Star Wars: A New Hope was a global phenomenon when it was released in 1977. The first movie in the franchise (although the fourth in the original series) it revolutionised movie merchandising transforming it from a niche activity into a major revenue stream for film studios and a cultural phenomenon. It also made stars of it's predominately unknown cast, which included Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford and David Prowse.

Partly filmed in legendary UK studios Elstree and Pinewood the "space opera", set in a fictional galaxy under the rule of the tyrannical Galactic Empire, completely caught the public's imagination and launched a myriad of spin offs. However the OG holds a special place in the fandom's heart. Almost 50 years after it's release the cast have all had their ups and downs and life has taken them in different directions. Express.co.uk takes a look at what the iconic actors did after the blockbuster movie.

Of all the cast Mark Hamill possibly found it the most difficult to escape the role of Luke and went out of his way to avoid being typecast. He appeared in the 1978 film Corvette Summer and the 1980 World War II film The Big Red One.

Alongside movie work he also took to the stage on Broadway, with roles in plays such as The Elephant Man, Amadeus and Harrigan 'N Hart. However Luke continued to haunt him. When Amadeus was adapted as amovie in 1984, he auditioned to reprise his role as Mozart, but lost the part to Tom Hulce when a studio executive told the producers, "I don't want Luke Skywalker in this film". The film's director, Milos Forman also told Hamill that, "No one is believing that the Luke Skywalker is the Mozart".

He returned to screens in the late 1980s and in 1992 took another role that would come to define his career voicing the Joker in various animated DC Comics projects, starting with Batman: The Animated Series.

Now 73, he appears to have made peace with his Star Wars legacy and has returned to the role of Luke on both the big and small screen and also in radio dramas. He has also appeared in several documentaries about the franchsie and his role in it.

Carrie Fisher was real life Hollywood royalty as the daughter of iconic actress Debbie Reynolds and music legend Eddie Fisher. The only woman in the main cast she became an icon to little girls but managed to avoid typecasting. Following Star Wars she enjoyed huge success in other movies such as The Blues Brothers and When Harry Met Sally. She also reprised the role of Leia for the films sequels.

Away from acting she turned her hand to writing and enjoyed a hugely successful career as an uncredited script doctor on films such as Hook and Lethal Weapon 3. She was also an acclaimed author and her first book, the semi autobiographical Postcards from the Edge was adapted into a movie starring Meryl Streep and Shirley Maclaine.

In her 2016 autobiography the actress revealed she had an affair with Star Wars co-star Harrison Ford in 1976 while he was still married to his first wife. She was also very open about her struggles with substance abuse and the stigma surrounding it. In TV interviews the actress revealed she had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and said her drug use was a form of self-medication.

On December 23, 2016, she suffered a medical emergency on a commercial flight from London to Los Angeles. Another passenger performed CPR and when the plane landed she was taken by ambulance to the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, where she was placed on a ventilator. She died four days later on December 27, 2016, at the age of 60 after being in intensive care for four days.

Harrison Ford not only managed to break out of the shadow of Star Wars but also to lead another franchise in the form of Indiana Jones. The now 82 year old is one of the highest-grossing actors in the world.

Throughout his career he has been nominated for an Oscar, a BAFTA, two Screen Actors Guild awards, and five Golden Globe Awards, and he is the recipient of the AFI Life Achievement Award, Cecil B. DeMille Award, Honorary César, and Honorary Palme d'Or.

Although now in his 80s his action credentials haven't wavered. The most recent Indiana Jones movie Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, was released in June 2023. In February this year he joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe playing Red Hulk in Captain America: Brave New World. He has also recently been seen in the Paramount+ Western drama 1923.

Outside of acting, he is a licensed pilot who has often assisted the emergency services in rescue missions near his home in Wyoming, and he chaired an aviation education programme for youth from 2004 to 2009.

He has been married to his third wife, Ally McBeal star Calista Flockhart, since 2010.

David Prowse was the man inside Darth Vader's iconic suit but famously didn't provide the character's voice which came courtesy of James Earl Jones. He continued to embrace the role throughout his life despite fallling out with Lucasfilm.

In 2008, on the reunion show Justin Lee Collins's Bring Back...Star Wars he commented he had a dispute with George Lucas after he allegedly leaked reports of Darth Vader's death to the press.

He was also vocal about issues with his contract stating his deal for Return of the Jedi included a share of profits on the film. It grossed $475 million on a $32 million budget, but in a 2009 interview he said he never received residuals for his performance. In July 2010, Prowse was banned by George Lucas from attending official Star Wars fan conventions He was given no reason, other than he had "burnt too many bridges" between Lucasfilm and himself.

In 2015, he starred in two documentaries concerning his Darth Vader role, one titled The Force's Mouth, which included him voicing Darth Vader's lines with studio effects applied for the first time, and the other titled I Am Your Father, which explored the fallout with Lucasfilm.

In March 2009, he revealed he was suffering from prostate cancer. He underwent radiation therapy was said to be in remission later that year. In late 2017, he retired from all public appearances and events, due to ill health and the wishes of his family. His final onscreen appearance was in a sci-fi music video titled Shields for Welsh musician Jayce Lewis. He died at a hospital in London, on 28 November 2020, aged 85.

Peter Mayhew's imposing 7ft 3in frame, which made him perfect for the role of Han Solo's sidekick Chewbacca, was the result of gigantism which he was diagnosed with at age 8. He was working as a hospital orderly when he was cast and he continued working doing this at the same hospital in between filming episodes in the original Star Wars trilogy.

Alongside his work on the films he played the role in commercials and hospital appearances for sick children. He was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the MTV Film Awards 1997.

Outside of his work on Star Wars, he appeared in the horror film Terror, and provided the voice for Susha in the English version of Dragon Ball GT: A Hero's Legacy. He also appeared in the film Yesterday Was a Lie.

He turned his hand to writing penning two books for young audiences: Growing Up Giant which explains that being different is a strength instead of a weakness, and the anti-bullying book My Favorite Giant.

He died of a heart attack at age 74 on 30 April 2019, at his home in Boyd, Texas.

Anthony has the distinction of being the only actor to have either appeared in or been involved with all Star Wars theatrical films in the series, and he has been involved in many of their spin-offs, including television series, video games, and radio serials.

Away from the franchise was the voice of Legolas in the Ralph Bakshi animated adaptation of The Lord of the Rings in 1978. He has also appeared on British television in various dramas, Prime Suspect, The Bill and Holby City.

Outside of acting he was an adjunct professor at Carnegie Mellon University's Entertainment Technology Center.

In November 2019 he published his autobiography, I Am C-3PO: The Inside Story.

Kenny initally turned down the role of R2-D2 as his comedy duo the Minitones had reached the final of Opportunity Knocks. He went on to appear as R2-D2 in six of the theatrical Star Wars films, and also played an additional role in 1983's Return of the Jedi as and ewok called Paploo.

Outside of the sci-fi franchise he has appeared in films including The Elephant Man, Time Bandits, Willow, Flash Gordon, Amadeus and Labyrinth. He also enjoyed small screen success appearing in Casualty and the BBC production of The Chronicles of Narnia. He played Casanova in the 1993 movie UFO.

He released his biography, From Tiny Acorns: The Kenny Baker Story, in November 2009. Kenny died on 13 August 2016, 11 days before his 82nd birthday.