'Star Wars': Here are some facts about the franchise you might not have known

May 4 is celebrated as the Star Wars Day, dedicated to George Lucas’ epic space opera which premiered in 1977. Check out some facts about the cult classic:



The franchise began in 1977 with the release of the film Star Wars (subtitled Episode IV: A New Hope in 1981), by 20th Century Fox. It was followed by the similarly successful sequels The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983).