Star Wars is an American epic space opera media franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the eponymous 1977 film and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The franchise has been expanded into various films and other media, including television series, video games, novels, comic books, theme park attractions, and themed areas, comprising an all-encompassing fictional universe. The franchise holds a Guinness World Records title for the "Most successful film merchandising franchise." In 2020, the Star Wars franchise's total value was estimated at billion, and it is currently the fifth-highest-grossing media franchise of all time.
The twelve live-action films together have been nominated for 37 Academy Awards, of which they have won seven. The films were also awarded a total of three Special Achievement Awards. The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi received Special Achievement Awards for their visual effects, and Star Wars received a Special Achievement Award for its alien, creature and robot voices.
The original film was nominated for most of the major categories, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor for Alec Guinness, while all sequels have been nominated for technical categories.
Star Wars has the most Saturn Awards (for a film franchise) with 49 wins.
Star Wars (1977) was originally nominated for 12 and won eight competitive awards; the actual number of wins includes five special non-competitive awards, which don't count toward nomination totals and were given out to reward the film's art direction, cinematography, editing, set decoration, and sound, respectively. In addition, the film received a special award in 1997 for its 20th anniversary.
Total Saturn Award wins for each Star Wars film includes:
14 (including 6 non-competitive) wins for Star Wars (1977), 4 wins for The Empire Strikes Back (1980), 5 wins for Return of the Jedi (1983), 2 wins for The Phantom Menace (1999), 2 wins for Attack of the Clones (2002), 1 win for Star Wars Trilogy (2004), a compilation comprising the franchise's first three installments, 2 wins for Revenge of the Sith (2005), 8 wins for The Force Awakens (2015), 3 wins for Rogue One (2016), 3 wins for The Last Jedi (2017), and 5 wins for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019).
Music for Star Wars has earned composer John Williams most of the awards and nominations in his career:
1 Academy Awards (5 nominations), 1 Golden Globe Awards (1 nomination), 2 BAFTA Awards (2 nominations), 6 Grammy Awards (11 nominations), 3 Saturn Awards (4 nominations).
To the same John Williams' music to A New Hope is the only Golden Globe win for the Star Wars.
Academy Awards YearCategoryFilmNominee(s)Result 1978Best PictureStar Wars: Episode IV – A New HopeGary KurtzBest DirectorGeorge LucasBest Supporting ActorAlec GuinnessBest Original ScreenplayGeorge LucasBest Art DirectionArt Direction: John Barry, Norman Reynolds and Leslie Dilley; Set Decoration: Roger ChristianBest Costume DesignJohn MolloBest Film EditingPaul Hirsch, Marcia Lucas and Richard ChewBest Original ScoreJohn WilliamsBest SoundDon MacDougall, Ray West, Bob Minkler and Derek BallBest Visual EffectsJohn Stears, John Dykstra, Richard Edlund, Grant McCune and Robert BlalackSpecial Achievement AwardsBen Burtt for the creation of the alien, creature, and robot voices1981Best Original ScoreStar Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes BackJohn WilliamsBest Art DirectionArt Direction: Norman Reynolds, Leslie Dilley, Harry Lange and Alan Tomkins; Set Decoration: Michael FordBest SoundBill Varney, Steve Maslow, Gregg Landaker and Peter SuttonSpecial Achievement AwardsBrian Johnson, Richard Edlund, Dennis Muren and Bruce Nicholson for Visual Effects1984Best Original ScoreStar Wars: Episode VI – Return of the JediJohn WilliamsBest Art DirectionArt Direction: Norman Reynolds, Fred Hole and James L. Schoppe; Set Decoration: Michael D. FordBest SoundBen Burtt, Gary Summers, Randy Thom and Tony DaweBest Sound Effects EditingBen BurttSpecial Achievement AwardsRichard Edlund, Dennis Muren, Ken Ralston and Phil Tippett for Visual Effects2000Best SoundStar Wars: Episode I – The Phantom MenaceGary Rydstrom, Tom Johnson, Shawn Murphy and John MidgleyBest Sound Effects EditingBen Burtt and Tom BellfortBest Visual EffectsJohn Knoll, Dennis Muren, Scott Squires and Rob Coleman2003Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the ClonesRob Coleman, Pablo Helman, John Knoll, and Ben Snow2006Best MakeupStar Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the SithDave Elsey and Nikki Gooley2016Best Film EditingStar Wars: The Force AwakensMaryann Brandon and Mary Jo MarkeyBest Original ScoreJohn WilliamsBest Sound MixingAndy Nelson, Christopher Scarabosio and Stuart WilsonBest Sound EditingMatthew Wood and David AcordBest Visual EffectsChris Corbould, Roger