Lucas waves away critisism of "destroying cultural heritage". Photo: ydhsu

George Lucas, writer-director-producer of the enduring Star Wars franchise, announced today the release of new, remastered versions of the first three Star Wars films, “episodes IV through VI”. The release will take place in May and coincide both with the 40th anniversary of the first Star Wars film, now known as “Episode IV: A New Hope”, and Lucas’ own 75th birthday.

In an interview, Lucas admitted that recent technological developments have revealed glaring faults in his early works. “Back then, I was young, and not much of a character director. But now, I know better. To really take advantage of 4GHD technology, all the actors will be replaced by 3D models. This will also help unify the look of the early films with Clone Wars.” Clone Wars, the wildly successful animated spinoff of Star Wars, is currently in its ninth season, with at least two more promised. The fourth Clone Wars feature film, Escape from the Planet of the Lost Clones, has been announced for release later this year.

When asked how he thought Star Wars fans would react to this kind of retouching, Mr Lucas explained, “Star Wars isn’t about fan service. With these films, I wanted to really explore some of the themes that just weren’t possible in ’77. For example, we’re introducing Jar Jar Binks and his cute and wacky grandchildren into the so-called classic trilogy.”

Thanks to the Up-to-Date Entertainment Act of 2015, Lucasfilm have thus criminalised possession of the former versions of the Star Wars films, punishable by a fine of up to $100 per copy.

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