Star Wars: The Complete Saga (1977-2005)

[HD Goofnut]

Originally Posted by PrestonXI

Technically speaking, you never did see the "original" three theatrically then.

Well, no. I was 1 when Return of the Jedi was released in 1983.

[Arawn]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

because some absolute shite has been put out with the THX seal of approval.

Like the first DVD release of Platoon. Ye gods.

[StingingVelvet]

Originally Posted by Bobbyjoe766

Whose being dramatic? It's just my opinion.

It wasn't meant as an insult, just that adding some kind of deadline to it coming out, when there is no reason for there to be a deadline, is just drama. We have no idea the internet politics and restoration involved, and it could easily come in 2018, 2019 or 2042. Who knows?

[Vandal Savage]

If we ever do get the original versions of the OT, I suspect it might be as some kind of special "complete saga" release that would come out after Episode IX. Probably 2020 or later. It would include all of the versions of the films, all of the released extras, and a wooden shelf. And cost $999.

Just kidding about the shelf and $999 price point. But I do think we might get some kind of deluxe release after they complete the nine-film saga, and that might beva likely place to do the original versions.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by Vandal Savage

If we ever do get the original versions of the OT, I suspect it might be as some kind of special "complete saga" release that would come out after Episode IX. Probably 2020 or later. It would include all of the versions of the films, all of the released extras, and a wooden shelf. And cost $999.

Just kidding about the shelf and $999 price point. But I do think we might get some kind of deluxe release after they complete the nine-film saga, and that might beva likely place to do the original versions.

LucasFilm actually wants to go out to Episode XII, not including the anthology stand alones.

Buckle up.

[MacEachaidh]

Originally Posted by Vandal Savage

If we ever do get the original versions of the OT, I suspect it might be as some kind of special "complete saga" release that would come out after Episode IX.

I'm not sure there's many chickens to count here. People had the same expectation about Middle Earth, and look at what they went with: spectacularly OTT packaging, containing precisely the same discs we've already got (even down to the LotR supplements still being in SD).

No doubt we'll get another "complete saga" set after Ep IX, but I can't see any particular likelihood they would change horses on the version of the OT included.

[Nailwraps]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

LucasFilm actually wants to go out to Episode XII, not including the anthology stand alones.

Buckle up.

Where did you hear that?

[StingingVelvet]

Originally Posted by MacEachaidh

I'm not sure there's many chickens to count here. People had the same expectation about Middle Earth, and look at what they went with: spectacularly OTT packaging, containing precisely the same discs we've already got (even down to the LotR supplements still being in SD).

No doubt we'll get another "complete saga" set after Ep IX, but I can't see any particular likelihood they would change horses on the version of the OT included.

There's no holy grain different versions of LotR to release though. Until Warner totally remaster those movies for UHD someday, if they even do so, there's nothing else to really do to them. In contrast Disney know damn well there is a huge demand for the original cuts of Star Wars, plus a much better remaster than the existing blus. There is money and a reason to release them again, and I am sure it happens eventually. The only question is how long.

[Bobbyjoe766]

Does DISNEY have the rights to the original too?

[MacEachaidh]

Originally Posted by StingingVelvet

There's no holy grain

"holy grain" ?

(Not mocking you, SV -- I look on typos with a great deal of affection, especially when they have a fortunate but unintended meaning all their own.)

As for the rest of your post, I fully realise that. The appeal of an HD version would be that ... well, it'd be HD , and reduce the number of discs required, and remove the region coding issue the DVDs introduced to the set. But I raised it in the context of saying that just because a deluxe, "complete" set might be released, it doesn't mean it will have all the inclusions people like us might want.

I think the two sets have another similarity: both containing films that were instrumental in helping to establish digital photography and large-scale digital effects in the mainstream, they're both going to present significant issues for any attempt to upgrade them to any higher definition.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by Nailwraps

Where did you hear that?

