The project was unveiled at the National Eisteddfod through a partnership with Welsh broadcaster S4C and Creative Wales, with the dubbed version set to premiere on Christmas Day across S4C’s platforms.
A Landmark Release Celebrates Both ‘Star Wars’ and the Welsh Language
The new adaptation assembles a cast of prominent Welsh performers to reinterpret some of the saga’s most recognizable characters. Matthew Rhys will voice Han Solo, while Rhys Ifans takes on Obi-Wan Kenobi. Aimee-Ffion Edwards has been cast as Princess Leia, Osian Morgan will portray Luke Skywalker, and Mark Lewis Jones will lend his voice to Darth Vader. Jones is already familiar to longtime fans after appearing as Captain Moden Canady in “Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi.”
Source: IMDb – Monica Schipper/Getty Images
The Welsh-language edition, titled “Star Wars: Gobaith Newydd,” is helmed by Ellyn Stern and produced by Michael Kohn, Lucasfilm’s director of distribution operations. Executives said the initiative is intended to support the visibility of the Welsh language while giving audiences an opportunity to experience one of cinema’s defining stories in their native tongue.
The project also arrives as the original picture prepares to mark a major milestone. Released in 1977, George Lucas’ space adventure transformed the film industry with its groundbreaking visual effects, introduced audiences to characters such as Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo and Darth Vader, and became one of the most influential blockbusters in movie history. The film’s enduring success launched a multimedia franchise that continues to expand nearly five decades later.
