Packaging TFA with the PT just because they’re the only ones ready go in 3D seems like a really odd choice. Bill Hunt’s never been one to post bogus rumors but I seriously have my doubts about this one.
Hermit’s post about a source inside LFL is encouraging, assuming the source actually knew this info for certain. Finding out that they were indeed planning on getting the true OT out there before TFA just sets the speculation wheels in motion. Maybe they wanted to keep a hundred percent of the attention on TFA?
I occasionally check the Steve Hoffman Forums purely for information on this subject, and Hermit has been posting the same thing for a long time. I don’t doubt that he thinks that whoever his source is is reliable. Someone else also once stated that they were going to release them in 2015 but had problems with ANH and were instead going to wait until 2017. Who knows what’s true though?
I’ve suggested before that perhaps Disney’s willingness to entertain Verta’s proposal is because they are planning a release and are unhappy with what they have in house for Star Wars. I mean, why else entertain it if a) you are dead-set on not releasing it (there’s no way they are unaware of and need to be enlightened about the technical issues with the current transfer or the historical significance of the originals) or b) they already have a satisfactory master of the theatrical version ready to press or know they are well on their way to one.