Star Wars films coming to Bluray in 2011... and 3D Cinema!

[Rob McCow]

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/...92835d50e86a3a

Sources indicate that George Lucas is set on rereleasing the "Star Wars" franchise in new 3D conversions beginning in 2012. Although 3D versions have been rumored for some time, Lucas purportedly was waiting until there were enough screens available to make the release a sizable event.

Fox, which released all six original "Star Wars" films, also would release the 3D versions.

Episode I, "The Phantom Menace," would be first out of star-dock during early 2012. After that, each film would be released in order at the same time in consecutive years, depending on how well the first rerelease does.

Each conversion takes at least a year to complete, with Lucas overseeing the process to make sure each is as perfect as possible. He has said that the "Avatar" experience convinced him that "Star Wars" is ready for the state-of-the-art 3D treatment.

Starting with "Phantom Menace," Lucasfilm would use several higher-end conversion houses to work on the project. By late winter or early spring in 2012, the exhibition industry should have all the 3D screens anyone could want for such a release.

At present, pics are limited to 2,000-2,500 3D locations owing to an insufficient installed base of projectors and screens. Movie theaters are adding 3D screens at a clip of 500 a month in the U.S. Foreign exhibitors also are pushing into 3D as quickly as possible now that financing for the installations is flowing.

Also pushing the timetable is a potential breakthrough in 3D TV technology. With Samsung penetrating the market with 50,000-plus 3D-equipped sets and Sony recently sending its version to market, the home-viewing experience could be primed for 3D DVD versions of the films by the time the new 3D theatrical releases have run their course.

Lucas purportedly is lining up the theatrical rereleases as a lead-in to the ultimate home-viewing experience. Beyond that, the property would launch to other 3D media.

In the meantime, Lucas plans a comprehensive Blu-ray Disc set of the six films next year, which would include upgraded picture and sound quality, new deleted scenes and special features.

http://www.nooooooooooooooo.com/ sums up my thoughts on all this.

[WhiteCrowNZ]

Darn - and none of us saw this coming - and yet it was so obvious DVD ... DVD special edition ... Bluray ... 3D

I wonder what else he'll be tinkering with? I guess the goal is to rerelease Star Wars for it's 40th birthday maybe?

[Perry Vale]

[SiHart]

He can do what he likes, I won't be going to see The Phantom Meance at the cinema again.

Si xx

[SiHart]

He can do what he likes, I won't be going to see The Phantom Meance at the cinema again.

Si xx

[WhiteCrowNZ]

I just realised Phantom Menace 3D means Jar Jar's tongue coming at me in 3D.

I wonder if he'll tinker with some of the Jar Jar work? It's interesting cos Jar Jar episodes at the moment are working really quite well on the Clone Wars series - which overall far exceeds the prequel films. One of the best is where Jar Jar gets mistaken for a Jedi.

[Rob McCow]

Latest update from The Hollywood Reporter:

Lucasfilm and Industrial Light & Magic have selected postproduction firm Prime Focus to handle the 2D-to-3D conversion of Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace, which is slated for theatrical release on Feb. 10.

The announcement was made Tuesday, confirming what for many months has been a poorly kept secret.

“It was incredibly important to me that we have the technology, the resources and the time to do this right,” George Lucas said in a statement. “I’m very happy with the results I’ve been seeing on Episode I.”

Prime Focus’ proprietary View-D 2D-to-3D process is being used to convert the film. The process was first used in early 2010 to convert Clash of the Titans. More recently, it was employed on The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.

The conversion of the Star Wars film is being completed under the supervision of

Academy Award winner John Knoll, the visual effects supervisor for ILM.

“Getting really good results from stereo conversion requires a lot of attention to detail, and it is imperative that you take the time to get it right – and that’s just what we’re doing,” Knoll said. “We’re taking a different approach than you might expect. George’s vision has been to add dimension to the film in subtle ways. This isn’t a novelty conversion, with things jumping out at the audience; our goal has been to enhance the classic Star Wars theatrical experience, utilizing the latest cinematic tools and techniques.”

The process will be led at Prime Focus’ Hollywood office, and Prime Focus artists in Los Angeles, London and Mumbai are delivering shots via the company’s digital infrastructure.
Lucas is scheduled to speak Wednesday at CinemaCon during a panel that also will include James Cameron, Jeffrey Katzenberg and Chris Meledandri.

'Mesah existah in three-dee suh? They make a whole-suh big Woooooshah of cash out of that!'

I'm oddly intrigued.

[SiHart]

I'm oddly intrigued.

Nooooooooooooo!

