Star Wars Goes Welsh for 50th Anniversary

In a landmark celebration of its 50th anniversary, the classic film Star Wars Episode IV - A New Hope will be released in Welsh for the first time. This special Welsh language version, titled Star Wars: Gobaith Newydd, is a collaboration between S4C, Creative Wales, Lucasfilm, and Disney.

The film will feature a star-studded Welsh cast, with Matthew Rhys voicing Han Solo, Rhys Ifans as Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Aimee-Ffion Edwards as Princess Leia. Mark Lewis Jones will take on the formidable role of Darth Vader, while Osian Morgan will voice Luke Skywalker. The dubbing project is directed by Ellyn Stern, with Michael Kohn serving as producer.

Lucasfilm representatives expressed excitement, highlighting the project's goal to preserve and revitalize interest in the Welsh language through the popular franchise. Lynwen Brennan, Lucasfilm co-president born in Wales, emphasized the beautiful lyrical nature of the Welsh language and the desire to create an emotional impact for Welsh speakers. This initiative marks the first-ever translation of Star Wars into Welsh, offering a unique opportunity for native speakers to experience the film.

Wales has a historical connection to the Star Wars franchise, including the construction of a Millennium Falcon at Pembroke Dock in 1979 and recent filming for 'The Acolyte' series. This new Welsh dub is anticipated to captivate generations of fans and underscores Wales's growing contribution to world-class film and television production.