'Star Wars' To Celebrate 50th Anniversary With 1977 Original In Theatres
Image Source: BFI IMAX
The 50th Anniversary of Star Wars, later retitled Star Wars: A New Hope is coming in 2027, and Lucasfilm has now moved up its re-release from the originally announced April 30, 2027, to February 17, 2027. This announcement was shared on the Star Wars official website, and the re-release won’t be the only way Lucasfilm will celebrate 50 years of the franchise. The announcement confirms that “we’ll celebrate the 50th anniversary of Star Wars with a re-release of the 1977 original back for a limited time, in theaters everywhere.” This is the version that was in theaters nearly 50 years ago, and one that went through several changes by George Lucas, also known as his “special edition,” which he remastered in 1997. This edition of the original trilogy has been in circulation on physical media and in theaters ever since.
George Lucas has been adamant that the Special Edition of Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope is the only version he wants fans to see. In an interview with the Associated Press in 2005, Lucas made it clear that the time and money he spent making changes to the original cut of A New Hope were done in an effort to create the movie he had always wanted to, but couldn’t, due to the limitations of older technology. Lucas admitted, “It’s like this is the movie I wanted it to be, and I’m sorry you saw a half-completed film and fell in love with it. But I want it to be the way I want it to be. I’m the one who has to take responsibility for it.”
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Image Source: Star Wars
It's unclear whether George Lucas gave his blessing to Lucasfilm for the re-release of the original cut, in which Greedo, and not Han, shoots first. Nevertheless, this restored version is a great opportunity for people of all ages to experience the film the way fans did in 1977. Apart from a screening of the original cut at the BFI festival a few months ago, this version hasn’t been seen in theaters too often. Although Lucasfilm has yet to confirm the rumors, this version may also be released in IMAX. Star Wars: A New Hope, starring Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, and Sir Alec Guinness, returns to theaters on February 17, 2027.
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