Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy Assures Fans That Screening of Original Cut of 1977's Star Wars Isn't 'Illegal'

The British Film Institute recently premiered the original print of Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, with Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy present to confirm that George Lucas’s sci-fi epic was indeed screened legally.

As reported by GamesRadar, Kennedy quipped during her introduction at the BFI Film on Film Festival in London on June 12: "I'm here… to ensure you don't believe this is an illegal screening."

She praised the print's significance, noting: "It’s incredible folklore. Even when I joined Lucasfilm, there was constant discussion about where everything was kept and which copy was truly the first print. What you’re seeing is genuinely unique—remarkably rare with so few copies left after years of tinkering by George [Lucas], who constantly tweaked scenes until 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 marks the first public screening of the 1977 classic’s initial print since 1978, though this specific cut had appeared on VHS releases over the years. According to The Telegraph in April, the reels were stored at 23 degrees Fahrenheit to maintain their quality and viewing experience.

"In these special screenings, we present the film exactly as audiences experienced it upon its original 1977 release," stated the BFI.

The queue outside Leicester Square Theatre for the London opening of Star Wars in 1977. Photo by PA Images via Getty Images."Screened from one of the rare dye transfer IB Technicolor prints made exclusively for the UK release and preserved at the BFI National Archive, this copy shows some wear typical of archive materials but boasts gloriously unfaded colors. Truly unmissable."

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Interestingly, Lucas has previously been vocal about keeping the original cut hidden, making adjustments shortly after its release that eventually formed the basis of the Special Edition. Released in 1997, this version became the standard for fans over the years.