production (especially special  effects) took longer than expected. Studio executives were concerned  that the new 25th May 1977 release date would put the films box  office chances at risk as _Smokey and the Bandit (1977)_ (qv) would  come out that same week. However, by the end of its initial  theatrical run in the U.S., Star Wars had grossed over twice as much  as _Smokey and the Bandit (1977)_ (qv).