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Changes in ''Star Wars'' re-releases vary from minor differences in
color timing Color (American English) or colour (British English) is the visual perceptual property deriving from the spectrum of light interacting with the photoreceptor cells of the eyes. Color categories and physical specifications of color are associa ...
, audio mixing, and take choices to major insertions of new
visual effects Visual effects (sometimes abbreviated VFX) is the process by which imagery is created or manipulated outside the context of a live-action shot in filmmaking and video production. The integration of live-action footage and other live-action foota ...
, additions of characters and dialogue, scene expansions, and replacement of original cast members with newer ones. Though changes were also made to the
prequel trilogy The ''Star Wars'' prequel trilogy, colloquially referred to as the prequels, is a series of epic space-opera films written and directed by George Lucas. It was produced by Lucasfilm Ltd. and distributed by 20th Century Fox. The trilogy was re ...
, the
original trilogy The original ''Star Wars'' trilogy, formerly marketed as the ''Star Wars'' Trilogy (and colloquially referred to as the 'original trilogy'), is the first set of three films produced in the ''Star Wars'' franchise, an American space opera cre ...
saw the most alteration. Dissatisfied with the original theatrical cuts of the original ''Star Wars'' film, '' The Empire Strikes Back'', and '' Return of the Jedi'', creator
George Lucas George Walton Lucas Jr. (born May 14, 1944) is an American filmmaker. Lucas is best known for creating the ''Star Wars'' and ''Indiana Jones'' franchises and founding Lucasfilm, LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic and THX. He served as chairm ...
altered the films in ways that were ostensibly not initially possible, primarily due to limitations of time, budget, and technology. The first substantial changes were made in 1997 with the release of a Special Edition remaster in commemoration of the franchise's twentieth anniversary. These changes were largely made as
visual effects Visual effects (sometimes abbreviated VFX) is the process by which imagery is created or manipulated outside the context of a live-action shot in filmmaking and video production. The integration of live-action footage and other live-action foota ...
tests for the forthcoming prequel films, demonstrating the possibilities of
computer-generated imagery Computer-generated imagery (CGI) is the use of computer graphics to create or contribute to images in art, printed media, video games, simulators, and visual effects in films, television programs, shorts, commercials, and videos. The images may ...
(CGI). Additional notable changes were made when the original trilogy was released on DVD in 2004, in an attempt to create more consistency with the prequel trilogy. More changes were made to the films for their
Blu-ray The Blu-ray Disc (BD), often known simply as Blu-ray, is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 2005 and released on June 20, 2006 worldwide. It is designed to supersede the DVD format, and capable of sto ...
release in 2011 and for their
4K Ultra HD Ultra-high-definition television (also known as Ultra HD television, Ultra HD, UHDTV, UHD and Super Hi-Vision) today includes 4K UHD and 8K UHD, which are two digital video formats with an aspect ratio of 16:9. These were first proposed by ...
release in 2019. Although some critics felt that many smaller changes were improvements, innocuous, or understandable, most larger changes were received negatively by fans and critics—particularly those made to the original trilogy.


Background

Prior to making ''
Star Wars ''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera multimedia franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop-culture Cultural impact of S ...
'', franchise creator
George Lucas George Walton Lucas Jr. (born May 14, 1944) is an American filmmaker. Lucas is best known for creating the ''Star Wars'' and ''Indiana Jones'' franchises and founding Lucasfilm, LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic and THX. He served as chairm ...
experienced dissatisfaction with the re-editing by studios of both of the films he had directed. His first feature, ''
THX 1138 ''THX 1138'' is a 1971 American social science fiction film co-written and directed by George Lucas in his directorial debut. Produced by Francis Ford Coppola and co-written by Walter Murch, the film stars Robert Duvall and Donald Pleasence, wit ...
'' (1971), had five minutes removed by
Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Di ...
Universal Pictures Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Ameri ...
had his subsequent film, '' American Graffiti'' (1973), edited to remove several minutes. Following the success of ''Star Wars'', in 1977, Lucas's original version of ''THX 1138'' was theatrically released. The restored cut of ''American Graffiti'' was released theatrically in 1978; this was altered for 1998 DVD with a computer-generated (CGI) change to the opening shot. In 2004, Lucas supervised a
director's cut A director's cut is an edited version of a film (or video game, television episode, music video, or commercial) that is supposed to represent the director's own approved edit in contrast to the theatrical release. "Cut" explicitly refers to the ...
of ''THX 1138'', restoring the picture while adding some modern special effects. As a proponent of artist's moral rights and having endured alterations to his works made by studios without his consent, Lucas was one of many filmmakers who spoke before the
U.S. House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...
in 1988 against the ongoing colorization of
black-and-white Black-and-white (B&W or B/W) images combine black and white in a continuous spectrum, producing a range of shades of grey. Media The history of various visual media began with black and white, and as technology improved, altered to color. ...
films by studios.


