Mark, George, Carrie and Harrison hanging out (Picture: TASCHEN/TM & © 2018 LFL)

Forty years after Star Wars exploded on to cinema screens in 1977, new behind-the-scenes images, unseen concept art, storyboards and on-set photography has been released by franchise creator George Lucas.

The Star Wars Archives: 1977–1983 takes fans deep in to the archives of Star Wars and recounts Lucas’s original ideas and inspirations for Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Princess Leia and the Empire.

In one brilliant picture George Lucas was shot standing in for Mark Hamill as Skywalker, legs crossed in the cave within the Dagobah System, as he rehearses with Frank Oz as Yoda.

George steps in for Mark (Picture: TASCHEN/TM & © 2018 LFL)

In another snap, Richard Edlund, then first cameraman, has been photographed as he prepares the finished Millennium Falcon model on the ILM stage, ready to be shot by the Dykstraflex camera.




‘At one time the cockpit was to be motorized, so that it could rotate 90 degrees. Lucas had the idea that the ship could fly like a sunfish, landing flat, but at takeoff the body would rotate and the cockpit would remainat the same configuration,’ reveals model builder Lorne Peterson.

The finished Millennium Falcon model (Picture: TASCHEN/TM & © 2018 LFL)

In another snap animators Phil Tippett and Jon Berg create the Battle of Hoth on tabletops while one photograph shows the Death Star surface being filmed by the Dykstraflex camera, monitored by Edlund (crouching), with effects cameraman Bill Neil behind him.

The Battle of Hoth on tabletops (Picture: TASCHEN/TM & © 2018 LFL)

The Death Star surface (Picture: TASCHEN/TM & © 2018 LFL)

The cue sheet for James Earl Jones, the voice of Darth Vader – dated 2 November 2 1979 – shows the lines he recorded on that day for The Empire Strikes Back, including the top secret line, ‘I am your father,’ which he recorded twice, while a set photograph for Return of the Jedi shows Hamill jumping off the plank on the first day of filming in Yuma.

Timber! (Picture: TASCHEN/TM & © 2018 LFL)

Hamill became a member of the British stuntmen’s union, and said: ‘I’m very proud of that honor. The British are more conservative in such matters.

‘I did all my own stunts in Jedi. I also did all my own stunts in Empire, except for the shot of Luke going through the window.’

The Star Wars Archives: 1977–1983 is out on 10 December (Picture: Jennifer Patrick)

The Star Wars Archives: 1977–1983 is out on 10 December 2018 via Taschen.

Got a showbiz story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page - we'd love to hear from you.

MORE: John Boyega is beaming with pride over Jodie Whittaker’s ‘brilliant’ casting as first female Doctor Who

MORE: Wreck-It-Ralph could be appearing in Fortnite