⭐ Star Wars' 50th anniversary in 2027 ⭐ | Your hopes and expectations (if any)... — Page 40

Fang Zei said:

My theory as to why the original April 30th re-release in theaters date for Star Wars got moved up to February 19th (and this is just a guess) is because something unforeseen happened after the original announcement regarding production schedules for either a theatrical movie or Disney+ show and they realized they were going to need something to drop in early May, so maybe (again, just a guess) they decided to put it out in theaters in February so they could drop the unaltered versions on Disney+ on May the 4th.

Or you go with the theory that it was moved to February to allow TESB in March and ROTJ in April, running up to Starfighter in May. TESB and ROTJ weren’t included in the IMAX slate for 2027 so this may be a less likely outcome now, but still something to hope for.

For those of you that didn’t see it at the time, a member of ALI being told by their supervisor that the videos were public. Pretty hillarious stuff hahaha

They did in fact, not fix it.

SonnyGFunk said:

Fang Zei said:

My theory as to why the original April 30th re-release in theaters date for Star Wars got moved up to February 19th (and this is just a guess) is because something unforeseen happened after the original announcement regarding production schedules for either a theatrical movie or Disney+ show and they realized they were going to need something to drop in early May, so maybe (again, just a guess) they decided to put it out in theaters in February so they could drop the unaltered versions on Disney+ on May the 4th.

Or you go with the theory that it was moved to February to allow TESB in March and ROTJ in April, running up to Starfighter in May. TESB and ROTJ weren’t included in the IMAX slate for 2027 so this may be a less likely outcome now, but still something to hope for.

Maybe, but if they were going to drop it on Disney+ on May the 4th (which again is just a guess) then I’d think they’d want to get it out there sooner than later and give more time for them to play in theaters before it’s available anywhere else.

I’d also think with Starfighter taking place post-saga they’d also want to let people see VII-IX on the big screen again. Like I said, if they were to do one a week they could start with TPM at the end of January and get to Rise of Skywalker the weekend before Celebration. By that point I’d feel like they’d want all the focus to be on Starfighter (and whatever new shows … and maybe, who knows, another new film will be in the works by then) for those last couple months leading up to its release.

April of next year is mostly empty on the release schedule. There might still be an anticipated move from either Dune or Avengers to somewhere in that stretch of the year, Disney might’ve even moved Star Wars from April 30th in case it wants to put Doomsday out then, but the other possibility I forgot to mention is that April might be so empty because the industry is anticipating another strike.

SonnyGFunk said:

BonafidePhoenix said:

Do we have any idea about restorations of ESB and ROTJ? I hope we don’t have to wait until 2030 and 2033 for those movies…

We don’t know anything about release dates, but I doubt it will take that long to get all 3 on home video. Theatrical screenings perhaps, but with interest in home media dwindling it makes sense from a money making perspective to get a boxset out as soon as possible.

We’ve seen plenty of clips from TESB and ROTJ, so we know the restorations are real. It’s not a matter of if we see them, but when.

Interest in home media dwindling…? What do you mean?

BonafidePhoenix said:

Interest in home media dwindling…? What do you mean?

Maybe not for us types, but people certainly aren’t buying blu rays at the rate they were say 10 years ago, it’s all about streaming now for the majority. If they’re gonna sell some big £200+ boxset with all the bells and whistles it would probably make sense to do it in 2027 instead of waiting until 2033, because the demand might not be as high then.

Nien Nunb said:

If Star Wars was being handled by Arrow I could see this as a highly probably scenario. But Disney will be handling the release so I’d be amazed if we even get more than a quarter of what Arrow would do.

How do we know this exactly? Disney is handling the theatrical distribution of Star Wars (1977) but has there actually been definitive confirmation that Disney would or wouldn’t be handling any theoretical home video release? Considering they don’t even handle their own home video distribution anymore (Sony does now), I could almost see Disney licensing these out to Criterion or Arrow. With all of the effort that seems to be going into this and a seemingly clear aim to please longtime fans, I cannot imagine Disney/Lucasfilm allowing this to just be dumped out on disc with little to no thought put into it. Not to mention, if these were a boutique release, they wouldn’t necessarily impede on the availability of the currently circulating releases, which are still no doubt the versions that Lucas would want to be the most widely available.

The home video landscape is much different than it was 10, 15 or even 5 years ago. Most of the big studios have little to no interest in physical media anymore. For a big, important release like this, they would usually license it out to a boutique label whom they know would treat the property with care and respect. Do we know for certain that Aurora Light Imageworks IS Disney?

