STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE is Getting an Immersive 50th Anniversary Experience at Cosm in 2027
The original Star Wars is about to take over an entire theater, and this time, the galaxy far, far away won't be confined to a traditional movie screen.
Disney and Cosm are teaming up to bring Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope to Cosm's massive 12K dome theaters in March 2027, giving fans a new way to experience George Lucas' sci-fi classic as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
This isn't just another normal theatrical rerelease. Cosm specializes in what it calls "shared reality," using enormous wraparound screens and immersive visual enhancements to expand the moviegoing experience beyond the main image.
The original film will remain the centerpiece, presented in its traditional 16:9 format, while additional imagery and effects fill the surrounding dome. The idea is to make audiences feel like they're sitting inside the Star Wars universe rather than simply watching it from a theater seat.
Disney, Lucasfilm, Industrial Light & Magic, and MakeMake have been working with Cosm to develop the experience, which will use the 2019 version of A New Hope as its foundation.
Alexis Scalice, VP, Head of Cosm Studios, shared the company's excitement about bringing one of cinema's most influential movies into its theaters:
“The Star Wars franchise blazed the trail for cinematic fandom and has been the north star of the entertainment industry since the original film debuted in 1977.
“We’re privileged to work alongside our incredible partners to develop an experience that celebrates the film’s legacy and provides fans across generations an opportunity to step inside the beloved Star Wars galaxy like never before.”
If Cosm can pull this off, watching the Death Star trench run surrounded by massive visuals could be one hell of an awesome experience!
The film will play at Cosm's four existing locations in Inglewood, California, near SoFi Stadium, as well as Atlanta, Dallas, and Detroit. Each venue features the company's signature dome technology, designed to create a large-scale immersive environment.
The Star Wars release also kicks off a multi-year, multi-film partnership between Disney and Cosm, so this won't be the last Disney movie to receive the shared reality treatment.
Cosm already has agreements with Warner Bros. and Universal, and Sony Pictures Entertainment invested $100 million in the company in June 2026. A New Hope will become the sixth movie title presented at Cosm, following previous releases spanning animation, fantasy, horror, and science fiction.
Founded in 2020, Cosm opened its Los Angeles flagship in 2023 and announced another $250 million in funding in 2024. Its investors include Mirasol Capital CEO Steve Winn, former Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry, Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert, and Blackstone partner David Blitzer.
The company has also built a business around live sports, partnering with the NFL, NBA, and other major leagues to bring games to its immersive venues. Its sports events feature dynamic ticket pricing and additional seating outside the main dome.
With companies like Imax and Sphere attracting audiences willing to pay more for premium entertainment, Cosm is betting that movie fans will also show up for something they can't recreate at home.
Of course, the Cosm experience is only one part of Lucasfilm's plans for the 50th anniversary of Star Wars. The 1977 classic is also returning to theaters in various IMAX formats, accompanied by a major wave of anniversary merchandise.
Hollywood loves finding new ways to sell us movies we've already seen hundreds of times, but at least this one offers something genuinely different. Watching Luke Skywalker take on the Empire inside a massive 12K dome sounds pretty damn cool.
The real question is how far Cosm will take the immersive elements without distracting from the movie itself. A New Hope has worked perfectly well for nearly 50 years without extra visuals surrounding the screen.
Still, the opportunity to experience the original Star Wars in an entirely different theatrical environment is an exciting way to celebrate its anniversary.