Credit: LucasfilmNext year marks the 50th anniversary of the Star Wars franchise, which began with George Lucas’ original 1977 classic.
Star Wars (1977) was so instantly popular that a holiday special premiered on television the following year. The Star Wars Holiday Special (1978) revolves around the in-universe holiday known as “Life Day” and follows Chewbacca (Mayhew) as he heads home for the season. Several other actors from the original film also reprise their roles, including Hamill, Ford, and Fisher.
The film was originally broadcast by CBS on November 17, 1978, just before Thanksgiving; however, as it contains themes of families coming home for the winter season, it’s widely remembered and treated as a Christmas special.
A New Star Wars Christmas Special
However, after being lambasted by audiences and critics, the cringeworthy special is not considered part of current Star Wars canon (although Life Day itself has been subsequently incorporated into the official continuity). It was even parodied in The Lego Star Wars Holiday Special (2020). This Christmas, however, fans will get an unusual new celebration.
Earlier this month, Disney, Lucasfilm, Welsh broadcaster S4C, and Creative Wales announced the first-ever Welsh-language version of Star Wars: A New Hope (1977), which is officially titled Star Wars: Gobaith Newydd in Welsh and will broadcast on S4C and across its platforms from Christmas Day onwards.
Related: Lucasfilm Officially Changes ‘Star Wars: A New Hope’ Ending After 49 Years
The original Star Wars film follows the young farm boy Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), who begins to discover his destiny as a Jedi when he meets the former Jedi master Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness) on his home planet Tatooine.
Together, they join forces with smuggler Han Solo (Harrison Ford), his Wookiee co-pilot Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew), the droid duo C-3PO (Anthony Daniels) and R2-D2 (Kenny Baker), and Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), as they come face to face with the Galactic Empire and the Sith Lord known as Darth Vader (James Earl Jones), who will stop at nothing to rule over the galaxy.
The Welsh-language version means that the film is getting a new voice cast with Welsh actors: Osian Morgan as Luke Skywalker, Aimee-Ffion Edwards as Princess Leia, Matthew Rhys as Han Solo, Rhys Ifans as Obi-Wan Kenobi, Mark Lewis Jones as Darth Vader, and Llŷr Ifans as C-3PO.
Gobaith Newydd also stars Nia Roberts as Aunt Beru, Richard Harrington as Grand Moff Tarkin, Owain Arthur as Red Leader, and Rhodri Meilir as Gold Leader.
You can already watch the entire opening text crawl in Welsh in the official teaser shared by S4C:
“Wales has such a rich history of storytelling and a beautiful lyrical language,” Wales-born Lucasfilm Co-President Lynwen Brennan said in a statement. “We have never before had a translation of Star Wars into Welsh and I am so thankful that in celebration of our 50th anniversary, we have been able to work with some incredible Welsh talent to make that a reality.”
She added that “Welsh speakers will finally be able to enjoy the film in our native language” and that her hope is “that it will have the same emotional impact as if you were watching the film again for the first time.”
The Welsh-language version of A New Hope will premiere on S4C and its streaming platforms on Christmas Day.
What do you think of Star Wars receiving a special Christmas Day release? Would you watch the movie in Welsh? Let us know in the comments below!
