Kathleen Kennedy: Original 1977 Star Wars Screen Not Illegal

The British Film Institute recently showcased the very first print of the original Star Wars, titled Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, with Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy in attendance. She was there to reassure fans that the screening of George Lucas's sci-fi classic was not an illegal exhibition.

As reported by GamesRadar, Kennedy humorously noted during her introductory speech before the film played at the BFI Film on Film Festival in London on June 12: "I'm here to… make sure you don’t think this is an unauthorized showing."

She further commented on the print: "It’s an incredible piece of film lore. Even when I joined the company, there were endless discussions about where everything was stored and what actually constituted the first print. What you’re about to see is truly that first print—it’s incredibly rare, and I doubt there’s another copy quite like it. Over the years, so many adjustments were made as George [Lucas] decided, 'I’ll change this, I’ll try that.' Eventually, everyone lost track of the original version."

Star Wars fans, Kathleen Kennedy wants to assure you the BFI screening of the original cut is not illegal pic.twitter.com/0a1Pa6FXDI

— Jacob Stolworthy (@JacobStolworthy) June 12, 2025

This event marked the first public screening of the original 1977 print since 1978, though this specific version had been released on VHS a few times previously. According to an April report from The Telegraph, the film reels were stored at 23 degrees Fahrenheit to maintain their quality and preserve the viewing experience.

"For these exclusive screenings, we present the film exactly as audiences saw it upon its original 1977 release," the BFI stated.

"Screened from one of the few precious dye transfer IB Technicolor prints made exclusively for the initial UK release and preserved in the BFI National Archive, this print shows some wear typical of archival material, but its colors remain vibrantly unfaded. Truly an unmissable experience."

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Interestingly, Lucas has historically been reluctant to re-release the original cut of the film. He made revisions shortly after the initial launch, which eventually became the Special Edition. Released in 1997, that Special Edition has been the version most readily available to fans over the decades.