Tikal was featured as a filming location for the 1977 Star Wars movie, Episode IV: A New Hope.
There, Tikal was used as the location for the rebel base on the planet Yavin 4. The iconic scene where the Rebel Alliance plans their attack on the Death Star was filmed in Tikal’s Great Plaza, with the massive pyramids and temples in the background.
George Lucas, the creator of Star Wars, chose Tikal as a filming location because of its otherworldly aesthetic and the sense of history and mysticism it conveyed. The ancient ruins fit perfectly with the otherworldly appearance of the Star Wars universe. He chose to film A New Hope there after seeing a poster in the window of a travel agency in England advertising excursions to Tikal.
The use of Tikal in Star Wars helped it gain international attention, and consequently, more die-hard Star Wars fans flocked there.