01-08-2025
Disney Sets Date for Original 'Star Wars' 50th Anniversary Re-Release
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"Star Wars" aka "Star Wars: A Newwas first released in 1977, and the film is approaching its 50th anniversary. Naturally, this has led to Disney already setting the date for when the film will be re-released in theaters.
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According to a report from Deadline, "Star Wars: A New Hope" will release on April 30, 2027.
What is not known and is the biggest question is if Disney plans to release the actual original film. Recently, the British Film Institute released the original film before the edits were made by George Lucas.
Though there was great concern that the original print of the film was being shown, it was met with plenty of praise, including from Lucasfilm CEO Kathleen Kennedy. Kennedy appeared at the screening to offer some kind words about the film that started it all.
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It would be a treat for fans to see the original "Star Wars" print in theaters, as the one that most know of is the one that consists of a multitude of edits made by George Lucas.
In the original print, the infamous Han vs Greedo scene never featured Greedo shooting first and missing. That was added in the 1997 re-release.
Also, Jabba the Hutt was digitally introduced in his meeting with Han Solo, along with more creatures and stormtroopers being shown in Mos Eisley.
The changes have long been criticized by fans, as the original print film is rare to find and be shown. Most of the current versions of the original trilogy contain the edits, along with more that were made with the Blu-ray release.
One of the biggest edits was adding Hayden Christensen as the Force Ghost of Anakin Skywalker, removing the original actor from the film.
Simply put, releasing the original "Star Wars" print from 1977 would be a welcome sight for longtime fans of the franchise, and the re-release might also be a lucrative endeavor if Disney allows this to happen.
When the original film was released with the edits in 1997, it pulled in $138.2 million domestically, $160 million globally. The Star Wars franchise has grown even bigger in the 30 years since, garnering even more global support.
Hopefully, Disney allows fans to see the how the original was displayed in theaters back in 1977.
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