic masterpiece. And let’s not forget about the special effects – they were out of this world! It’s safe to say that after this movie, the bar for blockbuster filmmaking was set sky high. If you haven’t seen it yet, do yourself a favor and hop on board the Millennium Falcon for a wild ride through the galaxy. May the force be with you!
Production Company(ies)
Lucasfilm,
Distributor
NA
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Sidi Bouhlel, Bouhlel Sdada, Tunisia
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG for sci-fi action/violence
Year of Release
1977
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Digital
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Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
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Runtime:NA
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Language(s):English, Sanskrit
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): May 25, 1977 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 6, 2005
Genre(s)
Adventure/Action
Keyword(s)
starring Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Alec Guinness, Peter Cushing, Anthony Daniels, David Prowse, Kenny Baker, George Lucas, Gary Kurtz, Adventure, Action, Fantasy, PG, box office, budget, reviewed by Tom Shales, Molly Haskell, Richard Combs, Perry Stewart, Helen Frizell, Colin Bennett, Tony Vandenberg, Brian Eggert, Cory Woodroof, Marina Hirsch, Sarah Brinks, Tony Black, directed by George Lucas, written by George Lucas, produced by Gary Kurtz, Star Wars Saga, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Princess Leia Organa, Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi, C-3PO, R2-D2, Galactic Empire, Rebel Alliance, Darth Vader, Jedi, The Force, lightsabers, space battles, John Williams, iconic, groundbreaking, legendary, epic, pulpy, exhilarating, unforgettable, fun, smart, childlike wonder, fully realized universe, sci-fi, blockbuster, film history, cultural phenomenon, fan favorite, classic
Worldwide gross: $1,027,082,707
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $5,445,952,837
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 3
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 593,887,987
US/Canada gross: $474,544,677
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $2,516,202,359
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2
US/Canada opening weekend: $64,820,970
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $343,703,524
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $11,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $58,325,859
Production budget ranking: 699
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $31,408,475
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $5,356,218,503
ROI to date (est.): 5,969%
ROI ranking: 16
Harrison Ford – Han Solo
Carrie Fisher – Princess Leia Organa
Alec Guinness – Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi
Peter Cushing – Grand Moff Tarkin
Anthony Daniels – C-3PO
Director(s)
George Lucas
Writer(s)
George Lucas
Producer(s)
Gary Kurtz
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 3 Oscars
26 wins & 69 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Best Achievement in Art Direction Winners, Oscar Best Achievement in Costume Design Winners, Oscar Best Achievement in Editing Winners, Oscar Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures Winners, Oscar Best Achievement in Sound Mixing Winners, Oscar Best Achievement in Visual Effects Winners, Oscar Nominees, Oscar Original Score Winners, Oscar Winners
All Critics (135) | Top Critics (51) | Fresh (125) | Rotten (10)
The greatest kids’ picture for adults since “The Wizard of Oz.”
May 4, 2022
Tom Shales
NPR
TOP CRITIC
I don’t see how I can come out ahead panning Star Wars, George Lucas’s science-fiction film that has been acclaimed by children of all ages as the Fun Movie of the year.
February 27, 2020
Molly Haskell
Village Voice
TOP CRITIC
Without the simple spiritual convictions of his predecessors, or the philosophical speculations of his contemporaries, Lucas has rather left his audience out in the cold.
December 12, 2019
Richard Combs
Sight & Sound
TOP CRITIC
A boy’s adventure yarn in the most traditional, unabashedly entertaining sense.
December 12, 2017
Perry Stewart
Fort Worth Star-Telegram/DFW.com
TOP CRITIC
Oh, the astronomical audiences; oh, the mundane story; oh, the over-cute little robots (one fat, one thin); oh, the vapid actors, the galactic shootouts; oh, the brilliant technology and oh, the boredom of it all.
December 12, 2017
Helen Frizell
Sydney Morning Herald
TOP CRITIC
It’s a “fun movie”, as they say. Meaning that it doesn’t mean anything, it’s a superior, pop plaything to play with, to be innocently enjoyed and thrown away like a four-dollar comic book.
December 12, 2017
Colin Bennett
The Age (Australia)
TOP CRITIC
Star Wars is the best science fiction film that’s come down the pike to date. And every good thing you’ve heard about it is true.
May 23, 2022
Tony Vandenberg
Washington Blade
Star Wars belongs on a short list of important films that have been so saturated into our minds, so ingrained and present in our everyday culture, that watching the film now is almost an empty experience.
February 14, 2022 | Rating: 4/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
The one that started it all, A New Hope (or, as it was known at the time, Star Wars), set a standard and a tone that will forever be imitated, and very rarely replicated.
February 11, 2022
Cory Woodroof
615 Film
As a visual cartoon, Star Wars is resolutely successful, phenomenal in its impact; as an emotional adventure, Star Wars is only bubblegum entertainment, tripping us back into a black and white world where good and evil can fight it out with ray guns.
May 12, 2021
Marina Hirsch
Berkeley Barb
A New Hope is our first step into this world of galactic rebellion against the Empire and the Force versus the Dark Side, so a certain amount of exposition and world building is necessary…
March 26, 2021
Sarah Brinks
Battleship Pretension
It’s far from the greatest movie ever made, but A New Hope-and its sequels-will be remembered, discussed and loved until we’re all living in a galaxy far, far away.
February 16, 2021 | Rating: 5/5
Tony Black
Cultural Conversation…
Plot
The evil Trade Federation, led by Nute Gunray is planning to take over the peaceful world of Naboo. Jedi Knights Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi are sent to confront the leaders. But not everything goes to plan. The two Jedi escape, and along with their new Gungan friend, Jar Jar Binks head to Naboo to warn Queen Amidala, but droids have already started to capture Naboo and the Queen is not safe there. Eventually, they land on Tatooine, where they become friends with a young boy known as Anakin Skywalker. Qui-Gon is curious about the boy, and sees a bright future for him. The group must now find a way of getting to Coruscant and to finally solve this trade dispute, but there is someone else hiding in the shadows. Are the Sith really extinct? Is the Queen really who she says she is? And what’s so special about this young boy?
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Nothing to add here about Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope.
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