A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…Star Wars!
If you’re like most of us, you’ve felt a strong (but good!) disturbance in the force ever since Disney first started promoting the next film in the ever-expanding universe. The Mandalorian & Grogu will hit theaters in 2025, and it’s sure to bring a fresh wave of Star Wars mania with it.
While it may be true that the constant roll-out of Star Wars TV shows has made franchise events somewhat less rare, a brand new big-screen film will get the galaxy buzzing.
To kick off what’s going to be a full year of hype and anticipation, we thought it was a good time to look back on the space saga in its entirety. To that end, hare 40 fun Star Wars facts every fan needs to know…
40 Fun Facts About Star Wars
1. Mark Hamill Was in an Accident During ‘Empire Strikes Back’
Whilst filming The Empire Strikes Back (a near-universal pick for the best Star Wars film), Luke Skywalker actor Mark Hamill was in a bad car accident.
While Hamill fortunately didn’t suffer any critical injuries, the wreck did leave him with facial scarring, which actually made it into the movie. George Lucas and Co. added the scene in which Luke is attacked by a Wampa in order to provide an on-screen reason for the actor’s face scar.
2. E.T.’s Alien Species Are In The Star Wars Universe
That’s right! The whole “connected universe” idea was around long before the big production companies started negotiating every possible crossover. Steven Spielberg (who of course made E.T.) suggested to his good friend George Lucas that a member of E.T.’s species called “asogians” should be placed in The Phantom Menace.
As a hidden Easter Egg and nod to Spielberg’s classic movie, three asogians were snuck into a shot of the Galactic Senate.
Bonus fact: Spielberg had actually already included a character in a Yoda costume in E.T.!
3. The Darth Vader Twist Was Kept Secret From the Actors
The revelation in The Empire Strikes Back that Darth Vader is Luke Skywalker’s father is considered to be one of the most shocking twists in film history. And as it turns out, it was initially kept secret even from the actors shooting the scene.
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Instead of saying the line, “I am your father” that would later be recorded by Darth Vader’s voice actor, James Earl Jones, the actor who physically played Vader in Episode V (David Prowse) was directed to say “Obi-Wan killed your father.” As far as many of the cast and crew knew, that was the line –– until the film came out.
4. George Lucas Was Fined For Not Using Opening Credits
Once upon a time (a long time ago in a galaxy far away, one might say) it was a universal standard for films to credit cast and/or crew at the opening sequence. This is still the norm, but it’s not as expected as it once was — thanks in part to Star Wars!
When A New Hope became one of the first modern films to neglect opening credits, the Director’s Guild was less than pleased. It fined Lucas $250,000, and in response, he resigned his membership.
5. Alec Guinness Was Never A Fan of Star Wars
Star Wars fans know Alec Guinness as the first man to play Obi-Wan Kenobi. His portrayal of a wizened, lone Jedi is truly iconic, and we can’t imagine it any other way. Yet when he first explored the role, Guinness dismissed A New Hope as “fairytale rubbish.”
Despite that, the actor’s agent worked out a deal in which Guinness would receive 2% of George Lucas’ gross earnings from the Star Wars franchise. The Guinness estate collects Star Wars revenue to this very day.
6. Yoda Was Almost Played By a Monkey
Here’s a crazy Star Wars fact! According to J.W. Rinzler’s 2010 book, “The Making Of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back,” everyone’s favorite wise, green Jedi was almost played by a monkey. In fact, there are even photos of this monkey carrying Yoda’s cane and wearing a mask!
This might be a fun idea, but it’s almost impossible to imagine how it might have altered Star Wars history. The studios have done a great deal with Yoda (and his “baby”… cousin?) since the original trilogy. If the character was played by a monkey, who knows if it would have had the same lasting impact?
7. The Ewoks Speak Tagalog
Want more fun Star Wars facts? The loveable (or not so loveable?) Ewoks actually speak Tagalog in Return of the Jedi, while others speak a made-up language inspired by the Kalmuck language, spoken by nomadic tribes living in Central China.
Most specifically, as reported by Reddit user wonderballz, one of the Ewoks says, “Ayun na maganda” when he sees C3PO which translates to, “that one’s beautiful.”
