‘Star Wars’ Is Coming to IMAX in 2027, but Will Han Shoot First?

Star Wars fans have long awaited what’s now become sort of a franchise Holy Grail: restored 4k versions of the original trilogy. That’s the original original trilogy, before George Lucas futzed with certain elements for the “Special Edition” theatrical re-release in 1997, ahead of The Phantom Menace‘s arrival in 1999. Recent rumors have given new hope (ahem) to that particular dream, but it has at least been confirmed that some version of Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope is coming to IMAX screens in 2027.

As Polygon reports, the previously announced A New Hope theatrical re-release—timed to celebrate the film’s 50th anniversary—will include IMAX theaters. The rerelease will kick off April 30, 2027, ahead of the actual anniversary (May 25, 1977), but timed to ratchet up excitement ahead of the Ryan Gosling-starring Star Wars: Starfighter on May 28, 2027.

But which version will hit screens? Will it be the Special Edition or the original theatrical cut? io9 reached out to Lucasfilm and had not yet heard back at the time of publication.

But if you believe the rumors (charted in this Reddit post, which claims to have screenshots that detail imagery from the restoration), Star Wars fans may be in for a visual treat, experiencing the original film in sparkling 4K IMAX, rather than remembering the way we were via VHS or the fan-backed 35mm restoration that happened several years ago.

We will, of course, keep you updated on the Star Wars theatrical re-release; there’s plenty of time to speculate and maybe get your Force powers going on Disney between now and April 2027.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.