Release history

* 1977: In May, ''Star Wars'' was theatrically released. Three different audio versions (a
Dolby Stereo Dolby Stereo is a sound format made by Dolby Laboratories. It is a unified brand for two completely different basic systems: the Dolby SVA (stereo variable-area) 1976 system used with optical sound tracks on 35mm film, and Dolby Stereo 70mm nois ...
mix, a six-channel mix for
70 mm 70 mm film (or 65 mm film) is a wide high-resolution film gauge for motion picture photography, with a negative area nearly 3.5 times as large as the standard 35 mm motion picture film format. As used in cameras, the film is wid ...
screenings, and a
mono Mono may refer to: Common meanings * Infectious mononucleosis, "the kissing disease" * Monaural, monophonic sound reproduction, often shortened to mono * Mono-, a numerical prefix representing anything single Music Performers * Mono (Japanese b ...
mix print) were created, with significant differences. Later that year, among others, a silent, English-subtitled
Super 8 Super 8 or Super Eight may refer to: Film * Super 8 film, a motion picture film format released in 1965 * Super 8 film camera, a motion picture camera used to film Super 8mm motion picture format * ''Super 8'' (2011 film), a science-fiction fi ...
reel version of the film was released by Ken Films. * 1980: In May, '' The Empire Strikes Back'' was theatrically released. After its initial opening, but before its wide release, Lucas extended the end sequence. A 70 mm print of the film differed from the more widely distributed
35 mm 35 mm may refer to: * 135 film, a type of still photography format commonly referred to as 35 mm film * 35 mm movie film, a type of motion picture film stock * 35MM 35 mm may refer to: * 135 film, a type of still photography format ...
print in takes of dialogue, visual and sound effects, shot choices, and transitions between shots; none of these changes appeared in later releases, with exception of one dialogue change. * 1981: In April, ''Star Wars'' was re-released, with the addition of the subtitles "''Episode IV''" and "''A New Hope''" added to the
opening crawl The ''Star Wars'' opening crawl is a signature device of the opening sequences of every numbered film of the ''Star Wars'' series, an American epic space opera franchise created by George Lucas. Within a black sky background featuring a smatteri ...
. * 1983: In May, '' Return of the Jedi'' was theatrically released. * 1985: The original ''Star Wars'' film was re-released on VHS,
LaserDisc The LaserDisc (LD) is a home video format and the first commercial optical disc storage medium, initially licensed, sold and marketed as DiscoVision, MCA DiscoVision (also known simply as "DiscoVision") in the United States in 1978. Its diam ...
, and Capacitance Electronic Disc (CED) with an improved
audio mix Audio mixing is the process by which multiple sounds are combined into one or more channels. In the process, a source's volume level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated or enhanced. This practical, aesthetic, ...
. The LaserDisc and CED sped the film up by 3% to fit onto a single disc. * 1993: The original trilogy was released on LaserDisc as "The Definitive Collection". With the exception of a new
THX THX Ltd. is an American company that develops the eponymous high fidelity audio/visual reproduction standards for movie theaters, screening rooms, home theaters, computer speakers, gaming consoles, car audio systems, and video games. Founded ...
audio mix, scratch and dirt removal, and
color balance In photography and image processing, color balance is the global adjustment of the intensities of the colors (typically red, green, and blue primary colors). An important goal of this adjustment is to render specific colors – particularly neu ...
changes, it matched the original theatrical releases. * 1995: The original trilogy was re-released on VHS with THX audio, advertised as the final release of the theatrical versions. * 1997: The "Special Edition" of the original trilogy was released theatrically from January through March for the 20th anniversary of ''Star Wars''. This release featured the first significant changes, which were intended to prove that
Industrial Light & Magic Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) is an American motion picture visual effects company that was founded on May 26, 1975 by George Lucas. It is a division of the film production company Lucasfilm, which Lucas founded, and was created when he began pro ...
could effectively produce CGI
visual effects Visual effects (sometimes abbreviated VFX) is the process by which imagery is created or manipulated outside the context of a live-action shot in filmmaking and video production. The integration of live-action footage and other live-action foota ...
for the
prequel trilogy The ''Star Wars'' prequel trilogy, colloquially referred to as the prequels, is a series of epic space-opera films written and directed by George Lucas. It was produced by Lucasfilm Ltd. and distributed by 20th Century Fox. The trilogy was re ...
. * 1999: In May, '' Episode I – The Phantom Menace'' was theatrically released. * 2001: In November, ''The Phantom Menace'' was released on
DVD The DVD (common abbreviation for Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any kin ...
, which features a slightly extended cut from the theatrical release. * 2002: In May, '' Episode II – Attack of the Clones'' was theatrically released. A version made for digital-projection theaters included a few special effects which were not ready for the initial wide release; the DVD features the digital version with some extended lines of dialogue. A version was also made for
IMAX IMAX is a proprietary system of high-resolution cameras, film formats, film projectors, and theaters known for having very large screens with a tall aspect ratio (approximately either 1.43:1 or 1.90:1) and steep stadium seating. Graeme F ...
theaters using IMAX's then-new digital-remastering process, which saw the film's running time reduced to 120 minutes due to IMAX film platter limitations at the time, as well as the aspect ratio being cropped to 1.81:1. * 2004: In September, the original trilogy was released on DVD. Further significant alterations were made, including replacing
Latin script The Latin script, also known as Roman script, is an alphabetic writing system based on the letters of the classical Latin alphabet, derived from a form of the Greek alphabet which was in use in the ancient Greek city of Cumae, in southern Italy ...
text with
Aurebesh The '' Star Wars'' space opera universe, created by George Lucas, features some dialogue spoken in fictional languages. The '' lingua franca'' of the franchise is known in-universe as "Galactic Basic", used to refer to the language of the fil ...
. * 2005: ''
Episode III – Revenge of the Sith An episode is a narrative unit within a larger dramatic work or documentary production, such as a series intended for radio, television or streaming consumption. The noun ''episode'' is derived from the Greek term ''epeisodion'' (), meaning th ...
'' was theatrically released. The DVD release features a minor editing change. * 2006: In September, Limited Edition DVDs of the 2004 versions of the original trilogy were ; these contain the original unaltered versions on bonus discs. These match the 1993 LaserDisc release, but remove the subtitles ''Episode IV – A New Hope''. * 2011: The original and prequel trilogy were released on
Blu-ray The Blu-ray Disc (BD), often known simply as Blu-ray, is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 2005 and released on June 20, 2006 worldwide. It is designed to supersede the DVD format, and capable of sto ...
. Alterations were made to all six films. * 2015: The original and prequel films were released as a digital download. They are identical to their Blu-ray release, except for changes to the opening logos and
fanfare A fanfare (or fanfarade or flourish) is a short musical flourish which is typically played by trumpets, French horns or other brass instruments, often accompanied by percussion. It is a "brief improvised introduction to an instrumental perfo ...
s. The U.S.
Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The library is ...
made the original release of ''Star Wars'' available to watch in person. The
sequel trilogy The ''Star Wars'' sequel trilogy is the third trilogy of the main ''Star Wars'' franchise, an American space opera created by George Lucas. It is produced by Lucasfilm Ltd. and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. The trilogy ...
film ''
The Force Awakens ''Star Wars: The Force Awakens'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens'') is a 2015 American epic space opera film produced, co-written, and directed by J. J. Abrams. The sequel to ''Return of the Jedi'' (1983) ...
'' was theatrically released in both standard and
IMAX IMAX is a proprietary system of high-resolution cameras, film formats, film projectors, and theaters known for having very large screens with a tall aspect ratio (approximately either 1.43:1 or 1.90:1) and steep stadium seating. Graeme F ...
formats. * 2019: The original and prequel films were released in 4K resolution and HDR on
Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
's streaming service,
Disney+ The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment Entertainment is a form of activity that holds the attention and interest of an audience or gives pleasure and deligh ...
. Color, compositing, and minor effects adjustments were made to all three films of the original trilogy.


