<P> The first film was released in 1977 under the title Star Wars . The subtitles Episode IV and A New Hope were retroactively added to the opening crawl in a subsequent release . Accounts differ as to when this change occurred . Some , including Lucasfilm , date the addition to a theatrical re-release on April 10 , 1981 , while others place it much earlier at the re-release in July 1978 . This change was made to bring the original film in line with the titling of its sequel The Empire Strikes Back , which was released in 1980 with the subtitle Episode V . </P>
<P> The first film was released in 1977 under the title Star Wars . The subtitles Episode IV and A New Hope were retroactively added to the opening crawl in a subsequent release . Accounts differ as to when this change occurred . Some , including Lucasfilm , date the addition to a theatrical re-release on April 10 , 1981 , while others place it much earlier at the re-release in July 1978 . This change was made to bring the original film in line with the titling of its sequel The Empire Strikes Back , which was released in 1980 with the subtitle Episode V . </P>
when did star wars change to a new hope
when did star wars change to a new hope
April 10 , 1981
April 10 , 1981