''Star Wars'' is an American
epic space opera multimedia franchise created by
George Lucas, which began with the
eponymous 1977 film and quickly became a worldwide
pop-culture
Popular culture (also called mass culture or pop culture) is generally recognized by members of a society as a set of practices, beliefs, artistic output (also known as, popular art or mass art) and objects that are dominant or prevalent in a ...
phenomenon
A phenomenon ( : phenomena) is an observable event. The term came into its modern philosophical usage through Immanuel Kant, who contrasted it with the noumenon, which ''cannot'' be directly observed. Kant was heavily influenced by Gottfried ...
. The franchise has been expanded into
various films and
other media, including
television series
A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, or cable, excluding breaking news, advertisements, or trailers that are typically placed be ...
,
video games
Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This feedbac ...
,
novels,
comic books,
theme park attractions, and
themed areas, comprising an all-encompassing
fictional universe. ''Star Wars'' is one of the
highest-grossing media franchises of all time.
The original film (''Star Wars''), retroactively subtitled ''
Episode IV: A New Hope'' (1977), was followed by the sequels ''
Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back'' (1980) and ''
Episode VI: Return of the Jedi'' (1983), forming the
original ''Star Wars'' trilogy. Lucas later returned to the series to direct a
prequel trilogy
The ''Star Wars'' prequel trilogy, colloquially referred to as the prequels, is a series of epic space-opera films written and directed by George Lucas. It was produced by Lucasfilm Ltd. and distributed by 20th Century Fox. The trilogy was re ...
, consisting of ''
Episode I: The Phantom Menace'' (1999), ''
Episode II: Attack of the Clones'' (2002), and ''
Episode III: Revenge of the Sith'' (2005). In 2012, Lucas sold
his production company to
Disney
The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
, relinquishing his ownership of the franchise. This led to a
sequel trilogy
The ''Star Wars'' sequel trilogy is the third trilogy of the main ''Star Wars'' franchise, an American space opera created by George Lucas. It is produced by Lucasfilm Ltd. and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. The trilogy ...
, consisting of ''
Episode VII: The Force Awakens'' (2015), ''
Episode VIII: The Last Jedi'' (2017), and ''
Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker'' (2019).
All nine films of the "
Skywalker Saga
The '' Star Wars'' franchise involves multiple live-action and animated films. The film series started with a trilogy set '' in medias res'' which was later expanded to a trilogy of trilogies, known as the " Skywalker Saga".
The 1977 self-ti ...
" were
nominated
A candidate, or nominee, is the prospective recipient of an award or honor, or a person seeking or being considered for some kind of position; for example:
* to be elected to an office — in this case a candidate selection procedure occurs.
* ...
for
Academy Awards
The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
, with wins going to the first two releases. Together with the theatrical live action "anthology" films ''
Rogue One
''Rogue One: A Star Wars Story'' (or simply ''Rogue One'') is a 2016 American epic space opera film directed by Gareth Edwards. The screenplay by Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy is from a story by John Knoll and Gary Whitta. It was produced by L ...
'' (2016) and ''
Solo
Solo or SOLO may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Comics
* ''Solo'' (DC Comics), a DC comics series
* Solo, a 1996 mini-series from Dark Horse Comics
Characters
* Han Solo, a ''Star Wars'' character
* Jacen Solo, a Jedi in the non-canonical ''S ...
'' (2018), the combined box office revenue of the films equated to over billion, which makes it the
second-highest-grossing film franchise of all time. Additional upcoming films are in the works, including an untitled movie from
Taika Waititi
Taika David Cohen (born 16 August 1975), known professionally as Taika Waititi ( ), is a New Zealand filmmaker, actor, and comedian. He is a recipient of an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and a Grammy Award, and has received two nominations at ...
and ''Rogue Squadron'' directed by
Patty Jenkins
Patricia Lea Jenkins (born July 24, 1971) is an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. She has directed the feature films ''Monster'' (2003), ''Wonder Woman'' (2017), and ''Wonder Woman 1984'' (2020). For the film ''Monster'', she w ...
