Nineteen-seventy-seven was a depressing year for America. A pious peanut farmer from Georgia with a single term as governor of Georgia being his only experience was elected president, and it was evident from the start that he was way out of his depth.
Inflation was starting to bite (the CPI was 6.7%), and gas prices were still rising. A little-known film director named George Lucas was about to release a "space oater" (a western set in space), as critics would call it, using some imaginative special effects and a cast of barely known or unknown actors.
The first hint of what Lucas had in the can came in artwork released as an ad poster for the film he called Star Wars. The artwork "appeared on billboards, theater programs, and in newspaper ads in the weeks before the film’s initial release, serving as the general public’s first glimpse into George Lucas’ now-legendary space opera," according to Daily Beast.
"The canvas depicts Luke Skywalker with his lightsaber raised behind Princess Leia; above them in the foreground rises Darth Vader. Also visible is the squad of X-wing fighters launching the attack, and Han Solo and Luke Skywalker receive medals," reports Mehza.
It was sold on Wednesday to a private collector for $3.875 million.
🚨 A new Star Wars record. The painting that started it all sold for $ 3.875 million.
— Heritage Auctions (@HeritageAuction) December 11, 2025
It's now the most expensive Star Wars item in history.
🔗https://t.co/Oungo8Yl0e pic.twitter.com/OzBbELEdpi
The acrylic and airbrush painting by the artist and movie poster designer Tom Jung first appeared in newspaper advertisements on May 13, 1977, a little less than two weeks before the space epic created by George Lucas opened. It also adorned billboards, magazine ads and theater programs.
“For most of America, this was the first time they got a glimpse of the galaxy far, far away,” said Charles Epting, the director of pop culture and historical consignments at Heritage Auctions.
“Star Wars” producer Gary Kurtz kept the original painting and hung it on his office wall before passing it down to his daughter. The Kurtz family later put the work up for sale at the Dallas headquarters of Heritage Auctions, where bidding started at $1 million.
Timing is everything. Star Wars hit audiences that were mired in cynicism and depression, and had little hope for the future. From the first crash of that magnificent score by John Williams that played over the film exposition scrolling up and away, suggesting something radically different was about to be shown, to the triumphant ending tableau, Star Wars was the tonic that America needed.
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The image of Luke Skywalker holding up a lightsaber behind Princess Leia is one of the most iconic from the original poster. “Anyone who’s seen these movies or the marketing materials around it—you see this piece, your heart starts racing," said Charles Eptin of Heritage Auctions. Indeed, it's hard to describe the excitement the Boomer generation felt after seeing Star Wars for the first time. Lucas pushed the limits of 1977 technology to create something radically different than other sci-fi adventures previously created.
In the lower right-hand corner are R2-D2 and C-3PO, which were added at the last minute, Epting said. The droids are absent from the early reproductions of the painting and later appeared when the movie poster and the billboard were produced. The exact date of the latter is unknown but it was around June or July 1977, Epting said.
“You can watch the evolution of this piece and how they were figuring out what was important to include, what are we going to represent, what’s going to draw people in,” Epting said.
The painting is not just film memorabilia but is also a cultural artifact and part of American history, Epting said. The emotional connection that people form with “Star Wars” movies also helps explain the sales price, he said.
The Star Wars franchise has gone stale. This was to be expected, once corporate America got control of the images and likenesses. Disney has beaten the franchise to death, gone woke, and churned out unimaginative, boring TV series like Ahsoka and Boba Fett. The Star Wars universe has also gone stale, and it's doubtful that even Disney magic can resurrect it.
But the magic of that first flush of wonder at what Lucas created will never go away, and people of my generation will always treasure it.