8. ‘Palpatine,’ ‘Ewok’ and ‘Sith’ are Never Spoken in the Films
One of the craziest Star Wars facts to impress your friends! Believe it or not, the words ‘Palpatine,’ ‘Ewok’ and ‘Sith’ are never used in the original Star Wars trilogy.
‘The Emperor’ was preferred to keep some mystery surrounding the villain; ‘Sith’ was only introduced in The Phantom Menace; and ‘Ewok’ was only used after it appeared in the film’s novelization, and toys were released.
9. Yoda’s Toes Are the Strangest Thing About Him
Call this a bizarre fact if you will, but it’s still fun nonetheless! He speaks strangely, has a funny voice, and unusual ears, but the weirdest thing about Yoda are his toes. Apparently, his species has tridactyl feet!
Keep an eye out next time you have a Star Wars marathon and you’ll see that the number of toes Yoda has changes in every movie. In The Phantom Menace and The Clone Wars film, Yoda has his three toes, but in Revenge of the Sith, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, he has a fourth toe.
10. Chewbacca Almost Wore Pants
You may never have thought about it before, but Chewbacca, our favorite lovable Wookiee, doesn’t wear any pants. That said, he almost had to.
Apparently, some studio execs took issue with the Wookiee wearing nothing but a bandolier. Mark Hamill has even said that he remembers sketches of Chewie in shorts and other clothing being sent over to the set! Needless to say, the no-clothes option won out.
11. The ‘Star Wars Holiday Special’ Is Not Available to Watch
The Star Wars Holiday Special released in 1978, is so bad, that it’s not legally available to stream anywhere, including Disney Plus. The bizarre spinoff has never been re-aired or officially released, and is actually hard to track down.
Why? Because it’s absolutely absurd. The unnecessary story surrounding Chewbacca’s family featured weirdly groaning Wookiees, awkward musical interludes, and strange sexual connotations. Rumor has it Carrie Fisher owned a copy that she would play at the end of parties when she wanted guests to leave.
12. There are Six Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader Actors
When a movie franchise spans close to 50 years and involves spinoffs, prequels, and sequels, of course some characters will be played by multiple people. While we’ve seen a couple Obi-Wans and a digitally de-aged Luke and Leia, there have actually been six Darth Vader actors.
The full roster includes David Prowse, James Earl Jones, Bob Anderson, Sebastian Shaw, Jake Lloyd, and Hayden Christensen.
13. R2-D2 Could Initially Talk
We all know major changes happened throughout the filming of A New Hope. So, it’s not surprising that C-3PO was supposed to sound like a “used car salesman from The Bronx,” before going for Anthony Daniels, with the British accent.
Yup. That’s right. But there’s more. R2-D2 could initially talk! While we’re not a fan of a Bronx C-3PO, we are onboard for a talking R2-D2! Now, that would have been cool to hear!
14. The Prequels Have Been Edited Into One 85-Minute Film
Star Wars fans are very devoted, and do all kinds of creative things for the franchise. One of the most interesting fan projects, though, actually comes from That 70s Show actor, Topher Grace.
Keen to work on his editing skills, and, like so many of us, obsessed with Star Wars, Grace edited all three prequels into a single shorter, more effective movie back in 2014. It’s unavailable for general viewing due to copyright issues, but Grace did screen it once after its completion. What’s more, he recently compiled 10 Star Wars movies into a five-minute trailer — and it can be found on TikTok!
15. The Darth Vader Actor Got Paid Just $7k
Want more behind-the-scenes Star Wars facts? Remember above when we noted the sweet deal Alec Guinness got to participate in the original trilogy? Well, the Force was not as strong with the James Earl Jones, the famous voice of Darth Vader.
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Because of its low budget, George Lucas offered to give Jones points (like shares in the movie’s future profits) instead of a salary for his role. Apparently, Jones was “skeptical” of the movie’s success and instead chose to be paid upfront for his work and received only $7,000.
