In 1977, Star Wars blasted into movie theaters and changed the course of cinema forever. When it came for the second film in the saga to arrive, the world was ready. The Empire Strikes Back was released on May 21, 1980. It was the Wednesday before Memorial Day Weekend, so fans would have ample opportunity to catch the latest exploits of Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader to kick off the summer.
Lets look back at the glorious days of 1980 with five fun facts about The Empire Strikes Back.
1. The Empire Strikes Back blew away Star Wars in terms of opening weekend box office
Despite being shown on only a few dozen screens across the country over opening weekend in 1977, Star Wars still broke box office records, pulling in $1.5 million. The Empire Strikes Back opened on 126 screens in America, and pulled in $4.9 million. The movie would rake in another $1.5 million on Memorial Day 1980 alone, bringing the holiday weekend total to a whooping $6.4 million.
2. The Empire Strikes Back came out the same weekend as The Shining
With the Star Wars sequel the obvious #1 movie of the weekend, competing studios released movies specifically for people they believed would be looking for an alternative to the space soap opera. Coming in at #2 that weekend: The Gong Show Movie. The Shining came in third, with the movie only coming out in limited release before word of mouth generated larger crowds.
3. Yoda was kept under wraps before the film's release
The character Yoda was famously introduced in this movie, quickly becoming a fan favorite. The movie studio made a point of not issuing photos of Yoda, or even using his image in the movie trailers. They wanted to make his arrival an onscreen surprise for moviegoers. It's the same model used to introduce "The Child" character in The Mandalorian.
4. Jim Henson was George Lucas' first choice to play Yoda
“I went to Jim [Henson] and said, ‘Do you want to do this?’," Lucas told Leonard Maltin. "And he said, ‘Well, I’m busy, I’m doing this, and doing that, I’m making a movie and all that—I really can’t, but ... how about Frank [Oz]? You know, Frank’s the other half of me.’ And I said, ‘Well, that’d be fantastic.’”
5. There was an audience when Han Solo saved a freezing Luke Skywalker on Hoth
While filming on location in Finse, Norway, there was a huge blizzard. Director Irvin Kershner decided to use the blizzard to film the scene on Hoth, in which Luke is riding his Tauntaun and gets knocked out by the Wampa. It was also shot 200 yards from the hotel where the cast and crew were staying. “If you turn the cameras around from that scene, there's people out on their balcony, sipping cocoa watching us,” Mark Hamill told USA Today.
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