List of changes in Star Wars re - releases The following are partial lists of changes in " Star Wars " re - releases . The commercial success of " Star Wars " has given George Lucas the opportunity to tinker with his original trilogy , now called , , and . In a September 2004 MSNBC article , Lucas points out that the original films were " 25 or 30 percent " of what he intended . Many changes were motivated by the vast improvements in CGI technology and other production techniques that occurred in the two decades after the original trilogy was produced . Other changes improved the cohesiveness among the films , and eliminated continuity errors between the original trilogy and the prequel trilogy . Changes to " Star Wars " films after the theatrical release aren ' t always limited to the original trilogy . In the release of " " DVD , two deleted portions were either partially or completely restored . The original , unaltered theatrical editions were released ( as bonus material ) on DVD on September 12 , 2006 . In 2011 , the latest modifications to Episodes I - VI were released on . Changes to the Original Trilogy . Theatrical Releases . Although not as obvious as the 1997 Special Edition re - release of the trilogy , there were still some alterations made in 1977 and 1981 . " A New Hope " . The earliest edits to the original film occurred between the initial release in May and the wider release later in 1977 . The edits are minor , but noticeable . They consist of four changes . All of these changes were made before the foreign language prints were made later in 1977 and well before the last good interpositive was struck in 1985 . These four shots run exactly the same length . All of them exist in the earliest bootleg video tapes and in the English 16 mm print . The original three effects shots exist in many home video English language versions released during the 80 ' s . None of these shots are found in the Definitive Edition , Faces Edition , or 2006 bonus discs , nor are they in any of the known extant 35 mm prints , or Technicolor prints . The film was originally released with 35mm Dolby Stereo and 70mm 6 - track audio . Since these were both mastered from the same mix stems , there is little to no difference between them in terms of content . Both feature 4 main audio channels with the 6 - track having at least one LFE , channel . A mono mix was produced in June 1977 for exhibition in cinemas with no Dolby Stereo or Surround support , which did contain the following changes in content from the other versions . The majority of foreign language versions use a stereo mix with many , but not all of the mono effects alterations . " The Empire Strikes Back " . The 70mm version of the film was substantially different from the 35mm version that was more widely seen . Return of the Jedi was left unaltered . TV Broadcasts and VHS / Betamax / CED Editions . The mono mix was used for a 1980s UK ITV broadcast . There were also some minor changes made to a few 1980 ' s pan and scanned TV broadcasts such as squeezing in the second Tusken Raider while looking through Luke ' s macrobinoculars . The original releases of " A New Hope " on VHS , Betamax , and RCA ' s CED featured the Dolby Stereo mix , identical to that heard on the 35mm theatrical prints . Playing the mix through a home Dolby Pro - logic decoder authentically recreates the original 4 - channel surround experience . This mix did not contain the line uttered by C - 3PO " The tractor beam is coupled to the main reactor in seven locations . A power loss at one of the terminals will allow the ship to leave . " This line was only present in the original mono mix . For the 1985 VHS / laserdisc releases , Ben Burtt supervised the creation of a new , digitally remastered audio track . CBS / FOX worked with the new multi - channel mix and made a new Dolby Stereo compliant downmix for home video . Due to technical and cost limitations , the CED editions of " A New Hope " are presented time - compressed ( sped up by 3 % ) from its original 121 - minute length to 118 minutes to fit one double - sided two - hour disc . In the UK and throughout Europe widescreen VHS versions of the original three films were released in 1991 . An advertisement before the films started explained how widescreen showed more of the picture . They were re - released in 1994 with different artwork and released a third time as THX versions in 1995 . The VHS reissue in 1995 , which was the last available release of the Pre - Special Edition trilogy prior to the 2006 DVD release , utilized THX digital remastering to enhance the picture and sound quality on all three films . LaserDisc editions . Due to technical limitations , most pan - and - scan versions of " A New Hope " and " The Empire Strikes Back " are presented time - compressed ( sped up by 2 % for Star Wars and 4 % for Empire Strikes Back ) from their respective 121 - and 125 - minute lengths to fit one double - sided two - hour . Letterbox versions of the original theatrical releases of the original three films have also been released . The initial 1989 North American widescreen release of " A New Hope " suffered from a shrinking aspect ratio . The master that was used was the Japanese subtitled LaserDisc , in which the image appeared higher on the screen to allow for subtitles . For the North American release , it was shifted down , and a black bar was put up to cover the unused parts . However , as the film progresses , the image creeps up on the screen moving underneath the top bar , causing the image to become increasingly wider . By the time the film reaches the Battle of Yavin scenes , the image has widened from 2 . 