The story behind the stop motion Jabba the Hut in Star Wars (1977)

For devoted Star Wars enthusiasts, the contrast between the original 1977 release and the 1997 re-imagined, polished, and CGI-enhanced version is quite striking. This includes debates over who initially draws a weapon in the cantina scene, whether it’s Grebo or Han Solo, as well as the unexpected sight of stormtroopers riding giant lizards on Tatooine in the updated version.

One significant alteration is clearly evident when comparing Jabba the Hutt – while Declan Mulholland portrayed him in the 1977 release, he morphed into the colossal, slug-like puppet we’re familiar with by the time of Return of the Jedi. During the 1997 re-releases and advancements in CGI technology, Mulholland was swapped out, but there were whispers that initially, Mulholland was intended as a placeholder for a stop motion version.

To clarify everything, we consulted with renowned stop motion expert Phil Tippett, who was behind the intriguing chess match between C-3PO and Chewbacca, and inquired about the stop motion work on Jabba.

This is the story behind the stop motion Jabba the Hut in Star Wars (1977)….

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2025-03-30 03:23