Original George Lucas Script 'The Star Wars' Gets Comic Adaptation

The original script for Star Wars was very different from what audiences saw on screen in 1977. George Lucas first wrote The Star Wars as a much campier tale. Some of the now-popular characters were aliens, some didn't exist and others were different older or younger. Author J.W. Rinzler has written about the script in his fantastic book The Making of Star Wars: The Definitive Story Behind the Original Film but few fans have ever been able to explore it fully. Until now.

Beginning in September, Rinzler and Dark Horse Comics will adapt George Lucas' original script, The Star Wars, into an eight-issue comic book mini-series. It's the "story of Jedi Annikin Starkiller and General Luke Skywalker, an alien named Han Solo, and evil Sith Knights." Read more, and see more art, below.

Here's the official press release for the Dark Horse adaptation of The Star Wars.

It's no April Fools' prank! Dark Horse is honored to announce a dream project: working with J.W. Rinzler, executive editor at LucasBooks, and artist Mike Mayhew (Avengers) to adapt the rough-draft original screenplay which spawned the biggest franchise in film history!

Three years before his 1977 film, George Lucas put down on paper his first story set in a galaxy far, far away—a tale of fantastic adventures, daring escapes, "lazer swords," romance, and monsters. A story of Jedi Annikin Starkiller and General Luke Skywalker, an alien named Han Solo, and evil Sith Knights. The screenplay was titled The Star Wars!

"I'm not sure where I first read about The Star Wars—it was years and years ago—but the idea of Luke Skywalker being an older Jedi General, and Han Solo being a six-foot-tall lizard, turned my Star Wars fan brain on its side," said longtime Star Wars editor Randy Stradley. "I always assumed this would be one of those stories that would be 'lost to history,' so getting to work on bringing it to life is kinda like a dream come true."

"While researching in the Lucasfilm Archives I've found many treasures—but one which truly astounded me was George's rough draft forThe Star Wars. His first complete imaginings were hallucinating to read—mind blowing," said writer J.W. Rinzler. "While working with George on another book project, I once asked if we could adapt his rough draft. He was hesitant. Years later, with Dark Horse's invaluable help, we showed him a few drawn and colored pages of what it might look like. He gave us the okay."

Originally conceived in 1974, The Star Wars has been the subject of rumor and legend in the fan community throughout the history of the galaxy far, far away. Now, Lucas has seen fit to grant Dark Horse the right to adapt this fabled story into an eight-issue comic series launching in September!

And here's a piece of art from the comic.

Have you seen this script before? Excited for the comic?