Will Disney Ever Release the pre-Special Edition Star Wars Movies?

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 This is the question that many of us have asked since Disney bought Lucasfilm. Even last year there were rumors that DIsney will indeed show their good will to the Star Wars fans and release the Original Trilogy on Blu-ray unaltered as it was meant to be. Hit the jump for one interesting opinion on the subject…

The article comes from io9 and is an answer to a question asked by a fan:

Q: Do you think there is a chance that Disney will re-release the films without the footage added in or are they more likely to make it worse? I think there is a lot of money to be made if they did just a simple re-release of things without the CGI additions of pre-Vader Anakin, as an example. Or is it possible that Disney will make things worse and digitally insert references to mouse ears?

A: I’m pretty sure Disney will be releasing the original Original Trilogy at some point on DVD and Blu-ray — or at the very least, they’re more likely to than George Lucas ever was. (Yes, I know Lucas technically released them on DVD, but they were neither remastered nor put in anamorphic widescreen, meaning they looked literally no better than the VHS versions. They don’t count. At all.)

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There are several reasons for this, but mainly 1) Disney doesn’t have the emotional hang-ups that Lucas does and they aren’t trying to prove anything, and 2) they really like money, and they know there’s a sizable market for the pre-special edition movies. George Lucas released only the special editions because he thought they were the better versions of the films, but this time the soulless, mercenary corporation is working for us because they don’t give a shit about artistic integrity. There’s no reason for them to ignore this easy revenue stream.

The same goes for Disney’s chances of tinkering with the previous movies — they aren’t worried about Lucas’ original vision for the films, or trying to tie the original trilogy to the prequels. They just want money, and they’ll do that by two ways: by making new Star Wars films and reselling the old ones. Unless George Lucas somehow made not selling the pre-Special Editions part of the contract when he sold Lucasfilm to Disney — which he is crazy enough to do, although I feel we would have heard about it by now — not releasing an unedited, anamorphic widescreen version of the original trilogy on DVD and Blu-ray is literally just turning down money.

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 Some very good points and although right now Disney are 100% focused on Episode 7 I won’t be surprised if they release the unaltered Original Trilogy just before Episode 7 hits the big screens on December 18, 2015. 

 
And here are some good points from the guys at furiousfanboys on why this won’t happen soon:

Four Reasons Why Disney Can’t Release the Theatrical Cuts of Star Wars…Yet

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Founder of SWNN, MNN and The Cantina forums.Born on April 24, 1980.

30 thoughts on “Will Disney Ever Release the pre-Special Edition Star Wars Movies?

  • January 2, 2014 at 1:17 pm
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    I will not buy them and same with most fans. Why would they.The clean up was great for the most apart apart from Han shoots first ! and the CGI singer in Jabbas palace.

    • January 2, 2014 at 1:39 pm
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      Of course if they do release an unaltered version it still will be the remastered version with the digital enhancements.

    • January 2, 2014 at 8:05 pm
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      I would buy them. The reason? Because that’s the original version that I grew up with and loved! Did the newer versions have better special effects? Sure. However, I was disappointed that they took out things and changed the music for some scenes, too. I believe there are other fans out there who are also hoping this will happen, otherwise, why would they have even made an article about it?

    • January 6, 2014 at 2:21 pm
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      Just in case someone at Disney is listening… 😉 I’m with you too, Shelby. That original Original Trilogy HD box set has been on my wish list for ever.

  • January 2, 2014 at 2:52 pm
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    How can an “unaltered version” still be the “version with digital enhancements” ? Did you even get what this article is about ?

    I have not bought any CGI-butchered trilogyDVD-bluray and never will. But the day they release a cleaned version of the original films, I will jump right to the store…

    • January 2, 2014 at 3:32 pm
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      “Digital enhancements” are used to remaster the picture. They have nothing to do with CGI.

    • January 2, 2014 at 3:34 pm
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      There’s nothing wrong with remastering. I doubt that anyone will pay for a version that has not been remastered.

    • January 2, 2014 at 4:12 pm
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      Thank you for this clarification, I didn’t know the term.
      And I agree with you, people want a version as clean as Special Edition, just without any additional scene or effect.

  • January 2, 2014 at 3:03 pm
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    Of course they will. It’s a question of when, rather than if. Personally, I am happy with my collection of fan edits.

  • January 2, 2014 at 4:09 pm
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    I want the original trilogy on blue ray without the additions of the CGI stuff. They are WAY too “cartoony”. Jabba looks ridiculous in the added scene in E IV with Han, the singer in Jabbas Palace looks terrible too. None of it fit in with the artistic design of the films and look out of place. Of course none of the additions make me not like these film versions, I still love them, I just would love to have a blue ray of them as well before my VHS versions or VCR “crap” out on me LOL

  • January 2, 2014 at 4:26 pm
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    I’d buy it for $100 easily. Hell I might buy it twice just because at this point it seems like a miracle is needed to get it to happen.

