Sideburns of BoShek said:
I think it is a “they respect George’s wishes” type of thing more than any legal contract. And a couple of years after George passes they’ll likely release all the different cuts. I hope so anyway. That’s just my best guess to it all.You’re right, it does all seem insane.
Kennedy’s definitely the one holding it back at this point. She’s already stated that she won’t mess with his movies.
In the 2017 Celebration interview where she said she wouldn’t mess with them? I think she meant she (Lucasfilm/Disney) wouldn’t make any further changes to George’s Special Editions. Unless she’s said something else since? (I really hope she has.)
There’s a transcript of the 2017 Celebration interview with her, and a video link, here:
Tough break for both Kershner and Marquand, they don’t even get a mention as directors of the other two films in the OT!
And as everyone knows, ‘neither The_Empire Strikes Back or Return Of The Jedi are available as their respective directors intended, or indeed made, on a modern and quality digital format.’ 😦
From the comments it looks like many fans are now mentioning this which is really cool to see.
Who not just release all the main different releases of all the Star Wars movies?
It is only George’s ego that will be bruised when he finds out many fans will prefer the original theatrical cuts.
George’s ego appears to have been the elephant in the room.
The audiences’ memories and experiences of the differing cuts, the other OT directors’ visions, and all pioneering work by all the creatives and craftspeople that no longer appear in the latest Maclunkey cuts, they all pale into insignificance when compared to that elephant.
This story is full of ironies. George Lucas is the man who taught us all how the will of the people is irrelevant when one person has too much power. He taught us that not when he was trying to, in his art, but by having too much power and ignoring the will of the people.
100% agree with that!