Kathleen Kennedy Says Original Star Wars Cut Isn't Illegal

The British Film Institute recently treated cinema enthusiasts to a rare screening of the original 1977 Star Wars print - the very first version of what would later be titled Episode IV: A New Hope. Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy personally attended to assure fans this historic showing wasn't, as she jokingly put it, "an illegal screening."

A Cinematic Treasure Resurfaces

During her introduction at London's BFI Film on Film Festival on June 12, Kennedy revealed: "Even within Lucasfilm, there were endless debates about locating this original print. What you're witnessing today is truly one-of-a-kind - there may not be another copy like it in existence."

Star Wars fans, Kathleen Kennedy wants to assure you the BFI screening of the original cut is not illegal

— Jacob Stolworthy (@JacobStolworthy) June 12, 2025

This marked the first public exhibition of this particular film print since 1978, though versions had occasionally surfaced on VHS over the decades. The Telegraph reported in April that these precious reels had been meticulously preserved at -5°C (23°F) to maintain their quality.

Authentic 1977 Experience

BFI programmers emphasized: "We're presenting the film exactly as 1977 audiences first experienced it." The screening featured one of the few surviving dye transfer IB Technicolor prints created for the original UK release, complete with natural signs of aging but remarkably vibrant colors.

Interestingly, George Lucas himself had previously opposed releasing the original theatrical version, opting instead for multiple revisions that became the 1997 Special Edition - the version most commonly available to fans.