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Star Wars (1977 Original Version) Theatrical Rerelease Discussion

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I know the 50th anniversary “hopes and expectations” thread has been filled with discussion about leaks at the like, but at last, a restoration and release of the original film in its 1977 state has been officially confirmed:

https://www.starwars.com/news/star-wars-50th-anniversary-theatrical-release

“Part of Lucasfilm’s yearlong 50th anniversary celebration, a newly restored version of the classic Star Wars (1977) theatrical release — later renamed Star Wars: A New Hope — will play in theaters for a limited time.“

ESB and ROTJ are still officially TBD, but I figured now that the original is confirmed, a new thread is due!

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It only took 8306 days (March 10, 2003 - December 5, 2025) before the goal of the site was a confirmed achievement.

8306 days man. That’s 22 years, 8 months, and 25 days. Site’s gone through a lot of permutations in that time.

How we feelin, boys & girls?

Joe’s Bed-Stuy Editing Bay - We Cut Flicks

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I feel really emotional. It’s been… so long!

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I’m gobsmacked that this is finally happening. After the gout dvds & every subsequent anniversary I had given up on an official restoration & was resigned to enjoying the fan restorations (thanks for those, guys). I’m so happy this will be restored for all to see. And i can’t wait to see it again in 2027. Cheers to all here who kept & are keeping cinematic history alive!

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I’ll believe it when I see it.

Well, when someone else sees it and confirms it’s the version I saw in 1977. Then I’ll see it multiple times.
The last time I watched Star Wars was the day the non-anamorphic DVD version was released on that Lego toy disc, over 20 years ago.

Forum Moderator
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It would have been nice twenty years ago but late is better than never.

Though to watch the originals be restored in better quality than the special editions would be an irony indeed.

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It has been especially pleasing to see this news of the official announcement so enthusiastically received online by fans… 👍

r/StarWars : r/StarWarsLeaks : r/Movies : r/BoxOffice : Discussing Film X : IGN X : Jacob X : HelloGreedo X : ILM X : SWH X etc.

 
 

 
 

Some info on the ALI OOT Restoration from the ⭐ Star Wars’ 50th anniversary in 2027 ⭐ | Your hopes and expectations… thread - starting around Pages 3/4…

 

‘Info Posts’ on the 2025 leaked Restoration of the unaltered theatrical Original Trilogy - by Aurora Light Imageworks (ALI)…

An Introduction / Overview | Image Screenshots and Comparisons | Video Clips | Media Coverage | FAQs | News & Updates.

 
 

 
 

We won! (again!)
 

Some 20+ years… fan pressure, petitions, victories… endless research, curating & archiving information, sources… undertaking our own preservations - whether theatrical bootlegs & telecines, home video tapings, TV broadcasts, official home video release & laserdisc-sourced conservations, 8mm & 16mm film transfers, 2006 GOUT DVD improvements, 720p & 1080p HD endeavours, Despecializings… and other quality reconstructions, through to 35mm + 70mm film preservations & 4K/UHD reconstructions (and breathe)…

…improvement upon improvement, mistake after mistake, upgrade after upgrade, project after project… that steep learning curve… with no little patience, energy, and money from our own pockets… to give others the best projects we could muster.

Finally, an official high quality release of the unaltered theatrical versions from '77, '80, and '83… will NO LONGER be absent from our world.

Not only this, but going on what we have seen so far… the quality of the ALI OOT Restoration has been executed by a team of highly talented craftspeople - done with love, care, and huge levels of attention to detail. Also much kudos should be given to whoever it was at Lucasfilm who ordered and backed this much anticipated project.

Obviously, in time we hope the ALI OOT Restoration will also see a physical media release - and also become a permanent fixture on the Disney+ streaming platform (even if in the ‘Vintage Collection’ section).

These three iconic, pioneering, landscape-changing and award winning films will be available to everyone who wishes to simply once again have the choice of buying and experiencing the original theatrical cuts of those much-beloved movies once again.
 