Star Wars is one of their major franchises. I frankly don’t see this being licensed to any boutique labels.

SonnyGFunk said:

BonafidePhoenix said:

Interest in home media dwindling…? What do you mean?

Maybe not for us types, but people certainly aren’t buying blu rays at the rate they were say 10 years ago, it’s all about streaming now for the majority. If they’re gonna sell some big £200+ boxset with all the bells and whistles it would probably make sense to do it in 2027 instead of waiting until 2033, because the demand might not be as high then.

Oh, you mean physical media as separate from streaming home media. Got it.

Yes, Blu-Ray sales have fallen drastically, and you are probably right that they will fall further before 2033. Though, I would just point out that there is probably a major difference in sales/interest in any average movie that you may as well stream, and a 50th anniversary set of the most iconic trilogy ever made. The people interested in buying the latter may remain interested despite getting most of their other media through streaming.

oojason said:

A decent article up on the official Star Wars site (with thanks to Hardened and Quigmo for the heads-up)…
 

Star Wars: A New Hope Began Filming 50 Years Ago Today

On March 22, 1976, one of the most iconic films in history commenced principal photography in the deserts of Tunisia. It was a long road to reach that day, and there was an even longer one ahead.

www.starwars.com/news/star-wars-50-filming-begins

Some great info and images in here that I had not seen before. Looks like they’re actually building towards this 50th Anniversary release with a fair amount of reverence. Only confuses me then, why it’s releasing in theatres in February instead of May 25.

Broom Kid said:

Same reason the Special Edition re-release in 1997 didn’t open on May of that year - the studios want to hold one of THE prime summer slots for a new movie, not a re-release.

In this case: May 25th is a tuesday, so movies don’t even release on that day, but a lot of the 50th anniversary is going to also be promotion for Star Wars: Starfighter, which is the new movie that opens on May 28th.

At some point in the next 10 or so months they’re very likely going to announce that Empire and Jedi are also getting theatrical re-releases a couple weeks apart, and a couple weeks after Star Wars. It’ll basically be the 1997 Special Edition rollout all over again.

Fair enough, that makes sense. Besides, we get it earlier so I’m not complaining on that front!

I’ve been waiting so long for the UHD 50th anniversary of Star Wars Theatrical Release coming to theaters HOPES: Idk if its coming to New Zealand theaters.

Broom Kid said:

Same reason the Special Edition re-release in 1997 didn’t open on May of that year - the studios want to hold one of THE prime summer slots for a new movie, not a re-release.

In this case: May 25th is a tuesday, so movies don’t even release on that day, but a lot of the 50th anniversary is going to also be promotion for Star Wars: Starfighter, which is the new movie that opens on May 28th.

At some point in the next 10 or so months they’re very likely going to announce that Empire and Jedi are also getting theatrical re-releases a couple weeks apart, and a couple weeks after Star Wars. It’ll basically be the 1997 Special Edition rollout all over again.
I hate the special edition because it is so bad when it comes to the Jabba Scene in 1997 the cgi is overrated.

StarWarsFan102 said:

I’ve been waiting so long for the UHD 50th anniversary of Star Wars Theatrical Release coming to theaters HOPES: Idk if its coming to New Zealand theaters.

Even though we’re left off many world maps, we will still get to experience the theatrical release in theatres! Check the HOYTS NZ website.

oojason said:

yellow05maze said:

StarWarsFan102 said:

I’ve been waiting so long for the UHD 50th anniversary of Star Wars Theatrical Release coming to theaters HOPES: Idk if its coming to New Zealand theaters.

Even though we’re left off many world maps, we will still get to experience the theatrical release in theatres! Check the HOYTS NZ website.

It seems you guys, the Aussies, and Germany will be getting Star Wars in cinemas a day early too - on the 18th February, 2027…

oojason said:

• In Germany, it appears Star Wars will be released in cinemas on Thursday 18th February, 2027.

• In New Zealand, it appears Star Wars will be released in cinemas on Thursday 18th February, 2027.

• In Australia, it appears Star Wars will be released in cinemas on Thursday 18th February, 2027.

^ it is well worth checking your local cinema listings - to see what date Star Wars is being released in your country.

^ from the News & Updates category.
 

Interesting! We’re normally already a day ahead time-zone wise, so if anything I would have thought it might release on the 20th.

If they do in fact also end up putting Empire and Jedi back out in theaters, what they might end up doing is putting them out together the weekend after Star Wars.

