Lucasfilm(NEW YORK) –The first Star Wars movie — A New Hope — arrived in theaters on May 25, 1977 and, since then, became an unstoppable force in pop culture. On December 19, one of Hollywood’s most famous story lines — the Skywalker saga — finally reaches its thrilling conclusion.
During the American Music Awards on Sunday, the cast and crew of Star Wars banded together for an intimate two-and-a-half minute featurette reflecting on how the franchise shaped their lives and careers. An adorable moment showed John Boyega, who plays Finn in the new Star Wars trilogy, freaking out as Harrison Ford signs one of his Han Solo figurines.
The special also paid tribute to the late Carrie Fisher and Peter Mayhew, Princess Leia and Chewbacca respectively, via past interviews and heartfelt behind-the-scenes footage.
It also chronicled the heavy impact Star Wars had on pop culture since its 1977 arrival, depicting the fascinatingly long movie lines to fans representing the series at various conventions over the decades.
Beyond that, the special touched upon the sheer amount of films, TV shows, and other facets of entertainment it impacted, from The Simpsons to Mel Brooks’ iconic parody Spaceballs.
It also nodded to Star Wars‘ role in politics by showcasing former Presidents Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama referencing the film franchise in their speeches.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker flies into theaters December 19.
Lucasfilm is owned by Disney, the parent company of ABC News.
Copyright © 2019, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.