AN 'EMPIRE' AT 40: HAN SOLO RETURNS!

Blaster at the ready- smuggler, scoundrel, fighter: Han Solo!

He'd overall enjoyed the fun and adventure of playing a space smuggler for his friend George Lucas at the far-away-from-America environs of Elstree Studios, London, during the long hot summer of 1976, but Harrison Ford, aware of the potential character limitations of Han Solo, was hoping his role and the film itself would be a quick spring board (finally!) to a more diverse career as an actor. Director and British James Bond filmmaking icon Guy Hamilton would see Ford's talent and charisma from early footage for Star Wars, and soon snapped him up for the World War II actioner Force 10 from Navarone, playing an ultimately similar in nature character to Solo in Lt.Colonel Barnsby. He'd then appear in another World War II drama/romance, Hanover Street, followed by  quirky fun with Gene Wilder in cowboy comedy The Frisco Kid, and make notable cameo appearances in Francis Ford Coppola's epic Apocalypse Now (playing Colonel Lucas no less!) and the Vietnam-related drama Heroes, opposite Henry ('The Fonz') Winkler. Sadly, bar Apocalypse Now, none of those films made a mark at the box office, though the diverse work had at least kept Ford reasonably happy.

Having shrewdly and deliberately not signed up to play Solo for the whole trilogy, taking his commitments to the saga on a film-by-film basis, Ford, quickly knew that a 1978 return to that galactic universe was necessary to re-establish (again!) his career, though asked for a beefed-up role (soon happy with the news that he was going to be the 'rapscallion of the universe'), and, more importantly, a beefed-up salary to go with it, one that was far better than any carpenter's work he could undertake in Hollywood. The improved salary negotiations took a little longer to achieve, and almost damaged Ford's relationship with George Lucas, allegedly (though the filmmaker always planned to remove Solo from the sequel story by its conclusion, just in case Ford didn't want to do a third film, anyway). Thankfully, things were ultimately worked out for all parties, with Ford not just getting his pay hike but also one for his co-stars in Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher.

The classic trio of heroes we loved in 1977 were back, and a universe of fans and filmgoers were eager to find out what would happen next with them...

With thanks to Chris Baker and Ian Trussler for selected images.

The reluctant Rebel in one of the Hoth base corridors.

Conferring with General Rieekan, and watched by a soon angry Leia.

They may be bickering but the best movie romances always start out that way!

Shutting up a droid! Han Solo is worried about his missing friend Luke Skywalker.

Out on the dangerous plains of the ice planet Hoth.

At last, finding Luke. But how to keep him alive?

'That's two you owe me, Junior!'

On the lookout for a 'visitor' on Hoth!

Han tries to speed up the repairs to the Millennium Falcon with Chewbacca, as the Rebel base continues evacuation.

Rescuing Leia from a corridor avalanche.

Escape via the Millennium Falcon!

Han makes a necessary point!

Problems abound for our heroes once space borne.

Leia confirms her love of 'scoundrels'!

Danger within the asteroid 'cave'!

Arrived on Bespin to seek help from an old 'friend'.

Lando Calrissian and Han Solo forget the past.

What's next for Han and Leia after Bespin?

Solo aims at the worst dinner guest anyone could share a table with: Darth Vader!

Brutally tortured by Vader, but no questions asked!

A possible goodbye to Leia and Chewie in Bespin's Carbon Freezing Chamber.

Readied for a grim fate...

The pained visage of Han Solo- soon in the hands of Jabba the Hutt!