Lucasfilm Ltd./20th Century Fox's "Return Of The Jedi" was released to record box office business on May 25, 1983, six years to the day of the release of the original "Star Wars." The movie opened on 1,002 United States and Canadian cinema screens, with a then-record number of 70-millimeter prints. Opening day saw 145 of the engagements in 70mm and six-track stereophonc sound, with 15-20 additional large-format prints being delivered through the course of the first week (the huge print order could not be completed in time for the opening).

On June 24, a few hundred additional engagements were added, most of which were in smaller markets requiring more favorable booking terms or as additional engagements in markets included in the initial launch. This "second wave" included a handful of 70mm prints put into circulation, including an engagement in Honolulu and a French-language version in Montreal.

The Original 70mm Engagements Of "Return Of The Jedi"

What follows is a list of the original North American 70mm engagements of "Return Of The Jedi." The release date was May 25, 1983, except where noted. This list does not account for moveover, second-run, revival, international or re-issue engagements.

* = Unconfirmed 70mm presentation; may have been 35mm
2 = Shown in 70mm on two screens in complex
2* = 70mm presentation on second screen unconfirmed; may have been 35mm
3 = Shown in 70mm on three screens in complex
3* = 70mm presentation on second & third screens unconfirmed; may have been 35mm
THX = THX-certified presentation

UNITED STATES

ALASKA
Anchorage: [Wometco Lathrop] Polar

ARIZONA
Phoenix: [UA] Cinema 6
Scottsdale: [Nace] Kachina
Tucson: [TM] El Con 6
Tucson: [Plitt] Foothills

CALIFORNIA
Campbell: [UA] Pruneyard
Cerritos: [UA] Twin
Corte Madera: [Marin] Cinema
Costa Mesa: [Edwards] Town Center
El Cajon: [UA] El Cajon 3
Hayward: [UA] Hayward 5
La Mirada: [Pacific] La Mirada
Long Beach: [UA] Movies
Los Angeles (Hollywood): [UA] Egyptian
Los Angeles (Marina del Rey): [UA] Cinema
Los Angeles (North Hollywood): [UA] Movies
Los Angeles (Westwood Village): [GCC] Avco Center (THX)
Los Angeles (Woodland Hills): [UA] Warner Center
Montclair: [UA] Movies
Monterey: [UA] Cinema 70
National City: [Pacific] 6 (2)
Newport Beach: [Edwards] Newport
Oakland: [Foster] Piedmont
Orange: [Syufy] Cinedome 20
Orange: [Syufy] Cinedome 23
Palm Springs: [Metropolitan] Camelot
Pleasant Hill: [Syufy] Century
Redwood City: [UA] Redwood 6
Riverside: [UA] Cinema 4
Sacramento: [UA] Arden Fair 6
San Diego: [UA] Glasshouse 6
San Diego (La Jolla): [Pacific] La Jolla Village
San Francisco: [UA] Coronet
Santa Barbara: [Metropolitan] Arlington
Santa Clara: [UA] Cinema 150
Thousand Oaks: [UA] Movies
Westminster: [UA] Twin

COLORADO
Colorado Springs: [Commonwealth] Cooper
Denver: [Commonwealth] Continental
Denver: [Commonwealth] Cooper

CONNECTICUT
East Hartford: [Redstone] Showcase
Orange: [Redstone] Showcase
Stamford: [Trans-Lux] Ridgeway

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Washington: [GCC] Jennifer
Washington: [Washington Circle] MacArthur

FLORIDA
Miami Beach: [Wometco] Byron Carlyle
North Miami Beach: [Wometco] 163rd Street
Orlando: [GCC] Fashion Square
South Miami: [Wometco] Dadeland
Winter Park: [Wometco] Winter Park

GEORGIA
Atlanta: [Plitt] Phipps Plaza

HAWAII
Honolulu: [Consolidated] Cinerama (released June 24)

ILLINOIS
Belleville: [BAC] Cinema
Calumet City: [Plitt] River Oaks
Chicago: [GCC] Ford City (2)
Chicago: [Plitt] State-Lake
Forest Park: [Plitt] Forest Park Mall
Lombard: [GCC] Yorktown
Moline: [Showcase] Parkway
Niles: [Fink] Golf Mill (2)
Northbrook: [Lubliner & Sterns] Edens
Schaumburg: [Plitt] Woodfield (2)
Tinley Park: [Essaness] Bremen (2)

INDIANA
Fort Wayne: [Mallers-Spirou] Holiday
Indianapolis: [Y&W] Eastwood

IOWA
Des Moines: [Dubinsky] River Hills
Dubuque: [Dubuque] Cinema Center

KANSAS
Overland Park: [Dickinson] Glenwood
Wichita: [Dickinson] Mall
Wichita: [Commonwealth] Twin Lakes

KENTUCKY
Florence: [Midstates] Florence
Louisville: [Redstone] Showcase

LOUISIANA
Metarie: [GCC] Lakeside

MASSACHUSETTS
Boston: [Sack] Charles
Chestnut Hill: [GCC] Chestnut Hill
Seekonk: [Redstone] Showcase
West Springfield: [Redstone] Showcase