, both currently without release dates.
Premise
The ''Star Wars'' franchise depicts the adventures of characters "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away",
in which
human
Humans (''Homo sapiens'') are the most abundant and widespread species of primate, characterized by bipedalism and exceptional cognitive skills due to a large and complex brain. This has enabled the development of advanced tools, cultu ...
s and many species of
aliens (often
humanoid) co-exist with
robot
A robot is a machine—especially one programmable by a computer—capable of carrying out a complex series of actions automatically. A robot can be guided by an external control device, or the control may be embedded within. Robots may ...
s (typically referred to in the films as '
droids'), who may assist them in their daily routines;
space travel between planets is common due to
lightspeed hyperspace
In science fiction, hyperspace (also known as nulspace, subspace, overspace, jumpspace and similar terms) is a concept relating to higher dimensions as well as parallel universes and a faster-than-light (FTL) method of interstellar travel. ...
technology. The planets range from wealthy, planet-wide cities to deserts scarcely populated by primitive tribes. Virtually any Earth
biome
A biome () is a biogeographical unit consisting of a biological community that has formed in response to the physical environment in which they are found and a shared regional climate. Biomes may span more than one continent. Biome is a broader ...
, along with many fictional ones, has its counterpart as a ''Star Wars'' planet which, in most cases, teem with sentient and non-sentient alien life. The franchise also makes use of other astronomical objects such as asteroid fields and nebulae. Spacecraft range from small
starfighters, to huge capital ships such as the
Star Destroyer
Star Destroyers are capital ships in the fictional ''Star Wars'' universe. Star Destroyers were produced by Kuat Drive Yards, later Kuat-Entralla Engineering, and serve as "the signature vessel of the fleet" for the Galactic Republic, Galactic Em ...
s, to
space stations such as the moon-sized
Death Star
The Death Star is a fictional space station and superweapon featured in the '' Star Wars'' space-opera franchise. Constructed by the autocratic Galactic Empire, the Death Star is capable of annihilating entire planets into rubble, and serves t ...
s.
Telecommunication
Telecommunication is the transmission of information by various types of technologies over wire, radio, optical, or other electromagnetic systems. It has its origin in the desire of humans for communication over a distance greater than that fe ...
includes two-way audio and
audiovisual
Audiovisual (AV) is electronic media possessing both a sound and a visual component, such as slide-tape presentations, films, television programs, corporate conferencing, church services, and live theater productions.
Audiovisual service pr ...
screens, holographic projections, and HoloNet (internet counterpart).
The universe of ''Star Wars'' is generally similar to ours but its laws of physics are less strict allowing for more imaginative stories. One result of that is a mystical power known as
the Force
The Force is a metaphysical and ubiquitous power in the '' Star Wars'' fictional universe. "Force-sensitive" characters use the Force throughout the franchise. Heroes like the Jedi seek to "become one with the Force", matching their personal wil ...
which is described in the original film as "an energy field created by all living things ...
hat
A hat is a head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorporate mecha ...
binds the galaxy together". The field is depicted as a kind of pantheistic god. Through training and meditation, those whom "the Force is strong with" exhibit various
superpowers
A superpower is a state with a dominant position characterized by its extensive ability to exert influence or project power on a global scale. This is done through the combined means of economic, military, technological, political and cultural s ...
(such as
telekinesis
Psychokinesis (from grc, ψυχή, , soul and grc, κίνησις, , movement, label=ㅤ), or telekinesis (from grc, τηλε, , far off and grc, κίνησις, , movement, label=ㅤ), is a hypothetical psychic ability allowing a person ...
,
precognition
Precognition (from the Latin 'before', and 'acquiring knowledge') is the purported psychic phenomenon of seeing, or otherwise becoming directly aware of, events in the future.
There is no accepted scientific evidence that precognition is a ...
