The painting that introduced ‘Star Wars’ to the world fetches $3.9M at auction

The original “Star Wars” promotional painting that first introduced the iconic film franchise to American audiences has sold at auction for a record-breaking $3.875 million, setting new benchmarks in entertainment memorabilia.

The artwork, created by movie poster designer Tom Jung, made its debut in newspaper advertisements on May 13, 1977, nearly two weeks before George Lucas’s space epic premiered in theaters. The acrylic and airbrush painting subsequently appeared on billboards, in magazine advertisements, and in theater programs, becoming the first glimpse many Americans had of Lucas’s “galaxy far, far away.”

“For most of America, this was the first time they got a glimpse of the galaxy far, far away,” said Charles Epting, director of pop culture and historical consignments at Heritage Auctions, where the painting was sold.

The original artwork had been in the possession of “Star Wars” producer Gary Kurtz, who displayed it on his office wall before it was passed down to his daughter. The Kurtz family ultimately decided to auction the piece through Heritage Auctions in Dallas, where bidding opened at $1 million.

The final sale price establishes new records both for “Star Wars” memorabilia and for movie poster artwork in general. The anonymous buyer submitted the winning bid through the auction house’s website and has chosen to remain unidentified.

The previous record for “Star Wars” franchise memorabilia was held by Darth Vader’s lightsaber, which fetched $3.6 million at auction. This latest sale underscores the enduring cultural and financial value of artifacts from the franchise, which has grown into one of the highest-grossing entertainment properties of all time since its 1977 debut.

The “Star Wars” saga, which initially starred Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker, has expanded over decades to include multiple sequel and prequel films, along with books, television series, and other media. Its passionate fanbase spans the globe, contributing to the extraordinary prices collectors are willing to pay for original memorabilia.

Jung’s painting features a dramatic composition with Luke Skywalker holding a lightsaber aloft behind Princess Leia, while Darth Vader looms menacingly in the background. The reverse side depicts X-wing starfighters launching an attack, alongside a scene of Han Solo and Skywalker receiving medals.

Interestingly, the iconic droids R2-D2 and C-3PO were late additions to the artwork, appearing in the lower right corner. According to Epting, these characters are absent from early reproductions of the painting and only appeared when the final movie poster and billboard versions were produced around June or July of 1977.

“You can watch the evolution of this piece and how they were figuring out what was important to include, what are we going to represent, what’s going to draw people in,” Epting explained.

The auction executive emphasized that the painting transcends mere film memorabilia, representing both a cultural artifact and a significant piece of American history. He attributed the extraordinary sales price partly to the emotional connections audiences have formed with the “Star Wars” universe over nearly five decades.

“Anyone who’s seen these movies or the marketing materials around it — you see this piece, your heart starts racing,” Epting noted.

This record-breaking sale highlights the growing market for premium entertainment memorabilia, particularly items associated with formative moments in pop culture history. As the first visual representation of a franchise that would go on to reshape entertainment, Jung’s painting occupies a unique position in cinema history, making it a particularly valuable acquisition for serious collectors.