19th February is the date to mark in your calendars, as Disney confirms Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope will be returned to its 1977 vintage.
Finally. It’s been known for a while now that Disney had been teasing a release of the original Star Wars movie, A New Hope, for its 50th anniversary in 2027. Furthermore, when Lucasfilm chief Kathleen Kennedy flew to London for a rare screening of the original 1977 version of the film – before George Lucas got tinkering – hopes rose that the rest of us mere mortals would be able to see it.
Now comes the confirmation that indeed we can.
As per an official Disney press release, the 50th anniversary celebrations for Star Wars will include a wide release of the original theatrical cut of the film. It’s going to thousands of cinemas around the world on 19th February 2027, and as per the blurb…
As previously revealed, the film will be available in IMAX 70mm. Additional digital and film formats announced today include 70mm, 35mm, IMAX, 4DX and D-BOX.
Those of you, cough, yearning to see the 2019 latest tinker of A New Hope projected are also in luck.
In addition to the theatrical release ofStar Wars(1977), Cosm will debut a Shared Reality rendition of “Star Wars: A New Hope”(2019 version) in its immersive entertainment venues located in Atlanta, Dallas, Detroit and Los Angeles. Coming March 2027, the experience will invite fans to step inside Cosm venues, which feature 12K+ immersive LED Domes, and be transported to a galaxy far, far away, complete with themed environments and bespoke food and beverage offerings.
The press release also talks about further Star Wars releases throughout the year, although doesn’t at this stage mention original cuts of The Empire Strikes Back or Return Of The Jedi. I’d imagine they’re very much on the table though, especially if A New Hope does enormous box office again.
Tickets are due to go on sale shortly.