<P> The film was originally released in 1977 with the title `` Star Wars '' . The subtitles Episode IV and A New Hope were only added to the opening crawl in subsequent re-releases . Accounts differ as to when this designation was first added ; some date the change at the theatrical re-release of April 10 , 1981 , while others place it much earlier at the re-release in July 1978 . The retroactive addition of these subtitles was intended to bring the film into line with the introduction to its sequel , The Empire Strikes Back , which was released in 1980 bearing the designation `` Episode V '' . It is uncertain if the introduction of an episodic naming convention was an indicator of Lucas 's original intent , or if this was simply a later redraft of the narrative . According to some accounts , Lucas has claimed that he was discouraged by Twentieth Century Fox from using an episode number on a new film because it would confuse audiences . Gary Kurtz has stated that he and Lucas had originally considered using an episode number for Star Wars to emulate the chapter numbering used in the 1936 Flash Gordon installments , but they were uncertain whether they should designate it Episode III , IV or V. However , some of Lucas 's early script drafts bear titles such as `` The Adventures of the Starkiller ( Episode One ) : The Star Wars '' ( 1975 ) or `` The Adventures of Luke Starkiller as Taken from the Journal of the Whills : Saga One : Star Wars '' ( 1976 ) . The Revised Fourth Draft of the script dated January 1975 acquired the subtitle `` Episode IV -- A New Hope -- from the Journal of the Whills '' when published in the 1979 book The Art of Star Wars . </P>
<P> The film was originally released in 1977 with the title `` Star Wars '' . The subtitles Episode IV and A New Hope were only added to the opening crawl in subsequent re-releases . Accounts differ as to when this designation was first added ; some date the change at the theatrical re-release of April 10 , 1981 , while others place it much earlier at the re-release in July 1978 . The retroactive addition of these subtitles was intended to bring the film into line with the introduction to its sequel , The Empire Strikes Back , which was released in 1980 bearing the designation `` Episode V '' . It is uncertain if the introduction of an episodic naming convention was an indicator of Lucas 's original intent , or if this was simply a later redraft of the narrative . According to some accounts , Lucas has claimed that he was discouraged by Twentieth Century Fox from using an episode number on a new film because it would confuse audiences . Gary Kurtz has stated that he and Lucas had originally considered using an episode number for Star Wars to emulate the chapter numbering used in the 1936 Flash Gordon installments , but they were uncertain whether they should designate it Episode III , IV or V. However , some of Lucas 's early script drafts bear titles such as `` The Adventures of the Starkiller ( Episode One ) : The Star Wars '' ( 1975 ) or `` The Adventures of Luke Starkiller as Taken from the Journal of the Whills : Saga One : Star Wars '' ( 1976 ) . The Revised Fourth Draft of the script dated January 1975 acquired the subtitle `` Episode IV -- A New Hope -- from the Journal of the Whills '' when published in the 1979 book The Art of Star Wars . </P>
when was star wars a new hope called episode 4
when was star wars a new hope called episode 4
1975
1975