The Big Picture It's been over 40 years since Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back hit theaters, and even after all this time, Star Wars fans gush over this climactic chapter in the Skywalker Saga. Not only did the perfect 1980 sequel feature a much darker tone than the original, but it had some pretty major character revelations that shook up the entire series, paving the way for many prequels, spin-offs, and other adventures in the years to come.
" filmed 4 months after we wrapped principal photography on ," Hamill explained. "It wasn't a 're-shoot', it was an added scene. Concerned about the downbeat ending & thorough defeat of the protagonists, they wanted to add an uplifting moment of hope & rejuvenation to reassure the audience." Nowadays, it's hard to imagine this movie ending any other way. Almost every Star Wars film ends on an upbeat note, with a Skywalker looking out over the horizon .
Where were Chewbacca and Lando in relationship to Luke, Leia, and the droids? Were they on the same ship or separate ships? Where was the Millennium Falcon in relation to the medical frigate where Luke was recuperating? After seeing it on the big screen, and receiving some feedback from audiences, Lucas knew he had to make a change. It wasn't long before Lucas called Industrial Light & Magic general manager Tom Smith, and asked for some additional material for the film.