'A Disturbance in the Force' trailer unveils the secrets behind the 'Star Wars Holiday Special'

The new documentary looks into the wildest "Star Wars" event of all time.
 By 
Belen Edwards
 on 
Yellow text against a black background saying, "A Disturbance in the Force"
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The most infamous Star Wars media of all time isn't a film or one Disney+'s recent TV shows. Instead, it's the Star Wars Holiday Special, a two-hour event that aired once on CBS in 1978 — and never again.

But just what's so bad about this buried Star Wars celebration, and how did it even get made in the first place? That's what new documentary film A Disturbance in the Force seeks to uncover. Featuring testimony from Weird Al Yankovic, Bonnie Burton, Kevin Smith, and more, the film's teaser promises a wild ride through the holiday special itself, and through 1970s event television in general.

A Disturbance in the Force premieres March 11 at South by Southwest.

A woman in a white sweater with shoulder-length brown hair.
Belen Edwards
Entertainment Reporter

Belen Edwards is an Entertainment Reporter at Mashable. She covers movies and TV with a focus on fantasy and science fiction, adaptations, animation, and more nerdy goodness. She is a member of the Critics Choice Association and the Television Critics Association, as well as a Tomatometer-approved critic.


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