20 Years Later, One 'Star Wars' Movie Just Quietly Broke Its Own Record
During the time the Star Wars prequels were released, the critical reaction was mixed, but the hardcore fans made all three of the movies into box office hits. By 2005, the general public believed that Revenge of the Sith was the end of the Star Wars saga, as George Lucas had made clear that he didn't plan to make any films beyond Episode III; the moment that bridged the prequels to the classic trilogy.
Twenty years ago, Revenge of the Sith opened with $104.5 million on May 19, 2005. And now, as the film enjoys a theatrical rerelease, this film is on track to break a surprising record.
As of Monday, April 28, 2025, the 20th anniversary rerelease of Revenge of the Sith has made a quarter of the money it made in 2005 during opening weekend: $25.2 million at the box office just in North America. This means it's the second-highest Star Wars rerelease ever, just behind the 1997 Special Edition rerelease of A New Hope.
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This means Revenge of the Sith's overall lifetime gross will only continue to grow over the next several weeks, adding to its initial total take-home of $380 million. Currently, Sith is the sixth-most profitable theatrical Star Wars film overall, just behind The Phantom Menace, and slightly ahead of the classic 1977 film.
Ahead of the new screenings of Sith, moviegoers have been treated to a message from Anakin Skywalker himself, Hayden Christensen, who has thanked fans for their years of support. "This is where the fun begins," Christensen said in the new introduction, echoing Anakin's line in the film, which also originated with Han Solo back in 1977.
Revenge of the Sith is, in some ways, the most pivotal Star Wars movie of them all. It tells the story of how Anakin became Darth Vader, depicts the birth of Luke and Leia, and shows how the Emperor was able to transform the Republic into the wicked Galactic Empire. Beyond nostalgia for the Force, clearly, Revenge of the Sith still has a lot to say to all of us.