# What's Lucas Doing With The Original SW Trilogy? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 8, 2004, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-lucas-doing-with-the-original-sw-trilogy/249368 "2004-06-08T23:53:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2004, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-lucas-doing-with-the-original-sw-trilogy/249368/1 "2004-06-08T23:53:34Z")
I’ve heard _rumors_ that he’s reshot more footage for them, and is going so far as to CGIing in Whatsname’s face over the actor who played Annakin in _Jedi_. I’ve also heard that he’s going to be fixing the whole “Greedo shooting first” crap. No, I’m not really buying any of this, and I’m wondering if Lucas has actually said what he’s going to do, and if there really _are_ leaked shots of the some of the changes. I have a friend who swears all of this is true, but considering his thoughts on [other matters](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=248519), I’m highly doubtful, and I’d like to be able to tell him to shut up about this stuff if it’s not accurate. ---
**Author:** ![Soapbox\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Soapbox\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soapbox_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2004, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-lucas-doing-with-the-original-sw-trilogy/249368/2 "2004-06-08T23:59:59Z")
There is a picture making its way around the net that shows Hayden grafted into the final shot of RotJ, but it’s very obviously a fake. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-lucas-doing-with-the-original-sw-trilogy/249368/3 "2004-06-09T00:06:53Z")
[This](http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=17592) appeared on AICN, so take it for what it’s worth (you’ll have to scroll down a bit). ---
**Author:** ![Soapbox\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Soapbox\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soapbox_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-lucas-doing-with-the-original-sw-trilogy/249368/4 "2004-06-09T00:12:40Z")
> [@ArchiveGuy](#): > > [This](http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=17592) appeared on AICN, so take it for what it’s worth (you’ll have to scroll down a bit). That’s the one I was talking about. AICN is so full of shit sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-lucas-doing-with-the-original-sw-trilogy/249368/5 "2004-06-09T00:19:22Z")
> [@ArchiveGuy](#): > > [This](http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=17592) appeared on AICN, so take it for what it’s worth (you’ll have to scroll down a bit). Well, that looks pretty subpar for Lucas’s work, but then again, his suckification factor has really started to increase lately (_Howard the Duck_ should have served as a warning to us all.). ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-lucas-doing-with-the-original-sw-trilogy/249368/6 "2004-06-09T00:26:04Z")
> [@Soapbox Monkey](#): > > That’s the one I was talking about. AICN is so full of shit sometimes. Sometimes? ---
**Author:** ![Soapbox\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Soapbox\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soapbox_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-lucas-doing-with-the-original-sw-trilogy/249368/7 "2004-06-09T01:48:32Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > Sometimes? My bad. All the time. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![SpartanDC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b2d939/32.png) [@SpartanDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpartanDC)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-lucas-doing-with-the-original-sw-trilogy/249368/8 "2004-06-09T01:55:31Z")
Given that the original trilogy will be released on [DVD](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00003CXCT/qid=1086745991/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/102-2318131-7291368?v=glance&s=dvd) on Sept. 21, I think we’re pretty much done with any changes to the films. The DVD set will include only the “special edition” rereleases, which, aside from the useless Jabba scene in ANH and Greedo shooting first in the same film, actually cleaned up the movies quite a bit and added some nice, subtle improvements. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-lucas-doing-with-the-original-sw-trilogy/249368/9 "2004-06-09T01:59:15Z")
Didn’t they also change the whole ending scene to ROTJ? ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-lucas-doing-with-the-original-sw-trilogy/249368/10 "2004-06-09T02:07:49Z")
> [@SNenc](#): > > Given that the original trilogy will be released on [DVD](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00003CXCT/qid=1086745991/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/102-2318131-7291368?v=glance&s=dvd) on Sept. 21, I think we’re pretty much done with any changes to the films. The DVD set will include only the “special edition” rereleases, which, aside from the useless Jabba scene in ANH and Greedo shooting first in the same film, actually cleaned up the movies quite a bit and added some nice, subtle improvements. Nope, gotta disagree there, pal. A **lot** of the crap added to S[sub]uper[/sub] E[sub]xcrement[/sub] versions, was simply that: crap. Yeah, cleaing up the FX was nice, but I could have done without all the added creatures, and I would have _liked_ for Lucas to have put back some of the things which he took out after the initial 1977 release. Yeah, **smackfu** , he added shots of folks around the empire celebrating the death of Vader and the Emperor (guess they were watching the Empire News Network). Sadly, however, he didn’t include [the ewok holocaust.](http://www.theforce.net/swtc/holocaust.html) ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-lucas-doing-with-the-original-sw-trilogy/249368/11 "2004-06-09T02:16:29Z")
> [@](#): > > What’s Lucas Doing With The Original SW Trilogy? Royally f\*cking it up? ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-lucas-doing-with-the-original-sw-trilogy/249368/12 "2004-06-09T02:19:46Z")
