# Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back

> 1980 American epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner

**Wikidata**: [Q181795](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q181795)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Empire_Strikes_Back)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/the-empire-strikes-back

## Summary
Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back is a 1980 American epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner. It is part of the Star Wars original trilogy and is widely recognized through awards and archival selection.

## Key Facts
- Title: Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (aliases: Star Wars V; Star Wars 5; Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back; The Empire Strikes Back; Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back).
- Wikidata description: "1980 American epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner."
- Website: http://www.starwars.com/explore/the-movies/episode-v
- Wikipedia title: The Empire Strikes Back.
- Sitelink count (entity): 82.
- Publication / release dates listed: 1980-05-17, 1980-05-21, 1980-08-15, 1980-08-20, 1980-12-11 and a generic 1980 date.
- Country of origin: United States (country located primarily in North America).
- Production company: Lucasfilm (American film and television production company; inception: 1971-01-01; headquarters: , Q62, Q99; industry: ; sitelink_count: 58).
- Classifications: film (sequence of images giving impression of movement; sitelink_count: 235); science fiction film (sitelink_count: 50); adventure film (sitelink_count: 62); action film (sitelink_count: 70); fantasy film (sitelink_count: 48); epic film (sitelink_count: 40); space opera (subgenre of science fiction; sitelink_count: 45).
- Series / trilogy membership: Part of the Star Wars original trilogy (sitelink_count: 11).
- Archival selection: Listed in the National Film Registry (inception of the Registry entity: 1988; country: United States; sitelink_count: 44).
- Awards / recognition associated: Academy Award for Best Sound (country: United States; sitelink_count: 43); Saturn Award for Best Science Fiction Film (inception: 1973-05-18; sitelink_count: 25); Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation (inception: 1958; sitelink_count: 17).
- Preceded by / related releases: Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977 film directed by George Lucas; sitelink_count: 94); The Star Wars Holiday Special (1978 American television special; sitelink_count: 25) appears in related/predecessor listings; Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983 film directed by Richard Marquand; sitelink_count: 80).
- Contains / subsidiary relationship: Contains or is associated with the Star Wars original trilogy (sitelink_count: 11).
- Notable related persons listed in the source: Frank Oz (director, actor, puppeteer; occupations: , , , , , , , ; citizenship: , Q30; sitelink_count: 54); Temuera Morrison (New Zealand actor; occupations: , ; citizenship: ; sitelink_count: 34); Gary Plummer (American basketball player; occupation: ; citizenship: Q30; sitelink_count: 6).
- SEO Data Context: No SEO data available yet.
- Structured metadata: sitelink_count: 82; aliases and website as above.

## FAQs
Q: What is The Empire Strikes Back and who directed it?
A: The Empire Strikes Back is a 1980 American epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner.

Q: Which company produced or is associated with this film?
A: The film is associated with Lucasfilm, an American film and television production company founded (inception given) on 1971-01-01 and listed with headquarters identifiers , Q62, Q99.

Q: What genres and film classifications apply to this movie?
A: It is classified as a film and specifically as a science fiction film, adventure film, action film, fantasy film, epic film, and space opera.

Q: Is this film part of a larger series or trilogy?
A: Yes. It is part of the Star Wars original trilogy and is related to Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope and Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi. The Star Wars Holiday Special (1978 television special) also appears among related entries.

Q: What awards or recognitions are associated with the film?
A: Awards and recognitions associated with the film include the Academy Award for Best Sound, the Saturn Award for Best Science Fiction Film, and the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation. The film is also listed in the U.S. National Film Registry.

Q: When was the film released?
A: Publication and release dates listed include 1980-05-17, 1980-05-21, 1980-08-15, 1980-08-20, 1980-12-11, and a general 1980 date.

Q: Where can I find an official online page for the film?
A: The official page listed is http://www.starwars.com/explore/the-movies/episode-v.

Q: What are common alternative titles for the film?
A: Common aliases include Star Wars V; Star Wars 5; Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back; The Empire Strikes Back; and Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back.

Q: Who are other named people associated in the source material?
A: The provided source lists Frank Oz and Temuera Morrison as related persons with occupations and citizenship data, and Gary Plummer as a listed key person (American basketball player).

