Lucasfilm has announced that Star Wars: Episode III will be released to theaters in the United States and Canada, with a near-simultaneous release around the world, on Thursday, May 19, 2005.

In Japan, "Episode III" will be released in July, the traditional month for Star Wars premieres. Exact information for other countries outside of the U.S. and Canada will be coming shortly, so keep checking the official website for full details as May 2005 approaches.

In North America, May has been the traditional release date for Star Wars films since the first movie in 1977. The North American release dates for the previous films in the Star Wars saga are:

Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope - May 25, 1977
Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back - May 21, 1980
Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi - May 25, 1983
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace - May 19, 1999
Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones - May 16, 2002