Also, we remember those who are sadly no longer with us - who gave endless time, effort, knowledge, and energy to the cause. To the OOT. To the community. To us all. ❤️
 

May The Force, and The OOT, be with us all… Always.

 

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A little patience goes a long way on this old-school Rebel base. If you are having issues finding what you are looking for, these will be of some help…

Welcome to the OriginalTrilogy.com | Introduce yourself in here | Useful info within : About : Help : Site Rules : Fan Project Rules : Announcements
‘How do I do this?’ on the OriginalTrilogy.com - includes info on how to ask for a fan project and how to search for projects and threads on OT•com.

A Project Index for Star Wars Preservations (Harmy’s Despecialized & 4K77/80/83 etc) : A Project Index for Star Wars Fan Edits (adywan & Hal 9000 etc)

We’re a community here - not a ‘download site’ - so join in with the discussions: do NOT lazily make ‘link request’ posts / new threads asking for projects.

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Hell has indeed frozen over. Now if they could restore THX 1138 and American Graffiti. I doubt there is a lot on money on the table like Star Wars.

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Guys and gals, we did it.

What’s the internal temperature of a TaunTaun? Luke warm.

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I honestly thought that George would never do it, but I’m glad to be proven wrong. With so many changes made to this movie, a re-release of the original version and in higher quality was very due.

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JawsTDS said:

I haven’t checked this forum in years, but I had to come back just to see the reactions. I can’t believe it’s finally happening.

Same. Still feel like the rug is going to get pulled out from under us in some way…

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We Did It!!!

One day we will have properly restored versions of the Original Unaltered Trilogy (OUT); or 1977, 1980, 1983 Theatrical released versions (Like 4K77,4K80 and 4K83); including Prequels. So that future generations can enjoy these historic films that changed cinema forever.

Yoda: Try not, do or do not, there is no try.

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Nice. They even go against brand and talk about how it was renamed. But again “a once in a generation event” for no reason? It better not be put in the Disney vault afterwards.

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Mocata said:

Nice. They even go against brand and talk about how it was renamed. But again “a once in a generation event” for no reason? It better not be put in the Disney vault afterwards.

They’re going to maximize revenue, which means streaming and disc.

The announcement for now is only about the theatrical event. So that’s what once in a generation refers to.

TV’s Frink said:

I would put this in my sig if I weren’t so lazy.

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This is incredible. I’d almost forgotten how I ended up on this site in the first place.

I also thought after Harmy and 4K77, we’d kind of already gotten what we’d hoped for, but seeing the new clips brings a new wave of excitement. I’m giddy!

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I can’t believe it’s finally happening.

We did it friends ; _ ;

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charlynne said:

I honestly thought that George would never do it, but I’m glad to be proven wrong. With so many changes made to this movie, a re-release of the original version and in higher quality was very due.

As of last year, George still seemed opposed to releasing the originals. He was asked directly at Cannes 2024, and grumbled about “We released them on DVD, but no one wanted them! Everyone said they looked terrible! It would cost millions of dollars to restore them! It’s my movie and I can change what I want!”

Once he sold the company in 2012, he gave up all control over things like this.

I seriously doubt they asked for his blessing, since they don’t need it. And Bob Iger supposedly doesn’t get along well with him anyway since he rejected his story ideas for Episodes 7-9 and he didn’t like the sequels.

What confuses me is why they waited so long.

Disney could’ve done this immediately after buying Lucasfilm, or for the 40th anniversary.

So I wonder who changed their mind, and why.

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Nothing probably changed their minds, they likely always planned for it to drop on the 50th Anniversary. they’ll have been working on it for 5 years before it actually gets released.

It’s not like this is going to earn THAT much, or that they’re down so bad that they NEEDED it to come out earlier.

Joe’s Bed-Stuy Editing Bay - We Cut Flicks