Thanksgiving is almost here and it’s a special time for Star Wars fans. That’s because 45 years ago, it was during Thanksgiving week that a Star Wars event for the ages took place. CBS aired The Star Wars Holiday Special one time, and one time only. After airing, it was quickly buried, left only to the imaginations of the people who saw it, and gaining a cult status unrivaled in most major fandoms.
In the decades since, the Star Wars Holiday Special has become more public but you still can’t see the whole thing, at least legally. Next month though, you can watch a dynamite documentary about the whole thing with plenty of footage, insight, and more. It’s called A Disturbance in the Force: How the Star Wars Holiday Special Happened, directed by Jeremy Coon and Steve Kozak, and it will be released on Blu-ray and digitally on December 5.
io9 was the first place to ever tell you about the project way back in 2020, and we reviewed it earlier this year when it played at South by Southwest. It’s an absolute dream as evidenced by this trailer. Check it out.
A DISTURBANCE IN THE FORCE Trailer (2023)
Again, for more details on the film itself, check out our rave review at this link. As for when you can see it, in addition to the December 5 home release, A Disturbance in the Force has screenings all across the globe in the coming weeks, in New York, Los Angeles, the United Kingdom, Australia, and beyond. Get all the details at the official link.
Oh, and if the documentary isn’t enough, Kozak also wrote a new book about the experience which is out now. Read more about that here.
And who knows? Maybe if enough Star Wars fans show love to this very good doc, maybe we’ll get a chance to see the full special officially one day.
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.