RUMOR: Unedited Original Star Wars Trilogy Coming to Blu-Ray

[CGAdam]

Here's a link to an Ars Technica article about this. It's got some interesting points about what it would take technically, financially, and legally to re-release the original trilogy.

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2014/05/could-disney-finally-give-us-the-remastered-unedited-star-wars-we-want/

If you don't feel like reading, it basically says Disney doesn't own the right for Empire or Jedi, will eventually get those rights, and that Fox always keeps the Original movie release rights. Maybe they could work out a deal, but time will tell. Restoring the film to make a high quality re-release could be done without a bank breaking investment.

No, extremists, they will never disavow the prequel trilogy. Give up that pipe dream right now.

 

[fix-the-spade]

But as with all Star Wars news... I can't in good conscience hope for the best. Even a "wait and see" attitude seems too optimistic at this point.

It's Disney, Disney likes money (and so do Fox). By selling the original version on BluRay they can make scads of money at the sum total of bugger all cost. I see no reason why they wouldn't do it, especially since George Lucas' ego was the main reason it hasn't happened so far.

 

[Albino Boo]

Because of capitalism's reign on "creativity" and the inundation of origin stories, which is the new reboot, which is the new remake, and so on have smothered creativity, I can totally believe they're attempt an eventual "do-over" with the prequels. They can deny it till their blue in the face, we all know those movies were catastrophic to the franchise and the fandom. Another shot to get it "right" cash in would be too juicy to pass up.

Small but rather important point. Lucas didn't have creative control on the first 3 films but had full creative control on the second 3 films. Lucas had full control of the special editions. Yet the majority opinion thinks the first 3 films were good and the second 3, and the special editions, were terrible.

 

[matrix3509]

As amazing as this might be, its important to be realistic here. The article leaves out some key information that makes this unlikely. While it is true that Disney now owns the entire Star Wars IP, what Disney DO NOT own are the distribution rights to the original trilogy. Distribution rights of the original trilogy belong to 20th Century Fox. With Fox retaining rights to A New Hope in perpetuity, and Empire and Jedi until sometime around 2020.

Fox and Disney MIGHT be able to work out some sort of joint deal. But I can't really imagine Disney ever agreeing to split the profits on ANYTHING, much less Star Wars.

 

[Imre Csete]

I hope it's true, I've only seen the original cut as a little kid on cable. Would be cool to watch it without all that crappy bar singing CGI scene and whatnot.

 

[Riff Moonraker]

Awesome news!!!! I SO hope this is true, because I wanted to buy the blu-rays (more than anything, I wanted that 7th disk with all the deleted scenes) but flat out refused when I saw the ridiculous scene-killing addition of NOOOOOOO at the end of jedi when Vader saves Luke. I am still furious over that, and have still refused to buy the blu-rays because of it.

So this is truly great news, to me!!!!

 

[J Tyran]

Here's a link to an Ars Technica article about this. It's got some interesting points about what it would take technically, financially, and legally to re-release the original trilogy.

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2014/05/could-disney-finally-give-us-the-remastered-unedited-star-wars-we-want/

If you don't feel like reading, it basically says Disney doesn't own the right for Empire or Jedi, will eventually get those rights, and that Fox always keeps the Original movie release rights. Maybe they could work out a deal, but time will tell. Restoring the film to make a high quality re-release could be done without a bank breaking investment.

No, extremists, they will never disavow the prequel trilogy. Give up that pipe dream right now.

If Fox own all the rights to the existing movies though wouldn't that actually make the idea of scrapping at least the prequels more feasible though? It would give Disney another set of movies they could sell and have all the revenue from that fans would fight to go and see and buy BD/DVDs or Digital versions of, if the new movies are good ofc. Another set of bad movies will probably mean no Star Wars film will ever do well at the box office or home movie sales again afterwards as the fans probably don't have enough blood vessels left to survive another terrible trilogy.

Not trying to say that it is all that likely, we can dream though.

 

[Riff Moonraker]

As amazing as this might be, its important to be realistic here. The article leaves out some key information that makes this unlikely. While it is true that Disney now owns the entire Star Wars IP, what Disney DO NOT own are the distribution rights to the original trilogy. Distribution rights of the original trilogy belong to 20th Century Fox. With Fox retaining rights to A New Hope in perpetuity, and Empire and Jedi until sometime around 2020.

Fox and Disney MIGHT be able to work out some sort of joint deal. But I can't really imagine Disney ever agreeing to split the profits on ANYTHING, much less Star Wars.

If true, I wouldnt sweat that, honestly. 20th Century Fox has been nothing but awesome, as far as anything concerning Star Wars, and I think they realize they would get some nice bank on a deal like this. I know its not Alan Ladd, Jr. anymore, but remember that they were the ONLY ones that gave Lucas the chance to make this movie, as all the other studios didnt "get it". The force is stroooooooooong with the original trilogy!

 

[Riff Moonraker]

Here's a link to an Ars Technica article about this. It's got some interesting points about what it would take technically, financially, and legally to re-release the original trilogy.

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2014/05/could-disney-finally-give-us-the-remastered-unedited-star-wars-we-want/

If you don't feel like reading, it basically says Disney doesn't own the right for Empire or Jedi, will eventually get those rights, and that Fox always keeps the Original movie release rights. Maybe they could work out a deal, but time will tell. Restoring the film to make a high quality re-release could be done without a bank breaking investment.