Significant changes


''Star Wars''


Title change

The first film was released in 1977 under the title ''Star Wars''. The
subtitle Subtitles and captions are lines of dialogue or other text displayed at the bottom of the screen in films, television programs, video games or other visual media. They can be transcriptions of the screenplay, translations of it, or informati ...
''Episode IVA New Hope'' was retroactively added to the opening crawl in a subsequent release.
Lucasfilm Lucasfilm Ltd. LLC is an American film and television production company and a subsidiary of Walt Disney Studios, which is a business segment of The Walt Disney Company. The studio is best known for creating and producing the ''Star Wars'' and ' ...
dates the addition to the theatrical re-release on April 10, 1981. This change was made to bring the original film in line with the titling of its sequel, '' Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back'' (1980).


Tatooine

Some scenes on
Tatooine Tatooine () is a fictional desert planet that appears in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. It is a beige-colored, desolate world orbiting a pair of binary stars, and inhabited by human settlers and a variety of other life forms. The planet was first ...
were modified for the 1997 Special Edition, most notably an alteration to the Greedo scene and the restoration of a deleted scene featuring Jabba the Hutt. Two newly filmed shots of stormtroopers and CGI
dewback This is a list of creatures in the fictional universe of ''Star Wars'', a space opera media franchise. The types of creatures in this list are listed by category and then in alphabetical order. Humans and humanoid sentient species Humans Human ...
s were inserted before a shot in which the static creature in the background was replaced with moving CGI. Other modifications introduced in various releases include a CGI replacement of the Jawa
sandcrawler The sandcrawler is a fictional transport vehicle in the ''Star Wars'' universe that is found on the desert planet Tatooine. The vehicle, as it appears in its major appearances in '' Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope'', is 37 meters long and 18 met ...
, a different sound effect for
Obi-Wan Kenobi Obi-Wan Kenobi () is a fictional Character (arts), character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Within the Star Wars original trilogy, original trilogy, Obi-Wan is a Jedi Master as a supporting character and is portrayed by English actor Alec Guinn ...
making a
krayt dragon This is a list of creatures in the fictional universe of ''Star Wars'', a space opera media franchise. The types of creatures in this list are listed by category and then in alphabetical order. Humans and humanoid sentient species Humans Human ...
call to scare off the Tusken Raiders, the addition of rocks in front of the cave R2-D2 hides in, the replacement of an external shot of Obi-Wan's hut with a new angle showing Luke Skywalker's parked
landspeeder Landspeeders are fictional anti-gravity craft used through the ''Star Wars'' movies and ''Star Wars'' expanded universe. They are depicted both in civilian and military capacities, and several versions have been merchandised as toys and models ...
, and color and continuity changes involving the binary sunset. The shadow of the landspeeder was redone in one shot, and creatures, robots, and ships were added to
Mos Eisley Mos Eisley is a spaceport town in the fictional ''Star Wars'' universe. Located on the planet Tatooine, it first appeared in the 1977 film ''Star Wars'', described by the character Obi-Wan Kenobi (played by Alec Guinness) as a "wretched hive of s ...
, including elements created for the ''
Shadows of the Empire ''Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire'' is a 1996 multimedia project created by Lucasfilm. The idea was to create a story set between the films ''The Empire Strikes Back'' and ''Return of the Jedi'', and to explore all commercial possibilities of a ...
'' multimedia campaign. Some of the aliens in the cantina were replaced with new CGI designs, and a shot of the ''
Millennium Falcon The ''Millennium Falcon'' is a fictional starship in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Designed by Joe Johnston for the movie ''Star Wars'' (1977), it has subsequently appeared in '' The Star Wars Holiday Special'' (1978), ''The Empire Strikes Back ...
'' fighting its way out of Mos Eisley was added.


=Greedo scene

=
Han Solo Han Solo is a fictional character in the '' Star Wars'' franchise created by George Lucas. The character first appeared in the 1977 film '' Star Wars'' portrayed by Harrison Ford, who reprised his role in ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (1980) an ...
(
Harrison Ford Harrison Ford (born July 13, 1942) is an American actor. His films have grossed more than $5.4billion in North America and more than $9.3billion worldwide, making him the seventh-highest-grossing actor in North America. He is the recipient o ...
) is cornered in the Mos Eisley cantina by the Rodian bounty hunter Greedo ( Paul Blake), and Han shoots under the table to kill Greedo. The 1997 release of the film alters the scene so that Greedo shoots first and misses (with Han's head digitally pivoted away from the laser blast). The scene was changed again for the 2004 DVD release of the film so that Han and Greedo shoot almost simultaneously; this was shortened by several frames for the 2011 Blu-ray. The scene was further modified for the 2019 4K Ultra HD release with the addition of a close-up shot of Greedo speaking (without subtitles), the removal of a reverse shot of Greedo, and a re-rendering of the visual effects. The original version of the Greedo scene is considered iconic, while the altered version is one of the most controversial changes to the film. Fans have coined the phrase "
Han shot first "Han shot first" refers to a controversial change made to a scene in the film '' Star Wars'' (1977), in which Han Solo ( Harrison Ford) is confronted by the bounty hunter Greedo ( Paul Blake/Maria De Aragon) in the Mos Eisley cantina. In the orig ...
" to protest the change, which according to ''
Polygon In geometry, a polygon () is a plane figure that is described by a finite number of straight line segments connected to form a closed ''polygonal chain'' (or ''polygonal circuit''). The bounded plane region, the bounding circuit, or the two toge ...
'' alters Han's moral ambiguity and his fundamental character. Lucas has stated that he always intended for Greedo to shoot first. In 2015, a replica of an early script for ''Star Wars'' was discovered in the archives of the
University of New Brunswick The University of New Brunswick (UNB) is a public university with two primary campuses in Fredericton and Saint John, New Brunswick. It is the oldest English-language university in Canada, and among the oldest public universities in North Americ ...
library. In the script, dated March 15, 1976, only Han shoots.


