The mainstream internet media have picked up on the Kathleen Kennedy statements:
http://movieweb.com/star-wars-classic-trilogy-disney-wont-alter-restore/
They all agree that Kennedy was referring to any alteration of the final cut, including restoring previous cuts of the films. I suppose this may create some buzz on the twitter feeds, so let’s hope for a more extensive statement from Lucasfilm/Disney on the subject sooner rather than later.
I don’t see why keeping George’s version as it is precludes any possibility of the original cuts being released with his version.
Yes, the guy interviewing Kennedy should’ve worded his question better, but all she really said was that they’re not going to alter George’s version. That doesn’t really tell us anything either way about the unaltereds.
The situation with Fox is the reason for their silence, I’m convinced of it. Just wait, after May of 2020 we’ll suddenly get an announcement.
I would say, because as Kennedy states they will always remain his. She won’t touch the final cuts of the OT, which she states in no uncertain terms. In other words, any decisions regarding the release of alternate versions of the OT are Lucas’ prerogative.
Kennedy is not stupid. She understood the question, the same way all the internet news media understood the question. Nobody is interpreting the question and subsequent answer in any other way, except those that refuse to accept the inevitable.
Given the statements she made, it is unconceivable, that they will release the OOT without Lucas’ approval, especially since he has stated time, and time again, he doesn’t want them released. Is it possible he will change his mind? Sure, but it’s unlikely.
Fox is a non issue. Disney already has a distribution deal with Fox for the first six films, as is evident from the fact, that Disney and Fox jointly released all of them in 2015.
It’s a non issue if Disney doesn’t mind giving some of the profits from a guaranteed-to-sell-in-vast-numbers OOT blu-ray release to Fox. If they wait until 2020, they only have to give Fox their percentage on ANH.
It would be awkward for Disney/Lucasfilm to explain it in such blunt terms. That’s why we haven’t heard anything on the subject.
As for the George thing, we’re just going to have to agree to disagree. Obviously they’re not going to alter the SE without his permission, but I think we’re taking the extreme interpretation of that somehow also meaning they’ll never restore the original versions.