The Empire Strikes Back
“The Star Wars saga continues.”
Synopsis
The epic saga continues as Luke Skywalker, in hopes of defeating the evil Galactic Empire, learns the ways of the Jedi from aging master Yoda. But Darth Vader is more determined than ever to capture Luke. Meanwhile, rebel leader Princess Leia, cocky Han Solo, Chewbacca, and droids C-3PO and R2-D2 are thrown into various stages of capture, betrayal and despair.
Part of the Star Wars Collection
Stream the entire interconnected saga and experience every installment in chronological storyline order.
Release History & Theatrical Window
London
Festival / Special Debut
May 21, 1980
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$18M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$538.4M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
29.91x
+$520.4M net gain
Theatrical Status
Mega Hit
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Irvin Kershner
- Screenplay & Story
- Leigh Brackett, Lawrence Kasdan
- Original Score
- John Williams
- Original Title
- The Empire Strikes Back
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 2h 4m
- Production Budget
- $18M
- Worldwide Gross
- $538.4M
- Production Studios
- Lucasfilm Ltd.
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →
Mark Hamill
Luke Skywalker
Harrison Ford
Han Solo
Carrie Fisher
Princess Leia
Billy Dee Williams
Lando Calrissian
Anthony Daniels
C-3PO
David Prowse
Darth Vader
Peter Mayhew
Chewbacca
Kenny Baker
R2-D2
Frank Oz
Yoda (Voice)
Alec Guinness
Obi-Wan Kenobi
Jeremy Bulloch
Boba Fett
Jason Wingreen
Boba Fett (voice - uncredited)
John Hollis
Lando's Aide
Jack Purvis
Chief Ugnaught
Des Webb
Snow Creature
Kathryn Mullen
Performing Assistant for Yoda
Marjorie Eaton
Emperor (uncredited)
Clive Revill
Emperor (voice)
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Irvin Kershner
Leigh Brackett, Lawrence Kasdan, George Lucas
John Williams
Peter Suschitzky
Marcia Lucas, Paul Hirsch
Gary Kurtz, George Lucas, Howard G. Kazanjian
Department Leadership Roster
Gary Kurtz
Producer
Leigh Brackett
Screenplay
Irvin Kershner
Director
Lawrence Kasdan
Screenplay
John Williams
Original Music Composer
Marcia Lucas
Editor
Norman Reynolds
Production Design
Peter Suschitzky
Director of Photography
John Mollo
Costume Design
Paul Hirsch
Editor
Howard G. Kazanjian
Producer
Peter Diamond
Stunt Coordinator
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
The Empire Strikes Back - Star Wars: The Digital Movie CollectionOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2015-04-07
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
PG: Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
International Certification Matrix
Parental Guidance — Unlikely to upset children 8 and older.
Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Empire Strikes Back.
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die (All editions 2003-2024). A cumulative list including films subsequently removed in later editions. Totaling 1,260 films as of Nov 2024. 《1001部死前必看的电影》（2003-2024 全版本累积版）： 包含自2003年首版至2024年11月德语版修订的所有影片。即使在后期版本中被剔除的电影也予以保留。 *注：榜单源数据中包含部分剧集/迷你剧，由于本片单只收录纯电影，故不再收录以下非电影条目：* • [#019] Lovers Rock (2020) • [#418] Dekalog (1989) *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-09 07:37:15 UTC+8)*
Letterboxd's Top 250 Films with the Most Fans
Letterboxd's official Top 250 films with the most fans. Letterboxd 官方粉丝最多 Top 250 榜单： 按被平台用户标记为个人主页‘最爱（Favorites）’的数量对剧情长片进行排序的榜单。 *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-09 07:35:25 UTC+8)*
Letterboxd's Top 500 Films
Letterboxd's Top 500 Films. Ranks narrative feature films by average member rating (minimum 25,000 ratings). Excludes documentaries, shorts, and TV series. Letterboxd 官方 Top 500 电影榜单： 根据用户平均评分排名的剧情长片（最低2.5万评价门槛）。已排除纪录片、短片及剧集。 *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-09 07:35:06 UTC+8)*
TSPDT - 1000 Greatest Films
They Shoot Pictures, Don't They? (TSPDT) - The 1,000 Greatest Films. A definitive meta-list aggregating thousands of critics' polls, historical rankings, and director top 10s to represent the ultimate critical consensus in cinema history. TSPDT 影史最伟大的1000部电影： 全球最权威的电影元榜单，由该网站汇总世界各大电影刊物历史评选结果及数千名影评人、学者的个人十佳榜单，通过算法加权计算得出的终极共识。 *片单说明：* 本片单只收录纯电影，以下剧集或迷你剧不予收录： • [#335] Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980) • [#514] Twin Peaks: The Return (2017) • [#614] Edvard Munch (1974) • [#703] The Sorrow and the Pity (1969) • [#890] Elephant (1989) • [#925] Heimat (1984) • [#968] Doomed Love (1978) 以下作品在 TMDB 被拆分为多个独立电影条目；本片单按作品/章节顺序连续收录，且每个分拆条目均沿用同一 TSPDT 名次： • [#171] Dekalog (1989) — 展开为 10 部电影 • [#988] Olympia (1938) — 展开为 2 部电影 *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-09 07:30:02 UTC+8)*
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Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Empire Strikes Back.
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Empire Strikes Back
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Empire Strikes Back about?
The epic saga continues as Luke Skywalker, in hopes of defeating the evil Galactic Empire, learns the ways of the Jedi from aging master Yoda. But Darth Vader is more determined than ever to capture Luke. Meanwhile, rebel leader Princess Leia, cocky Han Solo, Chewbacca, and droids C-3PO and R2-D2 are thrown into various stages of capture, betrayal and despair.
Who directed The Empire Strikes Back?
The Empire Strikes Back was directed by Irvin Kershner.
Who stars in The Empire Strikes Back?
The principal cast of The Empire Strikes Back includes Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Daniels.
When was The Empire Strikes Back released and how long is it?
The Empire Strikes Back was released in 1980 with a total runtime of 2h 4m.
What was the box office and production budget of The Empire Strikes Back?
The Empire Strikes Back had a reported production budget of $18M and grossed $538.4M at the worldwide box office (29.91 return on budget, classified as a blockbuster success).
Who composed the musical score for The Empire Strikes Back?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Empire Strikes Back was composed by John Williams.
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Empire Strikes Back?
The Empire Strikes Back holds official age classifications: AU: PG; CA: PG; DE: 12; FR: TP; GB: PG (Parental Guidance — Unlikely to upset children 8 and older.); US: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.).