Filming for Return of the Jedi lasted from Jan. 11, 1982 to May 20, 1982, with a budget of $32.5 million and a shooting schedule that ran six weeks shorter than The Empire Strikes Back ; George Lucas wanted to keep the film within budget.

At the time, Polaroids were a crucial tool to prevent continuity errors during filming, before the advent of digital cameras. This technique allowed crew like costume designers, production designers and make-up artists to have instant images and check over the details of each production day. Decades later, the continuity Polaroids from Return of the Jedi provide a unique look for fans to see what it was really like to be on set.