Timeline of Star Wars-related Events

This chronology is taken from all Star Wars-related events, showing the development behind the Star Wars universe.

05/14/44

George Walton Lucas, Jr., is born in Modesto, CA

06/12/62

Lucas is involved in a near-fatal car accident

06/09/64

Lucas gets his Associate's Degree in art from Modesto Junior College

mm/dd/65

Lucas completes his first film, Look at Life for a USC class in animation

mm/dd/66

Lucas completes Herbie with Paul Golding, for a USC class exercise in cinematic design

mm/dd/66

Lucas completes 1.42.08

mm/dd/67

Lucas completes The Emperor, a documentary about an LA disc jockey

mm/dd/67

Lucas completes THX 1138:4EB (Electronic Labyrinth) as part of a teaching assignment for Navy and Marine cameramen

mm/dd/67

Lucas completes Anyone Lived in a Pretty How Town

mm/dd/67

Lucas wins an apprenticeship at Warner Brothers, and meets Francis Ford Coppola

mm/dd/68

Lucas completes Filmmaker, which documents Coppola’s work on The Rain People

05/xx/66

Lucas gets his Bachelor's Degree in Cinema from USC

mm/dd/67

Lucas produces 6.18.67, which chronicles the making of Carl Foreman’s McKenna’s Gold

02/22/69

Lucas marries Marcia Griffin in Pacific Grove, CA

03/11/71

THX-1138 is released to theaters

01/28/73

Lucasfilm Ltd. is debuted at the screening for American Graffiti

08/01/73

American Graffiti is released to theaters

05/xx/74

George Lucas completes the first draft of Star Wars

01/28/75

Lucas completes the second draft, called Adventures of the Starkiller, Episode One of The Star Wars

03/25/75

Production begins on Star Wars

05/01/75

Lucas sends his second draft to Alan Ladd, Jr.

06/xx/75

Lucas and Gary Kurtz ask John Dykstra to set up ILM

07/xx/75

ILM is officially created

08/01/75

Lucas delivers his third draft of The Star Wars

03/dd/76

Principle filming begins on Star Wars

mm/dd/77

Work on Star Wars completes, at a cost of $12.5 million

05/25/77

Star Wars is released in US movie theaters

12/16/77

Star Wars is released to Swedish movie theaters

02/10/78

Star Wars is released to German move theaters

03/xx/78

Leigh Brackett completes the first draft of The Empire Strikes Back

07/21/78

Star Wars is re-released

NPR airs "A Wind to Shake the Stars", the first episode in the Star Wars Radio Drama (27:16)

NPR airs "Points of Origin", the second episode in the

NPR airs "Black Knight, White Princess, and Pawns", the third episode in the Star Wars Radio Drama (28:02)

NPR airs "While Giants Mark Time", the fourth episode in the Star Wars Radio Drama (27:42)

NPR airs "Jedi That Was, Jedi To Be", the fifth episode in the Star Wars Radio Drama (27:28)

NPR airs "The Millennium Falcon Deal", the sixth episode in the Star Wars Radio Drama (26:32)

NPR airs "The Han Solo Solution", the seventh episode in the Star Wars Radio Drama (25:26)

NPR airs "Death Star's Transit", the eighth episode in the Star Wars Radio Drama (28:30)

NPR airs "Rogues, Rebels, and Robots", the ninth episode in the Star Wars Radio Drama (27:52)

NPR airs "The Luke Skywalker Initiative", the tenth episode in the Star Wars Radio Drama (25:08)

NPR airs "The Jedi Nexus", the eleventh episode in the Star Wars Radio Drama (26:58)

NPR airs "The Case for Rebellion", the twelfth episode in the Star Wars Radio Drama (28:14)

NPR airs "Force and Counter Force", the thirteenth episode in the Star Wars Radio Drama (28:08)

09/dd/78

Lucas purchases Bulltail Ranch, on Lucas Valley Road, for development of Skywalker Ranch

