After 50 years, Star Wars returns to cinemas in its original cut

There have always been discussions among fans about the adjustments made to the Star Wars classic "Episode IV – A New Hope". Did Han Solo shoot at the bounty hunter Greedo first, or could he only escape his first shot with a lot of luck and a quick head movement? A central scene in which the original version from 1977 and the Special Edition from 1997 show crucial differences. Now Disney and Lucasfilm have officially announced that the classic will return to cinemas on February 19, 2027, in its original cut, but with restored picture quality, for the anniversary.

Similarly, on the planet Tatooine, the wheel of time will be turned back again to revive the original atmosphere of 1977. For example, the creators of the 1997 Special Edition revived a deleted scene with Jabba the Hutt, added new shots with Stormtroopers and animated Dewback lizards, or replaced a static Dewback with an animated version – because they could. Fans sometimes criticized scenes in which suddenly many more figures were inserted than shots of people "wandering aimlessly."

The first Star Wars film in the original cut should offer a special revival experience for long-time fans and an opportunity for younger Star Wars enthusiasts to absorb the original flair from the beginnings in the seventies. Whether also with restored sound, for example, Dolby Atmos, the studios have not yet made any statements. Episode IV was one of the first films to use “Dolby Stereo” with four channels (left, right, center, surround) for a convincing atmosphere. In the USA, Ultra HD Blu-rays with Atmos were already released in 2023 – also in the original cut.

(agr)