The Star Wars franchise, especially the original trilogy, has seeped into people’s minds and still stands as one of the greatest sci-fi films ever made. The films pushed the boundaries of sci-fi filmmaking and introduced audiences to a galaxy far, far away featuring interesting characters, rich stories, and a complex mythology that continues to this day.
Throughout the years, fans have grown attached to several objects/items from the franchise, and some even try to own several Star Wars-related toys. Some of the props from the films have also been auctioned over the years, and the most expensive one is the X-Wing model that designer Greg Jein made for the first Star Wars film.
The X-Wing Model from Star Wars Was Auctioned at $3.1 Million
The original Star Wars trilogy redefined sci-fi filmmaking as George Lucas introduced audiences to a world that audiences had never seen before. It was the first film of its kind that dazzled audiences with a thought-provoking story about fighting against evil and forming unlikely allies and bonds. The first Star Wars film presented several fantastical sci-fi elements that thrilled audiences.
R2-D2 and C3PO became instant fan favorites despite not being the main leads of the film. These props and sci-fi objects, including the lightsabers, were later auctioned off in the modern era. The most expensive prop from the franchise that was ever sold was an X-wing model from the first film. The Rebel Alliance starfighter was auctioned at a whopping price of $3.1 million (via AV Club).
The model was included in a double auction held in October 2023, where various collections of items belonging to model designer Greg Jein were sold. AV Club further stated that an R2-D2 prop from the franchise was sold at $2.76 million at a 2017 auction. This same auction saw the sale of the iconic blue Luke Skywalker lightsaber at a surprisingly low price of $450,000.
Star Wars: The Acolyte Showrunner Explains Why Lee Jung-jae Was Perfect for Sol
The Star Wars franchise is gearing up for its next big series in the form of Star Wars: The Acolyte. The series is set 100 years before Star Wars: The Phantom Menace and will be a departure from other Star Wars stories in terms of tone by being a mystery thriller. One of the most interesting casting choices was the inclusion of Squid Game‘s Lee Jung-jae.
In a new promotional video for the show which goes behind the scenes of making it, showrunner Leslye Headland stated that Squid Game had just come out when she was writing the show and the character of Sol (a Jedi Master). She knew that Lee would be perfect for the part as he could play/emote every human emotion in a snap of a finger, which not many actors can do. Headland said (via YouTube),
“I was writing the character of Sol when ’Squid Game’ came out. I said, ‘That’s Sol.’ He just ran the gamut of every single emotion…JJ knows how to switch from being formidable and then switch to being heartbreaking. I don’t know many actors that can do that.”
In addition to Lee, the series will also star Amandla Stenberg, Manny Jacinto, Dafne Keen, Charlie Barnett, Jodie Turner-Smith, Joonas Suotamo, and Carrie-Anne Moss. Star Wars: The Acolyte will consist of 8 episodes, with the first two episodes premiering on Disney+ on June 4, 2024, and the remaining episodes dropping weekly.
