Internationally recognised art and literary critic, writer and cultural producer. Published in ELLE, Glamour, Esquire and Cosmopolitan; member of the Union of Writers.
Harrison Ford, the actor who played Han Solo in the Star Wars saga, left behind a rare script for the first film in a London flat in 1976. The script, which dates back to when the film was still called Star Killers, was recently sold at a UK auction for £10,796 ($13,631), setting a new record for a Star Wars script. The script was bought by an Austrian collector who bid online at Excalibur Auctions in Hertfordshire, north of London.
The Forgotten Script of Star Wars
The script was used by Ford when he was in London for the filming of the first instalment of the epic sci-fi franchise, which was later renamed Star Wars: A New Hope. The film, directed by George Lucas, was released in 1977 and became a global phenomenon, spawning several sequels, spin-offs, and merchandise. Ford played Han Solo, the charismatic and roguish pilot of the Millennium Falcon, a role that catapulted him to international fame and acclaim.
The script was left behind by Ford in a London flat that he rented at the time, along with other items, such as shooting schedules, a call sheet, and a letter from an agent or friend. The landlords of the property found the items and kept them for decades, unaware of their value. They decided to sell them after Ford’s recent return to the Star Wars universe in The Force Awakens (2015) and The Rise of Skywalker (2019).
The script is a fourth draft of the screenplay, dated March 15, 1976. It is incomplete but contains some revisions and annotations. It also introduces Han Solo on page 56, as well as other characters and scenes that did not make it to the final cut. The script also reveals the original title of the film, Star Killers, which was changed to Star Wars shortly before the filming began.
The Record-Breaking Sale of Star Wars
The sale of the script attracted a lot of interest from Star Wars fans and collectors around the world, who competed online and by phone to get their hands on the rare piece of memorabilia. The script surpassed its pre-sale estimate of £8,000-£12,000 and set a new record for a Star Wars script, beating the previous record of £8,000 for a script signed by the cast.
The auctioneer Jonathan Torode of Excalibur Auctions said that the sale saw a new record set for a Star Wars script, “which shows how a personal link to the items is so enticing to Star Wars fans”. He added that “the personal provenance makes them totally unique” and that he hoped that “they will be as treasured by their new owners as much as they were by the previous ones”.
The script is not the only Star Wars item that has fetched a high price at auction. In 2019, a prototype Darth Vader helmet sold for $898,420 at Profiles in History in Los Angeles. In 2018, a blaster used by Han Solo in Return of the Jedi sold for $550,000 at Julien’s Auctions in Las Vegas. And in 2017, an R2-D2 droid used in several films sold for $2.76 million at Profiles in History in Los Angeles.
Star Wars is one of the most popular and influential film franchises of all time, with a loyal and passionate fan base. The script that Harrison Ford left behind in London is a testament to the enduring appeal and fascination of the Star Wars universe.
