<Table> Film trilogies <Tr> <Th> Film </Th> <Th> Release date </Th> <Th> Director ( s ) </Th> <Th> Screenwriter ( s ) </Th> <Th> Story by </Th> <Th> Producer ( s ) </Th> <Th> Initial distributor ( s ) </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th colspan="7"> Original trilogy </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Episode IV -- A New Hope </Th> <Td> May 25 , 1977 ( 1977 - 05 - 25 ) </Td> <Td colspan="3"> George Lucas </Td> <Td> Gary Kurtz </Td> <Td> 20th Century Fox </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Episode V -- The Empire Strikes Back </Th> <Td> May 21 , 1980 ( 1980 - 05 - 21 ) </Td> <Td> Irvin Kershner </Td> <Td> Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan </Td> <Td> George Lucas </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Episode VI -- Return of the Jedi </Th> <Td> May 25 , 1983 ( 1983 - 05 - 25 ) </Td> <Td> Richard Marquand </Td> <Td> Lawrence Kasdan and George Lucas </Td> <Td> Howard Kazanjian </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th colspan="7"> Prequel trilogy </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Episode I -- The Phantom Menace </Th> <Td> May 19 , 1999 ( 1999 - 05 - 19 ) </Td> <Td> George Lucas </Td> <Td colspan="2"> George Lucas </Td> <Td> Rick McCallum </Td> <Td> 20th Century Fox </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Episode II -- Attack of the Clones </Th> <Td> May 16 , 2002 ( 2002 - 05 - 16 ) </Td> <Td> George Lucas and Jonathan Hales </Td> <Td> George Lucas </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith </Th> <Td> May 19 , 2005 ( 2005 - 05 - 19 ) </Td> <Td colspan="2"> George Lucas </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th colspan="7"> Sequel trilogy </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Episode VII -- The Force Awakens </Th> <Td> December 18 , 2015 ( 2015 - 12 - 18 ) </Td> <Td> J.J. Abrams </Td> <Td colspan="2"> Lawrence Kasdan & J.J. Abrams and Michael Arndt </Td> <Td> Kathleen Kennedy , J.J. Abrams and Bryan Burk </Td> <Td> Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Episode VIII -- The Last Jedi </Th> <Td> December 15 , 2017 ( 2017 - 12 - 15 ) </Td> <Td colspan="3"> Rian Johnson </Td> <Td> Kathleen Kennedy and Ram Bergman </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Episode IX </Th> <Td> December 20 , 2019 ( 2019 - 12 - 20 ) </Td> <Td> J.J. Abrams </Td> <Td colspan="2"> J.J. Abrams & Chris Terrio </Td> <Td> Kathleen Kennedy , Michelle Rejwan and J.J. Abrams </Td> </Tr> </Table>
when was the first star wars film released
May 25 , 1977