Exceptionally rare Empire Strikes Back poster set to make stellar amount

The Empire Strikes Back movie poster featuring Darth Vader's mask and the phrase "Empire Day is May 20"
This Empire Strikes Back movie poster is incredibly rare... (Image credit: Propstore)

The Empire Strikes Back is a much-loved entry into the Star Wars franchise. And while fans all over the world might have a myriad of memorabilia featuring their favourite characters and sets, it's unlikely they've got anything quite like this.

Propstore, one of the world's leading film and TV entertainment memorabilia auction specialists, has announced a very rare poster that was used as part of an event on May 20, 1980, where Stormtroopers took to the streets of London in preparation for the film’s premiere that night.

The poster in question is from the British Royal Charity World Premiere Empire Day depicting iconic villain Darth Vader with the slogan "Empire Day is May 20". Perhaps you were in attendance at the event 44 years ago, or you just want a piece of Star Wars history, but either way, it's estimated to sell for a huge amount!

If you want this rare poster, the auction is estimating its value to be around £10,000 - £20,000, making it the top-valued item at their upcoming 70s and 80s auction.

The Empire Strikes Back is still a huge hit among fans, with a solid 95% Rotten Tomatoes score, and it's one that people return to time and time again. 

The Empire Strikes Back movie poster featuring Darth Vader's mask and the phrase "Empire Day is May 20"

The British Royal Charity World Premiere Empire Day poster which is the top valued auction item. (Image credit: Propstore)

Other items in the auction include an autographed Original Script and Breakdown File, from the 1971 movie Get Carter estimated at around £3,000 - £6,000, a Harrison Ford autographed poster from Spielberg's Raiders of the Lost Ark valued between £1,000 - £2,000, and an advance British one-sheet from Kubrick's horror epic The Shining, valued between £300 - £600. 

Bids on these items and many more can be placed via the auction's website until Thursday, May 30, 2024. They hold a number of auctions across movie, television and music, so there's plenty for dedicated fans to enjoy.  

Speaking about the actions, Mark Hochman, Director of Posters and Music at Propstore UK, said: "Propstore is so excited to be presenting such a fantastic range of rare and highly sought-after original posters from some of the greatest films of the 1970s and 1980s — including Star Wars, Blade Runner, and the cult classic Big Trouble in Little China. Nostalgia is huge at the moment, and these posters will help you reconnect with the films that you love."

The Empire Strikes Back is available on Disney Plus

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Lucy Buglass
Senior Staff Writer

Lucy joined the WhatToWatch.com team in 2021, where she writes series guides for must-watch programmes, reviews and the latest TV news. Now she works for our sister site TechRadar in the same role. Originally from Northumberland, she graduated from Oxford Brookes University with a degree in Film Studies and moved to London to begin a career writing about entertainment.

She is a Rotten Tomatoes approved film critic and has a huge passion for cinema. She especially loves horror, thriller and anything crime-related. Her favourite TV programmes include Inside No 9, American Horror Story, Stranger Things and Black Mirror but she is also partial to a quiz show or a bit of Say Yes to the Dress