[Rumor] The complete Saga 4K Bluray box set in the works

[Mach5]

This is already three weeks old, but I haven't seen a thread about it here.

Disney are working on a 4K Blu-ray box set for Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga

According to a UK-based Disney employee who has spoken to us on the condition of anonymity and who claims to have been involved in the collection of material for an upcoming release of the entire Star Wars Saga in a box set, Disney are planning to release a complete 4K Blu-ray edition of the entire Skywalker saga in 2020.

The original trilogy 4K remaster was started way back in 2014 and has been through a number of iterations as new alternative/better copies of some scenes have come to light. The print watched by Gareth Edwards has had some improvement since he viewed it but everything other than Episodes II and III has been locked in now.

The issue with the prequel trilogy is that while Episode I was captured on film and can be mastered in 4K with no issues, Episodes II and III were both shot in 2K digital which means that any 4K master is going to be an upscale. Work is being done to "improve effects shots where possible" however "there is limited detail in the 2K image and any live action shots will see no significant boost in quality" over the Blu-ray release.

Luckily, upscaling techniques have come a long way in the last few years, and you can even find fan-made upscales of certain scenes from AOTC and ROTS on YouTube which do not look half bad. As for the computer-generated imagery, there's so much of it, especially in Episode II, that aged very badly (like the Jedi temple hallway that never looked good to begin with), and I would love to see it updated.

 

[Tuskin38]

They probably still have all the CG assets, so they could re-render them, though that would be pretty expensive for a re-release.

 

[Ithekro]

Nine movies. So cost verse profit should make it worth it.

 

[Jayson1]

So we will be getting the original Han Solo shot first etc copies of the classic movies?

Jason

 

[Tosk]

I doubt it. But that'd be the only reason I'd re-buy at this point. Original versions or GTFO.

 

[Mach5]

They probably still have all the CG assets, so they could re-render them, though that would be pretty expensive for a re-release.

It would, but it's Disney. They have more money than they'd know what to do with at this point.

 

[Nightowl1701]

I doubt it. But that'd be the only reason I'd re-buy at this point. Original versions or GTFO.

It's well within their power to do it. The fans have already put acceptable 4K versions out there (I'm not saying where). The ONLY reason they wouldn't be included would be if George Lucas told them "Over my dead body - Special Edition or nothing."

Sounds like they're going to have to pretty much rebuild AOTC/ROTS from the raw dailies up. Which, in the former's case, may not be a bad thing if they can get someone who's not Lucas into the editing room.

 

[Jayson1]

It's well within their power to do it. The fans have already put acceptable 4K versions out there (I'm not saying where). The ONLY reason they wouldn't be included would be if George Lucas told them "Over my dead body - Special Edition or nothing."

Sounds like they're going to have to pretty much rebuild AOTC/ROTS from the raw dailies up. Which, in the former's case, may not be a bad thing if they can get someone who's not Lucas into the editing room.

I could see them also not releasing the real version of "Star Wars" either because of Lucas. It might be morbid but I think they might be waiting for him to die someday and then do it.

Jason

 

[Booji]

Make a DYI branching DVD. Problem solved.

 

[Alejandro]

If Disney/LFL insist with the Special-Specials Editions I won't buy them at all. I prefer to rewatch the old DVD with bad quality that I have.
Will they ever release a decent copy of the Original Trilogy, someday? I don't want to see Hayden Christensen in the end of ROJT, or the new musical sequence for the Jabba's palace.

 

[DigificWriter]

Lucasfilm will never "turn back the clock" and pander to an obsessed sliver of Star Wars' overall audience that refuses to accept things as they are.

 

[Tuskin38]

If Disney/LFL insist with the Special-Specials Editions I won't buy them at all.

LucasFilm views the special editions as the Lucas' definitive vision of the films.

That doesn't mean they won't ever re-release the unaltered versions, but that just means they won't alter the movies any further than the SEs already have.

Lucasfilm will never "turn back the clock" and pander to an obsessed sliver of Star Wars' overall audience that refuses to accept things as they are.

Never say never. They've done it once already for the DVDs.

The reason they haven't done it since is because of Fox having the distribution rights for ANH, though Disney owns that part of Fox now, so that reasoning is now moot.

 

[Alejandro]

I know that LFL (Lucas) see the Special Editions as the definitive versions.
But...as someone here said already, we can find online a better copy of the movies for download.

 

[Mach5]

I've seen fan restorations that left me feeling very impressed. People put some serious work into those.

 

[Saul]

So this is going next to my Marvel infinity saga box set and game of thrones complete series box set when they all comes. Excuse me while I cross my legs.

Hope they put all deleted scenes on it. Want to see that scene of Dooku with two light sabers fighting Anakin.

 

[DigificWriter]

Never say never. They've done it once already for the DVDs.

Very poorly, and to no profit.

There's absolutely no incentive for them to "try again" in that regard, especially given how much a remaster of those poorly ported Laserdisc copies - which were crappy even when they were 'new' - would cost.

 

[Mach5]

 

[BillJ]

I'm more interested in how they handle the HDR. That will probably determine my interest in buying more than the increase in resolution.

There's absolutely no incentive for them to "try again" in that regard, especially given how much a remaster of those poorly ported Laserdisc copies - which were crappy even when they were 'new' - would cost.

I imagine they would go back to the original film elements, not the 480i LaserDisc transfer.

 

[Campe]

I imagine they would go back to the original film elements, not the 480i LaserDisc transfer.

I’m not holding my breath on ANY release of the original unaltered trilogy. But there’s no way knowing Disney’s care in film history that they’d leave it at an LD port if it were in the works. The only thing I am certain of is that there will be some release of the Skywalker Saga in 2020 (likely early 2Q based on other releases). I hope there’ll be the OT unaltered included in the set in at least 1080p. I hope the set will be in 4K. But we’ll just wait and see!

 

[Jayson1]

Lucasfilm will never "turn back the clock" and pander to an obsessed sliver of Star Wars' overall audience that refuses to accept things as they are.

They can make all the special editions they want. It's still wrong to not release the movies as they were first released. People who like the special editions aren't loosing their versions. They still will exist. Which is something can't be said for people who prefer the versions they liked and which came first which does count as something that should be respected. It's such hard stance on something that really makes no sense that it's hard to even understand the motivation. No other artist who has made special editions to their movies have done anything on par with it as far as I can remember.

Jason