Star Wars 1977 Original Version Exclusive May 2026

1977 original version (now known as Episode IV: A New Hope ) is widely considered the "holy grail" of cinema preservation. Unlike the versions available on Disney+ or Blu-ray, the original cut is famously

George Lucas has long argued that the Special Editions represent his "original intent." He famously stated, "It’s my movie. I made it. I own it. And I’m going to do what I want with it." star wars 1977 original version exclusive

• The lightsaber blades have a white core with a colored glow that "blooms" over the frame.
• The explosion of the Death Star has a matte box line visible around the TIE fighters.
• Obi-Wan’s Krayt Dragon call sounds different.
• Jabba the Hutt is absent (he was a human actor named Declan Mulholland in a deleted scene, later CGI’d over).

The Original 1977 Cut: A Restoration and Preservation Effort 1977 original version (now known as Episode IV:

This "once-in-a-generation event" features a 4K restoration that removes all CGI additions from the 1997 Special Edition—meaning Han shoots first The lightsaber blades have a white core with