Star Wars Day, May 4, celebrates George Lucas’ Star Wars. It is observed by fans of the media franchise. Observance of the commemorative day spread quickly through media and grassroots celebrations.

The date was chosen for the pun on the catchphrase “May the Force be with you” as “May the Fourth be with you”. Even though the holiday was not created or declared by Lucasfilm, many Star Wars fans across the world have chosen to celebrate the holiday. It has since been embraced by Lucasfilm as an annual celebration of Star Wars.

Learn about Star Wars Day

May 4th has become commonly known as Star Wars Day. And who could be surprised? The words, “May the 4th” seem to beg the rest of the catchphrase be uttered. Regardless of whether you prefer Star Wars or Star Trek, or if are even a sci-fi aficionado at all, the influence of George Lucas’ Star Wars on pop culture is undeniable.

The History of Star Wars Day

Star Wars, an epic space opera written and directed by George Lucas, premiered in 1977 and became an almost instant cult classic. Even today, almost 40 years later, Star Wars remains one of the most financially successful films of all time. The franchise it began remains the most successful one of all time, earning over 2.5 billion dollars since the release of the first film. However, the money it’s earned over the years is hardly the most impressive aspect of Star Wars. As famous film critic Roger Ebert put it: “Like The Birth of a Nation and Citizen Kane, Star Wars was a technical watershed that influenced many of the movies that came after.”

Star Wars was a real game-changer, beginning a new era of special effect-packed motion pictures bursting with excitement, adventure, and imagination that appealed enormously to younger audiences as well as older ones. Many of today’s most acclaimed film directors, such as Peter Jackson, Ridley Scott, Christopher Nolan and James Cameron, cite Star Wars as a great influence on their careers. Star Wars has also had enormous cultural impact on other areas besides filmmaking, including politics–the Reagan Administration’s Strategic Defense Program was mockingly nicknamed “Star Wars”. As recently as 2013, President Barack Obama used the phrase “Jedi miind meld” to describe what some people were expecting him to do on his opposition to make them accept his ideas.

“May the Fourth be with you” was first used by Margaret Thatcher’s political party to congratulate her on her election on May 4th, 1979, and the saying quickly caught on. However, the first celebration of May 4th took place much later, at the Toronto Underground Cinema in 2001. This first official Star Wars Day’s festivities included a costume contest and a movie marathon. Fans’ favorite parodies of the franchise were also enjoyed, as were some of the most popular mash-ups and remixes. Since then, Star Wars Day has gained popularity and is celebrated by Star Wars Fans worldwide.

Star Wars sequel trilogy

Fisher, Hamill, and Ford reprised their characters in supporting roles.

Star Wars (also known as Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope) is a 1977 American epic space-opera film written and directed by George Lucas. It is the first film in the original Star Wars trilogy and the beginning of the Star Wars franchise. Starring Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Peter Cushing, Alec Guinness, David Prowse, James Earl Jones, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, and Peter Mayhew, the film focuses on the Rebel Alliance, led by Princess Leia (Fisher), and its attempt to destroy the Galactic Empire’s space station, the Death Star.

Directed by	George Lucas
Produced by	Gary Kurtz
Written by	George Lucas
Starring	Mark Hamill- Luke Skywalker: a young man raised by his aunt and uncle on Tatooine, who dreams of something more than his current life and learns the way of a Jedi. Harrison Ford as Han Solo: a cynical smuggler hired by Obi-Wan and Luke to take them to Alderaan in his ship, the Millennium Falcon, co-piloted with Chewbacca. Carrie Fisher-Princess Leia: a member of the Imperial Senate and a leader of the Rebel Alliance. Peter Cushing-Grand Moff Tarkin: Governor of the Imperial Outland Regions and commander of the Death Star. Alec Guinness-Obi-Wan “Ben” Kenobi: an aging Jedi Master and former mentor of Darth Vader who introduces Luke to the Force.
From left to right: Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), and Han Solo (Harrison Ford)

• Anthony Daniels as C-3PO: a protocol droid who is fluent in over six million forms of communication
• Kenny Baker as R2-D2: an astromech droid who is carrying the Death Star plans and a secret message for Obi-Wan from Princess Leia.
• Peter Mayhew as Chewbacca: a 200-year-old Wookiee, Han Solo’s sidekick, and first mate of the Millennium Falcon.
• David Prowse as Darth Vader (voiced by James Earl Jones): A Sith Lord, second in command of the Galactic Empire, who hopes to destroy the Rebel Alliance. Lucas originally intended for Orson Welles to voice Vader (after dismissing using Prowse’s own voice due to his English West Country accent, leading to the rest of the cast nicknaming him “Darth Farmer”). After deciding that Welles’s voice would be too recognizable, he cast the lesser-known James Earl Jones instead.