Fellow at LucasFilm, a couple of years ago. Abrams and Kasdan plotted out through Episode IX, LucasFilm has designs on a new trilogy after that. Plus the stand-alone anthology films. They'll still be making Star Wars films after we're all dead.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by Bobbyjoe766

Does DISNEY have the rights to the original too?

Not distribution rights, but LucasFilm owns the movie.

[captveg]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

Fellow at LucasFilm, a couple of years ago. Abrams and Kasdan plotted out through Episode IX, LucasFilm has designs on a new trilogy after that. Plus the stand-alone anthology films. They'll still be making Star Wars films after we're all dead.

Exactly. They may wait 3-4 years after Episode IX to go to Episode X, filling the intervening years with multiple anthology films, but it's inevitable. This will be the ongoing film series that will keep on giving for decades to come.

[Nailwraps]

I don't know. Maybe they should stop after IX and just do spin-off films. I mean best case scenario; if they decide to go up to XII, it will be what Lucas also wanted (9-12 films).

And for what it's worth, that news was from a couple of years, things could've changed then.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by Nailwraps

I don't know. Maybe they should stop after IX and just do spin-off films. I mean best case scenario; if they decide to go up to XII, it will be what Lucas also wanted (9-12 films).

And for what it's worth, that news was from a couple of years, things could've changed then.

Not "news" man. Just some scuttlebutt that is really innocuous, but sure, things change all the time. Warners is eyeing six new Harry Potter films (the three confirmed, and three based on Cursed Child). It's showbiz. Disney's even kicking around reviving the Chronicles of Prydain as a live-action possibility, of all things. "Keep moving forward", etc.

[Arawn]

[LeeFanatic007]

Disney will turn Star Wars into the next MCU within 10 years, MCU started with Iron Man and subsequent films followed through 2012, 2013-2016 2 films in the MCU a year and starting in 2017 there will be 3 MCU movies a year, I guarantee something similar will happen to Star Wars eventually.

If they don't kill off everyone in Rogue One, we'll probably get a sequel with those characters on another mission.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by LeeFanatic007

Disney will turn Star Wars into the next MCU within 10 years, MCU started with Iron Man and subsequent films followed through 2012, 2013-2016 2 films in the MCU a year and starting in 2017 there will be 3 MCU movies a year, I guarantee something similar will happen to Star Wars eventually.

If they don't kill off everyone in Rogue One, we'll probably get a sequel with those characters on another mission.

There's four movies in active production and pre-production as we speak. Rogue One, Episode VIII, Han Solo, Episode IX. They ain't stopping until people stop going.

[starkrogersthor91]

Time to face facts - we will NEVER see every single Star Wars movie ever made. Fact.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

But the heck of it is, there's no need to even use a 4th generation source(s) to recreate the original versions. Much of the original is still there on the reconformed SE negatives, and they can then use other pre-print elements like the YCM seps, IPs and whatnot to rebuild what they need to rebuild (that's if LFL didn't archive the negative trims from the SE restoration, I refuse to believe that they just threw them out).

It may have been a mission to piece the movies back together again in the photochemical realm which is why Lucas said "they don't exist any more" back in the day but, given the digital tools available now, restoring Star Wars to its original state wouldn't even be as troublesome as other restorations like LoA or Spartacus. Even the issue of recreating dropped frames due to the splicing was digitally fixable 10 years ago! It'd take a lot of time and effort and money to achieve for sure, but there are no massive dead-ends that would stop the project in its tracks; all it ever needed was the technology to catch up and the corporate will to carry it out.

To that end, fingers (and everything else) crossed that the stewardship of Disney/LFL isn't so myopic as it was under George Walton Lucas Jr. We WILL get a restored something next year, of that I'm convinced, but the questions remain as to what and how.

They might wait for Star Wars to open at Disneyland and use it to cross-promote the park and the IP. In any case, Fox's distribution contract runs out after 2019, Episode VIII is 2018, Episode IX is 2020...gotta figure there's going to be a box set in 2021, if by that time they're even making blu-rays and not just beaming 4K video directly into our brains.