Film & Television
When was the first Star Wars film released?
1977 AD
Star Wars opened in the United States on 25 May 1977 AD.
1 BC · 1 AD
Context
What happened?
George Lucas wrote and directed the film on a budget of about eleven million dollars, running roughly three million over. It opened in a small number of cinemas before expanding, and word of mouth did the rest.
Significance
Why it matters
It took more than 775 million dollars across its releases and displaced Jaws as the highest-grossing film until E.T. arrived in 1982. Its merchandising and sequel model reshaped how studios finance and plan films.
Further reading
Sources
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