= Jabba the Hutt

= The original script for ''Star Wars'' included a scene between Han and Jabba the Hutt, set in a Mos Eisley docking bay. The scene was filmed by a
second unit Second unit is a discrete team of filmmakers tasked with filming shots or sequences of a production, separate from the main or "first" unit. The second unit will often shoot simultaneously with the other unit or units, allowing the filming stag ...
with
Declan Mulholland Thomas Declan Mulholland (6 December 1932 – 29 June 1999) was a Northern Irish character actor of film and television. He is known for his multiple appearances in ''Doctor Who'' and for his deleted portrayal of Jabba the Hutt in ''Star Wars'' ...
wearing a furry vest as a
stand-in A stand-in for film and television is a person who substitutes for the actor before filming, for technical purposes such as lighting and camera setup. Stand-ins are helpful in the initial processes of film and television production. Stand-ins a ...
for Jabba. Lucas intended to replace Mulholland in
post-production Post-production is part of the process of filmmaking, video production, audio production, and photography. Post-production includes all stages of production occurring after principal photography or recording individual program segments. The ...
with a
stop-motion Stop motion is an animated filmmaking technique in which objects are physically manipulated in small increments between individually photographed frames so that they will appear to exhibit independent motion or change when the series of frames i ...
character, but due to time limitations and budget constraints, the scene was cut. In the 1997 edition, the scene was reinserted with a CGI Jabba replacing Mulholland. This marks an early example of a fully CGI character with dialogue to appear in a film, preceding the introduction of
Jar Jar Binks Jar Jar Binks is a fictional character of the Gungan race from the ''Star Wars'' saga created by George Lucas. Jar Jar appears throughout the ''Star Wars'' prequel trilogy – as a major character in '' Episode I: The Phantom Menace'', with a ...
in ''The Phantom Menace'' by two years. In the original footage, Ford walked through the area where Jabba's tail would be. As a workaround, Han was digitally moved to appear as if he steps on Jabba's tail, with the Hutt squealing as a result; this has been poorly received, including by its original animator. Several Rodians (at least one of whom is a
look-alike A look-alike, double, or doppelgänger is a person who bears a strong physical resemblance to another person, excluding cases like twins and other instances of family resemblance. Some look-alikes have been notable individuals in their own right, ...
of Greedo) appear in the background.
Boba Fett Boba Fett ( ) is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. First appearing in the ''Star Wars Holiday Special'' (1978), where he was voiced by Don Francks, he is an armored bounty hunter featured in both the original and prequel fi ...
was also added to the end of the scene, and seems to break the
fourth wall The fourth wall is a performance convention in which an invisible, imaginary wall separates actors from the audience. While the audience can see through this ''wall'', the convention assumes the actors act as if they cannot. From the 16th cen ...
. The insertion of this scene into the film was criticized for being superfluous to the previous cantina scene with Greedo, slowing down the pacing without moving the plot forward, and undermining the reveal of the ''Millennium Falcon'' in the next scene as well as Jabba's original debut in ''Return of the Jedi''. The 1997 CGI Jabba has been described as "atrocious", and for the 2004 DVD release was replaced with a higher-fidelity model resembling his CGI appearance in ''The Phantom Menace''. On the 2004 audio commentary for ''A New Hope'', Lucas reflected that while he did not mind cutting the scene when he was not sure if he would make sequels, he subsequently wanted it to be included as it introduces a character important to Han's story arc. ''
ScreenCrush Townsquare Media, Inc. (formerly Regent Communications until 2010) is an American radio network and media company based in Purchase, New York. The company started in radio and expanded into digital media toward the end of the 2000s, starting wi ...
'' later reflected that the 2004 version "was an improvement, but only in the way that nausea is an improvement over vomit".


Luke's lightsaber

During the training scene aboard the ''Millennium Falcon'', Luke's
lightsaber A lightsaber is a fictional energy sword featured throughout the ''Star Wars'' franchise. A typical lightsaber is depicted as a luminescent plasma blade about in length emitted from a metal hilt around in length. First introduced in the or ...
—which in some releases had erroneously appeared green—was corrected to blue in the 2011 release.


Death Star

For the Special Edition, a scene of Han chasing a squad of stormtroopers on the Death Star was altered to replace several stormtroopers at the end of the corridor with dozens in formation. '' Den of Geek'' criticized the change as being "too much" and making Han's shooting back at them less believable. Two '' ScreenRant'' writers call the updated version "utterly ridiculous" but "much funnier". Another shot of a stormtrooper hitting his head on a door had a sound effect added in 2004, making it seem like the goof was intentional. In the original version of Obi-Wan and Darth Vader's duel, Obi-Wan's saber appeared to "short out" when
foreshortened Linear or point-projection perspective (from la, perspicere 'to see through') is one of two types of 3D projection, graphical projection perspective in the graphic arts; the other is parallel projection. Linear perspective is an approximate r ...
toward the camera (a result of the in-camera effects failing to account for this viewing angle). A glow was added in 2004, and a fully finished blade was added to these shots in 2019. Also in the 2019 version, Obi-Wan's lightsaber was adjusted to appear consistently blue, and the flash effects of the lightsabers clashing was redone. Both the explosions of
Alderaan Alderaan () is a fictional planet featured in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. It is blue-green in appearance, depicted as a terrestrial planet with humanoid inhabitants, and characterized by a peaceful culture. It is the home planet of Princess Lei ...
and the Death Star had shockwaves added to them starting with the 1997 edition.