## Why It Matters
Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back matters because it occupies a central position in the Star Wars original trilogy and in late 20th-century American science fiction cinema. Its classification as an epic space opera situates it within a major film subgenre that combines large-scale storytelling with science fiction motifs. The film's association with major industry recognition—Academy Award for Best Sound, Saturn Award for Best Science Fiction Film, and Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation—demonstrates peer and genre recognition for technical and narrative achievements. Inclusion in the National Film Registry highlights its cultural, historical, or aesthetic significance within the United States. As a Lucasfilm production, it represents a key product of a major American film and television production company founded in 1971. The film’s multiple release dates and widespread referencing (sitelink_count: 82) underline its persistent prominence across reference works and public discourse.

## Notable For
- Being a 1980 American epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner.
- Membership in the Star Wars original trilogy, linking it directly to Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope and Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi.
- Association with Lucasfilm, a production company with an inception date of 1971-01-01 and international headquarters identifiers.
- Recognition in major film and genre-specific awards: Academy Award for Best Sound, Saturn Award for Best Science Fiction Film, and Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation.
- Selection for preservation in the United States National Film Registry.
- Multiple documented release dates in 1980 (including May, August, and December listings).
- Extensive cross-referencing and public documentation (sitelink_count: 82; Wikipedia title: The Empire Strikes Back).
- Broad multi-genre classification: science fiction, adventure, action, fantasy, epic, and space opera.

## Body

### Overview and Description
- The entity is a film titled Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back.
- The film is described in structured metadata as a 1980 American epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner.
- It carries multiple aliases for use in different contexts, including Star Wars V; Star Wars 5; Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back; The Empire Strikes Back; and Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back.

### Production and Studio
- The film is associated with Lucasfilm, an American film and television production company.
- Lucasfilm's inception is given as 1971-01-01 and it is identified by industry code  and headquarters identifiers , Q62, Q99 in the provided data.
- Lucasfilm has a sitelink_count of 58 in the provided source summary.

### Genre and Classification
- Class: film — defined in the source as a sequence of images that give the impression of movement, stored on film stock (sitelink_count: 235).
- Genre labels directly associated with the film: science fiction film (sitelink_count: 50); adventure film (sitelink_count: 62); action film (sitelink_count: 70); fantasy film (sitelink_count: 48); epic film (sitelink_count: 40); space opera (subgenre of science fiction; sitelink_count: 45).
- The combination of these genres frames the film as large in scale and spectacle (epic film) and as belonging to the space opera subgenre of science fiction.

### Series Context and Related Releases
- The film is part of the Star Wars original trilogy (sitelink_count: 11).
- It is contextually connected to Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (preceding film; 1977; directed by George Lucas; sitelink_count: 94) and Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (succeeding film; 1983; directed by Richard Marquand; sitelink_count: 80).
- The Star Wars Holiday Special (1978 American television special; sitelink_count: 25) appears in the provided predecessor/successor listings and is included among related entries.

### Awards and Recognition
- Awards and categories linked to the film in the source include:
  - Academy Award for Best Sound (award for excellence in sound mixing in film; country: United States; sitelink_count: 43).
  - Saturn Award for Best Science Fiction Film (category of the Saturn Awards; inception: 1973-05-18; sitelink_count: 25).
  - Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation (a Hugo Award category; inception: 1958; sitelink_count: 17).
- The film is also associated with selection to the National Film Registry (Registry inception: 1988; country: United States; sitelink_count: 44), indicating archival recognition.

### Publication and Release Details
- The provided structured publication_date entries list multiple dates in 1980: 1980-05-17, 1980-05-21, 1980-08-15, 1980-08-20, 1980-12-11, plus a general 1980 date. These dates are part of the film’s recorded release history in the source material.

### Titles, Aliases, and Identifiers
- Recognized titles and aliases for the film include Star Wars V; Star Wars 5; Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back; The Empire Strikes Back; and Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back.
- The official website as listed is http://www.starwars.com/explore/the-movies/episode-v.
- The film's Wikipedia title in the provided metadata is The Empire Strikes Back.
- The entity-level sitelink_count in the source document is 82, indicating the breadth of linked references across repositories in the dataset.

