Rarely Seen ‘Return Of The Jedi’ Photos Revealed In New Book

Never-before-seen photos from the making of “Star Wars: Return of the Jedi” will be included in a new 372-page book by J.W. Rinzler.

The original “Star Wars” trilogy finale features several iconic moments, including Princess Leia killing Jabba the Hutt and provides answers to questions from “Empire Strikes Back.” To celebrate the film’s 30th anniversary, Rinzler, who has written other behind-the-scenes looks at the “Star Wars” franchise, has created “The Making of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi.”

It will be released from LucasBooks, the publishing division of Lucasfilm Ltd., on Oct. 1 in hardcover and as a digital edition and will include a foreword from director Brad Bird (“The Incredibles” and “Mission Impossible – Ghost Protocol”). One synposis of the book said it will include “A mother lode of extremely informative, vastly entertaining, and often unexpected stories, anecdotes, recollections, and revelations straight from the closely guarded set of a big-screen blockbuster in the making. Brimming with previously unpublished photos, production artwork, script excerpts, exclusive intel, vintage on-set interviews.”

The book will include a look at how series creator George Lucas, screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan and “Return of the Jedi” director Richard Marquand worked to shape the “Star Wars” series finale as well as the process behind creating the different worlds and how Jabba the Hutt was created. Rinzler’s book will also include on-set photos of Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker, Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia, Harrison Ford as Han Solo and Ian McDiarmid as the Emperor.

“The Making of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi” will also look at preproduction, including the decision on who should direct the film as well as the frantic efforts by the film’s crew to complete “Return of the Jedi” on time.

Entertainment Weekly has a gallery of 13 featured photos from “The Making of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi.”