Sketching Star Wars
A new book reveals edited scenes and classic moments sketched out in storyboards

You didn't think the actors playing Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader just showed up on set one day and improvised their climactic battle scene, did you?
Star Wars Storyboards: The Original Trilogy (Abrams) shows just how much pre-planning went into the original iconic trilogy. From sketched scenes that never made it into the films, to drawings of what would become the movies' quintessential moments, Lucasfilm offered up its archives for the book, which was released just ahead of this week's Star Wars: Episode VII cast announcements.
Below, nerd out with images from A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
**All Images: (C) 2014 Lucasfilm Ltd. And TM. All Rights Reserved. Used Under Authorization**
(Purchase the book via Abrams' website)
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Lauren Hansen produces The Week’s podcasts and videos and edits the photo blog, Captured. She also manages the production of the magazine's iPad app. A graduate of Kenyon College and Northwestern University, she previously worked at the BBC and Frontline. She knows a thing or two about pretty pictures and cute puppies, both of which she tweets about @mylaurenhansen.
-
The AI arms race
Talking Point The fixation on AI-powered economic growth risks drowning out concerns around the technology which have yet to be resolved
By The Week UK Published
-
Why Jannik Sinner's ban has divided the tennis world
In the Spotlight The timing of the suspension handed down to the world's best male tennis player has been met with scepticism
By The Week UK Published
-
Crossword: February 22, 2025
The Week's daily crossword puzzle
By The Week Staff Published