‘Star Wars: A New Hope’ Will Get 50th Anniversary Theatrical Re-Release in 2027

The movie that started the Skywalker saga and arguably created Hollywood’s franchise frenzy is flying back into theaters. “Star Wars: A New Hope” will return to the big screen on April 30, 2027, to mark the film’s 50th anniversary.

Disney, which purchased LucasFilm in 2012 and with it the rights to the “Star Wars” series in 2012 for $4 billion, announced the planned re-release on Friday. The company also said that it would debut “Whalefall,”  an adaptation of the novel by Daniel Kraus, on October 16, 2026. The survival thriller is directed by Brian Duffield, stars Austin Abrams and Josh Brolin and will be released by 20th Century Studios. The film is about a scuba diver who is swallowed by a sperm whale.

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Disney’s plans to bring “Star Wars” back to theaters were something of an open secret, but the studio had yet to formalize them. It will be a big anniversary year for the space opera franchise. “Star Wars: Starfighter” is scheduled to open in theaters on May 28, 2027. Shawn Levy is directing the film with Ryan Gosling and Mia Goth set to star in the picture. Next year, Disney will release “The Mandalorian and Grogu,” the first “Star Wars” film to hit theaters since “The Rise of Skywalker” in 2019.

Since Disney acquired LucasFilm, the studio launched a successful trilogy of movies starting with the “The Force Awakens,” and has also premiered several streaming shows such as “The Mandalorian” and “Andor.” It has made some missteps with “Solo,” a Han Solo origin story, bombing at the box office.

George Lucas directed and wrote “A New Hope,” which starred Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher.