Return of the Jedi was a film.
Return of the Jedi ( also known as Star Wars : Episode VI -- Return of the Jedi ) is a 1983 American epic space opera film directed by Richard Marquand . It was the third and final installment in the original Star Wars trilogy and the first film to use THX technology . The film is set one year after The Empire Strikes Back and was produced by Howard Kazanjian for Lucasfilm Ltd. . The film stars Mark Hamill , Harrison Ford , Carrie Fisher , Billy Dee Williams , Anthony Daniels , David Prowse , Kenny Baker , Peter Mayhew and Frank Oz . Strict secrecy surrounded the production and the film used the working title Blue Harvest to prevent price gouging . The film was released in theaters on May 25 , 1983 , six years to the day after the release of the first film , receiving mostly positive reviews . The film grossed between $ 475 million and $ 572 million worldwide . Star Wars (film) . The film 's success led to two critically and commercially successful sequels , The Empire Strikes Back ( 1980 ) and Return of the Jedi ( 1983 ) .