Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back

Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back

Opening crawl

It is a dark time for the Rebellion. Although the Death Star has been destroyed, Imperial troops have driven the Rebel forces from their hidden base and pursued them across the galaxy.

Evading the dreaded Imperial Starfleet, a group of freedom fighters led by Luke Skywalker has established a new secret base on the remote ice world of Hoth.

The evil lord Darth Vader, obsessed with finding young Skywalker, has dispatched thousands of remote probes into the far reaches of space...

General information

Attribution information
Director(s) Irvin Kershner
Producer(s)
  • Gary Kurtz
  • Rick McCallum (Special Edition)
Writer(s)
  • George Lucas (story)
  • Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan (screenplay)
Starring
  • Mark Hamill
  • Harrison Ford
  • Carrie Fisher
  • Billy Dee Williams
  • Anthony Daniels
  • David Prowse
  • Peter Mayhew
  • Kenny Baker
  • Frank Oz
  • James Earl Jones
Music by John Williams
Production information
Distributor 20th Century Fox
Released
  • May 21, 1980 (Original Version)
  • February 21, 1997 (Special Edition)
Run time
  • 124 min. (Original)
  • 126 min. (Special Edition)
  • 127 min. (DVD, Blu-ray and Digital HD)
Budget $18,000,000
Language English
Chronological information
Timeline 3 years after Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope
Preceded by Episode IV A New Hope
Followed by Episode VI Return of the Jedi