Lucasfilm has announced that both the original 1977 Star Wars film and the upcoming Star Wars: Starfighter will receive releases in IMAX 70mm in 2027. This marks the first time the original Star Wars will be presented in IMAX to commemorate its 50th anniversary.
The newly restored version of the original movie, which was later retitled Star Wars: A New Hope, will play in select IMAX 70mm film locations and in select theaters for a limited engagement beginning February 19, 2027. The film will also be available in both digital and traditional film formats. In a separate commemorative effort, Star Wars is also set to receive its first Welsh-language dub for its 50th anniversary next year.
Director Shawn Levy's Star Wars: Starfighter is slated for a theatrical release on May 28, 2027, coinciding with the 50th anniversary weekend of the original Star Wars premiere. This new film was shot using IMAX cameras and has been converted for IMAX 70mm film prints for its exhibition in select IMAX theaters.
Starfighter draws inspiration from Francis Ford Coppola's The Outsiders, focusing on marginalized characters from the "wrong side of the galaxy." The film recently debuted its first trailer at D23. It follows pilot Kade Auberon, portrayed by Ryan Gosling, who embarks on an adventure with a young character played by newcomer Flynn Gray. Although the story is set approximately five years after Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, it will not feature legacy characters or reinterpretations of John Williams' iconic musical themes.