Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back

Play trailer

1:53

Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back

PG

Released May 21, 1980

2h 4m

Sci-Fi

Adventure

Action

Fantasy

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

93%

Tomatometer

175 Reviews

97%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

The adventure continues in this "Star Wars" sequel. Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Han Solo (Harrison Ford), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) and Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) face attack by the Imperial forces and its AT-AT walkers on the ice planet Hoth. While Han and Leia escape in the Millennium Falcon, Luke travels to Dagobah in search of Yoda. Only with the Jedi master's help will Luke survive when the dark side of the Force beckons him into the ultimate duel with Darth Vader (David Prowse).

Watch on Fandango at Home

Buy Now

Critics Consensus

Dark, sinister, but ultimately even more involving than A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back defies viewer expectations and takes the series to heightened emotional levels.

Read Critics Reviews

David Denby

New York Magazine/Vulture

A Wagnerian pop movie -- grandiose, thrilling, imperiously generous in scale, and also a bit ponderous... The throwaway wit and the recondite references to old movies have been replaced with solemn reverence.

Apr 24, 2025

Full Review

Jack Mathews

Detroit Free Press

The Empire Strikes Back will deserve whatever it earns. Despite the inevitable loss of exhilaration moviegoers will experience from a second installment, it is an extraordinarily broad audience entertainment.

Apr 24, 2025

Full Review

Peter Travers

Gannett Westchester Rockland Newspapers

After 10 minutes into The Empire Strikes Back, I realized that I was getting more than I bargained for. This film was not a sequel at all, but a freshly conceived movie marvel.

Apr 24, 2025

Full Review

Lane Mills

InSession Film

A New Hope was first but there wouldn’t be a Star Wars as it stands today without The Empire Strikes Back.

Rated: A+

Jun 9, 2025

Full Review

Robert A. Masullo

Sacramento Bee

An audio-visual super-duper-spectacle, worth every penny of the $22 million it took to make. The continuation of the Star Wars saga is a cornucopia of treats that move along so briskly you're afraid you'll miss something if you blink.

Apr 24, 2025

Full Review

David Sterritt

Christian Science Monitor

Uncharacteristically for a Star Wars saga, [Luke and Vader's confrontation] is chilling psychologically as well as physically. For the rest, though, The Empire Strikes Back is good-natured hokum.

Apr 24, 2025

Full Review

Read all reviews

Khris

watching it in a theater proves that a movie thats 40 years old is still better than the sequel trilogy

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/25/22

Full Review

Suzan L

Nice to be back at the movies with safety measures in place. Classic films being shown, so I got to see Empire Strikes Back in the theatre for the first in years.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/15/21

Full Review

BRENDEN J

My favorite Star Wars movie in the original trilogy!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/10/25

Full Review

Messi M

Muy Buena Película, de las mejores de Star Wars a mi parecer, Darth Vader Acarrea la Película

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

07/10/25

Full Review

HameZz O

I like it more than the first. Storytelling and visuals are just made better. Lucas is a genius there's no denying that.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/04/25

Full Review

Mitch B

Theer is a reason this is a classic. It gives the Star Wars saga more depth and weight. Luke's confrontation with Vader on Cloud City is the highlight for me.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/01/25

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Irvin Kershner

Director

Mark Hamill

Luke Skywalker

Harrison Ford

Han Solo

Carrie Fisher

Princess Leia

Billy Dee Williams

Lando Calrissian

Anthony Daniels

C-3PO

Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi

84%

94%

Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi

Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope

94%

96%

Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope

Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace

54%

59%

Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace

Howard the Duck

13%

38%

Howard the Duck

Watchlist

Superman II

88%

76%

Superman II

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Superman II

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

The Happytime Murders' Five Favorite Films

1:07

Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back: Trailer 2

1:53

Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back: Teaser Trailer 1

1:25

Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back: Trailer 1

2:06

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

The adventure continues in this "Star Wars" sequel. Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Han Solo (Harrison Ford), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) and Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) face attack by the Imperial forces and its AT-AT walkers on the ice planet Hoth. While Han and Leia escape in the Millennium Falcon, Luke travels to Dagobah in search of Yoda. Only with the Jedi master's help will Luke survive when the dark side of the Force beckons him into the ultimate duel with Darth Vader (David Prowse).

Director: Irvin Kershner
Producer: Gary Kurtz
Screenwriter: George Lucas, Lawrence Kasdan, Leigh Brackett
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Production Co: Lucasfilm Ltd.
Rating: PG (Sci-Fi Action Violence)
Genre: Sci-Fi, Adventure, Action, Fantasy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 21, 1980, Wide
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Nov 19, 1982
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 10, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $291.9M
Runtime: 2h 4m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby Stereo, Dolby A, Magnetic Stereo 6 Track
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

Most Popular at Home Now