Star Wars Black Series 40th Anniversary

The Star Wars Black Series 40th Anniversary sub-line is the premium Original Trilogy collector programme within the Galaxy Collection era — 55 figures released between 2017 and 2023 in Kenner-style cardback packaging that celebrates the 40th, 45th, and 50th anniversaries of A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi respectively. No other Star Wars property has received this depth of dedicated Black Series coverage in a single specialist sub-line, and the 40th Anniversary is the primary source for many characters and configurations that have no equivalent in the standard Galaxy Collection film sub-lines.

The Kenner cardback packaging is the sub-line’s defining visual identity — a deliberate homage to the original 1977–1984 Kenner toy line that introduced Star Wars figures to the world. The vintage-style backing card with retro illustration and minimal modern branding makes 40th Anniversary figures visually distinct from every other Star Wars Black Series release, appealing to collectors who grew up with the original Kenner line and want that connection acknowledged in their modern 6-inch collection.

The Three Milestones

Wave 1–2 — A New Hope 40th Anniversary (2017). The sub-line launched in 2017 for the 40th anniversary of the original film with twelve figures: Luke Skywalker (ANH), Han Solo (ANH), Princess Leia Organa (ANH), Obi-Wan Kenobi, R2-D2 (ANH), Chewbacca (ANH), C-3PO, Stormtrooper, Darth Vader Legacy Pack, Tusken Raider, Death Squad Commander, and Jawa. These twelve figures cover the entire core ANH cast and primary troop types — the Kenner line’s own first wave reconstructed at 6-inch scale. The SDCC 2019 Boba Fett and standalone Luke X-Wing Pilot and R5-D4 supplemented the ANH launch.

Waves 3–4 — The Empire Strikes Back 45th Anniversary (2020). The ESB waves are the most expansive in the sub-line — eighteen figures covering the Battle of Hoth, the Dagobah training sequence, and the Bespin Cloud City storyline simultaneously. The Hoth contingent: Imperial Snowtrooper (Hoth), Rebel Soldier (Hoth), Princess Leia Organa (Hoth), Luke Skywalker (Snowspeeder), AT-AT Driver. The Dagobah sequence: Luke Skywalker (Dagobah), Yoda (Dagobah). Bespin: Luke Skywalker (Bespin), Han Solo (Bespin), Lando Calrissian, R2-D2 (ESB), Chewbacca (ESB), TIE Fighter Pilot (ESB), Darth Vader (ESB), Boba Fett (ESB), 4-LOM & Zuckuss two-pack (Amazon), and Han Solo (Carbonite) (Amazon). The ESB waves are the most comprehensive single-film Black Series release in the line’s history.

Waves 5–7 — Return of the Jedi 40th Anniversary (2022–2023). The ROTJ milestone waves covered the film from Jabba’s Palace through the Endor battle to the throne room with twenty-three figures. The Endor team: Princess Leia (Endor), Han Solo (Endor), Biker Scout, Wicket, Paploo, Rebel Commando (Endor Deluxe). Jabba’s Palace: Gamorrean Guard (Target), Bib Fortuna, Lando Calrissian (Skiff Guard), Boba Fett (ROTJ). The throne room: Darth Vader (ROTJ), Luke Skywalker (Jedi Knight), The Emperor, Emperor’s Royal Guard, R2-D2 (ROTJ), Stormtrooper (ROTJ), Chewbacca (ROTJ). The Force Spirit figures: Anakin Skywalker (Force Spirit), Obi-Wan Kenobi (Force Spirit), Yoda (Force Spirit), and the Force Ghosts 3 Pack (Hasbro Pulse exclusive). Admiral Ackbar (Hasbro Pulse) and the Emperor’s Royal Guard & TIE Pilot Carbonized two-pack (Amazon) complete the ROTJ milestone.

The 40th Anniversary vs Galaxy Collection

The 40th Anniversary figures use Kenner-style cardback packaging where the Galaxy Collection uses mural box packaging. For many collectors, maintaining packaging consistency across a display matters — the 40th Anniversary Kenner cards and the Galaxy Collection mural boxes are visually incompatible on an open shelf. Collectors must choose which era to prioritise for each character or accept mixed packaging aesthetics.

The figure quality across both sub-lines is comparable — both are produced in the Galaxy Collection era with Photo Real face printing on human characters where applicable. The meaningful distinction is packaging format and character selection rather than figure quality. For characters only available in the 40th Anniversary — The Emperor, Emperor’s Royal Guard, AT-AT Driver, Boba Fett (ESB), and the Force Spirit trio — the 40th Anniversary figures are the primary Black Series versions regardless of packaging preference.