,
telepathy, and manipulation of physical energy).
It is believed nothing is impossible for the Force. The mentioned powers are wielded by two major
knightly orders at conflict with each other: the
Jedi
Jedi (), Jedi Knights, or collectively the Jedi Order are the main heroic protagonists of many works of the '' Star Wars'' franchise. Working symbiotically alongside the Old Galactic Republic, and later supporting the Rebel Alliance, the Jedi ...
, peacekeepers of the
Galactic Republic
The Galactic Republic, often referred to as simply the Republic, is a fictional galactic polity depicted in the ''Star Wars'' universe, where it existed prior to the establishment of the Galactic Empire. The Republic is most prominently por ...
who act on the light side of the Force through
non-attachment
Nonattachment, non-attachment, or detachment is a state in which a person overcomes their emotional attachment to or desire for things, people or worldly concerns and thus attains a heightened perspective. It is considered a wise virtue and ...
and
arbitration, and the
Sith, who use the dark side by manipulating fear and aggression. While Jedi Knights can be numerous, the Dark Lords of the Sith (or 'Darths') are intended to be limited to two: a master and their apprentice. Another notable fictional element of ''Star Wars'' is
hyperspace
In science fiction, hyperspace (also known as nulspace, subspace, overspace, jumpspace and similar terms) is a concept relating to higher dimensions as well as parallel universes and a faster-than-light (FTL) method of interstellar travel. ...
, an alternate dimension that allows faster-than-light travel.
Force-wielders are very limited in numbers in comparison to the population. The Jedi and Sith prefer the use of a weapon called a
lightsaber
A lightsaber is a fictional energy sword featured throughout the '' Star Wars'' franchise. A typical lightsaber is depicted as a luminescent plasma blade about in length emitted from a metal hilt around in length. First introduced in the o ...
, a blade of plasma that can cut through virtually any surface and deflect energy bolts. The rest of the population, as well as renegades and soldiers, use plasma-powered
blaster firearms. As a result of galaxy-scaled politics (involving republics, empires, kingdoms, alliances, etc.), all this weaponry is made use of in various military conflicts during which most ''Star Wars'' material takes place. In the outer reaches of the galaxy, crime syndicates such as the
Hutt cartel are dominant.
Bounty hunter
A bounty hunter is a private agent working for bail bonds who captures fugitives or criminals for a commission or bounty. The occupation, officially known as bail enforcement agent, or fugitive recovery agent, has traditionally operated outsid ...
s are often employed by both
gangsters
A gangster is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Most gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from '' mob'' and the suffix '' -ster''. Gangs provide a level of organization and ...
and governments. Illicit activities include
smuggling and
slavery
Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...
.
The
combination of science fiction and fantasy elements makes ''Star Wars'' a very universal franchise, capable of telling stories of various genres.
Films
The Skywalker Saga
Spin-off films
Upcoming films
The ''Star Wars'' film series centers around three sets of trilogies, the nine films of which are collectively referred to as the "
Skywalker Saga
The '' Star Wars'' franchise involves multiple live-action and animated films. The film series started with a trilogy set '' in medias res'' which was later expanded to a trilogy of trilogies, known as the " Skywalker Saga".
The 1977 self-ti ...
". They were produced non-chronologically, with ''Episode''s ''IV''–''VI'' (the original trilogy) being released between 1977 and 1983, ''Episode''s ''I''–''III'' (the prequel trilogy) being released between 1999 and 2005, and ''Episode''s ''VII''–''IX'' (the sequel trilogy), being released between 2015 and 2019. Each trilogy focuses on a generation of the Force-sensitive
Skywalker family
The Skywalker family is a fictional legendary human family in the '' Star Wars'' franchise. Within the series' fictional universe, the Skywalkers are presented as a bloodline with strong inherent capabilities related to the Force and sometimes ...
