“The Empire Strikes Back”, Withdrawn ORIGINAL Concept One Sheet (27 x 41 inches) Style A, 1980 – ULTRA RARE
“The Empire Strikes Back”, Withdrawn ORIGINAL Concept One Sheet (27 x 41 inches) Style A, 1980 – ULTRA RARE
The Empire Strikes Back (1980), withdrawn international concept poster, US
Artist: Roger Kastel (American, 1931–2023)
One Sheet (27 x 41 in.; 69 x 104 cm), Style A, International
Conceived for the international campaign of Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back and swiftly withdrawn, this legendary Roger Kastel concept one sheet is widely regarded as one of the rarest posters produced for the original Star Wars trilogy. Only a very small test run of this design is thought to have been printed, and only a handful of examples have been documented in private and institutional collections. (Source : Sothebys.com)
Examples have appeared only sporadically at the major auction houses. Heritage Auctions set a record for a Star Wars poster when a linen‑backed example of this concept sheet achieved USD 26,400 in 2018, followed by a rolled copy that realised USD 24,000 on 24 July 2021.
Sotheby’s has likewise offered the design with high five‑figure estimates in pounds sterling, further cementing its status as a blue‑chip piece of Star Wars ephemera.
Our pricing for the present example has been carefully considered in the context of these market benchmarks and its honest, unrestored condition.
Kastel created this dramatic composition at the height of his career, working from the same painting that would later be adapted—after substantial studio revisions—into the familiar “Gone With the Wind” Style A one sheet. In this earlier, more painterly version the artwork appears larger on the sheet and retains Kastel’s original, fiery palette of searing reds and deep nebula blues. The romantic embrace of Han Solo and Princess Leia dominates the foreground, a deliberate homage to Howard Terpning’s classic Gone With the Wind re‑release artwork, while Darth Vader’s looming mask, Luke Skywalker astride his tauntaun, and the droids Chewbacca, C‑3PO and R2‑D2 emerge from the snow‑storm of Hoth below.
Most crucially, this concept design preserves a wealth of detail later removed from the final studio‑approved one sheet: Lando Calrissian, Boba Fett, Cloud City and additional battle elements enrich the lower right of the image.
The sheet also lacks rating and billing boxes at the foot, hallmarks of its status as a pre‑release test printing for the international market rather than a fully cleared theatrical release poster. Scholars and collectors now view this “first draft” artwork as Kastel’s most complete expression of the film’s epic romanticism and operatic scale.
The film itself needs little introduction. Released by Twentieth Century‑Fox in 1980 and directed by Irvin Kershner from a story by George Lucas, The Empire Strikes Back was the second film issued in the Star Wars series and is now frequently cited as both the finest entry in the saga and one of the greatest sequels in cinema history. Its darker tone, groundbreaking visual effects and unforgettable narrative turns—culminating in Darth Vader’s revelation of his true relationship to Luke—have ensured the film’s enduring cultural resonance, making top‑tier original advertising material such as this poster exceptionally desirable.
The vast majority of our stock is Japanese paper; we make rare exceptions for international posters only when the title and artwork are of truly exceptional importance, as in this case.
Condition
Unbacked, rolled (never folded), and unrestored. The image area retains excellent colour saturation with the artwork presenting richly and with strong gloss. There is scattered age‑related spotting and foxing confined primarily to the white borders, more noticeable along the upper and especially the lower margin, together with associated toning on the lower portion of the verso. Minor handling creases and edge waviness commensurate with age; no folds, significant tears, or losses. Overall we would grade the sheet in very good to excellent (very fine) condition, and with professional linen backing and light conservation the poster would readily present at the upper end of that scale, approaching near‑mint in appearance. Additional high‑resolution imagery is available on request.
Gallery Note
This is only the second example of this withdrawn concept one sheet we have been able to offer in five years. Given the minute surviving population and the exceptional auction history of the design, it represents a genuine “grail” opportunity for advanced Star Wars and science‑fiction collectors.
Printed in 1980 for the film’s international campaign, this poster is now over four decades old. It is not a reproduction or reprint.
Certificate of Authenticity included.