That’s how WB handled the Imax release of LotR back in early 2021. Fellowship came out one weekend and then The Two Towers and Return of the King came out together the very next weekend.

Sam Esmail’s Panic Carefully from WB and The Cocomelon movie from DreamWorks animation are currently both scheduled for the weekend after Star Wars on the 26th, but Pixar’s Gatto is set for the weekend after that on March 5th. Disney will want to prioritize Gatto

Broom Kid said:

That’s a really good point! Disney isn’t going to let a re-release potentially take up screens from a new release. And Disney’s re-release strategy tends to be a limited affair that’s mostly a way to block-book screens in advance of a new movie opening.

Basically a three week run for all three movies, with Star Wars in IMAX, leading straight into all those screens just immediately becoming screens for Gatto. It’s very similar to what they did with the Revenge of the Sith re-release, which was holding a LOT of seats for the Thunderbolts release.

I could see them putting out both Empire and Jedi in Imax as well on that second weekend. Not sure how they handled it for the latter two LotR films in terms of the showtimes, but clearly they figured something out.

If they went that route, it would leave TPM and RotS as the only Star Wars films never released in Imax … unless of course they were also to put out the prequels that way in late January or early February.

Btw, apparently the new Thomas Crown Affair is currently scheduled for Imax on March 5th and Gatto isn’t. Either way, Disney’s going to want as many screens for Gatto as it can get.

I feel like there’s still a chance they just put VII-IX back out there in late March if only on a bunch of the normal screens. Even if the Imax screens are taken (Godzilla x Kong: Supernova and Resurrection of the Christ: Part One are both scheduled for Imax releases the weekend of March 26th), the Disney era Star Wars movies all got their big runs in all the various formats back during their initial releases anyway.

They did horribly with the Revenge of the Sith re-release. the Anniversary. It wasn’t promoted and it was in crap venues. I hope Star Wars fares better. Like if you are in a cinema with two IMAX screens it had better on one of them. Or in the Dolby cinema as an alternative. Not the 4th screen which is the smallest screen they show matinee kids cartoons on. Which isn’t even 4K.

That is more on AMC though than Disney I guess but I can blame Disney for allowing that booking.

You want a comparison the 1997 Special Edition was heavily promoted and treated like brand new movies. That is what Star Wars deserves. I don’t mean the cgi redoes or Greedo shooting first, I mean premium theaters and sound. Back then on 35mm film and in first run quite a experience.

For the 50th you would think go even bigger, but its Disney. Too focused on MCU and Disney Star Wars to care about George Lucas Star Wars.

Hopefully they care enough about money to have Sony release some 4K UHD discs. That is my desired outcome if not a boutique label.

JadedSkywalker said:

They did horribly with the Revenge of the Sith re-release. Anniversary It wasn’t promoted and it was in crap venues. I hope Star Wars fares better. Like if you are in a cinema with two IMAX screens it had better on one of them. Or in the Dolby cinema as an alternative. Not the 4th screen which is the smallest screen they show matinee kids cartoons on. Which isn’t even 4K.

That is more on AMC though than Disney I guess but I can blame Disney for allowing that booking.

You want a comparison the 1997 Special Edition was heavily promoted and treated like brand new movies. That is what Star Wars deserves. I don’t mean the cgi redoes or Greedo shooting first, I mean premium theaters and sound. Back then on 35mm film and in first run quite a experience.

For the 50th you would think go even bigger, but its Disney. Too focused on MCU and Disney Star Wars to care about George Lucas Star Wars.

Hopefully they care enough about money to have Sony release some 4K UHD discs. That is my desired outcome if not a boutique label.

RotS did at least get shown in 4dx theaters when it was re-released last year. I’ve still never seen anything in 4dx, had originally planned on trying it out with Avatar 3 but went with Dolby Cinema 3D instead and it was mind-blowing.

Anyway, 2D 4dx for RotS just makes the 3D version feel that much more conspicuously absent, especially when we know the conversion was completed.

TPM was apparently also shown in 4dx during its re-release back in 2024 but I don’t remember them promoting it as being shown in those theaters.

I-VI have notably never been remastered for the modern bespoke projection formats like Dolby Cinema or Imax laser. There does appear to be a guarantee we’ll be getting Star Wars ‘77 in Imax but we’ll have to wait and see about the others.

I just expected an anniversary screening to be better than what can be had in the home on 4K and or the original 2005 release on 35mm film.

If you are going to give more than 2 hours of your time and 20 dollars for a ticket, you know.

AMC venue is crap and I wish Showcase didn’t go out of business. They even closed the second of two theaters. Covid and streaming destroyed going to the movies. Too many cinemas not upgrading their equipment or going under declaring chapter 11.

