It is the second in a series of radio dramatizations of the original Star Wars trilogy, and lasts for a total of five hours. It was produced and broadcast by National Public Radio as part of NPR Playhouse as a follow-up to the success of the first radio series, Star Wars (1981). Like the first radio drama, The Empire Strikes Back was written by Brian Daley and directed by John Madden. Billy Dee Williams reprised his role as Lando Calrissian, and John Lithgow played Yoda.