- Primary Subject: The Hero Awakens (upcoming Disney+ Star Wars documentary)
- Key Update: Disney+ and Lucasfilm announced a new documentary featuring never-before-seen archival footage and interviews from the making of Star Wars: A New Hope.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: November 12, 2026
- Quick Answer: Disney+ and Lucasfilm are releasing The Hero Awakens, a new Star Wars: A New Hope 50th-anniversary documentary featuring unseen archival footage, on May 4, 2027.
Disney+ is set to release a new documentary about the making of Star Wars: A New Hope, with never-before-seen footage.
The groundbreaking 1977 classic is set to celebrate its 50th anniversary next year. Fans are looking forward to commemorating the film's milestone by watching the re-release in theaters and checking out the events that will take place throughout the year-long celebration.
Disney+ to Release New Star Wars Documentary for 50th Anniversary
Disney+ and Lucasfilm recently announced that they are releasing a new Star Wars documentary film titled The Hero Awakens. It will arrive on the streamer on May 4, 2027.
Directed by award-winning filmmaker R.J. Cutler, the documentary will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the original Star Wars movie, unearthing the inside story of how the historic film came together. It is entirely assembled from archival material dating back to the original production.
It will also feature never-before-seen footage and never-before-heard interviews that tell the story of Star Wars as it was being made, before anyone knew the profound impact the film would have, for an inspiring and insightful new take on the making of the future masterpiece.
The documentary promises that its footage captures the setbacks, triumphs, challenges, and uncertainties as they happen, in an unparalleled chronicle of the making of a cinematic legend.
So far, there are no details about which cast and crew from the original Star Wars were interviewed for the documentary.
While many documentaries have been released about the making of the Star Wars movies throughout the last few decades, it looks like The Hero Awakens will deliver a vastly different experience for fans since it will have footage that none of us has ever seen and might change our perception of the movie's history.
What's Next for the Star Wars Franchise
Up next in the theatrical Star Wars slate is Star Wars: Starfighter, a standalone original story that takes place in a timeline never explored in the franchise before. Shawn Levy directed the film, and it is slated for release in theaters on May 28, 2027.
The cast includes Ryan Gosling, Flynn Gray, Amy Adams, Aaron Pierre, Mia Goth, Matt Smith, Simon Bird, Jamael Westman, and Daniel Ings.
Meanwhile, on the television side, Ahsoka's second season is currently in post-production, with the premiere set for January 20, 2027, on Disney+.