16. Clone Trooper Outfits Were CGI in the Prequels
It’s no surprise that the prequel trilogy was, shall we say, heavy on CGI. Indeed, even some devoted fans feel that George Lucas got a little carried away planting strange creatures and characters into his backgrounds.
What some may not realize, though, is that even the clone outfits in the prequels were digitally rendered. Why they couldn’t just use costumes, we don’t know.
17. Samuel L. Jackson’s Lightsaber Has a ‘Pulp Fiction’ Engraving
Remember Mace Windu’s purple lightsaber? Well, apparently, its color isn’t the only thing that was unique about it. The weapon also had the abbreviation “BMF” (bad motherf***er) engraved on it, as revealed by Samuel L. Jackson said on The Graham Norton Show.
For those who may not be well-versed in Jackson’s filmography, the words are a Pulp Fiction reference. Apparently, the actor “didn’t ask” for this super-cool engraving — “they did that because they loved me,” he told Jimmy Fallon.
18. N*Sync Almost Had an ‘Attack of the Clones’ Cameo
If you were around in the early 2000s, you’ll undoubtedly remember the boy band N*Sync. Not only were they making some of the best pop music around, they were also, apparently, almost in Star Wars. Yep, a random fact, indeed.
As confirmed during the band’s appearance on Hot Ones, JC Chasez, Joey Fatone, and Chris Kirkpatrick said they shot scenes as Jedi Knights and even had to learn sword choreography. N*SYNC’s scenes are believed to have taken place during the Battle of Geonosis in Attack of the Clones, but George Lucas cut their scenes from the movie.
19. Tupac Shakur Auditioned for the Role of Mace Windu
Samuel L. Jackson made for an iconic Mace Windu in The Phantom Menace. But as the story goes, legendary rapper Tupac Shakur had a shot as well.
This is a bit of a strange factoid given that filming began in 1997 –– less than a year after Tupac’s death. However, Rick Clifford, who worked as an engineer at Death Row Records said in an interview for the website 2Pac-Forum, “[Tupac] said [to me], ‘Old man, keep your fingers crossed. I’ve got three movies coming up. One of them, I’ve got to read for George Lucas’” [via Paper Magazine].
20. Star Wars and Marvel have Something in Common
Okay, these days they kind of have a lot in common, given that both are owned by Disney. But there are more specific and intentional ties between them.
Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige is a self-proclaimed Star Wars fan. And he loves the franchise so much that he’s included Star Wars Easter Eggs in a few of his Marvel movies. For instance, he made sure that at least one character gets an arm cut off as a nod to Luke Skywalker’s lost hand in The Empire Strikes Back.
21. Star Wars and Doctor Who Share Costumes
One of the more obscure Star Wars facts… Remember the bounty hunter, Bossk? If you don’t, we’ll try to jog your memory: He’s a colleague of Boba Fett’s in The Empire Strikes Back, and he more or less resembles a humanoid lizard or alligator. (He also appears in the Clone Wars animated series.)
Well, one fun fact about Star Wars history is that Bossk’s costume is actually a recycled spacesuit from the classic Doctor Who episode, “The Tenth Planet.” Go figure. Perhaps costume designers were in short supply while Episode V was being filmed.
22. “I Have a Bad Feeling About This” is in Every Film
A lot of people rightly associate the line, “I have a bad feeling about this” with Harrison Ford. But think for a moment: Do you actually associate it with a specific moment or a single film?
If the answer is no, it’s probably because this quote actually appears in every single Star Wars film; even the lovable droid BB-8 says it in his digital language. It’s become a running joke, to the point that it’s even in other George Lucas films. In fact, it pops up in Indiana Jones (which is why you may associate it primarily with Harrison Ford).
23. Yoda’s Species Has Never Been Named
That’s right. Yoda, one of the most legendary Star Wars characters, belongs to a species that is still nameless. In fact, George Lucas has specifically decided to keep the name and background of Yoda’s species a mystery.
“So he’s a mystery character, he’s a magical character. He has no background. He comes and he goes. He’s the subversive secret mysterious stranger that enters the film and then exits at the end,” the Star Wars creator said in a Moviefone Q&A. Fair enough, Master Lucas!
