Star Wars (1977 Original Version) Theatrical Rerelease Discussion — Page 11

An aside to the theatrical release itself - though welcome news for the 50th anniversary…
 

The Franklin Institute Will Host the World Premiere of the Star Wars 50th Anniversary Exhibit

The world premiere exhibit opens in February 2027 with screen-used props, immersive galleries, and never-before-seen artifacts from the Lucasfilm archives.

www.phillymag.com/things-to-do/2026/07/07/franklin-institute-star-wars-50th-exhibit
 

 
'Big news: The Franklin Institute‘s next blockbuster exhibit will take us to a galaxy far, far away.

TFI just announced this morning that it will host the world premiere of “Star Wars: The Experience – A Journey Through the Galaxy,” the official exhibit celebrating the franchise’s 50th anniversary. The blockbuster exhibition opens February 13, 2027, and will run through September 6th before embarking on a five-year North American tour. Tickets will go on sale in November.

The 18,000-square-foot exhibition is being billed as the largest and most comprehensive behind-the-scenes Star Wars exhibition ever created — and the only official exhibition tied to the franchise’s 50th anniversary celebration. Visitors can expect more than 70 artifacts from the Lucasfilm archives, many of which have never been publicly displayed. Highlights include Darth Vader’s costume, Darth Maul’s lightsaber, original props and vehicles, and close-up looks at characters (and droids) including Grogu, R2-D2, and C-3PO.

But rather than simply displaying movie memorabilia, the exhibition explores how Star Wars came to life — “from analog ingenuity to digital reinvention,” per the museum. Galleries will delve into everything from costume and sound design to visual effects, fan art, gaming, and the franchise’s lasting cultural impact. Similar to the Franklin Institute’s Harry Potter exhibit a few years ago, the exhibit will also use RFID technology to personalize guests’ interactive journey.

“Star Wars created a cultural landscape that spans decades and delivers massive, undeniable global appeal,” said Larry Dubinski, president and CEO of the Franklin Institute. “Its influence extends far beyond cinema — shaping entertainment, culture, technology, and business, while redefining how stories are created, experienced, and shared across generations.”

The museum says the exhibition has been more than four years in the making, developed alongside Lucasfilm, Disney, and experiential design agency MDSX to celebrate both the filmmaking innovations behind Star Wars and the generations of fans who have embraced the franchise since its 1977 debut.’
 

More info here (including an FAQ) - https://fi.edu/en/exhibits-and-experiences/star-wars-experience

Edit: and now at the official website - www.starwars.com/news/star-wars-the-experience
 

That’s amazing! What a great bit of news.

Star Wars (1977) and Star Wars: Starfighter Debut in IMAX 70mm in 2027…

Lucasfilm and Disney will celebrate the iconic film’s first ever release in IMAX for the 50th anniversary, followed by Star Wars: Starfighter in IMAX 70mm in May!

www.starwars.com/news/star-wars-50-imax
 

'Star Wars (1977) and Star Wars: Starfighter — both the original and latest films in the Lucasfilm franchise that forever changed cinema — will be available to experience in IMAX 70mm film in 2027.

The film that started it all, Star Wars (1977) will be presented in IMAX for the first time ever — in digital or on film — as part of its highly anticipated anniversary re-release on February 19, 2027. Part of Lucasfilm’s yearlong 50th anniversary celebration, the newly restored version of the original movie, later renamed Star Wars: A New Hope, will be shown across a select number of IMAX 70mm film locations as well as playing in select theaters for a limited time.

Then, on May 28, 2027 — the 50th anniversary weekend of the original Star Wars film’s premiere — Lucasfilm will release Star Wars: Starfighter, filmed for IMAX release, shot with IMAX-certified film cameras and converted to IMAX 70mm film prints for release in a select number of IMAX film locations. An all-new standalone adventure from Director and Producer Shawn Levy (Deadpool & Wolverine, Stranger Things) starring Ryan Gosling (Drive, Blade Runner, La La Land, The Place Beyond the Pines, Barbie) as Kade Auberon, in Star Wars: Starfighter, when a cynical rogue is confronted by his mysterious past, he is hurled into a dangerous adventure across the galaxy that puts him on a crash course with destiny.’
 

Well I’ll be damned! Its finally confirmed!

Maybe I’m ignorant, but what’s the point of presenting a scope film on horizontal 70mm? Would it be any better than a conventional 70mm blowup?

CHEWBAKAspelledwrong said:

Maybe I’m ignorant, but what’s the point of presenting a scope film on horizontal 70mm? Would it be any better than a conventional 70mm blowup?

It’ll likely be better in that the quality of the stock is higher, and the restoration will be of a higher quality than what was used in the 70s for the 70mm blowups back then.

Also, IMAX has presented scope films on their 70mm IMAX screens before, and it plays just fine, especially since the screens are so big and you’re seated so close to them that the only imagery you can really track is what’s smack in the center of the screen anyway. For most people, they’re not going to register the “black bars” top and bottom because the height of the scope composition will still be at the upper-and-lowermost ranges of their peripheral vision.

This is where the fun begins.

I think its awesome that the original film is getting an imax release but I really hope it will be released in regular theaters as well as there is no imax theater near me

screams in the void said:

I think its awesome that the original film is getting an imax release but I really hope it will be released in regular theaters as well as there is no imax theater near me

It will, there’s only like 40 total IMAX 70mm/Dual Laser screens total. They’re not going to re-release the movie for only 40 screens. It’ll get a wide release

I live kind of close to a 70mm IMAX, but I’ll be happy to see it in Dolby Cinema, which is always a great experience for scope films

JadedSkywalker said:

For those who have an Imax in their state or area with 70mm film capacity, my hats off to you. We don’t.

And I’m not driving to New York or taking a plane to LA to see Star Wars. I like Star Wars, but not that much.

So Laser Imax if available on no film, or Dolby Cinema. Dolby Cinema will be close to the same ticket price but more available. The venues for the first day will fill up quickly and the best seats. They are probably already taken.

Is Dolby really compromised relative to 70mm IMAX given there is no expanded aspect ratio? Even 70mm will be a 4K film out plus at least one layer of generational loss.

Damn, the restoration being filmed out to 70mm IMAX is something I didn’t expect. I wonder if they’ll strike 35mm prints of it as well. Not like I have any film projection cinemas near me anyway, but…

The weird part is that we still have heard nothing about ESB & ROTJ

DaleJrFan2003 said:

Damn, the restoration being filmed out to 70mm IMAX is something I didn’t expect. I wonder if they’ll strike 35mm prints of it as well. Not like I have any film projection cinemas near me anyway, but…

Doubtful. A 35mm screening is much less of an “event” relative to a DCP than 70mm IMAX.

timdiggerm said:

The weird part is that we still have heard nothing about ESB & ROTJ

Perhaps they’ll announce it in a week or three.