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By T-bone
Published: February 4, 2007
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Following rumors can sometimes be a dizzying and unrewarding process. Doubly so with Star Wars rumors. You have to look at where the rumors originated, compare them to the past, see if others are also talking about them, and then make a final educated guess as to whether or not to believe them. In my case, that would be whether or not to post them and let you decide.
I've already posted a few articles on this rumored 30th Anniversary Boxed Set (here and here) that's rumored to be in the works. Everything's pointing to there being some kind of new release this year to celebrate the big 3-0. Everything but Lucasfilm, that is. This is not exactly uncommon with them, as you might recall. They're quite known for being sneaky and secretive until the announcement fits their marketing plan. They'll carefully word their replies to rumors so as not to confirm or deny anything. They'll say something will never happen, only to make an announcement later on saying it's going to happen and spin it as some sort of fan-pleasing compromise.
Whatever the case, I simply can't imagine the mega-corporate, marketing-minded machine that is Lucasfilm just sitting this big anniversary out. Yes, there's the usual toy blitz, complete with 30th Anniversary logos, plus whatever else they're concocting, but I really feel that somewhere inside those guarded California walls, as we speak, there's a small team working on putting out yet another re-release of the Star Wars saga. All the films are out, the TV shows are in the making, there's not much else to market this year except merchandise, and they need to keep the spirit of the films alive. Re-releases are a perfect way to do it and a mega-boxed set loaded with tons of extras we've never seen before, all redone with multiple versions and all the other trimmings even makes me geek out a little. Yes, me, who constantly bitches about having to buy version after version just to get one or two bonus features. A set, loaded to the gills, would be worth it, however...and it looks like it may happen, according to someone a little closer to Lucasfilm than I.
A fellow named Phil Feiner, president of the company Pacific Title that worked on the 1997 Special Editions, threw out an opinion that went somewhat overlooked while discussing archiving and preserving film negatives at a 2007 Sundance Film Festival panel.
The important excerpt from the article mentions that Feiner believes George Lucas has added as-yet-unseen NEW footage to the existing films. That would mean scenes we haven't seen yet. This could be entirely new shots or deleted things re-edited back in. He wasn't specific enough to make an assessment. He did seem pretty definite when he said, "There is new footage edited into them that no one's seen yet," Feiner said. "I don't know what he's going to do with it, but let me guess: six-disc boxed set." He's talking as if he knows for sure there is footage edited into the films that no one's mentioned before.
Now THAT'S interesting, to say the least.
So what's new? Again, we can't say for sure but the story, according to this article, goes that Feiner came in, did the restoration and Special Edition work in the late 1990's, the films were released in theaters, and Feiner was called back in to work on about 100 shots that they hadn't previously worked on. When he asked what was up, he got a vague answer about cleaning up stuff they didn't do before, as the article states.
I'm assuming this raised a subconscious red flag that he filed away for later. Later ended up being Sundance 2007 when he said, "I heard through another source, some friends of mine up at ILM, they were doing additional shots to get cut into a new version. I've never seen it, and I don't know anybody outside of George and his small cadre that have seen it. I'm just making an assumption that they're going to use this for some future release."
Of course, Lucasfilm made their usual statement about rumors and then sort of denied the whole thing, from a certain point of view. John Singh was quoted as saying, "There are always a wide range of rumors flying around about Star Wars. There have been a lot of tests done over the years to help ILM explore new technology, but we don't have any plans for another Star Wars release."
If you look at that statement closely, you'll see that he says they don't have any plans for another Star Wars release, which is pretty vague. He could mean another theatrical release, and he'd probably be correct. He could be saying we have no "plans" for a new release on any format - and he might be right because maybe he hasn't seen any plans. That doesn't mean, however, there aren't any. If you think these statements to the press are off the cuff, you're wrong. They're carefully worded in cover-your-arse style to avoid back draft later on.
You could interpret that as something really big on the way... like a boxed set of DVDs, or you could just take Lucasfilm at its word which is something I don't do anymore.
We'll have to see how this pans out. There's still time to successfully market a May 25 official release which would be a lot of fun. Then again, I don't think they want to miss that huge potential to make loads of dough in the 4th quarter, which would mean a release later in the year. It's always fun trying to piece together this stuff.
I'm going to say that if we don't see an official announcement before May, they're going to actually make that announcement at the over-hyped Star Wars Celebration IV at the end of May this year. That'll be the big sound byte and headline from the show, unless they make it all about the TV shows. Maybe they'll do both, who knows. You won't see me there. I'm actually celebrating my own little Anniversary on May 25th - 10 years of marriage - and I won't be anywhere near anything Star Wars related. I'll be there in spirit, reluctantly, with you all so make sure you send in those first-hand reports.
So here's to the (rumored) 30th Anniversary Boxed Set. Keep the faith, it'll be coming - hopefully, sooner than later.
***
Source: USA Today
(special thanks to Magnus for the alert)
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All I have to say is if I'm gonna be buying this version, which would be my 5th, there better be some pretty amazing stuff included. One bonus disc isn't gonna do it. I'm gonna need new scenes in the movie, deleted scenes, and a bonus disc with stuff I haven't seen before.