35 : 1 to 2 . 55 : 1 . This problem was fixed in the 1992 reissue of the disc . The original shrinking LaserDisc has the CBS / Fox logo on it , while the fixed edition has the newer Fox Video logo on the jacket . C - 3PO ' s line about the tractor beam can be heard on this LaserDisc and the 3 original 1977 effects shots can be seen . In 1993 , the " " box set was released based on the interpositives struck in 1985 . This version featured the original trilogy on nine CAV discs , widescreen transfers , THX remastering , audio commentary tracks , assorted bonus features , a copy of the hardcover book " " , and for " A New Hope " , a new surround - sound audio mix . This mix , digitally remastered by Ben Burtt and Gary Summers , was supposedly a mix of the best elements of all three original mixes . However , it is primarily a fold - down of the 6 - track 70mm mix , with some mono mix elements and additional elements " dialled in . " An interview with Dave Schnuelle , printed in a 1993 issue of Widescreen Review , corroborates these observations . Additionally , the transfer was somewhat sub - par , with scan lines often disappearing and colors being incorrectly switched . Initial versions of this box set were missing approximately ten seconds from " The Empire Strikes Back " . Fox Video offered a replacement disc , and this mistake was corrected in later pressings . The final LaserDisc edition of the original trilogy was released in 1995 , sourced from the 1993 masters . 1997 Star Wars Trilogy Special Editions . In 1997 , Episodes IV , V , and VI were re - mastered and theatrically re - released as the " Special Editions . " For the re - release , in addition to extensive clean - up and restoration work , Lucas also made a number of changes to the films in order to " finish the film the way it was meant to be " ( as Lucas said in a September 2004 interview with the " Associated Press " ) . Many of Lucas ' changes for the Special Editions were cosmetic , generally adding special effects which weren ' t originally possible . Other changes , however , are considered to have affected plot or character development . These changes , such as the change referred to by fans as " Han shot first , " have proven to be controversial . The " Han shot first " situation can be generally described as this : in the original release of Episode IV , the character Han Solo shoots and kills a bounty hunter named Greedo , after Greedo threatens to kill him in order to collect a bounty which had been placed on Solo ' s head by Jabba the Hutt . In the Special Edition of the film , however , Greedo shoots first at close range . Only after he misses does Solo return fire . George Lucas has been quoted in " Entertainment Weekly " as saying that this version of the scene was meant to be the original , as in the original storyboards ( Greedo fires first at Han Solo ) . Special coverage on CNN in 1997 notes that Lucas spent $ 10 million to rework his original 1977 film , which was roughly what it cost to film it originally . $ 3 million of that was spent on the audio track for the special edition . Lucas also spent $ 2 . 5 million each on Episodes V and VI . The following is a partial list of changes aside from overall audio and visual alterations : DVD releases . 2004 Star Wars Trilogy DVD . In 2004 , in addition to an extensive and comprehensive hi - definition digital cleanup and restoration job by Lowry Digital , the original trilogy films were changed once again for their release on DVD . In these new versions of the films , a few changes which had been made for the 1997 Special Editions were removed . Even more changes were made to the films , however . With this release , Lucasfilm created a new high - definition master of the films , which will be used in future releases as well . Its sound mix was a combination of the first SE mix and the original mono mix . One of the most notable of these new changes includes new footage shot during the filming of " Revenge of the Sith " of Ian McDiarmid portraying Palpatine , which has been inserted into " The Empire Strikes Back " , which replaces the original performance ( voiced by actor Clive Revill and portrayed by Marjorie Eaton , wearing a specially made mask ) recorded for the film . Another notable and quite controversial change was to a scene at the end of Episode VI , when the spirits of Obi - Wan Kenobi , Yoda and Anakin Skywalker look upon the Rebels ' celebration . The original actor who played Anakin in this scene ( Sebastian Shaw ) was replaced by Hayden Christensen , the actor who played Anakin in Episodes II and III . In 2005 , the 2004 Special Editions were again released on DVD ; however , this time they were