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. Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan wrote the screenplay, with George Lucas writing the film’s story and serving as executive producer. The second installment in the original Star Wars trilogy, it was produced by Gary Kurtz for Lucasfilm and stars Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Daniels, David Prowse, Kenny Baker, Peter Mayhew, and Frank Oz.

The film is set three years after Star Wars. The Galactic Empire, under the leadership of the villainous Darth Vader and the mysterious Emperor, is in pursuit of Luke Skywalker and the rest of the Rebel Alliance. While Vader relentlessly pursues the small band of Luke’s friends—Han Solo, Princess Leia Organa, and others—across the galaxy, Luke studies the Force under Jedi Master Yoda. When Vader captures Luke’s friends, Luke must decide whether to complete his training and become a Jedi Knight or to confront Vader and save them.

• Jeremy Bulloch as Boba Fett: A bounty hunter, hired by the Galactic Empire.
• Alec Guinness appears briefly as Obi-Wan Kenobi’s Force ghost: Luke’s deceased mentor, who guides him to Yoda.

Return of the Jedi (also known as Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi) is a 1983 American epic space-opera film directed by Richard Marquand. The screenplay is by Lawrence Kasdan and George Lucas from a story by Lucas, who was also the executive producer. It is the third installment in the original Star Wars trilogy, set one year after The Empire Strikes Back. The film stars Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Daniels, David Prowse, Kenny Baker, Peter Mayhew and Frank Oz.

In the film, the Galactic Empire, under the direction of the ruthless Emperor, is constructing a second Death Star in order to crush the Rebel Alliance once and for all. Since the Emperor plans to personally oversee the final stages of its construction, the Rebel Fleet launches a full-scale attack on the Death Star in order to prevent its completion and kill the Emperor, effectively bringing an end to his hold over the galaxy. Meanwhile, Luke Skywalker struggles to bring his father Darth Vader back to the light side of the Force.

In an attempt to rescue Han Solo from crimelord Jabba the Hutt, C-3PO and R2-D2 are sent to Jabba’s palace on Tatooine in a trade bargain made by Luke Skywalker. Disguised as a bounty hunter, Princess Leia infiltrates the palace under the pretense of collecting the bounty on Chewbacca and unfreezes Han, but is caught and enslaved. Luke arrives soon afterward, but after a tense standoff, is sent through a trapdoor to do battle with Jabba’s rancor. Jabba sentences Luke and Han to death by being fed to the Sarlacc. Having hidden his lightsaber inside R2-D2, Luke frees himself and battles Jabba’s guards while Leia uses her chains to strangle Jabba. As the others rendezvous with the Rebel Alliance, Luke returns to Dagobah, where he finds that Yoda is dying. Yoda confirms that Darth Vader, once known as Anakin Skywalker, is Luke’s father, and the Force ghost of Obi-Wan Kenobi reveals that Leia is Luke’s twin sister. The Jedi Masters tell Luke that he must face Vader again to finish his training and defeat the Empire. As Yoda disappears, he becomes one with the Force…….

• James Earl Jones as the voice of Darth Vader
• Sebastian Shaw as Anakin Skywalker: After defeating the Emperor, Vader asks Luke to take off his mask so he can see his son clearly before he dies. Originally, Shaw also appeared as Anakin’s Force ghost.
• Hayden Christensen as Anakin’s Force ghost: In the 2004 DVD release of the original trilogy, the actor who portrayed Anakin in the second and third prequel films replaces Shaw as the character’s Force ghost; this change was intended to bring Return of the Jedi into continuity with the larger saga.

