Star Wars‘ infamous 1978 holiday special is getting a documentary, which is set to drop just in time for the Christmas season. Variety reports that A Disturbance in the Force will be released on home video and streaming on December 5th.

A Disturbance in the Force is directed by Jeremy Coon and Steve Kozak. It uncovers the untold story of the infamous Star Wars Holiday Special and explores why it mysteriously vanished from the public eye after being watched by 13 million people on CBS in 1978.

The movie will also be shown in select theaters in the U.S., U.K., and Australia before its home entertainment release. The documentary was created by September Club. This is the production company responsible for other acclaimed documentaries like The Last Blockbuster and Murder Among the Mormons. Meanwhile, digital and Blu-ray distribution is handled by Giant Pictures. Adam F. Goldberg served as executive producer.

The ‘Star Wars Holiday Special’ Aired 45 Years Ago Today

A Disturbance in the Force delves into the creation of the disastrous Star Wars Holiday Special. The program aired 45 years ago on November 17th and vanished faster than the Millennium Falcon in hyperspace. When Star Wars graced the silver screen in 1977, it ignited a cultural frenzy. So, naturally, filmmaker George Lucas thought, “Why not make a holiday-themed variety special?” Little did he know, it would go down in history as a spectacularly terrible trainwreck. The special disappeared faster than a Sith Lord’s redemption arc.

The Star Wars Holiday Special was a two-hour variety show. The program took place between the original film and The Empire Strikes Back. This special followed Han Solo and Chewbacca’s journey to Kashyyyk, the Wookiee’s home planet, to celebrate Life Day, a fictional holiday in the Star Wars universe. It featured the original Star Wars cast and introduced viewers to Boba Fett, who would later become an iconic figure in the saga.

The Star Wars Holiday Special featured comedy skits, singing and dancing Storm Troopers, and acrobatics. There was even a musical number with a pre-Golden Girls Bea Arthur. It also had an animated feature called The Faithful Wookiee, available on Disney Plus. Critics and fans panned it as the most dreadful two hours of television ever. Although never rebroadcasted or officially released on home media, bootleg copies exist.

George Lucas distanced himself from the special, claiming he had minimal involvement with the TV disaster.