24. Sandcrawlers Nearly Sparked An International Conflict
In A New Hope, Tatooine’s meddlesome Jawas use large vehicles called Sandcrawlers to get around. And because the movie used a lot of practical effects, these were actually real vehicles trundling around Tunisia.
Apparently, Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi was not amused. He threatened Tunisia over what he perceived to be military vehicles. George Lucas responded by changing the filming location.
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25. Vader’s Iconic Line Is Not As It Seems
“The Mandela Effect” refers to a phenomenon when many people believe something happened when it never did. It stems from the example of countless people claiming to “remember” Nelson Mandela dying in the ‘80s, when he actually died in 2013.
Well, Empire Strikes Back has its own such incident: Darth Vader never says, “Luke, I am your father.” The line is, “No, I am your father.” If this crazy fact hasn’t blown your mind we don’t know what will…
26. Jabba the Hutt is a Puppet
One of the things that makes the original trilogy so epic is its lack of special effects. The film used a lot of practical design and props, which is one reason its iconic space-gangster, Jabba the Hutt, seems bizarrely real.
The truth of the matter is, Jabba was a gigantic puppet –– a $500,000 puppet requiring seven operators.
27. Yoda Had Different Names
A few years ago, fans of the spin-off show The Mandalorian had a tough adjustment to make when they learned that “Baby Yoda” was actually named Grogu. But what if the Yoda hadn’t actually been named Yoda?
Apparently that could well have been the case. Early drafts of Star Wars screenplays referred to the character as both “Buffy” and “Minch Yoda.” Different, those names would be.
28. The Millennium Falcon is “Garbage”
Just as Han Solo repeats, “I have a bad feeling about this” in various Star Wars movies, the Millennium Falcon also gets repeatedly slammed by iconic characters.
In The Force Awakens, Rey is heard disparaging it by calling it “garbage” in the same way Luke called it “a piece of junk” and Leia “a bucket of bolts” in the original trilogies. Hmm, we seem to think otherwise.
29. There’s a Character Called ‘Kybo Ren’
Star Wars geeks – did you clock this amazing fact? The name Kylo Ren is almost exactly the same as ‘Kybo Ren’ — a pirate character who was a major villain in the 1985 animation Star Wars: Droids.
We don’t think there’s any connection between the two characters, other than the fact that they both wear a black helmet, so perhaps Lucas was just looking through his encyclopedia of old Star Wars names for inspiration when he was drawing up Adam Driver’s character.
30. Luke Skywalker Was Almost Female
Did you know George Lucas and Star Wars concept artist, Ralph McQuarrie originally had the idea of making Luke Skywalker a woman? McQuarrie even drew potential outfits for this so-called female Luke.
Obviously that idea didn’t go to plan, but in The Force Awakens, Rey’s outfit is in fact inspired by these early outfit drawings.
31. ‘Starkiller’ Has a Deep History
Dedicated Star Wars fans would know that the name of the First Order’s weapon in The Force Awakens — Starkiller — has a history. ‘Starkiller’ was actually the name of a character trained by Darth Vader in Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, also known as Galen Marek and The Apprentice.
It is also the original surname name that Lucas initially wanted to give Luke. Lucas changed his character’s name from ‘Starkiller’ to ‘Skywalker’ in order avoid potential connotations toward the Charles Manson murders that had occurred in America a few years earlier.
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32. There’s A Pink R2 With a Heartwarming Backstory
This hidden fact will warm your heart. Also known as the “Droid With the Heart of Gold,’ R2-KT is a pink droid that makes a very brief appearance in Episode VII. She also had a few cameo appearances in the Clone Wars series. But what some fans may not know is her heartwarming backstory.
R2-KT was created for Katie Johnson, a seven-year-old girl who died from terminal brain cancer. The young girl loved Star Wars and the color pink, and her wish was to have a droid watch over her like R2-D2 watched over a sleeping Padmé in Attack of the Clones.
33. George Lucas Has Bad Blood With the Vader Actor
Everyone knows James Earl Jones as Darth Vader, but the role belongs just as much to David Prowse — the actor who wore the suit in many of the films, with Jones’ voice dubbed over.
