Star Wars original trilogy gets rare big-screen return this summer

The Star Wars original trilogy is returning to the big screen.

The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema chain is sponsoring roadshow screenings of the iconic sci-fi franchise at arts venues around the country this summer.

Episode IV – A New Hope, Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back, andEpisode VI – Return of the Jedi have long been out of release, but they’ll be screened back to back in more than 20 cities throughout the month of August.

“It’s always been a dream to show the original Star Wars trilogy again – somehow, someway,” says Alamo Drafthouse’s VP of Special Events, Henri Mazza. “Seeing the original trilogy on the big screen for the first time is a real life-altering event and just a supreme amount of fun. When the films became available to book for screenings like these, we jumped at the chance to do something big.”

Plus, the films will serve as a big-screen refresher on the adventures of Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) between The Force Awakens and the 2017 release of Episode VIII, where he’s expected to play a significant role (or, if you prefer, the chance to see the Death Star in its previous incarnations before the release of Rogue One in December).

The films will be presented in their 1997 re-release format. Tickets for most markets will go on sale at ReturnOfTheTrilogy.com on May 4 – aka, Star Wars Day. (You know, “May the 4th Be With You”?) Each screening will feature curated video content before and between films, contests, props and other “special surprises.”

Here’s the list of initial dates, with more screenings to come:

THE RETURN OF THE TRILOGY Roadshow

August 6 – San Francisco, CA / The Warfield
August 6 – Kansas City, MO / The Midland Theatre
August 6 – Washington, D.C. / Warner Theatre
August 6 – Los Angeles, CA / The Theatre at the Ace Hotel
August 6 – New York, NY / The Town Hall
August 6 – Miami, FL / Olympia Theatre
August 6 – San Antonio, TX  Majestic Theatre
August 7 – New York, NY / Kings Theatre
August 7 – Dallas, TX / Majestic Theatre
August 11 – 13 – Austin, TX / The Long Center for the Performing Arts
August 13 – Philadelphia, PA / The Keswick Theatre
August 13 – Louisville, KY / Brown Theatre
August 20 – Oakland, CA / Paramount Theatre
August 27 – Boston, MA / The Boston Opera House
Date TBD – Houston, TX / Venue  TBD
Date TBD – Denver, CO / Venue TBD