Original, unaltered 'Star Wars' trilogy coming to DVD in Sept.

Posted Wednesday, May 3, 2006 at 10:33 PM Central

by Tim Briscoe

Is Lucasfilm bowing to fans' requests or doing a DVD double dip? Both, it seems. George Lucas' film company announced today that classic Star Wars films will be released on DVD in their original, non-special edition versions.

On Sept. 12, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment will release the first three Star Wars films (Episodes IV, V and VI) in their original, theatrical versions. Two-disc releases of Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi will contain both the 2004 digitally enhanced version as well as the cut first seen in theaters. The releases will be available for a limited time only -- through Dec. 31, 2006.

"Over the years, a truly countless number of fans have told us that they would love to see and own the original version that they remember experiencing in theaters," said Jim Ward, President of LucasArts and Senior Vice President of Lucasfilm Ltd. "We returned to the Lucasfilm Archives to search exhaustively for source material that could be presented on DVD. This is something that we're very excited to be able to give to fans in response to their continuing enthusiasm for Star Wars. Topping it off with a new interactive adventure makes Sept. 12 a red-letter day for Star Wars fans."

The twelfth of September will also mark the release of the Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy video game. The Star Wars Trilogy was first released on DVD in Sept. 2004 with upgraded effects and new sequences.

This Sept. 12, Han Solo, upon being confronted by the bounty hunter Greedo, will once again shoot first.