11/17/78

The Star Wars Holiday Special airs on CBS_TV

mm/dd/78

LucasArts Licensing is established

03/09/79

Production begins on The Empire Strikes Back

08/03/79

More American Graffiti is released to US theaters

08/15/79

Star Wars is re-released

11/dd/79

Work begins on Raiders of the Lost Ark

mm/dd/80

Construction begins on Skywalker Ranch

mm/dd/80

Lucas and Coppola assist Akira Kurosawa in the production of Kagemusha (The Shadow Warrior)

05/21/80

The Empire Strikes Back is released to US theaters

06/28/80

The Empire Strikes Back is released to Japanese theaters

08/15/80

The Empire Strikes Back is released to Swedish theaters

12/11/80

The Empire Strikes Back is released to German theaters

NPR airs "Freedom's Winter", the first episode in the The Empire Strikes Back Radio Drama (25:39)

NPR airs "The Coming Storm", the second episode in the The Empire Strikes Back Radio Drama (26:08)

NPR airs "A Question of Survival", the third episode in the The Empire Strikes Back Radio Drama (25:00)

NPR airs "Fire and Ice", the fourth episode in the The Empire Strikes Back Radio Drama (26:27)

NPR airs "The Millennium Falcon Pursuit", the fifth episode in the The Empire Strikes Back Radio Drama (25:52)

NPR airs "Way of the Jedi", the sixth episode in the The Empire Strikes Back Radio Drama (27:32)

NPR airs "New Allies, New Enemies", the seventh episode in the The Empire Strikes Back Radio Drama (27:32)

NPR airs "Dark Lord's Fury", the eighth episode in the The Empire Strikes Back Radio Drama (25:33)

NPR airs "Gambler's Choice", the ninth episode in the The Empire Strikes Back Radio Drama (24:27)

NPR airs "The Clash of Lightsabers", the tenth episode in the The Empire Strikes Back Radio Drama (27:34)

01/dd/81

A time capsule is buried in the foundation of Skywalker Ranch

04/10/81

Star Wars is re-released

06/12/81

Raiders of the Lost Ark is released to theaters. Production costs totaled $18 million.

07/31/81

The Empire Strikes Back is re-released

mm/dd/81

Lucas acts as an uncredited Executive Producer on Body Heat, released on this date

01/dd/82

Work begins on Return of the Jedi

08/13/82

Star Wars is re-released

08/dd/82

Lucas serves as Executive Producer for the animated film Twice Upon A Time, released on this date.

11/19/82

The Empire Strikes Back is re-released

mm/dd/82

The THX Sound System is first developed for use in theaters

05/25/83

Return of the Jedi is released in US movie theaters

07/02/83

Return of the Jedi is released in Japanese theaters

09/30/83

Return of the Jedi is released to Swedish theaters

10/19/83

Return of the Jedi is released to French theaters

05/23/84

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is released to US theaters. Production costs totaled $30 million.

11/25/84

The Ewok Adventure: Caravan of Courage airs on ABC-TV’s "Sunday Night Movie"

mm/dd/85

The main buildings of Skywalker Ranch are first opened for use

09/07/85

The Ewoks and Droids Adventure Hour animated series begins its run on ABC-TV

09/dd/85

Lucas and Coppola act as Executive Producers on the film Mishima, released on this date

11/24/85

The Battle for Endor airs on ABC-TV’s "Sunday Night Movie"

mm/dd/85

Lucas assists Walter Murch in the production of Return to Oz

mm/dd/85

Lucas begins working on the script for Captain EO

06/07/86

The Great Heap airs on ABC-TV

06/27/86

Labyrinth is released to US theaters

08/01/86

Howard the Duck is released to US theaters

09/13/86

Captain EO is debuted at Disneyland

11/01/86

The Ewoks animated series begins its run on ABC-TV

mm/dd/87

LucasArts Learning is established

mm/dd/87

The Tech Building at Skywalker Ranch is opened for use

04/dd/88

Lucas and Coppola produce Powaqqatsi, which is released to US theaters on this date

05/20/88

Willow is released to US theaters

08/12/88

Tucker: The Man and His Dream is released to US theaters

11/18/88

Lucas and Speilberg serve as Executive Producers on The Land Before Time, released to US theaters on this date

05/24/89

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is released to US theaters. Production costs totaled $44 million.

