Blu-ray strikes back in 2011 as the Star Wars saga arrives in glorious high definition. Star Wars: A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi plus prequels The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith are available to pre-order right now ready for hyperspeed delivery in September.
Twentieth Century Fox announced the date at the wretched hive of scum and villainy that is CES 2011. The Blu-rays will hit shops just in time for Christmas, and we imagine they’ll be on a few Cravers’ yuletide list. You’d better start saving, though, as the films come in box sets rather than individually.
If you’ve got a hankering to see Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and Jar Jar Binks in eye-watering high definition you can buy the original and prequel trilogies in three-disc box sets, or claim all six films in a nine-disc package. The discs will also contain a Wookie-load of extras, with more than 30 hours of deleted scenes, documentaries and extra features.
The saga is also set for a return to the big screen — in 3D. The process of 3D-ifying C-3PO and friends will take a while, though, so we won’t be seeing The Phantom Menace in cinemas for a good year at least. Take your time, ILM.
The news is a good excuse to run the picture above, a stunning poster print by Tyler Stout. And while we’re at it, here’s MC Chris paying tribute to everyone’s favourite intergalactic smuggler and half-witted, scruffy-looking nerf-herder:
The Star Wars Blu-ray box sets are available for pre-order now at Amazon. The original trilogy and prequel trilogy box sets currently cost £34, and the complete saga costs £70.
Image: Mondo