Taglines: The battle continues…
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back movie storyline. The story of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Princess Leia, and the others did not end with the destruction of the Death Star, it continues in this movie. Imperial forces have since driven the Rebels to hide on the ice world of Hoth. But even on such an icy, backwater world, they cannot escape the evil Darth Vader’s eyes for long, and he devastates the Rebel base in an assault with the Imperial AT-AT walkers.
Luke flees to Dagobah to begin Jedi training with Master Yoda, while Han Solo, Chewbacca, Princess Leia, and C-3PO run the blockade of Imperial Star Destroyers in the Millennium Falcon. The Imperials pursue them across the galaxy and eventually catch up with them on Bespin. Now Darth Vader plans to use them as bait to lure Luke Skywalker to him, and turns Han Solo over to Boba Fett as a prize to be delivered to crime lord Jabba the Hutt. Luke learns a terrible family secret after losing a swor
The Empire Strikes Back, also known as Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back, is a 1980 American epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner and written by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan, based on a story by George Lucas. Produced by Lucasfilm, it is the second film in the Star Wars film series (albeit the fifth chronologically) and the sequel to Star Wars (1977).
Set three years after the events of the first film, the Galactic Empire, under the leadership of Darth Vader and the Emperor, pursues Luke Skywalker and the rest of the Rebel Alliance. While Vader relentlessly pursues Luke’s friends—Han Solo, Princess Leia, Chewbacca, and C-3PO—Luke studies the Force under Jedi Master Yoda. The ensemble cast includes Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Daniels, David Prowse, Kenny Baker, Peter Mayhew, and Frank Oz.
Following the success of Star Wars, Lucas hired Brackett to write the sequel; after her death in 1978, he outlined the Star Wars saga as a whole and wrote the next draft himself, before hiring Kasdan. Lucas chose not to direct due to his obligations at Industrial Light & Magic and handling the financing, and passed the duty to Kershner, his former professor. Filmed from March to September 1979, The Empire Strikes Back faced a difficult production that included actor injuries, a set fire, and fines from the Writers and Directors Guilds of America. The initial budget was $18 million, but ballooned to $33 million by the time production concluded, making it one of the most expensive films ever made at the time.
The Empire Strikes Back premiered at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. on May 17, 1980, and was released in the United States on May 21, 1980. The film became the highest-grossing film of 1980 with $440 million. Despite being initially met with mixed critical reviews, it is now hailed as the best film in the Star Wars saga and one of the greatest films ever made.
The film has grossed over $550 million worldwide from its original run and several rereleases. Adjusted for inflation, it is the second-highest-grossing sequel of all time and the thirteenth highest-grossing film of all time in North America. In 2010, the film was selected for preservation in the United States’ National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”.
The Empire Strikes Back had a significant impact on filmmaking and popular culture, being regarded as a rare example of a sequel that transcends the original. The climax, in which Vader reveals to Luke that he is his father, is often cited as one of the greatest plot twists in cinematic history. The Empire Strikes Back was followed by Return of the Jedi in 1983. The two films, alongside the original Star Wars, comprise the original Star Wars trilogy.
The Empire Strikes Back opened mid-week across 126 theaters prior to the three-day Memorial Day holiday weekend. Compared to Star Wars $1.5 million Memorial Day opening weekend, The Empire Strikes Back earned $4.9 million during the weekend—an average of $38,972 per theater. This figure increased a further $1.5 million during the holiday Monday to a total of $6.4 million—an average of $50,919 per theater—making it the number one film of the weekend, ahead of counterprogrammed debuting films, the comedy The Gong Show Movie ($1.5 million) and psychological horror The Shining ($600K).
After four weeks on release, it expanded to 824 screens and grossed $10.8 million for the weekend setting a new weekly record of $20.4 million. Within three months of the release of The Empire Strikes Back, Lucas had recovered his $33 million investment and distributed $5 million in bonuses to employees. It earned $181.4 million during its first run in the United States and Canada. It was re-released on July 31, 1981 and grossed a further $26.8 million and again on November 19, 1982 with a gross of $14.5 million to bring its gross to $222.7 million.
When The Empire Strikes Back returned to cinemas in 1997, it grossed $22 million in its first weekend of re-release. As of 2007, the film has grossed $290.5 million domestically and $547.9 million worldwide. 35 years after the film’s initial release, it re-entered the UK box office at number 9 grossing $470,000 from June 4–7, 2015.
In commemoration for its 40th anniversary, the film was given a limited re-released into 411 theaters on July 10, 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic closing most theaters worldwide and limiting what films played, Empire grossed $611,000 and topped the box office.
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Directed by: Irvin Kershner
Starring: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Daniels, David Prowse, Peter Mayhew, Kenny Baker, Frank Oz, Alec Guinness, Jeremy Bulloch, Jack Purvis
Screenplay by: Leigh Brackett, Lawrence Kasdan
Production Design by: Norman Reynolds
Cinematography by: Peter Suschitzky
Film Editing by: Paul Hirsch
Costume Design by: John Mollo
Set Decoration by: Michael Ford
Art Direction by: Leslie Dilley, Harry Lange, Alan Tomkins
Music by: John Williams
MPAA Rating: PG for sci-fi action violence.
Distributed by: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: May 21, 1980 (United States)
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