But, things turned sour with George Lucas, and Prowse was no longer allowed to attend Star Wars conventions or other events. Two years before the release of Empire Strikes Back, Prowse revealed to the press that Darth Vader was Luke’s father, and the spoiler was reported by The San Francisco Examiner. Luckily, there was no internet in 1978, so the spoiler didn’t go viral. But Lucas was still maddened, to say the least.
34. J.J. Abrams Voiced D-0
The iconic new droid introduced in The Rise of Skywalker has a little more importance than just helping the Resistance take on the First Order. Fun Star Wars fact — he was voiced by none other than J.J. Abrams — the movie’s very own director!
Apparently, Abram’s voice was used temporarily, until they found another actor, but the crew ended up keeping the director’s sound effects in the end!
35. Lightsabers Were Originally ‘Laser Swords’
If you’ve spoken to someone who might not have much interest in Star Wars, they might refer to the iconic lightsaber as a ‘laser sword.’ In literal terms, that’s basically what it is, right?
Well, coincidence or not, this was actually an early name for the lightsaber in the original drafts of A New Hope. And it was hilariously nodded to in The Last Jedi when Luke shoots down Rey’s idealism and says, “What do you think? That Luke Skywalker is going to walk out with a laser sword and face down the First Order?”
36. Some Fans Suggest Skipping ‘The Phantom Menace’
There are a few different ways to watch the first six Star Wars films. One is to watch them in order of release, beginning with A New Hope and ending with Return of the Jedi. Another is to watch all the Star Wars movies in chronological order, with the shows and side projects thrown in. But one other way, called the “Machete Order,” has gained popularity online.
This method, introduced by Rod Hilton on his blog ‘Absolutely No Machete Juggling’ in 2011, begins with A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back, then loops back to the prequels, but skips The Phantom Menace. In total, the order is IV, V, II, III, VI. The idea is to better frame the prequels and drop a first episode that doesn’t really need to be there.
37. Nien Nunb Reappeared in ‘The Force Awakens’
There are several hidden Easter Eggs in Star Wars movies, including actor cameos and reappearences you didn’t see coming.
Well, remember Lando’s co-pilot, Nien Nunb in Return of the Jedi? You might have missed his appearance in The Force Awakens. Nien Nunb appeared as a Resistance fighter along with the puppeteer who originally controlled the character, Mike Quinn.
38. There’s a Star Wars and James Bond Connection
The success of Star Wars in the ’70s led to other filmmakers trying to cash in on the sci-fi craze. One of the films heavily influenced by A New Hope is the 1979 James Bond movie, Moonraker. Yes, 007 went to space.
Yet, the influence didn’t stop there. A cult classic called Star Crash also came out. But it helped big-timers like Star Trek and Flash Gordon to crossover to the big screen. We guess everyone wanted to be in a galaxy far, far away.
39. Star Wars Made James Cameron Quit His Job
A little-known fact about Star Wars is that it heavily inspired one of the most celebrated film directors. During the release of A New Hope, a then-unknown truck driver named James Cameron saw the film, and it impacted his life. Apparently, he quit his job and decided to pursue directing, thanks to this little space movie.
Just imagine if A New Hope was never made. We wouldn’t have Terminator or Avatar. We owe a lot of thanks to George Lucas.
40. George Lucas Wanted a Better Death for Boba Fett
In Return of the Jedi, we see the well-liked bounty hunter fall to his death inside the Sarlacc. However, George Lucas stated he would have given the guy a more memorable death had he known the character would be so popular.
Lucas also considered adding a scene to the 2004 DVD release showing Boba escaping the Sarlacc. Well, fast-forward to 2022, and fans finally got to see more of Boba in the Disney Plus series The Book of Boba Fett.
A list like this could go on endlessly, but these 40 Star Wars facts make for some great trivia to enjoy.
Between a new Disney Plus show (The Acolyte) premiering this summer, and The Mandalorian & Grogu eyeing a 2025 release, it’s about to be a Star Wars-heavy year. That always makes for a great time to revisit all the franchise has given us to date, and we hope this list inspires you to do just that!