repackaged and sold as a three - disc set that did not include the bonus materials disc . This was done to provide a more affordable trilogy set . The 2004 DVD changes were made in an attempt to make a better connection between the old and new trilogies . The 2004 DVD releases also received John D . Lowry ' s digital restoration visual enhancement treatment . The following is a partial list of changes : " Return of the Jedi " . Note that in all three films , the ending credits have remained unchanged from the Special Edition releases in 1997 . Thus , they do not reflect such changes as Ian McDiarmid ' s Emperor in " The Empire Strikes Back " or Hayden Christensen ' s Anakin in " Return of the Jedi " . However , the font was changed in order to reflect the credits of the prequel trilogy . In the case of pan - and - scan versions of the re - releases , the 2004 DVD releases were pan - and - scanned differently from the 1997 theatrical releases . 2006 DVD release . On September 12 , 2006 , the original trilogy was re - released on DVD for a limited time ( until December 31 , 2006 ) . Each film ( Episodes " IV " , " V " , and " VI " ) is packaged as a two - disc set with the first disc presenting the 2004 Special Edition with remastered THX sound and video and the second disc containing the " original , unaltered theatrical release " of each film as " bonus material " . These original editions are presented as they were first shown theatrically . For example , " Star Wars " has the 1977 opening scroll ( before " Episode IV : A New Hope " was added and other adjustments made for the April 10 , 1981 re - issue ) . Though the original features are presented in Dolby 2 . 0 Surround audio , the video transfer is derived not from original masters , but from the 1993 Laserdisc transfer ( aside from the original Episode IV opening scroll taken from a best available original 1977 print ) , meaning that the film ' s 2 . 35 : 1 Panavision format is letterboxed into a non - anamorphic 4 : 3 video frame , even for widescreen television playback . Instead of using the original theatrical sound mixes , the " bonus " DVD presentations use the 1993 laserdisc remixes . However , the Spanish and French audio tracks on the " Star Wars " DVD appear to be based on the original theatrical mono sound mix for the film , " not " the Definitive Collection version . Certain sound effects from the 1993 mix are missing ( such as all of the " exploding glass " sounds when Luke and Han blast the various cameras and such in the Death Star ' s detention center ) , and certain sounds have been added ( such as metallic clicks when R2 - D2 and Chewbacca press buttons on the " Millennium Falcon " holographic chessboard ) . Luke Skywalker also says " Blast it , " Wedge " , where are you ? " during the final battle on the alternate language tracks , something he only said in the theatrical mono mix . In all other versions of the film , he says , " Blast it , " Biggs " , where are you ? " The French and Spanish audio tracks for " " 2006 DVD also feature a different sound mix than the 1993 Definitive Collection mix . This alternate mix features additional sounds that were not heard on the 35mm and subsequent home video versions , but which were later reincorporated into the 1997 and 2004 mixes . Such sounds include additional R2 - D2 beeps when Yoda rummages through Luke ' s supplies , which are missing from prior mixes , and additional TIE Fighter engine sounds in the establishing shot of Darth Vader ' s Star Destroyer ( after Luke Skywalker beheads the illusory Vader on Dagobah ) , which are missing from the prior sound mixes . 2011 Blu - ray release . In 2004 , Lucasfilm ' s then - Vice President of Marketing Jim Ward speculated on future releases : " As the technology evolves and we get into a high - definition platform that is easily consumable by our customers , the situation is much better , but there will always be work to be done . " At Celebration V on August 14 , 2010 , a version of all six films released on the Blu - ray high - definition format was announced . It was said to include never - before - seen and otherwise unreleased deleted scenes from the original trilogy , although the set did not include the original editions . In late August 2011 , more details on the releases ' changes were made available . Changes to the Prequel Trilogy . 2001 " Star Wars Episode I : The Phantom Menace " DVD . Several deleted scenes are added into the film : 2002 " Star Wars Episode II : Attack of the Clones " DVD . Most of these changes did not appear in the main theatrical release , but made it into a version shown in select digital theaters . 2005 DVD . Despite Lucasfilm ' s official statement that there were absolutely no changes made to the theatrical version of the film , the November 1 , 2005 DVD release of Revenge of the Sith had a few slight changes from the theatrical cut . 2011 Blu - ray release . For the Blu - ray and future 3D release , " The Phantom Menace " went through an extensive restoration using the original digital files ( although shot on film , a digital version of the movie was created back in 1999 for a short release in four theaters with digital projection ) . This restoration provides a clearer picture with no image magnification or artifacts , flaws which are present on the DVD release . 