• Alec Guinness as Obi-Wan Kenobi: A deceased Jedi Master, who continues to teach Luke after death as a Force ghost
• Denis Lawson reprises his role as Wedge Antilles from Star Wars, and Kenneth Colley and Jeremy Bulloch reprise their roles as Admiral Piett and Boba Fett from The Empire Strikes Back. Michael Pennington portrays Moff Jerjerrod, the commander of the second Death Star. Warwick Davis appears as Wicket W. Warrick, an Ewok who leads Leia and eventually her friends to the Ewok tribe.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (also known as Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens) is a 2015 American epic space-opera film produced, co-written and directed by J. J. Abrams. It is the first installment of the Star Wars sequel trilogy, following Return of the Jedi (1983), and the seventh episode of the main Star Wars film franchise. The film stars Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Max von Sydow, and was produced by Lucasfilm Ltd., Abrams’s production company Bad Robot Productions and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. The Force Awakens is the first Star Wars film to not significantly involve franchise creator George Lucas. Set 30 years after Return of the Jedi, the film follows Rey, Finn, and Poe Dameron’s search for Luke Skywalker and their fight alongside the Resistance, led by General Leia Organa and veterans of the Rebel Alliance, against Kylo Ren and the First Order, a successor to the Galactic Empire.

Thirty years after the Galactic Civil War, the First Order has risen from the fallen Galactic Empire and seeks to eliminate the New Republic. The Resistance, backed by the Republic and led by General Leia Organa, opposes them while Leia searches for her brother, Luke Skywalker.

On the planet Jakku, Resistance pilot Poe Dameron receives a map to Luke’s location from Lor San Tekka. Stormtroopers commanded by Kylo Ren destroy the village and capture Poe, while Kylo kills San Tekka. Poe’s droid BB-8 escapes with the map and encounters a scavenger, Rey, near a junkyard settlement. Kylo tortures Poe using the Force and learns of BB-8. Stormtrooper FN-2187, unwilling to kill for the First Order, frees Poe, and they escape in a stolen TIE fighter; Poe names FN-2187 “Finn”. As they turn back to Jakku to retrieve BB-8, they are shot down by a First Order Star Destroyer and crash-land. Finn survives and assumes that Poe died in the crash. He encounters Rey and BB-8, but the First Order tracks them and launches an airstrike. Finn, Rey, and BB-8 flee the planet in the Millennium Falcon, which they steal from a junkyard…..

Directed by	J. J. Abrams
Produced by	Kathleen Kennedy J. J. Abrams Bryan Burk
Written by	Lawrence Kasdan J. J. Abrams Michael Arndt
Based on	Characters by George Lucas
Starring	Harrison Ford- Han Solo A rogue and a smuggler, formerly a key player in the Rebel Alliance. Mark Hamill- Luke Skywalker The last Jedi, who has gone into hiding Carrie Fisher-General Leia Organa Solo The former princess of the destroyed planet Alderaan, now General of the Resistance, and Luke’s twin sister. Adam Driver-Kylo Ren: A dark warrior who is strong with the Force, the leader of the Knights of Ren, and a high-ranking member of the First Order. He is the son of Han and Leia the nephew of Luke Skywalker and the grandson of the deceased Darth Vader and-Padmé Amidala   Daisy Ridley –Rey: A highly Force-sensitive scavenger who was abandoned as a child on the desert planet Jakku and awaits her family’s return John Boyega -Finn: A reformed First Order stormtrooper Oscar Isaac-Poe Dameron: A Resistance X-wing fighter pilot. Lupita Nyong’o- Maz Kanata  A wise and perceptive figure operating a somewhat shady cantina on the peaceful forest planet Takodana Andy Serkis -Supreme Leader Snoke: The political leader of the First Order. He is Kylo Ren’s master and is very powerful in the dark side of the Force Domhnall Gleeson -General Hux: The commander of the First Order’s Starkiller Base Anthony Daniels-C-3PO: A humanoid protocol droid in Organa’s service Peter Mayhew Chewbacca Wookiee and Solo’s longtime companion. Max von Sydow as Lor San Tekka:

Ewan McGregor has an uncredited vocal cameo as Obi-Wan Kenobi in Rey’s vision sequence, while archival audio of Frank Oz and Alec Guinness as Yoda and Kenobi, respectively, are also used in the same scene; Oz recorded new dialogue for the film, but it was replaced with preexisting audio from The Empire Strikes Back.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi (also known as Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi) is a 2017 American epic space opera film written and directed by Rian Johnson. It is the second installment of the Star Wars sequel trilogy, following The Force Awakens (2015), and the eighth episode of the main Star Wars film franchise. It was produced by Lucasfilm and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. The film’s ensemble cast includes Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Gwendoline Christie, and Frank Oz in returning roles, with Kelly Marie Tran, Laura Dern, and Benicio del Toro joining the cast. It features the first posthumous film performance by Fisher, who died in December 2016, and the film is dedicated to her memory. The plot follows Rey as she receives Jedi training from Luke Skywalker, in hopes of turning the tide for the Resistance in the fight against Kylo Ren and the First Order, while General Leia Organa, Finn, and Poe Dameron attempt to escape a First Order attack on the dwindling Resistance fleet.