Totally agree. If they're gonna release a new version of the movies, it better have stuff worth buying. All these rumours *do* sound interesting, though.
I don't think they'd release a 30th Anniversary box without some goodies on it. I think they're aware of their fans getting tired of the nonsense. Maybe they'll do multiple versions too - for people who just want the films in one big box, then a balls-out version with all kinds of stuff on it.
Don't forget there's a Making of SW book coming out in April(?) or something. There's also some behind the scenes footage no one's seen yet lying around, some of which you saw in the Empire of Dreams doc. I'm sure there's other great stuff out there. So much they could do...
I don't know if they could pull any ANH footage that I haven't seen. "Deleted Magic" was pretty thorough.
Oh I'm sure there's lots of stuff no one's seen yet. Imagine all the dailies and alternate takes that are out there! ADR loops, test footage, the list goes on.
You have to wonder....what if the reason they arn't releasing all this stuff is because they don't have it? What if someone threw it all out and they're too embarased to say that, so they just say they don't want to release it. It makes no sence that 30 years after it's become a classic and has a following this big that they wouldn't put that stuff out. Smaller movies have released it, why not something this big?
Hasbro 4Q Profit Climbs 15 Percent
Friday February 9, 6:49 pm ET
By Michelle R. Smith, Associated Press Writer
Hasbro's 4th-Quarter Profit Climbs 15 Percent on Growth in Core Brands
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) -- Hasbro Inc., the nation's second-largest toy maker, said Friday its fourth-quarter profit climbed 15 percent on growth in core brands such as Playskool, Monopoly, and Littlest Pet Shop.
Net income rose to $108.3 million, or 62 cents per share, for the three months that ended Dec. 31 versus $94.3 million, or 48 cents per share, a year ago.
Excluding a 12-cent per share adjustment related to a licensing deal with movie director George Lucas, earnings for the current quarter totaled 74 cents per share.
Analysts polled by Thomson Financial were looking for net income of 67 cents per share. Those estimates typically exclude one-time items.
Revenue rose 5 percent to $1.12 billion from $1.07 billion, topping Wall Street's estimate of $1.1 billion.
Star Wars sales climbed 4.1 percent in the quarter. Although 2006 Star Wars sales fell to $284.9 million, a drop from $494.1 million the previous year when Star Wars: Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith was released, it was still the top boys' property in the industry for the second year in a row, Chief Executive Al Verrecchia said.
Looking ahead, Verrecchia said he expected Star Wars to continue to be a strong performer with Lucas planning a video release for this year's 30th anniversary, a Star Wars animated TV show next year and a live-action Star Wars TV show in 2009.
"He and his studio have a lot going on over the next several years to support the franchise," Verrecchia said.
The girls' business was up 21 percent for the year, with strong performance by the Littlest Pet Shop, a line of miniature plastic pets and accessories, and Furreal Friends, lifelike animatronic animals.
The preschool business was up 21 percent for the year on strong sales of Playskool and Play-doh. Verrecchia said he expects the business to continue to do well.
"If you take a look at birth rates, it's very favorable going forward," Verrecchia said.
The board game business was up 11 percent for the year as Monopoly Here and Now, the updated version of the classic board game, sold more than 1 million copies. Verrechia said Clue, the Game of Life and Battleship also had a strong year.
Hasbro's international business fell 3 percent for the year, or 5 percent in local currencies, dragged down primarily by a flagging business in Europe. Verrecchia said a fall off of sales in Star Wars, Furby and the Duel Masters trading card game in Europe was to blame, as well as a delay in getting some products on the shelves there.
Verrechia said he was optimistic about Hasbro's entertainment properties in 2007, including Spider-Man 3, due to be released May 4, and the Transformers movie, scheduled for release July 4.
Tim Conder, an analyst with AG Edwards & Sons, said Hasbro's success in 2007 was expected to be closely pinned to the live-action Transformers movie, which is based on the "robots in disguise" toy and animated TV series the company introduced more than two decades ago.
"Everyone's anticipating Transformers will be good. It's just a matter of degree. How good?" he said.
Shares of Hasbro fell 74 cents, or 2.54 percent, to close at $28.38 on the New York Stock Exchange.
Hasbro, based in Pawtucket, is second to Mattel Inc. in the U.S. toy business.
http://www.hasbro.com
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070209/earns_hasbro.html?.v=14&printer=1
For those too lazy to read all of the information below, here is the part that is revelant to the topic:
Looking ahead, Verrecchia said he expected Star Wars to continue to be a strong performer with Lucas planning a video release for this year's 30th anniversary, a Star Wars animated TV show next year and a live-action Star Wars TV show in 2009.
well, at last we have more than a *rumour*, don't you think? anyway, like T-Bone says, there's probably A LOT of stuff Lucasfilm hasn't shown to the general public, and if they don't plan to unveil it for the anniversary DVDs, I honestly can't think when they could do it.
http://www.thedigitalbits.com/rumormill.html#022307