. The original trilogy depicts the heroic development of
Luke Skywalker
Luke Skywalker is a fictional character and the protagonist of the original film trilogy of the ''Star Wars'' franchise created by George Lucas. Portrayed by Mark Hamill, Luke first appeared in ''Star Wars'' (1977), and he returned in ''The E ...
, the prequels tell the backstory of his father
Anakin, while the sequels feature Luke's nephew,
Ben Solo, and Luke's protegé
Rey.
An anthology series set between the main episodes entered development in parallel to the production of the sequel trilogy,
described by
Disney
The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
chief financial officer
Jay Rasulo
James A. "Jay" Rasulo was the Senior Executive VP and CFO of The Walt Disney Company. On June 30, 2015, Christine McCarthy was announced as his successor. Prior to being appointed CFO, he was chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts from Octob ...
as
origin stories.
The first entry, ''
Rogue One
''Rogue One: A Star Wars Story'' (or simply ''Rogue One'') is a 2016 American epic space opera film directed by Gareth Edwards. The screenplay by Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy is from a story by John Knoll and Gary Whitta. It was produced by L ...
'' (2016), tells the story of the rebels who steal the Death Star plans just before ''Episode IV''.
''
Solo
Solo or SOLO may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Comics
* ''Solo'' (DC Comics), a DC comics series
* Solo, a 1996 mini-series from Dark Horse Comics
Characters
* Han Solo, a ''Star Wars'' character
* Jacen Solo, a Jedi in the non-canonical ''S ...
'' (2018) focuses on
Han Solo
Han Solo is a fictional character in the '' Star Wars'' franchise created by George Lucas. The character first appeared in the 1977 film '' Star Wars'' portrayed by Harrison Ford, who reprised his role in ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (1980) an ...
's backstory, also featuring original trilogy co-protagonists
Chewbacca and
Lando Calrissian
Landonis Balthazar "Lando" Calrissian III is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He was introduced in ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (1980) as an old friend of Han Solo and the administrator of the floating Cloud City on the gas p ...
and involving prequel trilogy villain
Darth Maul
Darth Maul, also known simply as Maul, is a Character (arts), character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He first appeared as the secondary antagonist of the 1999 film ''Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace'' (portrayed by Ray Park and vo ...
.
Lucasfilm has a number of ''Star Wars'' films in development, two of which were confirmed during Disney Investor Day 2020. The first will be an unspecified film from
Taika Waititi
Taika David Cohen (born 16 August 1975), known professionally as Taika Waititi ( ), is a New Zealand filmmaker, actor, and comedian. He is a recipient of an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and a Grammy Award, and has received two nominations at ...
, who in May 2020 was announced to be directing a ''Star Wars'' film he was co-writing with
Krysty Wilson-Cairns. The second is a film titled ''Rogue Squadron'', which is being directed by
Patty Jenkins
Patricia Lea Jenkins (born July 24, 1971) is an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. She has directed the feature films ''Monster'' (2003), ''Wonder Woman'' (2017), and ''Wonder Woman 1984'' (2020). For the film ''Monster'', she w ...
.
Additionally, a trilogy independent from the Skywalker Saga is being written by ''
The Last Jedi
''Star Wars: The Last Jedi'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi'') is a 2017 American epic space opera film written and directed by Rian Johnson. Produced by Lucasfilm and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pict ...
'' writer/director
Rian Johnson
Rian Craig Johnson (born December 17, 1973) is an American filmmaker. He made his directorial debut with the neo-noir mystery film '' Brick'' (2005), which received positive reviews and grossed nearly $4 million on a $450,000 budget. Transitio ...
. In September 2019, it was announced that
Kathleen Kennedy and
Kevin Feige would collaborate to develop a ''Star Wars'' film, however the film was no longer in active development as of 2022.
In February 2020, a film was announced to be in development from director
J. D. Dillard and writer Matt Owens,
however, Dillard announced he was no longer attatched to direct that film in November 2022. In May 2022, the Waititi film was expected to be the next ''Star Wars'' film to be produced, ahead of the previously announced ''Rogue Squadron'', with Kennedy stating that they were aiming for a late 2023 release date but had not yet officially scheduled one.
