Star Wars Day Returns To Tampa Theatre For 2024

Tampa Theatre added a special opportunity to see classic "Star Wars" films on "Star Wars Day" in 2023. Now that they've created a new tradition, the details are now available for 2024.

For those who didn't know that May 4 is "Star Wars Day," here's the explanation: It's "May the Fourth," as in "May the Fourth be with you." (If you're new to this, it's a play on the line "May the Force be with you.")

The three movies they are showing on Saturday, May 4, are the films that got it all started. There's little that compares to watching these classics on the big screen. It's even more amazing when it's in the beautiful, historic Tampa Theatre.

The first three releases came out a long, long time ago... 1977, 1980 and 1983. They'll be shown, of course, in the order in which they were released.

1:15 p.m.

This is the one that introduced us to the franchise. Originally just known as "Star Wars," we learn about the battle between The Force and The Empire. We're also introduced to Luke, Han, Leia, Obi Wan, C-3PO, R2-D2 and Darth Vader. Whoops, we almost forgot Chewbacca. That would not have turned out well if he knew. It was the first time we saw the 'Death Star,' x-wing fighters, tie fighters and the Millenium Falcon. Special effects from Industrial Light and Magic provided the flights across galaxies, droids and lightsabers.

4:30 p.m.

Welcome to the second release in the Star Wars saga. The dark side is still trying to beat the Jedi. We'll meet additional characters including Lando, Yoda and Boba Fett. Young Luke continues his training to become a Jedi, but he still rushes off before he is ready. He knows a good hand guy if you want one. Han and Leia become closer.

7:45 p.m.

Three years later, Return of the Jedi was released. It's time to meet Jabba the Hutt, the Emperor and a batch of Ewoks. The Empire is rebuilding the 'Death Star,' and Luke is closer to becoming a Jedi. Spoiler alert: C-3PO speaks Ewok.

For those who have seen these movies over and over, which is most people, you don't really need the descriptions. That doesn't mean that you won't enjoy seeing them again on this special event day at the Tampa Theatre.

If you're interested in joining in for the fun, you can click here for more details and tickets.

The 96th Academy Awards airs live from the Dolby Theater on ABC, abc.com, or the ABC app. on Sunday, March 10, starting at a new earlier time at 7 pm ET, scheduled to end at 10:30 pm ET. A 30-minute pre-show will lead into the live show at 6:30. Jimmy Kimmel returns as host for the fourth time. Zendaya, Michelle Pfeiffer, Nicolas Cage, and Al Pacino are among the first group of presenters for the awards ceremony. Also presenting are last year’s winners: Brendan Fraser, Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, and Jamie Lee Curtis. Oscar winners Mahershala Ali, Jessica Lange, Matthew McConaughey, Lupita Nyong’o, and Sam Rockwell are also set to take the stage.

Fantastic films are nominated for this year’s Oscars, with Oppenheimer, Barbie, Killers of the Flower Moon, Poor Things, The Holdovers, The Color Purple, Maestro, American Fiction, and Past Lives taking a lot of nominations in the major categories. This year, 321 feature films were eligible for the Oscars, and 265 of those qualified for the Best Picture category. For the first time in history, three of the ten movies nominated for best picture were directed by a female, the most in Oscars history. Justine Triet’s Anatomy of a Fall, Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, and Celine Song’s Past Lives are battling it out against directors Martin Scorsese, Christopher Nolan, and Bradley Cooper. Only four years have included films directed by women for best picture: Lone Scherfig’s An Education, Kathryn Bigelow’s The Hurt Locker, Lisa Cholodenko’s The Kids Are All Right, Debra Granik’s Winter’s Bone, Chloé Zhao’s Nomadland, Emerald Fennell’s Promising Young Woman, Siân Heder’s CODA, and Jane Campion’s The Power of the Dog. Three of these women-directed films won best picture in their respective Oscar-nominated years: The Hurt Locker, Nomadland, and CODA.

As we previously reported, Ryan Gosling is going to make his first — and probably last — Oscars performance. The Barbie star will officially perform “I’m Just Ken” live at the awards ceremony. The song is nominated for Best Original Song for the annual awards show.

Keep scrolling to see who takes home an Oscar tonight (we will be updating live):

Sterling K. Brown -- American Fiction

Robert De Niro -- Killers of the Flower Moon

Robert Downey Jr. -- Oppenheimer -- WINNER

Ryan Gosling -- Barbie

Charles Melton -- May December

Mark Ruffalo -- Poor Things

Emily Blunt — Oppenheimer

Danielle Brooks — The Color Purple

America Ferrera -- Barbie

Jodie Foster -- Nyad

Da’Vine Joy Randolph — The Holdovers -- WINNER

"The Fire Inside" -- Flamin' Hot

"I'm Just Ken" -- Barbie

"It Never Went Away" -- American Symphony

"Wahzhahzhe" -- Killers of the Flower Moon

"What Was I Made For?" -- Barbie -- WINNER

The Boy and the Heron -- WINNER

Elemental

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Bradley Cooper -- Maestro

Colman Domingo -- Rustin

Paul Giamatti -- The Holdovers

Cillian Murphy -- Oppenheimer -- WINNER

Jeffrey Wright -- American Fiction

Annette Bening -- Nyad

Lily Gladstone -- Killers of the Flower Moon

Sandra Huller -- Anatomy of a Fall

Carey Mulligan -- Maestro

Emma Stone -- Poor Things -- WINNER

American Fiction

Anatomy of a Fall

The Zone of Interest