Lucasfilm and Disney are set to bring back a piece of cinematic history by re-releasing the original theatrical cut of "Star Wars" in theaters for its 50th anniversary. The announcement, confirmed with Lucasfilm, confirms that this will be the version released on February 17, 2027.
The decision to release the original theatrical cut comes after years of speculation about which version would make a return. The Special Edition, introduced in the late 1990s, had become the standard for fans and newcomers alike, but with the approval of Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy at an event last year, it's clear that this original cut is being revisited.
In 1997, when George Lucas remastered his trilogy, the Special Edition became the only version released. This meant that copies of the original film, including Han shooting first and the absence of Jabba the Hutt and ring around the Death Star, were extremely rare. However, it seems that Lucasfilm has finally put these versions back into circulation.
The re-release was initially set to coincide with the new "Star Wars: Starfighter" film on April 30, but there's now more space between the two events, which should translate to increased buzz around this special event. Seeing "Star Wars" in theaters for its original intent, and after such a long time, is bound to generate excitement among fans.
The exact details of this re-release are set to be revealed further as we approach 2027, but for now, fans can celebrate the return of the film they've been waiting to see.
The decision to release the original theatrical cut comes after years of speculation about which version would make a return. The Special Edition, introduced in the late 1990s, had become the standard for fans and newcomers alike, but with the approval of Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy at an event last year, it's clear that this original cut is being revisited.
In 1997, when George Lucas remastered his trilogy, the Special Edition became the only version released. This meant that copies of the original film, including Han shooting first and the absence of Jabba the Hutt and ring around the Death Star, were extremely rare. However, it seems that Lucasfilm has finally put these versions back into circulation.
The re-release was initially set to coincide with the new "Star Wars: Starfighter" film on April 30, but there's now more space between the two events, which should translate to increased buzz around this special event. Seeing "Star Wars" in theaters for its original intent, and after such a long time, is bound to generate excitement among fans.
The exact details of this re-release are set to be revealed further as we approach 2027, but for now, fans can celebrate the return of the film they've been waiting to see.
I'm so stoked about this news! Re-releasing the original theatrical cut of Star Wars is gonna be epic! I mean, can you even imagine watching that scene with Han shooting first in theaters? It's gonna be like a time machine for fans who've grown up with the Special Edition. I love how Lucasfilm is finally putting these versions back into circulation - it's about time, right? 
The fact that they're giving us more space between the re-release and the new film is also a great move, so we can really get hyped for this special event! 
Can't wait to see Mark Hamill reprising his role as Luke Skywalker in theaters again 
, especially since it's been 50 years since its release. I've always wanted to see the "Han shoots first" scene on the big screen again 
, and now we're finally going to get that chance. The fact that the Special Edition has been the standard for so long is crazy, but it's awesome that Lucasfilm is giving fans a treat by revisiting the OG version. I'm literally counting down the days until Feb 2027 
, can't wait to see #StarWars in theaters again! 
. The fact that Lucasfilm is going back to the original theatrical cut is just pure nostalgia bliss - I mean, who wouldn't want to see Han shoot first or Jabba make a cameo? 
It's amazing how much of an impact the Special Edition had on changing our perception of the film, but it's great that they're recognizing the value in preserving the original version. This is definitely going to generate some serious buzz among fans - can you imagine walking into a theater and experiencing this iconic film for the first time? Mind. Blown. 
just thinking about the OG Star Wars movie in theaters again is giving me major nostalgia vibes 
and now, 50 years later, we get to experience it like never before 
. The thing is, most people have only seen the Special Edition, so it's gonna be interesting to see how fans react to the original cut. Will they even notice the differences? 
And what about the whole "Han shooting first" controversy... will Lucasfilm finally acknowledge it and release that version too? 
and what about the ring around the death star!!! 
its gonna be a wild ride for sure
and now that it's not coinciding with that new "star wars: starfighter" film, we're really gonna have some time to build up the hype 