The original, unaltered 1977 cut of Star Wars is officially returning to theaters. This is the version fans have demanded for decades, predating the controversial CGI changes introduced in the 1997 Special Editions. The release is set for February 19, 2027, as part of the film’s 50th-anniversary celebrations. Lucasfilm confirmed the news in an update, describing the release as a newly restored version of the classic 1977 theatrical release. This clarification confirms it will be the original print, not the later Special Edition versions that have become the standard for home video and streaming. For the uninitiated, the 1997 Special Edition changes have been a point of contention among fans for over 25 years. George Lucas used the film as a testing ground for new digital effects technology, which he would later employ in the Prequel Trilogy. The edits included adding a fully digital Jabba the Hutt into an early scene with Han Solo, a moment originally filmed with a human actor but cut from the 1977 release. However, no change sparked more debate than the alteration to the iconic cantina confrontation between Han Solo and the bounty hunter Greedo. In the original, Han coolly shoots Greedo under the table without warning, cementing his character as a morally grey smuggler. The Special Edition changed this to have Greedo fire first and miss, seemingly to soften Han’s rougher edges. This edit, often summarized by the fan mantra Han shot first, was widely seen as undermining the character’s initial self-serving nature and his subsequent arc toward heroism. While the changes to the first Star Wars are debated, many consider the alterations to 1983’s Return of the Jedi to be more severe. The 1997 Special Edition added a controversial and tonally jarring musical number in Jabba the Hutt’s palace. A later change for the 2011 Blu-ray release proved even more unpopular: adding a shouted Noooo by Darth Vader as he saves his son, Luke Skywalker, by throwing Emperor Palpatine into a reactor shaft. Many fans and critics felt this vocal addition robbed the powerful, silent moment of its emotional gravity. The announcement of the original cut’s return is a significant victory for preservationists and longtime fans who have sought an official, high-quality release of the film as audiences first experienced it. It represents the version without the early-CGI experiments and narrative tweaks that have defined the film’s presentation for a generation. For those waiting for a similar treatment of the unaltered Return of the Jedi, if Disney follows the same 50th-anniversary pattern, that would mean a theatrical return in 2033.
