The original painting that first introduced Star Wars to the public — later reproduced as the movie’s famous poster — sold at auction for USD 3.875 million.
Created by artist and poster designer Tom Jung using acrylic and airbrush, the image debuted in newspaper ads on May 13, 1977, just days before George Lucas’s space epic opened. The artwork also ran on billboards, in magazine advertisements and in theater programs as the film rolled out.
“For most of America, this was the first time they got a glimpse of the galaxy far, far away,” said Charles Epting, director of pop culture and historical consignments at Heritage Auctions, describing the painting’s role in introducing the film to a wide audience.
Producer Gary Kurtz retained the original painting, hung it in his office and later passed it to his daughter. The Kurtz family consigned the piece to Heritage Auctions’ Dallas headquarters, where bidding opened at USD 1 million. The eventual winning bidder, who placed their bid online, chose to remain anonymous.
Heritage said the sale set records both as the highest price ever paid for Star Wars memorabilia and as the top price for any movie poster artwork. The previous high for franchise collectibles was USD 3.6 million for Darth Vader’s lightsaber.
The composition centers on Luke Skywalker with a raised lightsaber behind Princess Leia, while Darth Vader looms in the background. A separate vignette shows X-wing starfighters in attack; Han Solo and Luke are depicted receiving medals. R2-D2 and C-3PO were added at the last minute and do not appear in the earliest reproductions, but they do show up on the posters and billboards produced later in June and July 1977.
Epting noted that the painting’s changes across printed versions reveal how the creators decided what elements to emphasize to draw viewers in. He described the work not only as film memorabilia but as a cultural artifact and part of American history, saying the deep emotional connection many people feel to Star Wars helps explain the strong bidding and high price. “Anyone who’s seen these movies or the marketing materials — you see this piece, your heart starts racing,” he said.
