Like before?
Well, it was slightly different in 2015. The day before the digital release dropped (which was the same week as Celebration IIRC) there was a report citing a “source” within LFL that the Han/Greedo scene had been altered yet again, this time back to its original pre-SE edit.
That report may yet turn out to be true. It could be a change that’s being saved for the 4k remaster.
Anyway, yeah, it wasn’t an OOT rumor that time. But Greedo shooting first is arguably the most controversial change George has made to these films. Changing it back to its original state would be a big deal all on its own.
It’s important to note that the article’s source didn’t specifically say that we should expect the OOT the way that every other rumor has. They kind of hinted at it, but again, the point was more that there were 4K restorations happening, not that we’d get the original versions. That, to me, makes the article a bit more credible since it isn’t as speculative.
Yeah, but they also mention that Lucasfilm is thinking at least three discs per movie and that this Skywalker Saga release will “please fans.”
For the OT films, just what in the world could that possibly mean other than the unaltered version on one of those discs?!
Just visit some other Star Wars boards, and you’ll find that most fans are pleased with the SE. Many of them will argue, that they wouldn’t mind an OOT release, but they don’t view it as essential, and some don’t care for it at all. The OOT fans have sadly become a monority, so “please the fans” doesn’t have to imply an OOT release. The SE in the best state possible with a ton of previously unreleased extras will do that for most fans.
The whole “who shot first” thing is still widely associated with the Star Wars fandom. Pleasing the fans is an obvious nod to the OUT in this context. Whether this will happen or not is a different question.
To me this is nothing more than projecting your own views on the entire fandom. The days that “who shot first” was a big thing in the fandom are long past. The fans are a much wider and diverse group than our little community here on OT.com, many if not most who grew up with the PT, and the SE, and many who consider the SE superior to the original versions, and more consistent when viewed in the context of the saga as a whole. When people at Disney talk about pleasing the fans, they are most likely talking about the growing majority of fans, who would like to see the saga in the highest quality possible in combination with unreleased material, not the dwindling minority of OOT fans.
You are aware that those who want the OUT is not restricted to just this site correct?? I’m not saying the market for the OUT isn’t/hasn’t shrinking/shrunk with each passing day but I would not go as far to say this site represents 99% of those who want it. Just because there isn’t others who post about it doesn’t mean they don’t want it.
I only take issue with Star Wars fans’ opinions when they say they would the OOT not to ever be released alongside the ‘official’ versions.
That would literally be the only scenario it would happen. It ain’t gonna be like E.T. where Spielberg ultimately reversed his opinion and now the theatrical cut is only the available version. The SE’s of Star Wars are here to stay whether we’re happy about it or not. Whether they will coexist someday with the OUT is another story.
I’m very aware, because I’m also active on other boards, and one thing that struck me is, that you often meet the same people who advocate the release of the OOT, while the majority doesn’t seem to care all that much, beyond viewing the OOT as a curiousity, that they might be interested in owning, while their go-to versions will remain the SE. In other words as I said before, the OOT seems nice to have, but not essential to the majority of fans.
Most people—even SW fans—also don’t use Internet forums. People of the ‘vintage’ most likely to prefer the OUT are probably even less likely. For this and other reasons the web probably isn’t the best sample to analyze.