In anticipation of the 50th anniversary of the Star Wars franchise, the original film, Episode IV – A New Hope, is being dubbed into Welsh for the first time. The initiative is a collaboration between S4C, Creative Wales, Lucasfilm, and Disney, which was officially revealed at the National Eisteddfod.
Scheduled to air on Christmas Day, the production features an impressive cast of Welsh talent. Matthew Rhys will voice the iconic Han Solo, Rhys Ifans takes on the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Aimee-Ffion Edwards performs as Princess Leia. Furthermore, Mark Lewis Jones, who previously appeared in The Last Jedi, has been cast as Darth Vader, while Osian Morgan will provide the voice for Luke Skywalker.
Lucasfilm co-president Lynwen Brennan noted that this project is a unique opportunity to honor Welsh culture while making the cinematic classic accessible in her native language. S4C chief executive Geraint Evans expressed excitement about bringing such a globally recognized film to a Welsh-speaking audience. The film, titled Star Wars: Gobaith Newydd, is led by director Ellyn Stern and producer Michael Kohn.
