The 3D releases are slated to end in 2016. If they are following the current pattern, Jedi will be out in January or February 2016. That would mean that a 3D boxset could be released in November 2016 for the Christmas season. They would have to do something special for the 40th anniversary and I'm not sure if a 3D boxset would be a big enough thing. Very few people own 3D televisions, and growth will be slow. I would see the 3D films in the theater because it's only an extra few bucks, but I'm not going to buy a 3D player and a 3D tv just to have Episode I in that format. A 3D box set won't be a big seller.

When it comes to Star Wars, Lucasfilm doesn't have to milk the franchise in the same way they used to. Before, they were mainly dealing with 3 popular films and 3 semi-popular films, so all material had to be spun off from there. It's hard having such a big company with so little product. Now the solution is easy: they will just make more movies, and television shows. They don't have to rely on milking 6 movies over and over because when they've gotten all they need from them they will just move on and make more films, and therefore more product. Which is exactly what they are doing. A new trilogy to start, and then more movies after that. It will be like Star Trek, for better or worse.

That's why I don't think they will make the original versions a huge waiting game. With the 40th anniversary interest in the original film will be enormous again. It would be hard to come up with a reason to postpone it. I guess we'll see.