The last real premium experience I can recall for a Disney movie was the Force Awakens. Seeing it in Imax, seeing it in real 3D. and in standard laser. And getting more than my money’s worth, except in the one venue with a low projection bulb and screen tear.

The cost of concessions and everyone on their phones. It’s generally a worse experience than what one can program at home.

Reissues of Ghibli in Imax or Star Wars, I did miss Lord of the Rings reissue. Those are worth my time and money. Though I couldn’t get an answer over the LOTR reissue if it was the crap Park Road remaster. that DNR disaster that is on 4K UHD. That should be recalled.

I hope at least the reissue of Star Wars 1977 is as good as the 1997 Special Edition if not better. It has to be better than Maclunky 4K right?

JadedSkywalker said:

I just expected an anniversary screening to be better than what can be had in the home on 4K and or the original 2005 release on 35mm film.

If you are going to give more than 2 hours of your time and 20 dollars for a ticket, you know.

AMC venue is crap and I wish Showcase didn’t go out of business. They even closed the second of two theaters. Covid and streaming destroyed going to the movies. Too many cinemas not upgrading their equipment or going under declaring chapter 11.

The last real premium experience I can recall for a Disney movie was the Force Awakens. Seeing it in Imax, seeing it in real 3D. and in standard laser. And getting more than my money’s worth, except in the one venue with a low projection bulb and screen tear.

The cost of concessions and everyone on their phones. It’s generally a worse experience than what one can program at home.

Reissues of Ghibli in Imax or Star Wars, I did miss Lord of the Rings reissue. Those are worth my time and money. Though I couldn’t get an answer over the LOTR reissue if it was the crap Park Road remaster. that DNR disaster that is on 4K UHD. That should be recalled.

I hope at least the reissue of Star Wars 1977 is as good as the 1997 Special Edition if not better. It has to be better than Maclunky 4K right?

Funny you should bring all this up, because a friend actually invited me to go see the recent fathom re-release of FotR extended a couple months ago (she was reading the book for the first time and had never seen the longer versions) at an AMC. Picture looked pretty good to me but that might’ve been because I was expecting it to look way worse based on everything I’d heard about the “4k” remaster, and I’m pretty sure that’s what it was, considering there was no “AOL” before the “Time Warner” under the New Line logo and the overall color palette seemed to match what I’d briefly checked out on hbo max a year or two ago and not the the green tint of the old extended bd.

Anyway, audio also was pretty good aside from a couple weird panning anomalies whenever someone talked as they were walking into or out of frame. It was in a decently big auditorium with laser projection.

So you’re probably wondering, what was the problem?

Well, during the quieter scenes it became pretty much impossible not to notice that what must’ve been a restaurant or a bar/club must’ve been adjacent to that side of this particular AMC, because every time it got quiet I just noticed the incessant “oomsah, oomsah, oomsah” of the beat.

If it wasn’t for the fact that my friend had gotten the tickets I would’ve said something to the management about it. She didn’t seem to notice, so I just tried as best I could to tune it out. Like, you’re literally paying for the sensory deprivation of a movie theater when you pay for a ticket. It’s bad enough when audio from the other auditoriums bleeds through. The last thing you should be hearing is noise from outside!

JadedSkywalker said:

They did horribly with the Revenge of the Sith re-release. the Anniversary. It wasn’t promoted and it was in crap venues. I hope Star Wars fares better. Like if you are in a cinema with two IMAX screens it had better on one of them. Or in the Dolby cinema as an alternative. Not the 4th screen which is the smallest screen they show matinee kids cartoons on. Which isn’t even 4K.

That is more on AMC though than Disney I guess but I can blame Disney for allowing that booking.

You want a comparison the 1997 Special Edition was heavily promoted and treated like brand new movies. That is what Star Wars deserves. I don’t mean the cgi redoes or Greedo shooting first, I mean premium theaters and sound. Back then on 35mm film and in first run quite a experience.

For the 50th you would think go even bigger, but its Disney. Too focused on MCU and Disney Star Wars to care about George Lucas Star Wars.

Hopefully they care enough about money to have Sony release some 4K UHD discs. That is my desired outcome if not a boutique label.

In a way, seeing the effort they’re putting into this restoration, it seems to me that if they’re going to do a world premiere in ultra-high quality, the Revenge of the Sith release was just a flimsy, exclusive US and European premiere with a DCP of their disappointing, effortlessly done 4K upscaled version of the film.