Star Wars Episoe IV: A New Hope (originally released as Star Wars) is a 1977 space opera film, produced, written, and directed by George Lucas. It was the first of six films released in the Star Wars saga; two subsequent films continue the story while three others act as prequels. Ground-breaking in its use of special effects, this first Star Wars movie is one of the most successful films of all time and is generally considered one of the most influential as well.