    I’d say the real death dealing seal is Fox. Fox owning A New Hope until the end of time is what will likely stop Disney from doing it. Fox is already annoyingly in the way with Marvel properties so they tend to have a habit on holding on to IPs once acquired.

    It’s a crime really as I’d love the originals (the best) to be re-mastered and released. Furious Fanboy is wrong about one thing though. The lack of interest he mentioned is totally false. Repacking of a famous franchise for any reason sell well. Just look at Evangelion. That has been repacked so many times… with each one selling incredible well. A Star Wars re-release will sell. Period.

  • January 2, 2014 at 5:28 pm
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    I own un CGI’d versions of epi IV thru VI. They are on DVD. Bootlegs. The pic quality isn’t the best. The original ROTJ is the only one I will watch. Blinking wicket freaks me out lol. Will definately buy the unaltered IV thru VI trilogy if it is ever released

  • January 2, 2014 at 6:46 pm
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    The unaltered trilogy on the bonus discs of the stand alones from 2006 don’t “Look at bad as VHS” they’re not up to blu ray standard, but they look better than VHS. To all those people that are like it’s not the same movie – Lucas didn’t take away anything from the originals (other than altering the Sy Snootles song in ROTJ). Everything original is still in there. You can easy hit SKIP CHAPTER during the extended Docking Bay 94 sequence with Han and Jabba.

    • January 2, 2014 at 7:09 pm
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      I think there are too many distractions inserted that got to people. So skipping here and there ruins the experience. Sadly I feel for those who like this and that but other insertions make them clench their fist. Jabba scene is great, but altered Han vs. Greedo scene can detract, as well as floating tech candy here ‘n’ about throughout the back ground…Kind of reminds me of What Ridley Scott did with Blade Runner, but that scenario is like comparing apples and oranges.

    • January 2, 2014 at 9:45 pm
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      What are you talking about. Of course he REMOVED original content. It’s not the same movie! They changed Boba Fett’s voice. Changed Anakin’s appearance to the young which is nonsensical for many reasons. Han Shooting first is just a small part of many changes that just make you shake your head. Boba Fett’s few lines were iconic… and they changed to the new guys voice why? Boba grew up apart from his father at a young age. There’s no reason for him to speak exactly like his father… plus the helmet filter.

      They are not the same movies… They are a bitter attempt to legitimize the hated prequels because so many fans had vocalized saying they seem them as separate series. Lucas was simply pissed. He’s said as much repeatedly… about being angry at fans. That they expected to much.

  • January 2, 2014 at 9:57 pm
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    If the licensing is possible for the original trilogy Disney will.
    Because there is money to be made. As well as a clear market for it.
    Timing is the obstacle.

  • January 2, 2014 at 9:22 pm
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    Can we get back to Episode VII news, for which this website is named after?

    • January 4, 2014 at 12:00 pm
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      OMG – cannot believe what I’m reading here. There’s nothing to re-release anymore – the original negs have been tampered with (thanks George). let’s just wait for the next chapter…

  • January 2, 2014 at 10:24 pm
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    i liked the special editions way better myself even though i grew up with the originals ( i was 4 when SW came out), but i know that many fans prefer the unaltered versions, so i hope that disney will re-release the originals for you fellow fans.-prymal

  • January 3, 2014 at 2:46 am
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    I’ve got my CBS FOX video VHS trilogy and a VCR to play them. I don’t need anything else.

  • January 3, 2014 at 3:08 pm
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    I’d love to see Disney release not only a set of the original pre-Special Edition SW trilogy, but a pre-SE set that doesn’t have the god-awful “color correction” of the existing DVD/Blu Ray releases.

    I understand that the master copy of SW needed help because its color had faded, but what’s with the hot-pink flashes all over the place during the blaster fights? And the bizarre coloring of a lot of the ship explosions (even in ROTJ)? The automated color correction process they used was unbelievably half-assed, and I really wish they’d go back and do it properly, once and for all.

  • January 3, 2014 at 6:31 pm
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    (I know, I know, Disney owns Marvel and it’s a money thing. But still… oy. OY, I sez!)

    • January 3, 2014 at 7:47 pm
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      It is truly disappointing to say the least. Hopefully the new Marvel Star Wars comics will be a lot better than their first crack at it.
      The 70’s series was barely readable.

    • January 3, 2014 at 8:14 pm
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      I’m not holding my breath. I think we basically know what we’re getting.

      Marvel is great for certain kinds of stories. Star Wars was never their strong suit at all, though.

    • January 3, 2014 at 8:29 pm
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      Yeah, that’s no joke. Unless they hire some fantastic writers and illustrators for the new series, the future of Star Wars comics looks dismal…

  • January 14, 2014 at 6:16 pm
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