Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (4K+2D Blu-ray SteelBook) (Zavvi Exclusive) [UK]

[Noodles]

Release date: August 3, 2020
Purchase link: Zavvi (Pre-order on May 21, around 9 AM for Red Carpet , at 12 PM general sale - UK time)
Price: £29.99
Note: 3 discs

Spoiler

 

[FN-2187]

After the ANH art, this Empire steel has me more excited for a steelbook then I have been in years.

I know they're milking me. I know the original cut will be out in new steels and limited editions in a few years. I don't care, I've always wanted the original poster art for the OT on steelbooks

I wouldn’t hold your breath on that.

 

[Stygian]

Whenever I read a post about the original cuts coming out it always makes me think of the posts about how Blufans will be sorting out their problems in 2019. Or later in 2019. Or by the end of 2019. Or in 2020. Or in...

Or like never!

 

[Ashcroft]

There's way too much money in the original cuts for them not to do it.

Lucas wouldn't do it purely on principle, Disney, has no principles. They'll probably do them, then a few years later do their own special editions with new effects too.

 

[jailbird_joey]

After the ANH art, this Empire steel has me more excited for a steelbook then I have been in years.

I know they're milking me. I know the original cut will be out in new steels and limited editions in a few years. I don't care, I've always wanted the original poster art for the OT on steelbooks

That's why I boycotted the big head editions...

 

[Stygian]

There's way too much money in the original cuts for them not to do it.

Lucas wouldn't do it purely on principle, Disney, has no principles. They'll probably do them, then a few years later do their own special editions with new effects too.

Disney doesn't have them so they can't release them. Only George Lucas can release them.

 

[MrSquifler]

Any guesses on when the pre-order for this will be?

 

[Ashcroft]

Disney doesn't have them so they can't release them. Only George Lucas can release them.

No, Disney owns the rights to it all ever since they bought Fox (Fox had the rights to the theatrical versions of the OT so Disney didn't get that when they bought Lucasfilm). Lucas has 0 say in it anything Star Wars anymore. It would be a big project to restore the originals but all that's required is Disney wanting to do it. Obviously they'd never confirm it until after the 4K releases of the Special Editions as if they did no one would buy them, but we'll get them one day.

 

[Stygian]

Any guesses on when the pre-order for this will be?

No. If anybody had that information it would already be posted.

 

[tha_lunatic]

Any guesses on when the pre-order for this will be?

between May 8 - Dec 31

 

[DMAC]

After the ANH art, this Empire steel has me more excited for a steelbook then I have been in years.

I know they're milking me. I know the original cut will be out in new steels and limited editions in a few years. I don't care, I've always wanted the original poster art for the OT on steelbooks

100%. The original poster for the movie was absolutely stunning & i’d love also to see it on a steelbook, preferably full gloss.

 

[Space Cadet]

between May 8 - Dec 31

You are not supposed to make fun of such important things.

 

[BluSteel2012]

Agree, this wave of Star Wars steelbooks with original poster art need to be gloss.

They better not release these in matte or they've really missed the point.

 

[Space Cadet]

I'm thinking these SW steels are going to cause some serious trading/shopping between members. Some get some movies and others others. And all want EVERYONE of them !

 

[FN-2187]

There's way too much money in the original cuts for them not to do it.

Lucas wouldn't do it purely on principle, Disney, has no principles. They'll probably do them, then a few years later do their own special editions with new effects too.

Disney doesn't have them so they can't release them. Only George Lucas can release them.

The National Film Registry of the Library of Congress has been waiting for an original Version of Star Wars for 31 years.

The official stance of Lucasfilm Ltd. and not Disney nor George Lucas himself, is that all negatives of the original trilogy were destroyed in the process of creating the 1997 Special Editions.