Yavin 4

The Special Edition of ''A New Hope'' incorporated a deleted scene on Yavin 4, in which Luke is briefly reunited with his childhood friend
Biggs Darklighter Rogue Squadron is a fictional Military spacecraft in fiction, starfighter squadron (aviation), squadron in the Star Wars, ''Star Wars'' franchise. Many surviving members of Red Squadron, the Rebel Alliance, Rebel attack force that Luke Skywalk ...
. This was felt by some to strengthen the relationship of the characters during the climactic Death Star attack run. The original film includes a two-shot sequence of X-wing fighters flying past Yavin towards the Death Star (showing the fighters from behind, then the front). For the 1997 edition, these were replaced with a 180° turn of CGI (seen from the front, then the back). '' Wired'' points out that the addition of the moon (Yavin 4) in the background places it "very clearly in range of the Death Star from the very beginning of the battle." Additionally, engine sounds were added to the battle scene which make parts of the musical score difficult to hear.


''The Empire Strikes Back''


Hoth

Close-up shots of the
wampa This is a list of creatures in the fictional universe of ''Star Wars'', a space opera media franchise. The types of creatures in this list are listed by category and then in alphabetical order. Humans and humanoid sentient species Humans Human ...
that captures Luke on Hoth were inserted.


The Emperor's hologram

For his appearance as a hologram in ''The Empire Strikes Back'', the Emperor was originally portrayed by an actress wearing a mask and a male voice actor. For the 2004 DVD edition and subsequent releases, this was replaced by new footage of
Ian McDiarmid Ian McDiarmid (; born 11 August 1944) is a Scottish actor and director of stage and screen, best known for portraying the Sith Lord Emperor Sheev Palpatine / Darth Sidious in the ''Star Wars'' multimedia franchise. Making his stage debut in '' ...
, who plays the character in later films. The dialogue was changed in the new version, making Vader seem to have been unaware of Luke's paternity despite knowing his last name. ''ScreenCrush'' argues that this change is the worst to any ''Star Wars'' film, owing to the altered dialogue. ''Wired'' writes that it is unclear whether the new dialogue is meant to portray Vader and the Emperor "deliberately testing one another", and also that McDiarmid "looks more like he did 20 years before in the timeline than he does a year later in ''Return of the Jedi''". Sources such as ''
Polygon In geometry, a polygon () is a plane figure that is described by a finite number of straight line segments connected to form a closed ''polygonal chain'' (or ''polygonal circuit''). The bounded plane region, the bounding circuit, or the two toge ...
'' and '' io9'' regard the actor replacement itself as logical, and ''ScreenRant'' praises it as "a change that blends seamlessly with the original film, due in large part to the relative ease of swapping one holographic image for another".


Boba Fett

Boba Fett's dialogue in the film was originally recorded by Jason Wingreen. Subsequently, ''
Attack of the Clones Attack may refer to: Warfare and combat * Offensive (military) * Charge (warfare) * Attack (fencing) * Strike (attack) * Attack (computing) * Attack aircraft Books and publishing * ''The Attack'' (novel), a book * '' Attack No. 1'', comic ...
'' revealed Boba to be a clone of
Jango Fett Jango Fett is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise, created by George Lucas. He first appeared as an antagonist in the 2002 film '' Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones'', played by Temuera Morrison. The character is a ...
, played by
Temuera Morrison Temuera Derek Morrison (born 26 December 1960) is a New Zealand actor and Singer who first gained recognition for his role as Dr. Hone Ropata on the soap opera ''Shortland Street''. He gained critical acclaim for his starring role as Jake "The ...
. To reflect this, Morrison re-recorded Boba's lines for the 2004 edition of the film. In the shot when the ''Millennium Falcon'' detaches from the Star Destroyer, Boba Fett's ship, the '' Slave I'', was replaced with a CGI version following the ''Falcon'' more closely. Both '' WhatCulture'' and ''Wired'' opine that the change makes it hard to believe that Han could not see Fett.


Cloud City

New establishing shots were added to Cloud City, which according to Lucas were added partially because director Irvin Kershner was dissatisfied with the limitations of the location's set. The additions create some inconsistencies with later shots. Another shot has a railing added to it, which does not reflect properly. New shots of Cloud City's citizens reacting to Lando Calrissian's evacuation orders were also added. In the 1997 edition, the scene of Luke dropping down the chute to escape Vader was modified to include an audible scream—created using the sound of the Emperor screaming as he falls down the shaft in ''Return of the Jedi''; this received criticism and was removed in later releases.


Ending

Following the initial limited theatrical release, Lucas added three exterior shots to the denouement to clarify that Lando and
Chewbacca Chewbacca ( ), nicknamed "Chewie", is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He is a Wookiee, a tall, hirsute, bipedal, intelligent species originating from the fictional planet of Kashyyyk. Chewbacca is the loyal friend and firs ...
are on the ''Falcon,'' not the Rebel frigate that Luke, Leia, and the droids are on. In the 1997 edition, a line of Vader's dialogue was replaced and a shot of his shuttle landing in his Star Destroyer (using stock footage of the
second Death Star The Death Star is a fictional space station and superweapon featured in the ''Star Wars'' space-opera franchise. Constructed by the autocratic Galactic Empire, the Death Star is capable of annihilating entire planets into rubble, and serves to e ...
from ''Return of the Jedi'') was inserted into the sequence in which Luke uses the Force to contact Leia. ''Wired'' calls this "Yet another addition that answers a question no one had."


