With the sale to Disney, this does mean GL's tinkering with the SW's films is over, right?

I was planning to buy the blu-rays of I-VI right when they came out, but then I read that GL still was thinking of releasing a definitive final cut at a later date. (I'm assuming most those changes would involve altering special effects, but who knows with GL.) Now that SW has been sold to Disney, I'm assuming he won't be fiddling around with them anymore. Am I missing something or is this a fair assumption to make?

I also believe that it to be the case that Disney can't release their own version of the 6 films until 2020 (when Fox's distribution contract expires). So, even if Disney were to make special effect improvements to the films (which I doubt they'll do), then wouldn't it be true that Disney wouldn't be able to release their version until 2020?

Thanks in advance to anyone who knows the answers.

 

What happens after 2020 is a good question.

 

I would also like to know the answer to this question. I was planning on buying the blu-ray set now that I (finally) recently got a blu-ray player, but had been holding off wondering if the current blu-rays do in fact represent GL's "final" version...

 

Well, one thing is for certain: they won't release another Blu-ray version of the movies until the next format comes out. If you want a Blu-ray version of the saga, this is the one.

 

They'll do a 4K release once the technology drops in price enough to make a release worthwhile, and after some negotiations with Fox-Fox has the ANH rights for distribution in perpetuity, so we might see some kind of profit-sharing deal.

 

I don't think that Lucas has the rights to modify his films any longer - that is, not to modify them and make money off of them at least.

I guarantee you, that somewhere, in a basement in California, Lucas is editing the films even to this day, keeping them only for himself...

 

That's probably true. I think he is a tinkerer by nature. I think he makes changes to the movies because he actually enjoys tinkering with them.

 

He went to film school to be an editor, so yeah, I'd hope he enjoys tinkering with films

Not sure where you're getting the impression he doesn't have the rights to modify them anymore Seagoat.

 

I didn't say that he couldn't modify them, I said that he can not legally distribute them and make money off of them anymore, modified further or not.

 

Right, I'm sure George just signed away any royalties he's going to get in the future over films he nearly went bankrupt on.

 

I don't know the first thing about business and stuff. This means that I am right, you're wrong, and your opinion is insignificant under my domain

 

Right-o

 

Seeing as how I only recently got a blu-ray player, I think 4K capability would indeed be far in the future for me...time to plunk down my $85 for the complete saga now! Looking forward to rewatching them all this summer...it's been a while.

 

Doubtful that Lucas would be able to make any additional changes since he sold Lflm. to Disney; however, I don't know how these types of things work, so am not 100% sure about this.

However, this doesn't mean that Disney (who now owns the franchise) can't make changes to the films if they want to - at least that's my interpretation. Unless, of course, there's some kind of stiuplaution in a contract somewhere that would prevent them from doing this...

 

You will enjoy the OT deleted scenes on the bonus disk especially the one's with Luke at beginning of ANH. I can see why they took them out of the movie in 1977, but they show how naive and nerdy Luke was around his friends which gives a nice character arc when he blows up the death star.

 

Sounds great! I don't think I've seen many OT deleted scenes yet (I think I've stumbled across a few on YouTube since the blu-rays were released). I'm always a sucker for practically any bonus materials. There was a recent thread about the SW radio dramas in this forum and that's what I love about them--all the "extra" lines and scenes.

And yes, I just love Luke's naivete in ANH...it's so charming how bowled over he is when he first sees Leia's hologram message, and I love the complete sincerity with which he announces "I'm Luke Skywalker, and I'm here to rescue you!" when he gets to Leia's cell.

 

I really don't care a ton if alterations keep occuring as long as the Original is readily available. Then again, if the Original is readily available, who would keep buying the new versions.

 

Even if he did sell his "baby" over to Disney Star Wars is still his creation and he has the right to present changes to people like Kathleen Kennedy to be put up for consideration if he so chooses

 

Plus, I doubt Disney would sue GL for copyright infringement.

 

Until Yoda, Jabba, & the Rancor become 100% CGI, I will still keep waiting for new edits!

 

You and me both Padmé!! Deleted scenes and bonus materiel are the only reason I still buy DVDs & Blu-rays Can't wait for my SW Blu-ray to arrive so I can devour that stuff!!

 

Studios allow directors to revisit their movies, and I wouldn't be surprised if they allowed Lucas to make further changes to them.

 

Given that Lucas' 1988 testimony to Congress about Artistic Rights was specifically about protecting the rights of artists to control their work and prevent corporations from changing them (note SaveStarWars.com cherrypicks Lucas' testimony to make it seem like the opposite of what he said), I'm certain Lucas' deal with Disney includes ironclad language about which versions he wants released to future generations: his. Does this mean he'll make additional changes? I'm not sure. But it seems likely that the blu-ray versions are the definitive versions going forward.

 

What do you think Disney paid $4bn for if not the intellectual property rights?

 

Why would you sell anything and agree to not financially benefit in the process? He kept hardly anything out of that 4 bn.