Darth Vader Lightsaber Sells for $3.6 Million

The iconic lightsaber once wielded by Darth Vader in the original Star Wars trilogy fetched an astounding sum of $3.6 million at a recent auction, setting a new record.

In a recent auction held at Propstore, located in Los Angeles, one of the iconic lightsabers yielded by the Sith Lords from the initial Star Wars films was sold on September 4th.

In the original Star Wars trilogy, it was David Prowse and his stunt double, Bob Anderson, who wielded the lightsaber on-screen during several scenes, including the duels featured in “The Empire Strikes Back” and “Return of the Jedi.

As reported by Deadline, an extraordinary bid worth approximately $3 million (which includes a $7,000 fee for the auction house) secured a renowned Hollywood prop item of legendary status.

The history-making sale marks the highest-valued Star Wars item ever sold.

Based on information from the official auction site, I’ve learned that this “piece” might be the single hero lightsaber prop with confirmed screen-use ever put up for public auction. It’s one of the rarest and most coveted ‘grail’ items related to ‘Star Wars’ in circulation.

The lightsaber was assembled from components such as a British camera flash handle, miniature electrical cables, parts from old calculators, and a circuit board. For many years, it had been kept tucked away in a private collection.

In simple terms, the outcome of today’s auction signifies a significant milestone, not only for Propstore, but for the global film memorabilia community. The fact that a Star Wars lightsaber, an iconic symbol from one of cinema’s most influential sagas, has become the highest-valued Star Wars item ever sold at auction is truly remarkable. This highlights the lasting cultural impact of Star Wars and the fervor of fans and collectors who view these artifacts as cornerstones of contemporary mythology. These were Brandon Alinger’s words after the sale, serving as the COO of Propstore.

In addition to the main item, various other items were auctioned off such as:

1. The Platform 9 3/4 train station sign from the Harry Potter series.
2. Captain Jack Sparrow’s compass (from Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl).
3. Sauron’s helmet, seen in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.
4. Ellen Ripley’s flamethrower, used in Aliens.
5. A bullwhip, belt, and holster set worn by Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

20 Actors You Forgot Were in Star Wars

Michael Biehn

In the realm of science fiction, renowned actor Michael Biehn has earned his reputation for playing tough characters, such as in James Cameron’s movies “The Terminator” and “Aliens”. He added another rugged role to his repertoire in Season 2 of “The Mandalorian”, portraying a mercenary named Lang. This character serves as muscle for Morgan Elsbeth. His journey intersects with, and tragically ends (beware of spoilers), at the hands of the Mandalorian. Such is often the fate of TV guest stars.

Jack Black (and Lizzo!)

In an unexpected turn of events, perhaps the most unconventional appearances in the entire Star Wars universe unfolded in Chapter 22 of The Mandalorian. This was when Mando and his team reached Plazir-15, a planet governed by none other than Jack Black and Lizzo. While some might argue it was a bit of an odd choice for casting, they certainly embodied the roles of quirky space rulers convincingly.

Rose Byrne

Before becoming famous for her roles in “Insidious” and “Bridesmaids”, Rose Byrne, who was not yet well-known, appeared as one of Senator Amidala’s unnamed handmaidens in a scene from “Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones”. She certainly seemed excited to be there.

Jodie Comer

In the fleeting glimpse of Rey’s traumatic past in “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”, keen-eyed viewers may have recognized Jodie Comer from the series “Killing Eve”. It turns out that Miramir, Comer’s character, was married to Dathan, who is related to Emperor Palpatine. Despite him being the potential heir to the galaxy’s most notorious evil, she still chose to be with him. Quite a knack for choosing difficult partners, isn’t it?

Jon Favreau

In the realm of Star Wars, Jon Favreau is recognized as the mastermind behind The Mandalorian and also lent his voice to one of its characters, Pre Vizsla. However, his involvement in Star Wars doesn’t stop there. A year before the debut of The Mandalorian, he voiced Rio, an alien member of Tobias Beckett’s crew. Unfortunately for Rio, things didn’t turn out favorably, but fortunately for Favreau, he is now penning and directing the movie The Mandalorian & Grogu.

Sarah Michelle Gellar

Many popular actors from live-action series have also made appearances in the animated Star Wars universe, which might be news to those who only follow the live-action shows. For instance, Sarah Michelle Gellar, known for her role as Buffy, lent her voice to the antagonist Seventh Sister during the second season of Star Wars Rebels. In total, she featured in six episodes and delivered a commendable performance, particularly impressive as The Inquisitor when you listen to excerpts from her performances.

Keira Knightley

In this 25-year-old film, “The Phantom Menace,” the storyline crucially involves Queen Amidala concealing her identity by employing handmaidens who resemble her closely. Among these handmaidens is Padmé, with whom the Jedi and young Anakin Skywalker often interact, unaware that Padmé and Amidala are one and the same (Amidala is a ruler who connects with the common people). Meanwhile, another handmaiden stands in for Queen Amidala, and this handmaiden was played by Keira Knightley before she became famous as Captain Jack Sparrow in “Pirates of the Caribbean.” At that time, it’s hard to deny that the two of them look quite similar.

John Leguizamo

If you didn’t recognize John Leguizamo in “The Marshal” episode of The Mandalorian during its second season, it’s understandable. In this role as Gor Koresh, an unscrupulous character who clashed with Mando over his valuable beskar armor, Leguizamo was disguised under a combover, potbelly, green skin, and only one eyeball, which made him less recognizable.

