Earlier today at Star Wars Celebration V, Lucasfilm and 20th Century Fox announced something fanboys have been wanting to hear for what feels like a millennium: the beloved Star Wars saga will be finally coming to the realms of high definition Blu-ray.
A bit of a wait is still in your future as the set isn’t marked for release until the fall of 2011, but the wait sounds like it will be worth it. The Blu-enhanced Star Wars box set will consist of all six films, bathed in the highest possible visual and audio formats. Also included will be a wealth of special features including documentaries, unseen footage from the Lucasfilm archives, retrospectives, interviews, and rare behind-the-scenes moments.
While speaking about the exciting announcement, the creator himself George Lucas said “Blu-ray is the absolute best way to experience Star Wars at home – in pristine high definition. The films have never looked or sounded better.”
It’s unclear at the moment if the only available set being released next fall will be the above-mentioned six-film package, or if all movies will be offered individually as well. It’s obvious that the individual films and separate trilogies will likely get a Blu-ray release at some point, but a little more waiting may be involved there.
[Source: Lucasfilm]
[UPDATE via NY Times]
No surprise here: Lucas apparently only plans to include the Special Edition versions of the original trilogy in this Blu-ray release.
Perhaps bracing for the reactions of fans who decried some of the changes made to the special-edition films – like, say, an exchange of gunfire between Han Solo and a certain green-skinned bounty hunter – Mr. Lucas said that to release the original versions of these films on Blu-ray was “kind of an oxymoron because the quality of the original is not very good.”
“You have to go through and do a whole restoration on it, and you have to do that digitally,” he added. “It’s a very, very expensive process to do it. So when we did the transfer to digital, we only transferred really the upgraded version.”
I would actually pick up the Special Editions of this as long as they fix that bonehead scene in Episode IV with the green lightsaber blade.
Comment by Slipstream — August 14, 2010 @ 7:14 pm
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Comment by Devon — August 14, 2010 @ 7:46 pm
on front page of digg, livin like piiiiimps.
Comment by scoobydiesel — August 15, 2010 @ 6:36 am
I just want the original Star Wars! I don’t want an “enhanced” version with a clumsily-created CGI scene showing Han Solo stepping on a plastic-looking Jabba the Hut’s tail. I don’t want some kiddie-friendly version that edits out the flashes when blaster shots impact people. I don’t want grossly over-the-top CGI add-ins to populate Mos Eisley with all manner of new creatures. And I don’t want one where Han Solo is turned into some kind of little bitch who waits for Greedo to shoot first before taking greedo out.
Comment by Fred — August 15, 2010 @ 6:51 am
Can’t wait to download them! :D
Comment by jeans — August 15, 2010 @ 9:16 am
FY George Lucas, I will settle for Adywans Fan Edit of these films, now that is a stuff of legends.
Comment by Jorge — August 15, 2010 @ 11:32 am
Here’s the deleted scene:
http://www.mixx.com/videos/22587854/star_wars_saga_on_blu_ray_the_first_official_deleted_scene
Comment by cGt2099 — August 15, 2010 @ 3:03 pm
They’re going to make you have to buy the 3 crap new Star Wars to get the 3 old great ones. Pass. They’ll break them up after they run out of suckes to push the new crap ones on,then i’ll bite.
Comment by 1lumpsum — August 15, 2010 @ 5:17 pm
Add: Or I’ll just get some Chinese bootlegs of the 1st 3 off Ebay a week after they come out.
Comment by 1lumpsum — August 15, 2010 @ 5:20 pm
@ Fred: I agree. let us assume that Mr. Lucas will include all prints of the film, (as similarly offered on the Blade Runner final cut blu ray.) He’s also likely going to include extras such as that deleted scene from ROTJ of luke building his lightsaber. Should be cool… and something for everybody. but the fall 2011 release? c’mon.
Comment by matt — August 15, 2010 @ 5:32 pm
Of course. Because George Lucas isn’t rich enough, he wants even more of your money, he hasn’t made enough from refusing to discontinue VHS until all the storehouses were empty before allowing dvd sales.
F*ck Lucas, and f*ck you for giving him money.
Comment by Phil E. Drifter — August 15, 2010 @ 6:43 pm