Ever since Disney purchased Lucasfilm in 2012, there has been a great deal of speculation (hope) that the studio might restore the original theatrical versions of the original Star Wars trilogy, as it was seen before George Lucas made numerous digital alterations to the films. Lucasfilm boss Kathleen Kennedy has now spoken about the possibility of this happening–and the news isn’t good.
In a recent interview with the Steelewars podcast, Kennedy was asked if fans would ever see the original versions of the movies. “I wouldn’t touch those, are you kidding me?” she said, via Movieweb. ” [Those will always remain [Lucas’s].” Kennedy also stated that there is nothing legally stopping Disney from releasing the un-doctored versions,, but it sounds very unlikely to happen.
Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi have been seen in various versions as the years have gone by. The first reworked editions were released theatrically in 1997 and since then, almost every single home video re-release has undergone further alteration. These range from cleaning up VFX, adding characters from the prequel trilogy, and even inserting entirely new scenes. Among the most controversial changes were the decision to have Greedo shoot at Han first, and the new song “Jedi Rocks” performed in Jabba’s Palace.
Lucas has always insisted that these are now the definitive versions of the films. To date, the last time they were available were as bonus features on the 2006 DVD release, sourced from the 1993 laser disc and of a far inferior quality to the altered versions.
In related news, Kennedy also recently stated that the next Star Wars spinoff movie is likely to be revealed soon. “My hope would be sometime around the summer,” she said. “I never want to predict the creative process because it is its own thing, so we’re in the midst of those discussions right now.”
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