Star Wars Is Getting a Christmas Day Re-Release - with One Very Special Change

That iconic galaxy from far, far away is about to get a lot closer to home for one group of people in the British Isles, all thanks to a new re-release of the original Star Wars movie.

Since 1977, the Star Wars movies and their franchise offshoots have entertained generations of fans across the globe. As arguably the most famous and popular franchise in cinematic history, the films have been localised into more than 50 languages. But for Welsh-speaking geeks, there may well have been a slight sense of disconnect as Cymraeg has never been on that list.

That’s all about to change, though, thanks to a special version of A New Hope with a fresh dub to cater for those of you native to Cymru.

How and When to Watch the Welsh Star Wars Dub

Disney and LucasFilm recently announced that they have collaborated with S4C and Creative Wales to produce a Welsh dub of the first Star Wars film, which turns 50 next year. Known in Welsh as Star Wars: Gobaith Newydd, this production has been made possible by funding from the Welsh Government.

Fans will be able to watch the Welsh dub of Star Wars from Christmas Day 2026 onwards. It will air live on S4C (an offshoot of Channel 4) in Wales on the big day, before landing on the channel’s on-demand streaming platform, S4C Clic, to watch at your leisure.

The producer behind this new dub, Michael Kohn (who is also Director of Distribution Operations at LucasFilm), said of the venture: “I've been involved in a few Indigenous dubs of Star Wars over the years that aim to preserve and revitalise interest in learning the language. They have been tremendously successful not only in their communities but internationally as well. The chance to celebrate the Welsh language through Star Wars is one we couldn’t pass up.”

Meanwhile, LucasFilm Co-President Lynwen Brennan, who was born and raised in Wales, added: “Wales has such a rich history of storytelling and a beautiful lyrical language. We have never before had a translation of Star Wars into Welsh. I am so thankful that we have been able to work with some incredible Welsh talent to make that a reality. Welsh speakers will finally be able to enjoy the film in our native language and my hope is that it will have the same emotional impact as if you were watching the film again for the first time.”

From Matthew Rhys as Han Solo to Rhys Ifans as Obi-Wan: Who’s Who in the Welsh Star Wars Cast

When it comes to assembling the team to bring this dub together, they're really not messing around, either. The voice cast includes a BAFTA winner, an Emmy winner, and a star of the addictive Apple TV series, Slow Horses.

Acclaimed actor Rhys Ifans, who has starred in the likes of House of the Dragon, The Amazing Spider-Man, The Boat That Rocked, and Notting Hill, is lending his dulcet tones to the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Meanwhile, man of the moment Matthew Rhys, star of the brilliant Widow’s Bay, is taking on the role of Han Solo. You may have also seen Rhys in The Americans, A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood, and The Post.

Aimee-Ffion Edwards, who has been in Slow Horses, Skins, Peaky Blinders, and Blithe Spirit, is voicing the legendary Princess Leia for the dub. She’s joined by Osian Morgan as Luke Skywalker. Morgan was recently in the TV show Under Salt Marsh.

The rest of the cast includes:

• Mark Lewis Jones (Darth Vader)

• Llyr Ifans (C-3PO)

• Nia Roberts (Aunt Beru)

• Richard Harrington (Grand Moff Tarkin)

• Owain Arthur (Red Leader)

• Rhodri Meilir (Gold Leader)

The Welsh dub is directed by Ellyn Stern, who has worked for years on various anime dubs, including Bleach and Ghost In The Shell 2.

What This Means For Welsh Star Wars Fans

As mentioned before, this Welsh dub is a rare treat for native speakers in Cymru, so I spoke to a couple of movie-obsessed Welshmen to find out just how much this production means.

Corey, a teacher from Swansea and a Welsh speaker, said: “It’s extremely important that Welsh representation is taken seriously in the film industry, so it was delightful to see them make this move. I’ve always felt that Welsh representation is marginal in relation to the other nations in the UK. Hopefully this is a step in the right direction.”

Meanwhile, Rhys Bowen Jones, a languages teacher and fluent Welsh speaker, added: “I’m all for any methods to increase global awareness of Wales and the Welsh language, and Star Wars is as big as it gets. 

“Welsh language film and TV is quite scarce, and you will almost never see a Welsh dub of anything on Netflix, for example, so it’ll be great to have an option Welsh learners can turn to that feels familiar. It also opens doors to other Welsh dubs in future. Give me The Lord of the Rings dubbed in Welsh!”

Discussing the cast, Corey praised the involvement of Rhys Ifans, telling JustWatch: “Rhys Ifans as Obi-Wan Kenobi is a stellar choice, especially considering his early involvement in films set in Wales such as Twin Town, which is a cult classic in Swansea.”

For Bowen Jones, however, it’s someone else who steals the show. “For me, the biggest coup is Matthew Rhys,” he said. “His stock is so high at the minute following Widow’s Bay and his Emmy nominations. His casting as Han Solo is massive and really puts this adaptation on the global stage.”

Here’s hoping this exciting production can indeed be a new hope for Welsh dubs in the streaming age.