''Return of the Jedi''


Jabba's palace

In the Special Edition, an establishing shot of a bantha herd was inserted, and a CGI beak and extra tentacles were added to the
sarlacc The sarlacc (plural sarlacci) is a fictional creature in George Lucas's sci-fi action saga ''Star Wars''. It first appeared in the film ''Return of the Jedi'' (1983) as a multi-tentacled alien beast whose immense, gaping maw is lined with sever ...
. Jabba's dialogue is given subtitles, although translates most of his lines. The 2011 edition extended the front door of Jabba's palace, making the door appear three times longer from the outside than it does on the inside. The Blu-ray also added a Dug to the inside of the palace, which was criticized as standing out from puppet aliens in the same scene. The scene in which Jabba feeds the dancer
Oola Oola ( or ) is a village in County Limerick in Ireland. It is near the border with County Tipperary in the midwest of the country. The village is home to a church (Church of The Sacred Heart), a petrol station, a convenience store, two publi ...
to his
rancor This is a list of creatures in the fictional universe of ''Star Wars'', a space opera media franchise. The types of creatures in this list are listed by category and then in alphabetical order. Humans and humanoid sentient species Humans Human ...
opens with a performance by the
Max Rebo Band The Max Rebo Band is a fictional Extraterrestrials in fiction, alien pop music band in the ''Star Wars'' franchise, first appearing in the 1983 film ''Return of the Jedi'' as in-house performers for crime lord Jabba the Hutt. The lineup original ...
and its lead singer, Sy Snootles. In the original theatrical release, the song is "Lapti Nek", sung in the fictional language Huttese. The Special Edition changed the performance to the new song "Jedi Rocks", which mostly received negative criticism. ''Polygon''s Owen Good describes the new vocals as difficult to listen to and having "the volume and
vocal fry The human voice consists of sound made by a human being using the vocal tract, including talking, singing, laughing, crying, screaming, shouting, humming or yelling. The human voice frequency is specifically a part of human sound production in ...
of a higher pitched
Tina Turner Tina Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock; November 26, 1939) is an American-born Swiss retired singer and actress. Widely referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Rock 'n' Roll", she rose to prominence as the lead singer o ...
but none of the soul". The puppet used for Snootles was also replaced with CGI. According to Special Edition producer
Rick McCallum Richard McCallum (born August 22, 1954) is an American film producer. He is mostly known for his work on ''The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles'' as well as the '' Star Wars'' Special Editions and prequel trilogy. He is best known for his frequent ...
, this change was made because Lucas could not originally achieve the "large musical number" he envisioned because characters could not move in certain ways; Snootles could not open her mouth to lip sync correctly, and her eyes did not move. The Special Edition increased the size of the Max Rebo Band from three members to twelve. Additional footage was filmed of Boba Fett flirting with one of the dancers; original Fett actor Jeremy Bulloch thought this was somewhat contrary to the character's nature. In the theatrical release of the film, Oola's death is filmed from outside the rancor pit: she falls into the pit, and her scream is heard from off-screen. In the 1997 edition, extra shots were inserted depicting her in the pit, including shots where she looks up to the crowd, the pit door being raised, and a shot of her terror. The rancor and Oola as she screams remain off-screen.
Femi Taylor Femi Taylor (born 8 April 1961) is a Nigerien-born British dancer and actress best known for portraying Jabba the Hutt's Twi'lek slave dancer List of Star Wars characters#O, Oola in the 1983 Film, motion picture ''Return of the Jedi''. Career ...
, who played Oola, impressed critics with her ability to reprise the role over a decade later without visible difference. ''Wired'' notes that "they put a different eyeshadow color on her, so she's not exactly seamless." James Whitbrook at ''io9'' praised the additions to the scene, writing that it teased the rancor well while still keeping the monster a surprise for Luke's later battle with it. Conversely, ''Den of Geek UK'' criticized the additions as unnecessary and felt that they made the audience familiar with the pit, weakening Luke's scene. In 2004, Lucas revealed that he had considered adding a shot of Fett escaping the sarlacc, but decided against it because it would have detracted from the scene's focus: Jabba's death. Fett's survival was eventually depicted in the
Disney+ The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment Entertainment is a form of activity that holds the attention and interest of an audience or gives pleasure and deligh ...
live-action streaming series '' The Mandalorian'' (2019–present) and '' The Book of Boba Fett'' (2021–2022).


Climax on the second Death Star

At the climax of the film, the Emperor tortures Luke with Force lightning, prompting Darth Vader to throw the Emperor down a chasm. In the original version of the scene, Vader has no dialogue. Starting with the 2011 edition, Vader mutters "No" and then yells a drawn-out "No!", creating a parallel with his near-identical cry at the end of ''Revenge of the Sith''. This addition was described as being unnecessary at best, and at worst being clumsy, sounding terrible, and seeming to mock the scene in the prequel. A ''Polygon'' writer argues that the change displays a distrust in the audience's ability to interpret Vader's emotions and further that it made the emotional scene "laughable". In the scene where Anakin Skywalker is unmasked, the 2004 edition digitally removed his eyebrows to reflect Anakin burning on
Mustafar Mustafar () is a fictional volcanic and lava planet in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Introduced in the final prequel film, ''Revenge of the Sith'' (2005), it also appeared in the films ''Rogue One'' (2016) and ''Episode IX – The Rise of Skywal ...
at the end of ''Revenge of the Sith''. Actor Sebastian Shaw's brown eyes were also digitally changed to blue to match Hayden Christensen's eye color.


Victory celebration

The film ends with a scene of the Rebel Alliance and a village of
Ewok The Ewoks (singular: Ewok) are a fictional species of small, furry, mammaloid, bipeds in the '' Star Wars'' universe. They inhabit the forest moon of Endor and live in arboreal huts and other simple dwellings, being seen as primitive in comp ...
s on
Endor Endor or Ein Dor may refer to: Places * Endor (village), from the Hebrew Bible, a Canaanite village where the Witch of Endor lived * Indur, a Palestinian village depopulated during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war * Ein Dor, a Kibbutz in modern Israel Fi ...
celebrating the death of the Emperor and victory over the Empire. The original theatrical release of the film featured the song "
Ewok Celebration "Ewok Celebration", known commonly as "Yub Nub", is a 1983 song that appears in the end of the ''Star Wars'' film ''Return of the Jedi'', during the celebration of the Ewoks on Endor with members of the Rebel Alliance after the destruction of the ...
", also known as "Yub Nub", playing over the celebration. The 1997 edition release of the film replaced "Ewok Celebration" with score composed by
John Williams John Towner Williams (born February 8, 1932)Nylund, Rob (15 November 2022)Classic Connection review ''WBOI'' ("For the second time this year, the Fort Wayne Philharmonic honored American composer, conductor, and arranger John Williams, who wa ...
titled "Victory Celebration", and the scene was lengthened to include shots of celebration on the planets Coruscant,
Bespin The fictional universe of the ''Star Wars'' franchise features multiple planets and moons. While only the feature films and selected other works are considered canon to the franchise since the 2012 acquisition of Lucasfilm by The Walt Disney ...
, and Tatooine. The 2004 edition further added a shot set on Naboo, in which a Gungan is given a line of dialogue, and added the Senate building and Jedi Temple to Coruscant.