As of September 2022, untitled films are scheduled for release on December 19, 2025, and December 17, 2027.
The Skywalker Saga
Original trilogy
In 1971,
George Lucas wanted to film an adaptation of the
''Flash Gordon'' serial, but could not obtain the rights, so he began developing his own
space opera.
After directing ''
American Graffiti
''American Graffiti'' is a 1973 American coming-of-age comedy-drama film directed by George Lucas, produced by Francis Ford Coppola, written by Willard Huyck, Gloria Katz and Lucas, and starring Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard (billed as Ronny ...
'' (1973), he wrote a two-page synopsis, which
20th Century Fox
20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Dis ...
decided to invest in. By 1974, he had expanded the story into the first draft of a screenplay.
Fox expected the film would be of limited financial success, and so it was given a relatively low budget, with production being moved to
Elstree Studios
Elstree Studios is a generic term which can refer to several current and demolished British film studios and television studios based in or around the town of Borehamwood and village of Elstree in Hertfordshire, England. Production studios ha ...
in England to help save on cost. Many of the scenes were shot in England, and so featured a number of British actors. The ''Star Wars'' robots were built by the small English company ''Peteric Engineering''. A 2019
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
documentary revealed how the parts required to create these machines and other now iconic film props, including the light sabres (Originally called 'laser guns'), were ingeniously recycled from items scavenged in junk shops, ever conscious of the need to spend as little money as possible.
. With the backstory he created for the sequel, Lucas decided that the series would be a trilogy of trilogies.
Most of the main cast would return for the two additional installments of the original trilogy, which were self-financed by Lucasfilm.
''Star Wars'' was released on May 25, 1977, and first subtitled ''Episode IV: A New Hope'' in the 1979 book ''
''. ''Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back'' was released on May 21, 1980, also achieving wide financial and critical success. The final film in the trilogy, ''Episode VI: Return of the Jedi'' was released on May 25, 1983. The story of the original trilogy focuses on Luke Skywalker's quest to become a Jedi, his struggle with the evil Imperial agent
, and the struggle of the Rebel Alliance to free the galaxy from the clutches of the Galactic Empire.
According to producer Gary Kurtz, loose plans for a prequel trilogy were developed during the outlining of the original two films.
In 1980, Lucas confirmed that he had the nine-film series plotted, but due to the stress of producing the original trilogy, he had decided to cancel further sequels by 1981. In 1983, Lucas explained that "There was never a script completed that had the entire story as it exists now ... As the stories unfolded, I would take certain ideas and save them ... I kept taking out all the good parts, and I just kept telling myself I would make other movies someday."
Technical advances in the late 1980s and early 1990s, including the ability to create computer-generated imagery (CGI), inspired Lucas to consider that it might be possible to revisit his saga. In 1989, Lucas stated that the prequels would be "unbelievably expensive." In 1992, he acknowledged that he had plans to create the prequel trilogy. A theatrical rerelease of the original trilogy in 1997 "
" the 20-year-old films with the style of CGI envisioned for the new trilogy.
''Episode I: The Phantom Menace'' was released on May 19, 1999, and ''Episode II: Attack of the Clones'' on May 16, 2002. ''Episode III: Revenge of the Sith'', the first film in the franchise, was released on May 19, 2005.
The first two movies were met with mixed reviews, with the third being received somewhat more positively. The trilogy begins 32 years before ''Episode IV'' and follows the Jedi training of Anakin Skywalker, Luke's father, and his eventual fall from grace and transformation into the Sith lord Darth Vader, as well as the corruption of the Galactic Republic and rise of the Empire led by
. Together with the original trilogy, Lucas has collectively referred to the first six episodic films of the franchise as "the tragedy of Darth Vader".
Prior to releasing the original film, and made possible by its success, Lucas planned "three trilogies of nine films."