Optic wise- I doubt the company will want to admit fault to, should they again publicly acknowledge the destruction of the original trilogy. It’s not something they would want to reveal- HAD they been lying about the current state of the original films. Nor would they want to further disrespect the wishes of George Lucas in that the final versions of the original unaltered trilogy be re-released as he has stated before that those are not “his true versions” of those particular films. Would you even doubt, with a fraction of a percentage that there isn’t a contractual clause in that $4.4 billion contract that covers the re-release of the thing that George has so intently been keen on NOT doing? Going as far to say that people who still have VHS editions of the original film will have deteriorated their VHS copies to the point where they will have no other option to watch HIS version of Star Wars the way he intended it?

All I’m saying is- if the United States government cannot get STAR WARS, then I will sincerely doubt that we will. If ANYTHING, maybe after George’s lifetime.

 

[Stygian]

The National Film Registry of the Library of Congress has been waiting for an original Version of Star Wars for 31 years.

The official stance of Lucasfilm Ltd. and not Disney nor George Lucas himself, is that all negatives of the original trilogy were destroyed in the process of creating the 1997 Special Editions.

Optic wise- I doubt the company will want to admit fault to, should they again publicly acknowledge the destruction of the original trilogy. It’s not something they would want to reveal- HAD they been lying about the current state of the original films. Nor would they want to further disrespect the wishes of George Lucas in that the final versions of the original unaltered trilogy be re-released as he has stated before that those are not “his true versions” of those particular films. Would you even doubt, with a fraction of a percentage that there isn’t a contractual clause in that $4.4 billion contract that covers the re-release of the thing that George has so intently been keen on NOT doing? Going as far to say that people who still have VHS editions of the original film will have deteriorated their VHS copies to the point where they will have no other option to watch HIS version of Star Wars the way he intended it?

All I’m saying is- if the United States government cannot get STAR WARS, then I will sincerely doubt that we will. If ANYTHING, maybe after George’s lifetime.

Thank you. The prints no longer exist is what I have always heard and that George Lucas feels as you said.

 

[Ashcroft]

There is literally 0 chance that Disney of all companies would pay that much money for Star Wars and allow anyone, even Lucas, to dictate what they can and can't release. He is irrelevant.

The negatives being gone is a fair point, however there are still reels of the originals in existence that Disney could use as a base.

 

[burtbird]

You only need to look at the many currently available 'despecialized' or 35mm 4K scans of the OT to know it is definitely possible for Disney to release high-quality unaltered versions. Given how little effort went into the 4K versions of TPM and Ep4-6 I don't think they ever will though. They'll concentrate on Disney+ rather than physical media for the forseeable future

 

[BluSteel2012]

You only need to look at the many currently available 'despecialized' or 35mm 4K scans of the OT to know it is definitely possible for Disney to release high-quality unaltered versions. Given how little effort went into the 4K versions of TPM and Ep4-6 I don't think they ever will though. They'll concentrate on Disney+ rather than physical media for the forseeable future

/\ THIS /\

 

[Stygian]

There is literally 0 chance that Disney of all companies would pay that much money for Star Wars and allow anyone, even Lucas, to dictate what they can and can't release. He is irrelevant.

The negatives being gone is a fair point, however there are still reels of the originals in existence that Disney could use as a base.

I disagree and we will never know.

 

[bobafettish66]

There is literally 0 chance that Disney of all companies would pay that much money for Star Wars and allow anyone, even Lucas, to dictate what they can and can't release. He is irrelevant.

lol. of course they would. Star wars is one of the most valuable IPs in history. If lucas said he'd sell only on the condition they never release the unedited movies or edit his work. Do you really think disney would walk away and miss out on billions over that ?


it's also not uncommon in these kinds of deals for there to be certain conditions/guarantees that are put into the purchasing contract. Especially because the creators often want to ensure the integrity of their creation remains intact.
You're also severely underestimating how much lucas despises the original cuts of the films. Lucas' views on these things are well documented I'd say there's zero chance he'd have sold star wars to any company who wouldn't agree to not alter his vision for the 6 movies. It's a very very george lucas thing to do.

& most telling of all, in the build up to rise of skywalker J.J publicly stated he tried to get the original cuts rereleased & he said this "But I’ve been told that, for reasons I don’t quite understand, that that’s not necessarily possible. I guess it’s what George Lucas wanted, and that’s what he did, and so I respect that." think that quote says a lot.