Anakin's Force spirit

At the end of the film, Darth Vader is redeemed by killing the Emperor to save Luke Skywalker's life, then dies of his injuries shortly after, and appears to Luke as Anakin Skywalker alongside the
Force spirit The Force is a Metaphysics, metaphysical and Energy (esotericism), ubiquitous power in the ''Star Wars'' fictional universe. "Force-sensitive" characters use the Force throughout the franchise. Heroes like the Jedi seek to "become one with the Fo ...
s of Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi. In the original version, Sebastian Shaw plays this Force spirit in addition to an unmasked Vader. Hayden Christensen later played Anakin in the prequel trilogy films ''Attack of the Clones'' and ''Revenge of the Sith''. To reflect this, the 2004 edition of ''Return of the Jedi'' replaced Shaw's appearance as the Force spirit with Christensen. Some considered the change controversial, with ''Den of Geek'' rating it as the worst change to the original trilogy. ''The Digital Bits'' notes that the 2019 restoration made it more obvious where Anakin's head was replaced.


''The Phantom Menace''

The DVD released in 2001 features a slightly extended cut of the
podrace The following is a list of fictional ''Star Wars'' terrestrial vehicles, including armoured fighting vehicles, military aircraft, and naval ships. Vehicles appearing in the Original Trilogy All Terrain Armored Transport (AT-AT) The All ...
sequence, as well as a brief scene on Coruscant focusing on Anakin and Jar Jar Binks.


Podrace sequence

The extended podrace includes a longer introduction of the racers and the second lap of the race, both of which ''ScreenRant'' says do not contribute to the story, and potentially negatively affect the film's pacing. Additionally, Watto cheering for Anakin's rival Sebulba was removed for home media releases.


CGI Yoda

In the original version of ''The Phantom Menace'', a puppet was used to portray Yoda except in two wide shots which required CGI. This was changed for the 2011 release, with the puppet being replaced with a CGI model, similar to those used for the film's sequels, ''Attack of the Clones'' and ''Revenge of the Sith''.


''Attack of the Clones''

A few special effects which were not ready for the initial wide release were completed for release in digital-projection theaters. The DVD features the digital version with some extended lines of dialogue. The 2011 edition features a small editing change to the Coruscant speeder chase, adds a voiceover to Anakin's vision of
Shmi The Skywalker family is a fictional legendary human family in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Within the series' fictional universe, the Skywalkers are presented as a bloodline with strong inherent capabilities related to the Force and sometimes lig ...
, and changes the order of shots depicting
Count Dooku Count Dooku of Serenno, also known by his Sith, Sith name Darth Tyranus, or simply as Count Dooku, is a fictional Character (arts), character in the Star Wars, ''Star Wars'' franchise, created by George Lucas. One of the main antagonists of the St ...
's escape.


''Revenge of the Sith''

The theatrical release had a diagonal wipe from Obi-Wan leaving Mustafar to Anakin using his hand to crawl from the lava. The DVD changed this to a direct cut, which was reverted on the Blu-ray. The latter release also has additional
clone trooper Clone troopers are fictional characters in the ''Star Wars'' franchise created by George Lucas. They have been featured in a number of ''Star Wars'' media, including the live-action films '' Episode II: Attack of the Clones'' (2002) and '' Ep ...
dialogue as they land on Utapau, and added moss to the treehouse on
Kashyyyk Wookiees () are fictional humanoid aliens in the ''Star Wars'' universe, native to the forest planet Kashyyyk. They are distinguished from humans by their gigantism, hirsutism, and physical strength. The most prominent Wookiee is Chewbacca, c ...
.


Reception

Various media outlets have called attention to the changes deemed the most offensive and condemned them. These include: in ''A New Hope'', making Greedo shoot first and the restored Jabba scene; in ''The Empire Strikes Back'', changes to the Emperor's dialogue; in ''Return of the Jedi'', the new song in Jabba's palace, Vader yelling "No!" at the climax, and Christensen replacing Shaw as Anakin's spirit. In 2015,
Lance Ulanoff Lance Ulanoff is an American tech and social media commentator. He is U.S. editor-in-chief of TechRadar. His previous positions include editor-in-chief of '' PCMag.com'', ''PC Magazine'', and Mashable; senior vice-president of content for PCMag Di ...
of ''Mashable'' viewed the original theatrical print of ''Star Wars'' submitted to the Library of Congress, and noted merit to Lucas's belief that technology did not allow him to achieve his vision, citing a visible marquee around Leia's ship "so jarring that it temporarily pulls me out of the film" because the original print is "lack ngthe seamless quality
e has E, or e, is the fifth letter and the second vowel letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''e'' (pronounced ); plura ...
come to expect from sci-fi and fantasy". Despite this, Ulanoff wrote that he "hate each and every one" of the later added CGI effects. In 2017, a writer argued that the Special Edition changes to the original ''Star Wars'' "stripped the film of every aspect that it had won its
Academy Awards The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
for", including those for Best Visual Effects, Best Production Design, and Best Original Score. A smaller number of changes have been cited as an improvement. A 2015 ''Polygon'' article asserts that "there was a solid logic behind" a number of minor changes, such as adding windows to Cloud City or sparks to Jango Fett's jetpack, saying these "angered, to a close approximation, nobody". ''A New Hope'''s restored Biggs scene has garnered mostly favorable feedback. In 2021, ''ScreenRant'' praised special effects additions to ''A New Hope'', including the CGI dewback replacement, the Mos Eisley establishing shots, and the explosions of Alderaan and the Death Star. In 2022, citing Lucas's opinion that the Special Edition had improved ''A New Hope'' from representing 60% of his vision to 80%, an ''io9'' writer argued that the film could be further altered "to turn that 80% into 100%".