09/14/90

The Maniac Mansion television series begins its run on the Family Channel

mm/dd/yy

Lucasfilm and Bantam Books combine to create 16-19 new stories in the Star Wars universe.

mm/dd/91

Heir to the Empire is released, becoming the first Star Wars novel set beyond Return of the Jedi

03/04/92

The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles begins its run on ABC-TV

mm/dd/92

Lucas is given the Irving G. Thalberg Award by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences

10/28/94

Lucas begins scripting Star Wars episodes I-III

11/96

NPR airs "Tatooine Haunts", the first episode in the Return of the Jedi Radio Drama

 

NPR airs "Fast Friends", the second episode in the Return of the Jedi Radio Drama

 

NPR airs "Prophecies and Destinies", the third episode in the Return of the Jedi Radio Drama

 

NPR airs "Pattern and Web", the fourth episode in the Return of the Jedi Radio Drama

 

NPR airs "So Turns a Galaxy, So Turns a Wheel", the fifth episode in the Return of the Jedi Radio Drama

 

NPR airs "Blood of a Jedi", the sixth episode in the Return of the Jedi Radio Drama

01/25/97

Star Wars: Special Edition is released in US theaters

01/31/97

Star Wars: Special Edition is released in Kenyan theaters

02/13/97

Star Wars: Special Edition is released in Puerto Rican theaters

02/21/97

The Empire Strikes Back: Special Edition is released in US theaters

03/14/97

Return of the Jedi: Special Edition is released in US theaters

Star Wars: Special Edition is released to theaters in Thailand

03/19/97

Star Wars: Special Edition is released in Belgian and French theaters

03/20/97

Star Wars: Special Edition is released to theaters in Australia, Germany, and Holland

03/21/97

Star Wars: Special Edition is released in theaters in Austria, Brazil, Colombia, Finland, Israel, Italy, Mexico, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the U.K., and Uruguay

03/26/97

Star Wars: Special Edition is released to Venezuelan theaters

03/27/97

Star Wars: Special Edition is released to theaters in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Croatia, Slovakia, Hong Kong, Hungary, New Zealand, Peru, Slovenia, and Yugoslavia

03/28/97

Star Wars: Special Edition is released in theaters in Bulgaria, Estonia, Greece, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Panama, and Turkey

03/30/97

Star Wars: Special Edition is released to theaters in the Phillipines

04/04/97

Star Wars: Special Edition is released to theaters in Denmark and Iceland

04/09/97

Star Wars: Special Edition is released in Jamaican theaters

04/12/97

Star Wars: Special Edition is released to theaters in Taiwan

04/18/97

Star Wars: Special Edition is released in Indian theaters

04/19/97

Star Wars: Special Edition is released in South Korean theaters

04/28/97

Star Wars: Special Edition is released in Egyptian theaters

05/21/97

Star Wars: Special Edition is released to theaters in Malaysia

05/29/97

Star Wars: Special Edition is released to theaters in Singapore

06/17/97

Star Wars: Special Edition is released in Indonesian theaters

06/26/97

Phase 1 of principal photography begins in Italy for Episode One

07/05/97

Star Wars: Special Edition is released to Japanese theaters

07/29/97

A sandstorm hits the Tunisian production crew working on Episode One

09/26/97

Phase 1 of principal photography on Episode One closes down at Leavesdon Studios

09/29/97

CGI processing begins on Episode One at LucasFilm

03/18/98

Phase 1 of pickup filming on Episode One begins at Leavesden Studios

08/07/98

Final phase of pickup filming on Episode One begins at Leavesden Studios

08/07/98

Release date for Episode One is set for May 21, 1999

08/25/98

Pick-up filming at Leavesden wraps up for Episode I