The 40th Anniversary as a Collector Programme

The 40th Anniversary is the most ambitious single-theme collector programme in Black Series history. Fifty-five figures across a six-year production run, all dedicated to celebrating the Original Trilogy in a packaging format that consciously appeals to collectors who remember the original Kenner line. The scale of the programme — particularly the eighteen-figure ESB wave and twenty-three-figure ROTJ contingent — reflects Hasbro’s confidence that the Original Trilogy audience would support a deep coverage programme rather than a handful of key characters.

The ESB waves in particular represent a turning point in Black Series ambition. Prior to 2020, no single film had received this many dedicated Black Series figures in a coordinated release. The decision to cover Hoth, Dagobah, and Bespin simultaneously — with army builders, scene-specific characters, and hero variants all in a single wave — set a template for how comprehensive film coverage could work that influenced subsequent sub-line planning.

Exclusives Within the 40th Anniversary

The 40th Anniversary itself contains exclusives within the sub-line — a meta-layer of exclusivity. The Amazon-exclusive 4-LOM & Zuckuss two-pack and Han Solo (Carbonite) are the highest-demand exclusives within the sub-line, representing the ESB bounty hunter completion piece and the most iconic ESB prop respectively. The Hasbro Pulse-exclusive Force Ghosts 3 Pack — Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Yoda as Force spirits — is the sub-line’s most emotionally significant exclusive. The Target-exclusive Gamorrean Guard and Admiral Ackbar are the Hasbro Pulse exclusive from the ROTJ waves.

Collecting the Complete 40th Anniversary

Completing all fifty-five 40th Anniversary figures requires sourcing standard mainline figures, five different retailer exclusives (Amazon, Target, GameStop, Hasbro Pulse, and SDCC), and the park-adjacent SDCC 2019 Boba Fett. The figure quality is consistently high across the full run — these are Galaxy Collection-era figures produced at the same quality standard as the mainline film sub-lines — and the Kenner packaging design rewards open-box collectors and carded collectors equally.

Secondary Market

The 40th Anniversary figures vary widely in secondary market pricing. The SDCC 2019 Boba Fett remains one of the most expensive standard-production Black Series figures on secondary markets. The Amazon Han Solo (Carbonite) and 4-LOM & Zuckuss two-pack command significant premiums given the characters’ collector appeal. The standard wave figures are generally available at or near retail. The ROTJ Force Ghosts 3 Pack commands a premium given the emotional significance of the release and the Hasbro Pulse exclusivity.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best 40th Anniversary Black Series figure? The ESB wave is widely considered the strongest — Han Solo (Bespin), Luke Skywalker (Bespin), and Boba Fett (ESB) are consistently cited as the standout releases. The Force Ghosts 3 Pack is the sub-line’s premium collector piece.

Are 40th Anniversary figures the same as Galaxy Collection figures? Same scale, similar production quality, different packaging and character selection. 40th Anniversary figures are in Kenner cardback packaging; Galaxy Collection figures are in mural boxes. They are not interchangeable — a character’s 40th Anniversary release and a Galaxy Collection release are distinct products even if the underlying figure is similar.

Is the 40th Anniversary sub-line complete? The sub-line appears to have concluded after covering all three Original Trilogy milestones (40th ANH in 2017, 45th ESB in 2020, 40th ROTJ in 2022–2023). No new 40th Anniversary figures have been announced as of 2025.

The Best Way Into the 40th Anniversary Collection

For collectors new to the sub-line, the ESB wave is the strongest entry point — Luke Skywalker (Bespin), Han Solo (Bespin), and Boba Fett (ESB) give the Bespin duel and bounty hunter scenes their definitive Black Series treatments, and the Imperial Snowtrooper (Hoth) is the best-armoured Hoth-era trooper in the line. For ROTJ-focused collectors, the throne room set — Darth Vader (ROTJ), Luke Skywalker (Jedi Knight), The Emperor, and Emperor’s Royal Guard — is a complete scene display from a single sub-line wave. The Force Ghosts 3 Pack from Hasbro Pulse is the emotional capstone. For ANH collectors, the twelve-figure 2017 launch wave remains a focused and achievable complete scene set.

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Part of Star Wars The Black Series. Related: A New Hope | The Empire Strikes Back | Return of the Jedi | 50th Anniversary | Orange Wave.