‘Star Wars’ re-releases are still a box office force nearly half a century later

LOS ANGELES - The opening crawl may be the same, but the energy in the theater is anything but. Nearly 50 years after it began, the "Star Wars" saga continues to draw fans to cinemas as if the Death Star just exploded — again.

What started in 1977 as a risky sci-fi project has grown into one of the most profitable and enduring franchises in cinema history. With 11 live-action films, animated series, global theme park attractions, and a merchandising empire, "Star Wars" has grossed more than $10 billion worldwide at the box office alone — and it’s still drawing crowds nearly 50 years later.

This year, to mark the 20th anniversary of "Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith," the film returned to theaters and pulled in $42.2 million worldwide, including $25.2 million in the U.S. That makes it one of the most successful re-releases in recent box office history — second only to the 1997 special edition of "A New Hope."

How has the ‘Star Wars’ franchise stayed popular all these years?

The backstory:

The original trilogy not only captivated a generation — it reshaped moviegoing forever. "A New Hope" made $307 million in its initial run (over $1.6 billion adjusted for inflation), followed by "The Empire Strikes Back" with $209 million and "Return of the Jedi" with $252 million.

Those numbers climbed even higher with reissues. The 1997 re-release of "A New Hope" made $36 million on its opening weekend, still the highest domestic total ever for a re-release.

And in 2024, the 25th anniversary edition of "The Phantom Menace" brought in $14.5 million globally, proving that even the once-divisive prequels have aged into beloved fan favorites.

How much have the ‘Star Wars’ prequels and sequels made at the box office?

By the numbers:

When "Revenge of the Sith" debuted in 2005, it earned $380.3 million domestically and $850 million worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing film of the prequel era.

Here’s how the prequel trilogy stacks up domestically:

• "The Phantom Menace" (1999): $431.1 million
• "Attack of the Clones" (2002): $302.2 million
• "Revenge of the Sith" (2005): $380.3 million

And for comparison, here’s how the sequel trilogy performed:

• "The Force Awakens" (2015): $936.7 million domestic, $2.07 billion worldwide
• "The Last Jedi" (2017): $620.1 million domestic, $1.33 billion worldwide
• "The Rise of Skywalker" (2019): $515.2 million domestic, $1.07 billion worldwide

The numbers speak to a rare legacy: nearly five decades in, audiences are still showing up — even for films they’ve already seen.

How critics first reacted to ‘Star Wars’ in 1977

What They Said:

When "Star Wars" premiered on May 25, 1977, it wasn’t immediately clear just how revolutionary it would be. it immediately captured the public’s imagination — but critical reception was far from unanimous. Some hailed it as visionary. Others dismissed it as shallow spectacle.

"‘Star Wars’ taps the pulp fantasies buried in our memories," wrote Roger Ebert in the Chicago Sun-Times, "and because it’s done so brilliantly, it reactivates old thrills, fears, and exhilarations we thought we’d abandoned when we read our last copy of Amazing Stories."

Pauline Kael, in The New Yorker, found it overwhelming: "‘Star Wars’ is like getting a box of Cracker Jacks which is all prizes," she wrote. "There’s no breather in the picture, no lyricism… It’s enjoyable on its own terms, but it’s exhausting, too: like taking a pack of kids to the circus… It’s an epic without a dream."

John Simon, writing for New York magazine, was even more critical: "Strip ‘Star Wars’ of its often striking images and its high-falutin scientific jargon, and you get a story, characters, and dialogue of overwhelming banality… O dull new world!"

Vincent Canby of The New York Times saw something different, calling it "the most elaborate, most expensive, most beautiful movie serial ever made." He praised Lucas for crafting "a witty critique" of everything from "Buck Rogers" to "The Wizard of Oz," without making a film that was "itself, tacky."

But Stanley Kauffmann in The New Republic was less impressed: "The only way that ‘Star Wars’ could have been interesting was through its visual imagination and special effects. Both are unexceptional."

Charles Champlin, writing in the Los Angeles Times, summed up the enthusiasm many fans would soon share: "‘Star Wars’ is Buck Rogers with a doctoral degree but not a trace of neuroticism or cynicism — a slam-bang, rip-roaring gallop through a distantly future world."

Not just the fans — even the stars are keeping the force alive 

Here's What Happened:

The force was strong at Hollywood’s El Capitan Theatre last month, where fans attending a sold-out anniversary screening of "Revenge of the Sith" were stunned by surprise appearances from Hayden Christensen and Samuel L. Jackson.

Christensen, who played Anakin Skywalker, walked onstage wielding a red lightsaber and told the crowd, "I have so many amazing memories of making this film." Gesturing to the crowd, he added, "I see a lot of lightsabers out here. I see a lot of red lightsabers, which truth be told is my personal favorite lightsaber color."

Then came the interruption.

"Hold on, Skywalker," said a voice from offstage. "This party ain’t even over."

The crowd erupted as Samuel L. Jackson, aka Jedi Master Mace Windu, joined his former co-star onstage.

"This is so, so, so awesome," Jackson told the cheering audience. "Twenty years later, I can hardly believe that we’re still as popular — as happenin’ — as we are. I haven’t seen Hayden in a while, but so, so, so happy to come back, see him, and see all of you at the same time."

He joked about his character’s death scene, saying, "I hope you enjoy the effort that went into this and watching me do my ‘I move almost all backwards’ fight with Palpatine… before my unexpected exit. And for the record — Mace lives!"

The two ended the night side by side, telling fans: "May the force be with you."

Christensen has since confirmed he’ll return again as Anakin in Season 2 of "Ahsoka." He previously reprised the role in that series and in "Obi-Wan Kenobi." Jackson, for his part, continues to tease that Mace Windu’s story might not be over.

Why audiences keep returning to the galaxy far, far away

Big picture view:

In a landscape of cinematic universes struggling to hold attention, "Star Wars" continues to draw massive crowds — not just for new releases, but for classics returning to the big screen.

Whether it’s a child seeing Anakin’s fall for the first time, or a grown-up who remembers seeing it back in 2005, the truth is simple:

When ‘Star Wars’ returns to theaters — again — the force is still with it.

Entertainment