Early this week it was reported that George Lucas is very much interested in rereleasing all six Star Wars films in 3D. For years Lucas publically denounced 3D technology in film. According to various sources it was James Cameron’s Avatar that brough him over to the stereoscopic side. Here’s the plan. Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace will undergo the 3D conversion process first, which takes at least one year to complete, with a planned release date in early 2012. The remaining five films will follow suit over the course of consecutive years. Why the long wait? Purportedly Lucas has been waiting for the 3D front to explode, both in cinema and at home. Lucas’ Industrial Light & Magic special FX company will oversee the 3D conversion, and 20th Century Fox is backing the rereleases.
Though 3D converted films have been panned in the past (I’m thinking about you, Clash of the Titans), as compared to movies shot in 3D (like Avatar), the Lucas and the conversion house promise to deliver a worthy 3D experience come 2012. “Getting good results on a stereo conversion is a matter of taking the time and getting it right,” says John Knoll, ILM visual effects supervisor. “It takes a critical and artistic eye along with an incredible attention to detail to be successful. It is not something that you can rush if you want to expect good results. For Star Wars we will take our time, applying everything we know both aesthetically and technically to bring audiences a fantastic new Star Wars experience.” We shall see. Are you an impacient Star Wars fanboy/girl? Don’t forget that the franchise is coming to Blu-ray next year. Or you can get yourself a Star Wars branded Droid R2-D2 smartphone. Go nuts!