Summary
- Return of the Jedi is celebrating its 40th anniversary with a new visual archive released in March 2024, showcasing the film's visual style and paying homage to the beloved conclusion of the original Star Wars trilogy.
- The book's content remains a secret, but it is expected to delve into various aspects of the film's production and possibly reveal forgotten secrets or early ideas such as Endor being inhabited by Wookiees instead of Ewoks.
- Fans will have to wait until the book's release in March 2024 to find out what exactly it will contain, but it promises to be a delight for Star Wars enthusiasts continuing to celebrate the iconic Return of the Jedi.
The 40th anniversary of Return of the Jedi is being celebrated with the release of an all-new visual archive for the final film in George Lucas' original trilogy. Released in 1983, Return of the Jedi turned 40 years old in 2023 with Lucasfilm re-releasing the film in theaters for a limited time and providing a brand-new poster to celebrate the beloved conclusion of the original Star Wars trilogy. However, Lucasfilm's celebration of Star Wars' Return of the Jedi is not stopping there. As revealed on Star Wars' official website from the publishing plan shown at NYCC 2023 concerning Lucasfilm's upcoming novels, comics, and books, a visual archive from Return of the Jedi is being released in March 2024. As announced by Lucasfilm, the book celebrates the visual language of the film with a collection of different writers and artists providing an insight into the film's visual style:
Make like an Ewok and celebrate the film that turned 40 this year with a new Visual Archive debuting in March. With a cover by Ise Ananphada, writers Kelly Knox, Clayton Sandell, and S.T. Bende and Insight Editions pay homage to the final film in the original trilogy that saw Luke Skywalker triumph over evil and help his father, Darth Vader, return to the light.
What Secrets Of Return Of The Jedi Will Be Revealed?
Concerning what secrets of Return of the Jedi will be revealed upon the book's release, the answer is currently unknown. Little has been revealed about what will be part of the collection, though it will likely address many of the different aspects of Return of the Jedi's production. For example, one inclusion could be the early ideas of Endor being inhabited by Wookiees rather than Ewoks which would certainly lend itself to some outstanding artwork.It is worth pointing out that Return of the Jedi being released four decades ago means several aspects of its production may have been forgotten. As such, the visual archive of the film could take these forgotten aspects that could be regarded as secrets and repackage them in a new context. This can easily be done regarding concept art and images from the production of the film, revealing secrets that have been lost through time in the process. Regardless, it is unclear what exactly will be part of the book until its release in March 2024 when Star Wars fans can continue celebrating the beloved Return of the Jedi.