MICHIGAN
Dearborn: [UA] Movies at Fairlane
Flint: [Butterfield] Flint
Livonia: [Nicholas George] Mai Kai
Southfield: [Nicholas George] Americana
Southgate: [Nicholas George] Southgate
Troy: [UA] Movies at Oakland

MINNESOTA
Bloomington: [GCC] Southtown
Minneapolis: [Plitt] Skyway 4
Minnetonka: [Plitt] Ridge Square
Roseville: [GCC] Har Mar
West St. Paul: [Engler] Signal Hills 4

MISSOURI
Hazelwood: [Mid-America] Village
Kansas City: [Commonwealth] Bannister Mall
Kansas City: [Mid-America] Blue Ridge East
Richmond Heights: [Mid-America] Esquire

NEBRASKA
Omaha: [Commonwealth] Indian Hills
Omaha: [Douglas] Q Cinema 6

NEVADA
Las Vegas: [Syufy] Cinedome 6 *
Reno: [Syufy] Century *

NEW JERSEY
Edison: [GCC] Menlo Park
Moorestown: [Sameric] Eric Twin Plaza Moorestown
Paramus: [RKO Century] RKO Route 4 Sevenplex
Sayreville: [Redstone] Amboy Multiplex

NEW MEXICO
Albuquerque: [GCC] Louisiana Blvd.

NEW YORK
Colonie: [RKO Century] Fox Colonie
East Meadow: [UA] Meadowbrook Quad
Garden City: [RKO Century] RKO Roosevelt Field Twin
Hicksville: [RKO Century] RKO Twin South
New York (Brooklyn): [RKO Century] RKO Kingsway Quad
New York (Manhattan): [Loews] 34th St. Showplace
New York (Manhattan): [Loews] Astor Plaza
New York (Manhattan): [Loews] Orpheum
Pittsford: [Loews] Pittsford
Valley Stream: [Redstone] Sunrise Multiplex

NORTH CAROLINA
Charlotte: [Plitt] Park Terrace
Winston-Salem: [Plitt] Thruway

OHIO
Beavercreek: [Midstates] Beaver Valley
Dayton: [Chakeres] Dayton Mall
Springdale: [Midstates] Tri-County
Toledo: [Redstone] Showcase

OREGON
Beaverton: [Luxury] Westgate
Gresham: [Moyer] Rose Moyer

PENNSYLVANIA
Allentown: [Sameric] Eric Allentown 5
Camp Hill: [UA] Theatres
Easton: [Sameric] Eric Easton 4
Harrisburg: [Sameric] Eric Twin Park Center
Monroeville: [Redstone] Showcase East
Montgomeryville: [Sameric] Eric 3 Montgomeryville
Philadelphia: [Sameric] Sameric 3
Robinson Township: [Redstone] Showcase West

RHODE ISLAND
Warwick: [Redstone] Showcase (2)

TENNESSEE
Nashville: [Martin] Belle Meade

TEXAS
Addison: [UA] Prestonwood Creek 5 (THX)
Austin: [GCC] Highland Mall
Dallas: [GCC] Northpark I&II (THX)
Fort Worth: [UA] Hulen 6
Houston: [GCC] Meyerland Plaza
San Antonio: [Santikos] Northwest

UTAH
Riverdale: [Tullis-Hansen] Cinedome (2)
Salt Lake City: [Plitt] Centre
Salt Lake City: [Syufy] Century 5
Salt Lake City: [Plitt] Regency (temporary moveover from Centre, June 3-16)

VIRGINIA
Springfield: [GCC] Springfield Mall 6

WASHINGTON
Seattle: [UA] Cinema 150

WISCONSIN
Milwaukee: [UA] Southgate
Wauwatosa: [UA] Mayfair
West Allis: [Marcus] Southtown


CANADA

ALBERTA
Calgary: [Famous Players] Palace
Edmonton: [Famous Players] Westmount A

BRITISH COLUMBIA
Vancouver: [Odeon] Vogue
Victoria: [Odeon] Haida

MANITOBA
Winnipeg: [Odeon] Grant Park

NOVA SCOTIA
Halifax: [Famous Players] Scotia Square

ONTARIO
Hamilton: [Famous Players] Tivoli
London: [Famous Players] Park
Ottawa: [Odeon] Somerset
Richmond Hill: [Famous Players] Towne & Countrye
Toronto: [Famous Players] Cedarbrae
Toronto: [Famous Players] Cumberland
Toronto: [Famous Players] Runnymede
Toronto: [Famous Players] University

QUEBEC
Montreal: [United] Claremont (released May 27)
Montreal: [United] Imperial
Montreal: [United] Parisien 1 (released June 22; "Version Francaise")
Quebec: [United] Canadien


Canadian engagement details contributed by Bill Kretzel

SPECIAL THANKS
Bill Kretzel
Jim Perry
 

RECOMMENDED WEBSITES FOR 70MM AND THEATRE INFORMATION
CinemaTour.com
www.cinematreasures.org
www.dolby.com
in70mm.com

www.thx.com

www.widescreenmuseum.com

and, of course, other pages here at www.fromscripttodvd.com
 

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