Legacy

George Lucas' name is often used as a verb to mean making retroactive changes to films or TV series. In early 2002, filmmaker (and friend of Lucas)
Steven Spielberg Steven Allan Spielberg (; born December 18, 1946) is an American director, writer, and producer. A major figure of the New Hollywood era and pioneer of the modern blockbuster, he is the most commercially successful director of all time. Spie ...
re-released ''
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial ''E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial'' (or simply ''E.T.'') is a 1982 American science fiction film produced and directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Melissa Mathison. It tells the story of Elliott, a boy who befriends an extraterrestrial, d ...
'' in a digitally altered 20th-anniversary Special Edition, which notably replaced guns carried by federal agents with walkie-talkies. This prompted the creators of ''
South Park ''South Park'' is an American animated sitcom created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone and developed by Brian Graden for Comedy Central. The series revolves around four boys Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, Eric Cartman, and Kenny McCormickand th ...
'' to parody both Spielberg and Lucas's changes to their films in an episode of their show. Other
adult animation Adult animation, also known as mature animation, and infrequently as adult-oriented animation, is any type of animation, animated motion work that is catered specifically to adult interests, and is mainly targeted and marketed towards adults and ...
series and stand-up comedians have targeted retroactive changes to ''Star Wars'', including ''
Family Guy ''Family Guy'' is an American animated sitcom originally conceived and created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The show centers around the Griffin family, Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter Griff ...
'', which in 2007 lampooned Christensen's snippy appearance as a spirit, and
Brian Posehn Brian Edmund Posehn (; born July 6, 1966) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, voice actor, musician, and writer. After numerous appearances as a television guest star, Posehn acquired his first major recurring role in HBO's ''Mr. Show with ...
, who argued in his 2017 special that the original trilogy "already was special". Lucas's changes have come to be cited as a primary point of reference for retroactive changes to other films. By contrast, some media outlets positively reviewed the 2020 4K release of
Peter Jackson Sir Peter Robert Jackson (born 31 October 1961) is a New Zealand film director, screenwriter and producer. He is best known as the director, writer and producer of the ''Lord of the Rings'' trilogy (2001–2003) and the ''Hobbit'' trilogy ( ...
's ''The Lord of the Rings'' trilogy, which was remastered and adjusted for color consistency with ''The Hobbit'' trilogy, but not otherwise significantly altered. Asked why he was opposed to releasing the original versions of the films alongside the modified versions, Lucas stated in 2004: "To me, he original moviedoesn't really exist anymore. ... I'm sorry you saw half a completed film and fell in love with it. But I want it to be the way I want it to be." In addition to a number of extant continuity errors throughout the films, a CGI character omission in ''The Phantom Menace'' has never been corrected—despite special effects supervisor
John Knoll John Knoll (born October 6, 1962) is an American visual effects supervisor and chief creative officer (CCO) at Industrial Light & Magic (ILM). One of the original creators of Adobe Photoshop (along with his brother, Thomas Knoll), he has also ...
calling attention to it in the film's 2001 DVD commentary. ''ScreenRant'' says this "highlights how George Lucas' motivations for tweaking the ''Star Wars'' movies are more about improving and updating than removing imperfections." In 2019, Kathleen Kennedy, president of Lucasfilm since the 2012 acquisition of the company by Disney, stated that she would not make alterations to Lucas's original trilogy, because "those will always remain his." While promoting ''
The Rise of Skywalker ''Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker'') is a 2019 American epic space opera film produced, , and directed by J. J. Abrams. Produced by Lucasfilm and Abrams' production ...
'', director J. J. Abrams expressed his hopes that the original versions of the trilogy would be officially released, but said that the powers that be had told him "that that's not necessarily possible". On whether he thought the sequel trilogy should be altered at some point, Abrams stated, "I respect anyone who feels like they want to go back and adjust and add; I get that. But I also feel like it's not the way I think about projects ... I feel like
hen Hen commonly refers to a female animal: a female chicken, other gallinaceous bird, any type of bird in general, or a lobster. It is also a slang term for a woman. Hen or Hens may also refer to: Places Norway *Hen, Buskerud, a village in Ringer ...
you're done with a thing, ... that's what it is." Contrarily, some media outlets have called for the climax of ''The Rise of Skywalker'' to be altered to show the Force spirits of the Jedi who aid
Rey Rey may refer to: *Rey (given name), a given name *Rey (surname), a surname * Rey (''Star Wars''), a character in the ''Star Wars'' films * Rey, Iran, a city in Iran * Ray County, in Tehran Province of Iran * ''Rey'' (film), a 2015 Indian film *The ...
. Fan pleas for a director's cut of the film trended on social media following the release of ''
Zack Snyder's Justice League ''Zack Snyder's Justice League'' (colloquially referred to as the Snyder Cut) is the 2021 director's cut of the 2017 American superhero film ''Justice League'', the fifth film set within the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) based on the team of ...
''. Some sources have incorrectly claimed the existence of other alternate versions of the films. In 2020, a
YouTube YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
clip purported to show an audience reaction to ''The Empire Strikes Back''s twist ending, adding "Luke" to Vader's famous "I am your father" line—a common false memory of the dialogue. Additionally, in May 2021, ''The Rise of Skywalker'' was misbelieved to have been color corrected on Disney+ to reduce its green hue, apparently due to confusion over whether Night Shift software was active. Following the release of many
Marvel Cinematic Universe The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on a series of superhero films produced by Marvel Studios. The films are based on characters that appear in American comic books published by ...
films in the IMAX format on Disney+, ''SlashGear'' suggested that ''The Force Awakens'''s IMAX version could be released in the future.


Notes


References


External links

* * *
Online archive of ''Star Wars'' coverage
at '' American Cinematographer'', including interviews regarding the 1997 edition {{Star Wars Changes
Star Wars ''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera multimedia franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop-culture Cultural impact of S ...