No, extremists, they will never disavow the prequel trilogy. Give up that pipe dream right now.

If Fox own all the rights to the existing movies though wouldn't that actually make the idea of scrapping at least the prequels more feasible though? It would give Disney another set of movies they could sell and have all the revenue from that fans would fight to go and see and buy BD/DVDs or Digital versions of, if the new movies are good ofc. Another set of bad movies will probably mean no Star Wars film will ever do well at the box office or home movie sales again afterwards as the fans probably don't have enough blood vessels left to survive another terrible trilogy.

Not trying to say that it is all that likely, we can dream though.

I dont see it happening. Irregardless of how the prequels pale in comparison to the original trilogy, it still had some good parts, and the Clone Wars cartoons are freaking amazing! (Watching them REALLY helps flesh out the Clone Wars as a whole, and really helps you understand why Anakin went to the Dark Side, as well)

 

[Ickabod]

Disney smells money. I'd say that this is going to happen.

 

[Trishbot]

I hate rumors as good as these until they're confirmed. They get my hopes up even when I should know better.

I would totally buy the original, unrevised trilogy, no question about it.

As for the rumor of "de-canonizing" the prequels? To quote a whiny, bratty future-Darth in The Phantom Menace, "Yippee!"

 

[Mr. Q]

If these rumors prove to be true, this might be the first "good" news we've had about Star Wars in some time. I'd like to say the same for Episode VII but, given Abrams "mystery box" shtick and rumored antics, I think the fan base is ready to string him up and beat him like a pinata.

In all seriousness... A world where we get the original, unedited trilogy on Blu-ray plus the prequels being excluded from continuity? One can only hope this dream becomes a reality. ^_^

 

[BloodRed Pixel]

The retouching of the original triology (aka 4-6) was a pure work of the Sith!

the 70s/ 80s original are great as they are (except for that Ewoks).

 

[Lightknight]

That would be nice. Finally something worth getting. George did little more than clutter up the scenes for some crazy reason.

 

[A_Parked_Car]

Well, this will be the last Star Wars related stuff I ever buy if it ends up being true. That is unless the new trilogy ends up being great (which I doubt). This would be an extremely intelligent business decision on Disney's part. For relatively minimal effort they would make approximately a shit-zillion dollars on sales.

 

[Buizel91]

If true, VERY good move Disney.

However i would like a few of the edits left in, the guy who played the emperor in the prequel trilogy being in the hologram in EP 5 for example, some of the background edits to make places like Bespin feel more alive. Some of the newer CG scenes in space are nice as well, seeing the Rebel fleet, the odd Tie Fighter here and there and some of the new combat scenes are pretty cool.

But again, make it happen Disney. You have the whole Starwars fandom on the edge of their seat, doing this will put a lot of fans in your favour!

EDIT: Hold the phone...DELETION OF THE PREQUEL TRILOGY?!?! I'm one of a few that actually enjoy it Oooh well, if they were to reboot it, i wonder what they would do differently. Then again Seeing the Battle of Geonosis with the same directing as the New York battle in Avengers would be so fucking godly.

 

[FPLOON]

Glob dammit! This better be true!!

I don't think my VHS copies could take much more replay abuse...

(Then again, I'm pretty sure it can... But, that's beside the point...)

 

[Buizel91]

Here's a link to an Ars Technica article about this. It's got some interesting points about what it would take technically, financially, and legally to re-release the original trilogy.

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2014/05/could-disney-finally-give-us-the-remastered-unedited-star-wars-we-want/

If you don't feel like reading, it basically says Disney doesn't own the right for Empire or Jedi, will eventually get those rights, and that Fox always keeps the Original movie release rights. Maybe they could work out a deal, but time will tell. Restoring the film to make a high quality re-release could be done without a bank breaking investment.

No, extremists, they will never disavow the prequel trilogy. Give up that pipe dream right now.

If Fox own all the rights to the existing movies though wouldn't that actually make the idea of scrapping at least the prequels more feasible though? It would give Disney another set of movies they could sell and have all the revenue from that fans would fight to go and see and buy BD/DVDs or Digital versions of, if the new movies are good ofc. Another set of bad movies will probably mean no Star Wars film will ever do well at the box office or home movie sales again afterwards as the fans probably don't have enough blood vessels left to survive another terrible trilogy.

Not trying to say that it is all that likely, we can dream though.

That's why i doubt these films are going to be bad. If this is true Disney simply won't be able to afford it. They have done miracles with Marvel, and Disney have always had good relations with Lucas etc so they definitely know there fanbase. Despite J.J Abrhams directing, i think he is going to be on a VERY tight leash. And also, again if this true, it shows they kind of have a plan, and if it's anything like their plan with Marvel, it may just bring Starwars out of the pit Lucas put it in and bring it back into the spotlight and keep it there.

 

[Pebkio]

New Rumor: THPPPPPPPPPPPPPT

THPPT

You know, some of the fixes were actually quite nice. The correction of the blue filter is the biggest thing I would hate to see disappear. The see-through snow speeder thing can stay corrected. I think they cleaned up some of the light-saber effects. You know, the simple high-def touch-ups.