Guyett, Patrick Tubach and Neal Scanlan2017Best Sound MixingRogue One: A Star Wars StoryDavid Parker, Christopher Scarabosio and Stuart WilsonBest Visual EffectsJohn Knoll, Mohen Leo, Hal Hickel and Neil Corbould2018Best Original ScoreStar Wars: The Last JediJohn WilliamsBest Sound MixingDavid Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce and Stuart WilsonBest Sound EditingMatthew Wood and Ren KlyceBest Visual EffectsBen Morris, Mike Mulholland, Neal Scanlan and Chris Corbould2019Solo: A Star Wars StoryRob Bredow, Patrick Tubach, Neal Scanlan and Dominic Tuohy2020Best Original ScoreStar Wars: The Rise of SkywalkerJohn WilliamsBest Sound EditingMatthew Wood and David AcordBest Visual EffectsRoger Guyett, Neal Scanlan, Patrick Tubach, and Dominic Tuohy
Golden Globe Awards YearCategoryFilmNominee(s)ResultRef.1978Best Motion Picture – DramaStar Wars: Episode IV – A New HopeGary KurtzBest DirectorGeorge LucasBest Supporting ActorAlec GuinnessBest Original ScoreJohn Williams1981Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes BackPast Winners Database. 38th Golden Globe Awards
BAFTA Awards YearCategoryFilmNominee(s)ResultRef.1979Best FilmStar Wars: Episode IV – A New HopeGary KurtzBest Original MusicJohn WilliamsBest Costume DesignJohn MolloBest Production DesignJohn BarryBest EditingPaul Hirsch, Marcia Lucas and Richard ChewBest SoundSam Shaw, Robert Rutledge, Gordon Davidson, Gene Corso, Derek Ball, Don MacDougall, Bob Minkler, Ray West, Michael Minkler, Les Fresholtz, Richard Portman and Ben Burtt1981Best Original MusicStar Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes BackJohn WilliamsBest Production DesignNorman ReynoldsBest SoundPeter Sutton, Ben Burtt and Bill Varney1984Best Special Visual EffectsStar Wars: Episode VI – Return of the JediRichard Edlund, Dennis Muren, Ken Ralston and Kit WestBest Makeup and HairPhil Tippett and Stuart FreebornBest Production DesignNorman ReynoldsBest SoundBen Burtt, Tony Dawe and Gary Summers2000Best Special Visual EffectsStar Wars: Episode I – The Phantom MenaceJohn Knoll, Dennis Muren, Scott Squires and Rob ColemanBest SoundBen Burtt, Tom Bellfort, John Midgley, Gary Rydstrom, Tom Johnson and Shawn Murphy2016Best Original MusicStar Wars: The Force AwakensJohn WilliamsBest Special Visual EffectsChris Corbould, Roger Guyett, Paul Kavanagh, and Neal ScanlanBest Production DesignRick Carter, Darren Gilford, and Lee SandalesBest SoundDavid Acord, Andy Nelson, Christopher Scarabosio, Stuart Wilson, and Matthew Wood2017Best Special Visual EffectsRogue One: A Star Wars StoryNeil Corbould, Hal Hickel, Mohen Leo, John Knoll, and Nigel SumnerBest Makeup and HairAmanda Knight, Neal Scanlan, and Lisa Tomblin2018Best Special Visual EffectsStar Wars: The Last JediStephen Aplin, Chris Corbould, Ben Morris, and Neal ScanlanBest SoundRen Klyce, David Parker, Michael Semanick, Stuart Wilson, and Matthew Wood2020Best Original ScoreStar Wars: The Rise of SkywalkerJohn WilliamsBest Special Visual EffectsRoger Guyett, Paul Kavanagh, Neal Scanlan, and Dominic TuohyBest SoundDavid Acord, Andy Nelson, Christopher Scarabosio, Stuart Wilson, and Matthew Wood
Grammy Awards YearCategoryFilmSoundtrack or themeNominee(s)ResultRef.1978Album of the YearStar Wars: Episode IV – A New HopeStar Wars: Episode IV – A New HopeJohn Williams and London Symphony OrchestraBest Instrumental Composition"Star Wars (Main Title)" John WilliamsBest Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or a Television SpecialStar Wars: Episode IV – A New HopeBest Pop Instrumental Performance1981Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or a Television SpecialStar Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes BackStar Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes BackBest Instrumental Composition"The Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme)""Yoda's Theme"Best Pop Instrumental PerformanceJohn Williams and London Symphony Orchestra1984Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or A Television SpecialStar Wars: Episode VI – Return of the JediStar Wars Episode VI: Return of the JediJohn Williams2000Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual MediaStar Wars: Episode I – The Phantom MenaceStar Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace2006Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual MediaStar Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the SithStar Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the SithBest Instrumental Composition"Anakin's Betrayal"2017Best Score Soundtrack for Visual MediaStar Wars: The Force AwakensStar Wars: The Force Awakens2019Star Wars: The Last JediStar Wars: The Last JediBest Instrumental CompositionSolo: A Star Wars Story"Mine Mission"John Powell & John Williams2021Best Score Soundtrack for Visual MediaStar Wars: The Rise of SkywalkerStar Wars: The Rise of SkywalkerJohn Williams
Saturn Awards