Christopher Lloyd

Wow, it’s Christopher Lloyd who made an appearance in “The Mandalorian” during Season 3 Episode 6 titled “Guns For Hire”. He portrayed Commissioner Helgait, the seemingly non-threatening head of security on Plazir-15, a planet governed by Lizzo and Jack Black. The Mando crew uncovered Helgait’s plot and managed to bring peace back to the planet. What an action-packed week that was on “The Mandalorian”, isn’t it?

Tim Meadows

In the third season of The Mandalorian, things certainly took a turn for the extraordinary. In the episode titled “The Pirate,” we witnessed the arrival of veteran Saturday Night Live actor Tim Meadows as Colonel Tuttle, a New Republic official who questions X-wing pilot Carson Teva’s theories that the Empire might be planning a resurgence following the events depicted in Return of the Jedi. But really, it seems far-fetched to imagine that Palpatine could somehow return, doesn’t it? Or don’t you think so?

Lin-Manuel Miranda

In a different rendition:

Lin-Manuel Miranda, who is famous for creating “In the Heights” and “Hamilton,” initially contributed to the “Star Wars” universe by penning a song for Maz Kanata’s cantina in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” As a result of his efforts, he was granted a cameo appearance in “The Rise of Skywalker.” During the celebration scene after the climactic battle, you can find him in the shot where Rose Tico hugs Chewbacca.

Simon Pegg

Without viewing additional footage, you may not know that the character Unkar Plutt, who trades with Rey and exchanges food portions, is portrayed by Simon Pegg, famous for “Shaun of the Dead” and “Hot Fuzz.” Pegg also proposed an extra scene for Plutt, where he confronts Rey over stealing the Millennium Falcon. However, this scene was later cut. In this scene, Chewbacca intervenes and tears off a whole quarter of Unkar’s arm!

I tried to maintain the original structure while simplifying some phrases for easier reading.

Stephen Root

In the third episode of “The Book of Boba Fett,” titled “The Streets of Mos Espa,” Boba Fett encountered a water vendor named Lortha Peel who was dealing with a troublesome gang. This character, played by renowned actor Stephen Root, sought Fett’s help to eliminate the gang since they were continually stealing his inventory. However, instead of eliminating the gang, Fett offered them jobs and later held Peel accountable for overpricing his goods. If perhaps Peel had offered Boba Fett a red stapler as a sign of respect, he might have agreed to take care of the gang problem. Stephen Root is famously recognized from his roles in shows like “NewsRadio” and movies such as “Dodgeball,” “O Brother, Where Art Thou?,” and “Office Space.

George Takei

In a more casual and engaging style, the sentence could be rephrased as follows:

George Takei, best known for his role as Lieutenant Sulu in the Star Trek series, has been deeply linked with the Star Trek universe. Across multiple episodes and all six original cast films from the 70s, 80s, and 90s, he brought the character to life. Interestingly, there isn’t much connection between Star Trek and Star Wars in history, but Takei lent his unique voice to an episode of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, playing a general alien named Lok Durd. Wow!

By adopting a more conversational tone, the text becomes easier for readers to understand and enjoy while still maintaining the original meaning.

Sophie Thatcher

In the TV series “The Book of Boba Fett,” the gangsters that Stephen Root aimed to eliminate – one of these thugs is portrayed by Sophie Thatcher, who gained recognition from her roles in shows like “Yellowjackets” and recent horror films such as “Heretic” and “Companion.” It would have added extra excitement if she had taken on a character like Black Krrsantan or another interesting role instead.

Justin Theroux

In “The Last Jedi”, the Resistance later aligns with a deceitful codebreaker, portrayed by Benicio del Toro. However, their initial focus is a man sporting a stylish white suit and a stripe resembling a skunk in his hair, played by Justin Theroux from “The Leftovers”. Unfortunately, Rose and Finn manage to get arrested before they could enlist this unnamed character for their mission. The scene unfolds so swiftly that the character is never given a name. On Wookiepedia, Justin Theroux’s character is referred to as “Master Codebreaker”, and it’s also mentioned that he was cast in the role just one day prior to filming.

Danny Trejo

In the latest episode of “The Book of Boba Fett,” starring Stephen Root and Sophie Thatcher, Boba Fett emerges victorious against a pair of Hutt twins. As a sign of their gratitude, the twins gift him a rancor. Interestingly, this formidable creature is managed by none other than Danny Trejo, a renowned action actor known for his roles in “Heat,” “xXx,” and numerous films directed by Robert Rodriguez, including “Desperado,” “Grindhouse,” “Once Upon a Time in Mexico,” “Spy Kids,” and “Machete.” So, who directed this episode of “Boba Fett”? That would be Robert Rodriguez himself.

Titus Welliver

Titus Welliver has made appearances in shows like “Lost” and “Sons of Anarchy,” but he’s most famously recognized for leading the detective series “Bosch” and its spin-off “Bosch: Legacy.” In addition to these roles, he appeared in the third season of “The Mandalorian,” specifically in the episode titled “The Heiress,” as an Imperial Captain who collaborated with the villainous Moff Gideon. For simplicity’s sake, let’s imagine his character was named Captain B’Osch.

Dominic West

Before you recognized him as Detective Jimmy McNulty from “The Wire”, Dominic West made an appearance in “Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace” as a minor character named Jerus Jannick. In the movie, he was one of the guards at Amidala’s palace; you can see him quite clearly during the initial moments of the scene where Anakin visits Padmé. However, he is briefly prevented from entering by a guard standing outside her door – that’s McNutty for you!

2025-09-05 18:59