I happen to know absolutely for certain that they shot a scene of the proper Emperor Palpatine to replace the shot in the exisitng Empire Strikes Back hologram. However, whether that shot will actually be included in the September DVD release is not confirmed. It may never appear, or there may be a Superduper Complete Saga DVD Set sometime in the near future that may have it in instead. There’s a fair assumption made that, if that particular Emperor superficial alteration will be done, then there will also be other changes made, the thought being that a couple of people have been steadily working on the films ever since the Special Editions, fixing up light sabres, replacing Jabba the Hutt in Ep.IV to match the one in Eps I and VI, basically making some of the dodgier fixes in the Special Editions somewhat better, etc. There has been no official confirmation of this anywhere, but there has actually been unofficial denial (from people who have been known to hide the truth before). A trailer for the DVD release has just been posted in the Members Area of the Official SW Site, and they very carefully a) don’t mention they’re the Special Edition versions, b) don’t show any of the contentious shots that are likely to be upgraded (as above), and c) suggest that there are still some ‘surprises’ yet to be announced about the DVD content. So, in a word: ambiguous. ---
**Author:** ![Soapbox\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Soapbox\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soapbox_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-lucas-doing-with-the-original-sw-trilogy/249368/13 "2004-06-09T02:20:26Z")
> [@SNenc](#): > > Given that the original trilogy will be released on [DVD](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00003CXCT/qid=1086745991/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/102-2318131-7291368?v=glance&s=dvd) on Sept. 21, I think we’re pretty much done with any changes to the films. The DVD set will include only the “special edition” rereleases, which, aside from the useless Jabba scene in ANH and Greedo shooting first in the same film, actually cleaned up the movies quite a bit and added some nice, subtle improvements. Finally someone who agrees! ---
**Author:** ![Soapbox\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Soapbox\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soapbox_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-lucas-doing-with-the-original-sw-trilogy/249368/14 "2004-06-09T02:21:28Z")
> [@SmackFu](#): > > Didn’t they also change the whole ending scene to ROTJ? They added scenes of celebration throughout the galaxy and changed the musical score to something that I feel fits the mood much better and made the ending bittersweet. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-lucas-doing-with-the-original-sw-trilogy/249368/15 "2004-06-09T02:26:10Z")
It’s my understanding that Lucas isn’t doing anything with the original trilogy, since he claims that the footage for it doesn’t even exist any more. But I’d rather not know what he’s doing with the Special (in the sense of Olympics) Edition trilogy. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-lucas-doing-with-the-original-sw-trilogy/249368/16 "2004-06-09T02:30:05Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > …and they very carefully a) don’t mention they’re the Special Edition versions… That’s probably because to Lucas, there is no such thing as “Special Edition” versions. According to him, the original editions simply no longer exist. He sees no reason to refer to the updated versions as “Special”, since they’re the _only_ ones. ---
**Author:** ![RandomLetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8edcca/32.png) [@RandomLetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandomLetters)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-lucas-doing-with-the-original-sw-trilogy/249368/17 "2004-06-09T03:22:42Z")
> [@Hal Briston](#): > > That’s probably because to Lucas, there is no such thing as “Special Edition” versions. According to him, the original editions simply no longer exist. He sees no reason to refer to the updated versions as “Special”, since they’re the _only_ ones. Next thing you know, he will tell us we’ve ALWAYS been at war with East Asia. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-lucas-doing-with-the-original-sw-trilogy/249368/18 "2004-06-09T03:50:29Z")
> [@Hal Briston](#): > > That’s probably because to Lucas, there is no such thing as “Special Edition” versions. According to him, the original editions simply no longer exist. He sees no reason to refer to the updated versions as “Special”, since they’re the _only_ ones. We’ve only one choice, then: Lock Lucas in a room where he’s forced to watch _The Star Wars Holiday Special_ over and over again until he gives in to our demands to release the _original_ films in pristine condition. If _that_ doesn’t work, then we’ll use _Manos: The Hands of Fate_. ---
**Author:** ![DrMemory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@DrMemory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrMemory)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-lucas-doing-with-the-original-sw-trilogy/249368/19 "2004-06-09T04:37:10Z")
Um, am I the ONLY one who’s looking forward o a Lucas-Kasden commentary? I love a good commentary. I’m really not sure the George Lucas commentary will be stellar, but I do look forward to hearing what he hs to say. He’s never done it. it’ll prolly be a dull bucket of Shite. ( DID I say that) ? I love George Lucas…he just blew a cool franchize to hell…(Harumph) ---
**Author:** ![SpartanDC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b2d939/32.png) [@SpartanDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpartanDC)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-lucas-doing-with-the-original-sw-trilogy/249368/20 "2004-06-09T06:12:48Z")
> [@Tuckerfan](#): > > If _that_ doesn’t work, then we’ll use _Manos: The Hands of Fate_. Dude… No, seriously… _ **DUDE** _… That’s just uncalled for. Despite his many transgressions, George Lucas is still a human being. Besides, for all we know he might actually get ideas for Ep. III from that movie. 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-lucas-doing-with-the-original-sw-trilogy/249368.md?page=2)