### Related People
- Frank Oz appears in the related items list; he is described as an English and American director, actor, and puppeteer with multiple listed occupations (, , , , , , , ) and dual citizenship (, Q30). The source provides a sitelink_count for Frank Oz of 54.
- Temuera Morrison is listed as a related person; he is described as a New Zealand actor with occupations  and , citizenship , and sitelink_count 34.
- Gary Plummer is listed under "Key People" in the provided data as an American basketball player (occupation: ; citizenship: Q30; sitelink_count: 6).
- The provided material names these persons as connected to the film entity in the source; it does not elaborate specific roles or credits beyond the supplied descriptors.

### Related Entities and Metadata
- The United States is identified as the film’s country and is described in the source as a country located primarily in North America; the United States entity includes complex inception qualifiers in the provided data (noted in the source).
- The Star Wars original trilogy is listed both as a parent/part relationship and as a contained/subsidiary entity related to the film.
- The National Film Registry is listed under Part of / Parent relationships, reflecting the film's archival recognition.

### Awards Entities and Inception Dates
- Saturn Award for Best Science Fiction Film inception noted: 1973-05-18.
- Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation inception noted: 1958.
- National Film Registry inception noted: 1988.
- Lucasfilm inception noted: 1971-01-01.

### Indexing and Reference Counts
- Several related entities in the provided source include sitelink_count metadata which quantifies cross-references in the dataset:
  - Lucasfilm: 58
  - film (class): 235
  - science fiction film: 50
  - adventure film: 62
  - action film: 70
  - fantasy film: 48
  - epic film: 40
  - space opera: 45
  - Star Wars original trilogy: 11
  - National Film Registry: 44
  - Academy Award for Best Sound: 43
  - Saturn Award for Best Science Fiction Film: 25
  - Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation: 17
  - Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope: 94
  - The Star Wars Holiday Special: 25
  - Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi: 80
  - Frank Oz: 54
  - Temuera Morrison: 34
  - Gary Plummer: 6

### Metadata Notes
- SEO data for the entity is not available in the provided source.
- The source provides multiple publication_date entries; no single exclusive theatrical premiere date is asserted beyond those listed.
- The provided "wikidata_description" explicitly identifies the film as a 1980 American epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner.

### Summary of Source-Provided Relationships
- Production company relationship: Lucasfilm (inception 1971-01-01).
- Series membership: Star Wars original trilogy (part of / contains).
- Award and registry relationships: Academy Award for Best Sound; Saturn Award for Best Science Fiction Film; Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation; National Film Registry.
- Preceding and succeeding works: Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope; The Star Wars Holiday Special; Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi.
- Related persons: Frank Oz; Temuera Morrison; Gary Plummer.
- Classifications: film, science fiction film, adventure film, action film, fantasy film, epic film, space opera.
- Identifying metadata: aliases, website, sitelink_count, wikipedia_title, publication_date entries, wikidata_description.

(End of entry.)

## References

1. IMDb
2. Česko-Slovenská filmová databáze
3. [Source](https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1981)
4. Virtual International Authority File
5. The Movie Database
6. [Source](https://www.loc.gov/programs/national-film-preservation-board/film-registry/complete-national-film-registry-listing/)
7. The Empire Strikes Back. Rotten Tomatoes
8. Box Office Mojo
9. [Source](http://www.sfi.se/sv/svensk-filmdatabas/Item/?itemid=7900&type=MOVIE&iv=Basic)
10. [IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080684/releaseinfo)
11. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
12. [Source](https://www.spio-fsk.de/asp/filestream.asp?dir=karte&file=0507%5C51760VDVD%2Epdf)
13. [Box Office Mojo](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0080684/)
14. [Source](https://www.kijkwijzer.nl/films/star-wars-episode-v/)
15. AlloCiné
16. List of film licenses issued from 1945 to 2020
17. [Source](https://www.eirin.jp/list/index.php?s_year=2024&s_month=4&e_year=2024&e_month=4&pageID=2)
18. film distribution certificate
19. Cineplex
20. Online-Filmdatenbank
21. Entertainment Identifier Registry
22. [Source](http://cnc.abt.ro/registru/index.aspx?pageID=3&filmID=13622)
23. SoundtrackCollector
24. Bechdel Test Movie List
25. mymovies.it
26. Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back
27. Danish Film Database
28. [Source](https://golden.com/wiki/The_Empire_Strikes_Back-9AVED)
29. TheTVDB
30. Trakt.tv
31. FilmVandaag.nl