Si xx

[Perry Vale]

I read all of that with interest until I come to the two words "George's vision"...

[Si Hunt]

If he likes Star Wars so much why doesn't he just make more films?

Si.

[Zbigniev Hamson]

I'm glad I still have the proper original versions on video, it's about the only way I'll ever see them again. (The first one was tinkered with as early as 1980 of course, but there's not much I can do about that).

[Dave Tudor]

The very, very original version of Star Wars wasissued on the most recent, double-disc individual versions a couple of years ago.

As much as I love Star Wars, I can't say I'm that fussed about this, but that's more to do with the fact that I'm not that interested in the whole 3D cinema phenomenon in general.

Can't help thinking, though, that George Lucas is so intent on tinkereing with his films, that one day he's going to remake (sorry, reimagine!) the whole Star wars saga from scratch!

[Perry Vale]

The very, very original version of Star Wars wasissued on the most recent, double-disc individual versions a couple of years ago.

Not quite actually, but it's likely to be the closest to the original we'll ever see...

[Rob McCow]

Like a lone X-Wing Fighter going up against a Death Star, a prop designer from Twickenham has finally defeated George Lucas in court!

A prop designer who made the original Stormtrooper helmets for Star Wars has won his battle with director George Lucas over his right to sell replicas.

Andrew Ainsworth, 62, of south west London successfully argued the costumes were functional not artistic works, and so not subject to full copyright laws.

Judges at the Supreme Court upheld a 2009 Court of Appeal decision allowing Mr Ainsworth to continue selling them.

Lucasfilm has said the UK should not let itself become a haven for piracy.

Copyright protection

Both the Court of Appeal and the High Court have already ruled in Mr Ainsworth's favour in his multi-million pound battle with Mr Lucas's production company.

The father-of-two has been selling copies of his plastic composite armour and helmets - from the original 1977 film - for eight years.

He uses the same studio in Twickenham from which he made the original costumes, and charges up to £1,800.

In 2004, Lucasfilm sued for $20m (£12m) arguing he did not hold the intellectual property rights and had no right to sell them - a point upheld by a US court.

But the judgement could not be enforced because the designer held no assets in the US, so the battle moved to the UK.

The multi-billionaire creator of Star Wars claimed Mr Ainsworth was breaching his copyright, and took his case to the High Court in 2008, Court of Appeal a year later, and earlier this year to the Supreme Court - the highest court in the land.

That court has now also ruled that the 3D works should not be considered sculptures, which means their copyright protection is 15 years from the date they were marketed, and had therefore expired.

Why didn't Lucasarts simply buy up his business? That's surely a much better and cheaper way to do things.

[Awesome Wells]

"Never before seen" original trilogy outtakes found up a Jawa's arse and used to flog Blu-ray boxset!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5VJivJAuD4

*spectacular indifference*

[Alex]

I thought The Phantom Menace was a big pile of nonsense, but this deleted scene shows that it could have been so so much worse...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8l-44...layer_embedded

[Darren]

That was from Revenge of the Sith.

It wasn't that bad.

[Alex]

Yeah it was! The thing that gets me is what if you don't have a moustache? Surely then you couldn't do one of the codes for the mysterious jedi fight combo's that they've worked out in advance...

[Darren]

They'd have to do the old Jedi bush trick.

[Dino]

LET'S KILL GEORGE LUCAS!!!!

He's done it again for the blu-ray.
He's messed it up! He's crossed the line... He's gone too far... He's... he's... unable to leave his films alone!

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/51019

EDIT: Link contains language in the text.

[Awesome Wells]

Has George Lucas got heirs who will rectify these cinematic crimes when their pop has disappeared off to the great bluescreen backdrop in the sky?

[Dino]

Has George Lucas got heirs who will rectify these cinematic crimes when their pop has disappeared off to the great bluescreen backdrop in the sky?

Well in the words of Darth Vader from now on, "No... NOOOO!"

[Rob McCow]

So, he added a great big 'NOOOO!' over the climactic scene where Vader chucks the Emperor over the railing and into the Death Star Random Pit of Doom. Noooo!

Someone needs to do a YouTube mashup of Star Wars and the 2 Unlimited hit, 'There's No Limits'.

[Perry Vale]

Has George Lucas got heirs who will rectify these cinematic crimes when their pop has disappeared off to the great bluescreen backdrop in the sky?

20th Century Fox will, I have no doubt. He just needs to die first.

[Lissa]

George Lucas has a daughter who is a professional mixed martial arts fighter so she'll have the skills to get her own way once she inherits the scissors.