Skip to main content

Fan-edited ‘Empire Strikes Back’ video adds new shots, effects to the original

Darth Vader reaches for Luke in The Empire Strikes Back.
Disney / 20th Century Fox
After years of hard work, one rabid Star Wars fan has released The Empire Strikes Back ‘Revisited,’ a brand-new cut of the film that gets as close to the original version as possible, and improves on it with new original photography and effects work.

Created by Twitter user Adywan, who previously made a re-hashed version of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, this new creation, The Empire Strikes Back ‘Revisited‘ used new models created by fans specifically for this version of the film, aiming to fulfill what the creator says is, “What the Special Editions should have been.”

“The day has finally come where I can share this edit with all of you,” said Adywan on the project’s Facebook page, “It’s been a long hard slog, with many ups and downs (mainly downs), but I was never prepared to just give up. The support you have all shown is what kept me going, so I can’t thank you enough.”

For Star Wars fans who have been following this project for years, the new fan edit offers a unique viewing experience, filling visual holes in the original, and providing arguably the highest quality fan edit of the classic film. The biggest fans of the sci-fi franchise tend to want to stick as closely to the original prints of the film as possible, with one group even going so far as to raise thousands of dollars to restore an original 1977 print of Episode IV.

Getting your hands on a copy of the latest episode of Star Wars ‘Revisited’ will require some doing, as it is very illegal to share work protected by copyright without the express permission of its owner — and we can’t imagine Disney sanctioning this fan edit any time soon. While we don’t condone illegal activity at Digital Trends, and therefore can’t point you in the direction of a copy, we will say that those who are willing to do a little digging will likely be able to find one online.

Fans of the ‘Revisited’ series will be happy to learn that Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi is also on the way.

“I will be taking a week or so off from working on these edits and then I shall be getting stuck into ROTJ:R,” wrote Adywan at the bottom of the Empire Strikes Back ‘Revisited’ announcement. “I know some have been telling me to take a long holiday after finishing this but, hell, I haven’t had a holiday since 1997, so I doubt I’d miss anything.”

If you’ve gotten your hands on the ‘Revisited’ versions of the first two films and are looking for a fun way to watch them, check out our article about the best order to follow in watching the Star Wars films.

Editors' Recommendations

Parker Hall
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Parker Hall is a writer and musician from Portland, OR. He is a graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Oberlin…
The 10 best Star Wars bounty hunters, ranked
Temuera Morrison in a scene from The Book of Boba Fett.

Among the few mainstays of the Star Wars universe, perhaps none is more reliable than the bounty hunter. They don't exist in every Star Wars property, but they are present in many of them, and whenever they show up, you can pretty much guarantee they're going to be cool. Boba Fett became an icon after the original trilogy, even though he only has like five minutes of total screen time. Why? Because he looks so freakin' cool.

Boba is maybe the most well-known bounty hunter in the Star Wars universe, but he's far from the only one. Over the course of decades of expanded mythology, we've met a wide array of different bounty hunters with unique designs and personalities. Now, with season 3 of The Mandalorian about to premiere, it's time to count down the very best of the group. These are the 10 best bounty hunters in the history of Star Wars. 
10. IG-11

Read more
3 underrated (HBO) Max movies you should watch this weekend (June 28-30)
A girl looks at a boy in House at the End of the Street.

June is surprisingly over, and with it, a great month for movies comes to a satisfactory close. You've probably watched Inside Out 2 or Bad Boys: Ride or Die or maybe even The Bikeriders. From blockbusters to indie fare, the theatrical movie business has been robust and healthy.

The same goes for streaming. Netflix had a big hit with Richard Linklater's Hit Man, while Amazon Prime Video recently premiered the latest bonkers season of The Boys. HBO and Max have been quieter, but their robust library speaks volumes to the streamer's high quality. The following three films are older, but are just as worth your time as new hits like House of the Dragon season 2.
The Skin I Live In (2011)

Read more
3 underrated Amazon Prime Video movies you should watch this weekend (June 28-30)
Two men spy from a car in The Limey.

As we head toward the end of June, it's worth reflecting on how we want to spend the rest of summer. For some, that's going to mean enjoying nice weather or getting some time in at the beach. For others, it might mean escaping from the heat, at least for a while, to check out a great movie.

If you fall into that second category, then we've pulled together a list of three great, underrated, titles available on Amazon Prime Video that are all worth checking out. Prime Video is home to some of the best movies available online, but it can be hard to find the ones you want. These three will at least give you a great place to start.
The Limey (1999)
The Limey | 4K Restoration Trailer | Plays Dec. 19

Read more