George Lucas has announced that he plans to re-release the Star Wars films in 3D. The Daily Mail reports:
Lucas said: 'We've been looking for years to do this but the technology hasn't been there. I think this will be a new impetus to make that happen.'
Avatar - which cost more than £300m to make - has shattered box-office records and is on the verge of taking £1billion at the box office since its release at Christmas.
Lucas added: 'I liked it. I make movies like that, so I can appreciate what James Cameron went through to do it. It worked well in 3D and I'm happy it's so successful.'
Lucas, 65, is currently shooting his latest film, Red Tails but is planning to begin work on converting the Star Wars films when he finishes later this year.
. . .
This isn't the first time Lucas has re-worked the original trilogy. The first three films alone went on to generate £1billion after they were re-released in 1997.
He spent more than £5 million on updating the films he shot in the 1970s and 80s and inserting scenes and characters with CGI technology.
Though they generated huge money at the box-office, many of the director's changes did not go down well with fans who moaned that it ruin the original series.
One fans said of the news that he would use 3D in the new versions of the films: 'Why? The prequels were terrible. The sad part is everyone paid to watch.'
There's more at the link.
Personally, I'm not at all happy to hear the news. I thoroughly enjoyed the first three Star Wars movies, but was turned off completely by the fourth - so much so that I didn't even bother to watch the fifth and sixth. Lucas had turned preachy and mealy-mouthed in his 'prequel' trilogy, and it bothered me. I enjoyed the DVD re-release with its improved graphics, although I was (again) not pleased that Lucas had inserted updated shots of the deceased characters in the final scene of 'Return of the Jedi'. I'd rather have had the films left as they were.
To have them updated yet again . . . sorry, I won't be bothering to see the latest versions.
Peter
2 comments:
... I have the feeling he's going to be a little disappointed at his ROI this time. While Cameron proved that with enough flash/boom, glorious scenery, and a splash of mysticism you can take a "meh" plot all the way to the bank... you can only go back to the same well so many times.
(FWIW - I never felt insulted by the SW films, but have zero desire to go sit through three hours of whiny-mouthed Emokin and atrocious dialogue again, no matter how pretty they make the spaceships.
Though okay, a "just the Liam Neeson bits and spiffy 3d scenery" version, he might get my butt in a seat for. :p )
If he's adding another dimension, I'm thrilled! Now his characters will have TWO dimensions.
Antibubba
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