As we celebrate the 45th anniversary of the first instalment of the much-beloved Star Wars saga, it's worth taking a look back at some of the lesser-known facts and trivia surrounding the making of the original movie, A New Hope. 

Here we've compiled a list of eleven interesting facts you may not know about the classic space opera. 

1. The Iconic Opening Crawl Was Inspired by the Flash Gordon Serials of the 1930s

The infamous opening crawl featured in the Star Wars films was actually inspired by the Flash Gordon serials of the 1930s. George Lucas wanted to create a similar feeling of being thrust into a story from the very beginning. 

2. The Movie Was Originally Titled "The Adventures of Luke Starkiller"

Before settling on "A New Hope”, the movie was briefly titled "The Adventures of Luke Starkiller." The title was changed after the studio felt it was too long and focused too heavily on Luke. 

3. The Original Script Was Over 300 Pages Long

The first draft of the script for A New Hope was penned by George Lucas and was a whopping 300 pages long. The studio eventually trimmed it down to a more manageable 125 pages. 

4. The Movie Was Filmed in England

The majority of A New Hope was filmed in England at Elstree Studios in Hertfordshire and in Tunisia. 

5. The Movie Was Originally Scheduled to Be Released in Christmas of 1976

The original plan was for the movie to be released on Christmas Day in 1976, but was pushed back to the summer of 1977 due to post-production delays. 

6. Mark Hamill Was a Complete Unknown before a New Hope

Mark Hamill had only a handful of minor roles in small TV productions before he was cast as Luke Skywalker in A New Hope. 

7. The Movie Was a Box Office Disappointment at First

Despite its eventual classic status, A New Hope was not a commercial success when it was first released and only made $307 million worldwide. 

8. The Movie Was Nominated for 10 Academy Awards

A New Hope was nominated for 10 Academy Awards and won 6, including Best Original Score, Best Visual Effects and Best Costume Design. 

9. The Character of Obi-Wan Kenobi Was Originally Going to Be Played by an Aging Actor

The character of Obi-Wan Kenobi was originally going to be played by an ageing actor, as the character was originally written to be much older than Alec Guinness. However, George Lucas decided to cast Guinness in the role and rewrote the script to accommodate the actor. 

10. The Line "May the Luck Be with You" Was Improvised

The famous line "May the Force be with you" was actually improvised by Harrison Ford during the filming of the movie. Ford was supposed to say "May the luck be with you," but decided to change it on the spot. 

11. The Voice of Darth Vader Is Actually a Combination of Several People

James Earl Jones provided the iconic voice, but actors David Prowse and Bob Anderson provided the physical performance and lines. 

Conclusion

Overall, Star Wars: A New Hope is an iconic movie, and its 45th anniversary is an excellent opportunity to look back on some of the interesting facts about the movie. Hopefully, these facts will help further appreciate the movie's lasting impact and influence.

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February 15, 2023