Star Wars will reach a new audience this Christmas as the original 1977 film receives its first official Welsh-language dub. The project, titled Star Wars: Gobaith Newydd, is a collaboration between S4C, Creative Wales, Lucasfilm, and Disney. It was announced at the National Eisteddfod as part of the preparations for the franchise's 50th anniversary next year.
A significant cast of Welsh actors will provide the voice work for the iconic characters. Matthew Rhys is cast as Han Solo, while Rhys Ifans takes on the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi. Aimee-Ffion Edwards will voice Princess Leia, with Mark Lewis Jones portraying Darth Vader and Osian Morgan as Luke Skywalker. Llyr Ifans will provide the voice for C-3PO.
The Welsh government contributed £100,000 to the project. First Minister of Wales Rhun ap Iorwerth noted that the film is part of a broader investment strategy aimed at increasing the number of Welsh speakers. The project also serves to celebrate the cultural history of Wales while expanding the accessibility of the film franchise.
Lucasfilm co-president Lynwen Brennan highlighted the importance of the partnership. She noted that Wales possesses a distinct history of storytelling and a lyrical language that fits well with the cinematic experience. The film will air on S4C and its associated platforms starting on Christmas Day. Producers mentioned that translating the script was a technical challenge due to the poetic nature of the Welsh language, which often requires more words than English to convey the same meaning.