Following the destruction of Starkiller Base, General Leia Organa leads the flight of Resistance forces from D’Qar, when a First Order fleet arrives. Poe Dameron leads a costly counterattack that destroys a First Order dreadnought, and the remaining Resistance escapes into hyperspace. Rey, having traveled to Ahch-To with Chewbacca and R2-D2 aboard the Millennium Falcon, attempts to recruit Luke Skywalker to the Resistance. Disillusioned by his failure to train Kylo as a Jedi, and under self-imposed exile, Luke refuses to help and says that the Jedi should end. Meanwhile, the First Order uses a device to track the Resistance and attacks them. Leia’s son Kylo Ren hesitates to fire on the lead Resistance ship after sensing his mother’s presence, but his wingmen destroy the bridge, killing most of the Resistance’s leaders. Leia is sucked into space but survives by using the Force.

Encouraged by R2-D2, Luke decides to train Rey as a Jedi. Rey and Kylo begin communicating through the Force, puzzling them both. After Kylo tells Rey what happened between him and Luke that caused him to choose the dark side, Luke confesses that he momentarily contemplated killing Kylo upon sensing that Snoke was corrupting him; this prompted Kylo to destroy Luke’s new Jedi Order. Convinced that Kylo can be redeemed, Rey leaves Ahch-To. Luke prepares to burn the Jedi library but hesitates. Yoda’s Force ghost appears and destroys the library by summoning a bolt of lightning, saying Rey has all she needs to learn and encourages Luke to learn from his failure…..

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (also known as Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker) is an upcoming American epic space–opera film produced, co-written and directed by J. J. Abrams. It will be the third installment of the Star Wars sequel trilogy, following The Force Awakens (2015) and The Last Jedi (2017), and the ninth and final episode of the main Star Wars film franchise. The film was produced by Lucasfilm, Abrams’s production company Bad Robot Productions and is scheduled to be distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. The film’s ensemble cast includes Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, Kelly Marie Tran, Joonas Suotamo, Billie Lourd, Naomi Ackie, Richard E. Grant, Keri Russell, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams and Ian McDiarmid; the latter two return to the franchise onscreen for the first time since 1983’s Return of the Jedi and 2005’s Revenge of the Sith, respectively.

• Daisy Ridley as Rey, a young woman from Jakku who is the last Jedi apprentice of Luke Skywalker
• Adam Driver as Kylo Ren, the Supreme Leader of the First Order; the son of Leia Organa and Han Solo
• John Boyega as Finn, a stormtrooper of the First Order who has defected to the Resistance
• Oscar Isaac as Poe Dameron, a high-ranking X-wing fighter pilot and commander of the Resistance
• Lupita Nyong’o as Maz Kanata, a former space pirate, and ally of the Resistance
• Domhnall Gleeson as Hux, the First Order’s second-in-command and former commander of Starkiller Base
• Kelly Marie Tran as Rose Tico, a mechanic in the Resistance
• Joonas Suotamo as Chewbacca, a Wookiee and first mate of the Millennium Falcon
• Billie Lourd as Lieutenant Connix, an officer in the Resistance
• Naomi Ackie as Jannah
• Richard E. Grant
• Keri Russell
• Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker, son of Anakin and, Queen Padmé Amidala,  and twin brother of  Leia Organa and the last Jedi Master, who vanished in The Last Jedi
• Anthony Daniels as C-3PO, a humanoid protocol droid in the service of General Leia Organa
• Billy Dee Williams as Lando Calrissian, a veteran of the Rebel Alliance and old friend of Han’s
• Carrie Fisher as Leia Organa, daughter of Anakin and, Queen Padmé Amidala, the Force-sensitive leading general of the Resistance and Luke’s sister
• Ian McDiarmid as Palpatine / Darth Sidious, the former emperor of the galaxy and Dark Lord of the Sith who died in Return of the Jedi