I was rewatching the original Star Wars trilogy with my kids last weekend, and I noticed something I'd never caught before. In the background of the Mos Eisley cantina scene, there's a brief shot of a character who looks suspiciously like a prototype design for a bounty hunter that later appeared in the expanded universe comics. I've been down a rabbit hole trying to confirm if this was an intentional Star Wars easter egg planted by the production designers or just a happy coincidence. Does anyone know of any official sources or interviews that might shed light on these kinds of hidden background details from the original film's production?
Interesting thought. There are official sources, but they don’t always spell out every easter egg—production designers often left details to chance.
Two solid avenues: Empire of Dreams (2001) documentary and J.W. Rinzler's The Making of Star Wars (and the later revised editions). Taschen's Star Wars Archives (2019) digs into production art and design notes that sometimes hint at background nods.
For quotes from the people who built the cantina, check the audio commentaries on the 1997 Special Edition and the 2004 DVD; interviews with Ralph McQuarrie and Joe Johnston also pop up in behind-the-scenes books.
I wouldn't expect a single reveal; many background designs were built in the moment; the 'easter eggs' may be collaborative and not formally documented; approach with curiosity rather than search for a single official answer.
Want a compact reading list? I can assemble a short bibliography with editions and where to find the quotes.
If you tell me what edition you have access to, I can tailor sources you can actually read today.