‘Star Wars’ Behind The Scenes: Never-Before-Seen Photos From Mark Hamill’s Personal Album

Star Wars, perhaps the most enduring pop culture phenomenon of the last half-century, is about to attract a new generation of fans when the seventh feature film in the series started by director George Lucas in 1977 hits multiplex screens in December of this year.

But with the franchise extending back almost 40 years, there are legions of older fans not only excited for new Star Wars big screen product, but nostalgic for the old days as well. And those fans will definitely appreciate a new set of behind-the-scenes photos made public on Tuesday by Marilou Hamill, the wife of Mark “Luke Skywalker” Hamill.

The photos were taken on the set between takes of Return of the Jedi, the third and — until the series resumed in 1999 — final installment in the Star Wars saga which was released in 1983. Marilou Hamill released the photos to the StarWars.com site, which explained what they were all about.

“Star Wars has always been a story about family, and is often shared by families — even behind the scenes. In a backstage interview with James Arnold Taylor and StarWars.com at Star Wars Celebration Anaheim, the legendary Mark Hamill discussed some newly unearthed photos from his family’s own collection,” the StarWars.com site wrote. “The photos show Hamill — often in costume as Luke — with his wife Marilou and son Nathan during the filming of Return of the Jedi, visiting such iconic sets as the Emperor’s throne room, Yoda’s hut, and more.”

Here is Mark Hamill and family, 32 years ago, with the now-iconic Ewoks on the Return of the Jedi set.

And Nathan Hamill, just four years old at the time, trying on the C3PO gear…

Here’s the Hamill family enjoying a little lunch inside Yoda’s tiny little home.

And another adorable shot of Luke Skywalker and son with a certain, special friend.

When Return of the Jedi was released in 1983, it truly was a different world. Compared to the more than $200 million at the box office that the new Marvel Comics film Avengers: Age of Ultron has amassed before even being released in the United States, Jedi was small potatoes.

The film grossed what at the time seemed like an impressive $23 million in its opening weekend. Even adjusting for a rise in ticket prices — the average movie ticket cost $3.15 in 1983 compared to $8.12 today — that’s just $60 million.

To see the newly released set of nostalgic Star Wars photos, visit this link.

[Image: 20th Century Fox]