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The Star Wars Saga Continues
—Tagline
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back is the fifth chapter of the Star Wars film saga and the second film released into theaters, opening in 1980. It is preceded chronologically by Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope and followed by Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. The film was directed by Irvin Kershner and written by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan, based on a story by George Lucas.
The film centers around the training of Luke Skywalker to the status of Jedi Knight. Meanwhile, Darth Vader searches for Skywalker in the hopes of turning him to the dark side of the Force. This search leads to a confrontation between the two and the iconic revelation of Darth Vader's true identity—Luke's father, Anakin Skywalker.
Originally released in 1980, the film was re-released in theaters in 1997, along with the other films of the original trilogy. It has been made available in VHS, LaserDic, DVD, and Blu Ray formats throughout the 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s. It was scheduled for another theatical re-release, this time in 3D, but the release was canceled by The Walt Disney Company after its acquisition of Lucasfilm Ltd.
Other uses of Star Wars Episode V[]
Star Wars Episode V might also refer to: