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Binary suns have set on the planned 3D re-releases of Star Wars: Episode II and Episode III, with Lucasfilm saying it will focus instead on honing the JJ Abrams-directed Episode VII.
3D versions of Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith were due to be released this year, following last year’s 3D-altered Phantom Menace. Now, however, those rehashes have been officially postponed, prompting millions of voices to suddenly cry out in relief.
The reason for putting the project on ice is to “focus 100 per cent on our efforts on Star Wars: Episode VII in order to ensure the best possible experience for our fans”, the house of Lucas says.
While I hope the upcoming sequel trilogy is being lavished with the care and attention it deserves, I reckon the decision to nudge the 3D re-releases towards the Sarlacc’s pit could simply be down to time and money.
Converting a 2D-shot film to 3D ain’t like dustin’ crops — it takes a lot of time and cash to make it look decent. James Cameron spent £11m and over a year splicing Titanic into three dimensions, for example.
Phantom Menace 3D‘s box office performance wasn’t exactly gangbusters — Box Office Mojo records that it scooped up just under $22.5m in its opening weekend, proving less popular than Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, Safe House and The Vow.
A 3D re-release of Independence Day was recently axed, hinting that spewing out triple-dimensional versions of beloved movies may not be a guaranteed money-spinner. Lucasfilm’s suggestion that the studio is focusing on the new movie suggests that if we do see 3D re-releases of Episodes II and III, it won’t be until after 2015, when Abram’s flick is set to debut.
Those of you picking over Star Wars: Episode VII news like scrap-hunting Jawas will want to read my colleague Rich Trenholm’s treatise on whether Jar Jar Abrams is up to the task, before watching this 7-hour fan-made documentary and learning why the best way to watch Star Wars is Episodes IV, V, II, III then VI, missing out Phantom Menace entirely.
Are you excited about more Star Wars? Let me know in the comments, or on our Facebook wall, and just be grateful you don’t have to watch the following scene again in 3D:
