An original Han Solo blaster prop from Star Wars recently sold for over $1 million at auction. Upon its release in 1977, Star Wars became an instant hit with audiences all over the world, spawning a decades-long franchise consisting of nine main films, three anthology films, and over a dozen television shows, as well as scores of books, comics, video games, toys and more. Harrison Ford starred as Han Solo, a smuggler who's almost never seen without his partner Chewy and his iconic blaster.
SCREENRANT VIDEO OF THE DAY
Last week at the Rock Island Auction Company (via Collider), Han Solo's DL-44 Heavy Blaster Pistol prop from the original Star Wars film was sold for $1,057,500. With an estimated sale price of $300,000 to $500,000, the prop went for more than double than expected. The pistol is reportedly only one of just three original props of the gun used during filming to have survived.
During the production of Star Wars, George Lucas wanted to give the films a "used future" aesthetic, which gave the universe a more worn and lived-in look. With a limited budget, Lucas and his prop department repurposed real objects to fill out the world. Three Mauser C96 pistols were customized to create the DL-44 blaster to be used by Han Solo. The weapon became the smuggler's weapon of choice throughout the original Star Wars trilogy as well as in The Force Awakens. It's been featured in setpieces like Princess Leia's (Carrie Fisher) rescue aboard the Death Star, the ground assault on the forest moon of Endor, and notably as the weapon that took out Greedo, sparking the "Han Shot First" debate. The blaster has become arguably one of the most iconic weapons within Star Wars lore, and they fetch a high price in the real world.