25 Things You Didn’t Know About the Original Star Wars
When Star Wars hit theaters in 1977, it changed the landscape of science fiction and pop culture. But behind the scenes, the journey to the big screen was filled with unexpected challenges, quirky decisions, and fascinating details. Here are 18 lesser-known facts about the making of Star Wars: A New Hope.
Almost Every Major Studio Turned It Down
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Before Star Wars became a blockbuster, George Lucas had trouble finding a studio that would even touch it. Universal, Disney, and United Artists all passed on his early 14-page draft. It took Alan Ladd Jr. at 20th Century Fox to greenlight the film, more out of faith in Lucas than belief in the story itself.
The Opening Crawl Took All Day to Film
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That now-iconic opening crawl wasn’t computer-generated. The effect was done using physical text printed on a giant black background, with a camera slowly gliding above it. Even a slight wobble ruined the shot. It took hours just to get it right, and that was before digital fixes were even a thing.
Lightsabers Started as Camera Equipment
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The first lightsabers were simply old camera flash handles from Graflex cameras. Crews wrapped them in reflective tape to catch studio lights during action scenes. It looked cool in theory, but the glowing effect didn’t quite work, and later films had to rely on animation to finish the job.
Darth Vader Almost Died in the First Film
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Originally, Vader wasn’t supposed to survive. His TIE Fighter was meant to explode during the final battle, tying up loose ends. But Lucas pushed to change the ending. He knew he wanted to bring Vader back. So instead of blowing up, Vader spins off into space, buying time for sequels the studio hadn’t even approved yet.
Everyone Wanted to Be Leia—Even Meryl Streep
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The casting process for Princess Leia drew a staggering list of hopefuls. Sigourney Weaver, Glenn Close, Farrah Fawcett, Kathleen Turner—just to name a few. Even Jodie Foster was offered the part, but couldn’t take it due to scheduling conflicts. Carrie Fisher won Lucas over with her wit; the rest became sci-fi history.
Mark Hamill Thought the Movie Would Bomb
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In late 1976, Hamill and Fisher saw a trailer for Star Wars before a film in New York. The crowd had no idea what it was. When the trailer ended, someone yelled, “Coming soon to CBS!” as if it were a cheap TV movie. Hamill said that moment made him doubt the entire project.
Grand Moff Tarkin Wore Slippers On Set
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Peter Cushing’s military-style boots looked imposing on screen, but they were torture. The solution was to wear comfortable slippers for most of his scenes, as long as his feet weren’t in the shot. Fellow cast members joked it was hard to take him seriously as a villain when he was padding around in house shoes.
Four People Brought Darth Vader to Life
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Darth Vader wasn’t the work of a single actor. David Prowse provided the physical performance. James Earl Jones voiced him. Bob Anderson handled the stunts. And Sebastian Shaw played the unmasked version. Their combined efforts turned a silent villain in a black mask into one of cinema’s most enduring characters.
Obi-Wan Was Nearly Played by a Samurai Icon
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Lucas originally wanted legendary Japanese actor Toshiro Mifune to play Obi-Wan Kenobi. Mifune turned it down, worried it would cheapen the image of samurai culture. So Lucas turned to Alec Guinness, who added instant credibility. Even though Guinness wasn’t fond of the dialogue, he believed the story had something special.
Guinness Thought the Dialogue Was Garbage
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While Guinness respected the craft behind Star Wars, he wasn’t shy about his disdain for the script. In letters to friends, he described it as “fairytale rubbish.” One time, a young fan told him he’d seen the movie over 100 times. Guinness told the boy to stop. The kid burst into tears.
Orson Welles Was a Candidate for Vader’s Voice
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The director knew he needed a powerful voice for Darth Vader and briefly considered Orson Welles. However, Welles’s voice was too well-known, and Lucas worried it would distract from the character. He chose James Earl Jones instead, whose deep voice brought just the right amount of mystery and menace.
The Word “Jedi” Came from a Japanese TV Genre
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The word Jedi did not come from the Star Wars universe. Lucas borrowed it from the Japanese term “Jidai Geki,” which describes period dramas, especially samurai films. It was a subtle nod to the genre that inspired many of Star Wars films by Akira Kurosawa, whom Lucas admired deeply.
The Sets Kept Getting Cleaned Too Well
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Lucas wanted the interiors of the ships to look beaten up and real. But janitors would clean the sets back overnight to a pristine shine, and the art team had to come in early just to make everything look dirty again. “Used future” wasn’t an easy look to maintain.
Brian De Palma Rewrote the Opening Text
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The original version of the opening crawl was clunky and confusing. Luckily, Lucas’s friend Brian De Palma—yes, Scarface and Carrie De Palma—stepped in. He helped rework the wording, cutting out the bloat and shaping it into the short, punchy intro fans still know by heart.
Tunisia’s Weather Was a Production Nightmare
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Tatooine might look like a desert planet, but the weather in Tunisia didn’t cooperate. One of the worst storms in 50 years hit while they were filming. The equipment got buried in sand, and shooting had to stop multiple times. It set the tone for a production full of delays and improvisation.
R2-D2 Kept Breaking Down
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Kenny Baker, who played R2-D2, spent long days crammed inside the tiny droid shell. The prop constantly malfunctioned—sometimes it stopped moving entirely or went off in the wrong direction. Crew members would have to drag it back into place and reset the take, again and again.
The Budget Was Smaller Than You’d Think
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Star Wars had a budget of $8 million—tight even by 1970s standards. Lucas stretched every dollar. He hired unknown actors, reused props, and shot in less expensive locations. The film made over $775 million worldwide when it was finally released.
One Change Made Alec Guinness Millions
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Guinness agreed to take a smaller upfront salary for a percentage of the film’s profits. He negotiated 2%, which eventually increased to 2.25%. That deal earned him over $18 million. Even though he mocked the movie privately, he cashed in big and helped give Star Wars its respected voice.