I actually have seen the Criterion release of Benjamin Button at WalMart.
Yeah, but that was the initial home video release of the movie.
Paramount licensed the movie to Criterion just like Disney did The Life Aquatic.
I could see the big box stores carrying a Criterion release of Star Wars though, if only because it would definitely sell well.
But this brings me back around to why I think that would never happen.
For one thing, isn’t Criterion usually pretty big on presenting the movie as the director intended? Because for Star Wars that definitely ain’t the OOT. Also, I just don’t see Disney licensing it when they’ve already got to work out a deal with Fox over ANH. That would be three different companies handling one movie.
But even that doesn’t seem as big of a road block to me as George still being around to voice his opinion on it.
Criterion has released at least two movies he was involved with (Kagemusha and Mishima: A Life In Four Parts) and they interviewed him for their release of The Hidden Fortress. Would they really feel comfortable going behind his back like that?
I’d really think that including it as “bonus material” on Disney’s official release of the SE is the much more likely scenario. Clearly labeling it as the “rough draft” George always considered it feels more respectful of his wishes than a Criterion release of just the OUT.
But dammit, I still want my '97 SE and theatrical TPM/AotC.