The problem is that the division between ownership of what Disney/Lucasfilm and Fox has is unclear, at least to me. Is it at all likely that a deal to spend money on this kind of thing for a new release would happen while another corporation has the reigns? Do the people that aim to profit from such a thing get along with the people that now own the negatives?
We have no way of knowing the answer to that.
I’m more and more convinced with each passing day that Disney will simply wait this out until they regain the rights to the non-ANH movies in 2020, disappointing as it would be to get absolutely nothing (aside from yet another repackaging) for the 40th anniversary this year.
Obviously I hope I’m wrong.
The 4k UHD format will be the other huge factor in whatever they decide on, I think. Disney will finally start supporting it in the next year or so and I don’t see them waiting long before releasing their wholly-owned Star Wars movies like TFA and RO. That will leave the first six movies conspicuously absent, but now we’re back to the whole conundrum of Fox owning the rights for at least another several years.
IIRC, George wanted to hold off the OT’s dvd debut until after the PT was finished. Maybe Disney will actually hold off the UHD debut of I-VI until after the ST is finished. It’s not like there will be a newer/better physical format right around the corner in 2020 like there was in 2005.