Rumor: Restored theatrical print of Star Wars for the 40th anniversary this year.

[phil]

I was just wondering if it's currently legally possible for the original 1977 version of the film to get a theatrical release. Outside of the DVD release the film is out of circulation. It's the special edition that is shown on tv and released on Blu-Ray.
In 1997 when the special edition was released there were stories that Lucas intended for the original version not to be seen again. Obviously that thinking changed with DVD but even then the Theatrical release was basically just considered a bonus disc to the special edition.

[Werewolf]

I was just wondering if it's currently legally possible for the original 1977 version of the film to get a theatrical release.

Yes, Disney owns Star Wars.

[Hedji]

I was just wondering if it's currently legally possible

[phil]

I'm confused. I thought Disney didnt own the original film yet. It was my understanding Fox owns the original film for a few more years along with Empire and Jedi.
Regardless of who owns the movie, the potential money to made from a 40th anniversary theatrical release, should be enough to make it financially viable. I suspect that any theatrical release would be much more limited that what the special editions had in 1997.

[Werewolf]

Disney completely owns the Star Wars property and films. Fox only has distribution rights. They lose exclusive distribution rights to Empire and Jedi in 2020. But they retain the distribution rights to New Hope forever. It's basically the same deal for Fox when Lucasfilm owned the movies. Lucasfilm (now Disney) owns the movies but Fox gets to distribute them.

[jwyblejr]

Fox doesn't have them 100%. Disney Movie Club just added the Blu-Ray versions. So they must have found a loophole somewhere.

[emeraldknight47]

Fox doesn't have them 100%. Disney Movie Club just added the Blu-Ray versions. So they must have found a loophole somewhere.

I think Disney has made SO much money from their own, original properties, from MARVEL properties and from Lucasfilm properties that they can probably buy a loophole even if they couldn't find one, jwy!

And, yes, if Disney has this film already in the gate and ready to run, they would be foolish to not release it sooner rather than later. As I've mentioned earlier, a ROGUE ONE/A NEW HOPE (original, remastered in 4K) double feature would like create entirely new box office records. Hey, I'd pay to see it (even though I haven't see RO, yet). Plus, with nostalgia high for Carrie Fisher right now, seems like it would be a no-brainer (unless they don't want to look like they're trying to cash in on her passing)....

[Werewolf]

So they must have found a loophole somewhere.

It's possible they already have the distribution rights back to Empire and Jedi. I remember the Fox fanfare was replaced with a new Lucasfilm one for the streaming versions of the special editions of Empire and Jedi but not for Star Wars.

[Earth 2 Chris]

If they release the original 3 without the Fox fanfare many will scream in the aisle that it's still "not the way I saw it in 77, 80, 83".

I'm ready for the originals again. I had the trilogy on VHS and watched those for years, but my VCR died and I never replaced it. Watched ROTJ with my daughter for the first time this weekend, and MAN, the additions stuck out horribly for me this go around. I want to see old man Anakin as a Force ghost again, dagnabbit! And the Yub-yub song!!!

[phil]

If there is enough money to be made Fox and Disney will come to an understanding if they have to. I won't be surprised if a theatrical release for the 40 th anniversary does not happen.

[emeraldknight47]

If they release the original 3 without the Fox fanfare many will scream in the aisle that it's still "not the way I saw it in 77, 80, 83".

I'm ready for the originals again. I had the trilogy on VHS and watched those for years, but my VCR died and I never replaced it. Watched ROTJ with my daughter for the first time this weekend, and MAN, the additions stuck out horribly for me this go around. I want to see old man Anakin as a Force ghost again, dagnabbit! And the Yub-yub song!!!

I'll agree with you on the 20th Century Fox Fanfare (it became as much a part of seeing a SW movie as the SW music itself) and seeing the untampered with original pieces, but I think I'll have to bring my earplugs for the Yub-Yub song; I'm sorry, but by the time ROTJ came out, the Ewoks were already far too "cutesy" for my tastes.

[Earth 2 Chris]

^The dated, blaringly CGI cityscapes of the other worlds celebrating really jumps out though in the end sequence. My daughter caught every added scene, and she's 9. That's how bad the puppet strings are showing on the special editions, ironically, since they were supposed to take that kind of stuff out!

Chris

[Werewolf]

^The dated, blaringly CGI cityscapes of the other worlds celebrating really jumps out though in the end sequence.

Totally. I love Yub Nub and I will gladly take that over Jar Jar yelling "Weesa Fweee!!" and the shoe horned in CGI prequel cities.

And I certainly will not miss Hayden Christensen crudely pasted over Sebastian Shaw. Just, ugh.

[Werewolf]

It just occurred to me it's even more unlikely the 4K Star Wars restoration is the Special Edition because the added effects in that were done digitally at 1080p. They would have to be completely redone for a 4k restoration. The Special Editions are basically stuck at Blu Ray resolution. Same with the prequels. Only the Phantom Menace was shot on film. Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith were filmed digitally at 2k.

[Hedji]

Good point. It would just be an upconvert.