When did the first Star Wars film come out?

George Lucas’s Star Wars opened on 25 May 1977 in only a few dozen cinemas across the United States. Made for about $11 million, it became a phenomenon, and with re-releases it has earned around $775 million worldwide. It won six competitive Academy Awards, including for visual effects and John Williams’s score, plus a special award for its sound effects. The film was renamed Episode IV – A New Hope for its 1981 re-release, setting up the saga numbering. Its merchandise deal, which Lucas kept for himself, helped turn the franchise into one of the most valuable in entertainment history.