3D releases . At a ShoWest convention in 2005 , George Lucas demonstrated new technology and stated that he was planning to release all six films in 3D . " The Phantom Menace " was released in 3D on Februrary 10 , 2012 , based on the 2011 Blu - Ray master . The only confirmed change was the sharpening of a magnetic wand during the podracing scene . " Attack of the Clones " and " Revenge of the Sith " were originally set for release in September and October 2013 respectively , but were postponed following Disney ' s buyout of Lucasfilm . Controversy . Many fans were displeased by some of the changes Lucas has made . It is the most evergreen topic for fan criticism of George Lucas and is the most broadly accepted as inspiring legitimate objections . Re - release changes were also the first major cause of the reactionary criticism phenomenon that takes a vehemently anti - Lucas stance , known as " Lucas bashing " . Greedo shooting at Han is particularly contentious . In the 2004 Special Edition DVD set the shots are timed to occur almost simultaneously , with Greedo ' s shot being just a hair faster and with Solo now effectively dodging his head out of the way from the blast . However , many argue that not only should Greedo " not " have made his shot , but that the scene undermines Solo ' s character . Han ' s original action marked him as a tough , independent - minded character ; having him respond to Greedo makes him appear weaker , though he is still nonchalant about killing him . This change was so controversial that it spanned a movement called " Han shot first " , a retort to Lucas ' assertion that Greedo shot first . There was also controversy over Lucas ' decision to place Hayden Christensen in the end scene of " Return of the Jedi " instead of Sebastian Shaw , as well as replacing the heavy fan favorite " Boba Fett ' s " voice with Temuera Morrison ' s ( Jango Fett ) . Many longtime fans feel that it ' s disrespectful to the original trilogy , although others feel that it helps the two trilogies flow together better . The altering of the dialogue between the Emperor and Vader has also been criticized as creating a contradiction , since it implies Vader does not realize Luke is his son until this moment , despite his being " obsessed " with finding Skywalker , mentioning him by name and pursuing him for the rest of the movie until this point . Defenders have argued that the scene is an improvement because it provides another blatant example of Vader plotting against his master by playing dumb in the face of this revelation . Other fans especially missed the " songs " that were altered in " Return of the Jedi " ( " Lapti Nek " and " Yub Nub " ) . They point out that the new music makes the Ewok ' s dancing and antics seem out of place ( for example the " Stormtrooper Helmet drums " were beat in sync with the original music in the theatrical version ) . Others have argued that the new flute music and pan over shots of the planets being liberated makes a more effective end to the entire saga , rather than just a celebration of the single battle . The alteration of " Lapti Nek " into the new " Jedi Rocks " to many critics helps to undermine the serious nature and threat of Jabba the Hutt and his evil henchmen . They characterize the new sequence as " cartoonish , " with overt pandering to Boba Fett " fanboys " by introducing superfluous shots of Don Bies in the bounty hunter suit . A final alteration , unique to the 2004 DVD release , is that of lightsaber discoloration . In the scene in Episode IV where Luke trains against the practice droid aboard the " Millennium Falcon " , his lightsaber blade is inexplicably given a faint ( but distinct ) green color . Also , Vader ' s blade , in particular , is given a " pink " hue throughout the original trilogy . Perhaps the largest infraction is a scene in which two blades are seen to pass " through " one another during the final climax of Episode VI . This appears to be the result of color balance changes for the 2004 release . On December 9 , 2005 , a new set of " Star Wars " original trilogy DVDs were released , also with the label " Limited Edition " . However , it was merely a repackaged and discounted version of the 2004 set with no changes , and no original versions ( despite packaging that some felt was misleading in that it used the original theatrical film posters , as if to imply that these were the original versions ) . The set was discounted in price , with the fourth ( bonus ) disc from the previously released 2004 set removed . Reportedly , nostalgia for the original versions of the original " Star Wars " Trilogy on a high quality format has driven up the demand for the Laser Disc editions of the movies released prior to 1997 , as well as the proliferation of fan made DVD ' s , often encoded from the Laser Disc originals . How far the demand will go depends upon sales of the current " official " releases of the original versions of the classic trilogy on DVD . External links . Official links : Fan / news media links :