Star Wars is quite possibly the biggest film franchise of all time. What began as a weird, 1977 space opera soon exploded so fully into public consciousness that you’d now be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t have a basic understanding of what Star Wars is, and what it means to pop culture. The property transcends a simple series of films, permeating everything from books to collectibles to poster art. It’s so big that it not only spawned its own convention, it has its own religion.

One of the reasons that Star Wars has been able to remain so current in our ever-changing culture landscape is its ability to adapt to the times. In the 1980s there were Star Wars trading cards, and in the 2010s there’s a Star Wars trading card app for your smartphone. And now, Star Wars takes one step further into today’s age in a big way.

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Image via Lucasfilm

Disney, Lucasfilm, and 20th Century Fox are releasing all six Star Wars films—from The Phantom Menace to Return of the Jedi—on Digital HD for the first time ever on April 10th. Yes, you read that right. You’ll be able to nab the entire Star Wars saga (thus far) in digital format starting this coming Friday. It will be available to buy as a collection or individually at all leading digital retailers, including iTunes, Google Play, VUDU, Amazon, Xbox Video, PlayStation Store, and Verizon Fios.

But that’s not all. Each digital release will come complete with two new, never-before-seen bonus features: Star Wars: Discoveries from Inside and Conversations, which involves sit-downs between key contributors from across the entire franchise. Conversations topics include “The Star Wars That Almost Was” on Revenge of the Sith, “The Lost Interviews” on The Empire Strikes Back, and a look back with VFX production designer Doug Chiang on The Phantom Menace. Moreover, a curated collection of Star Wars extras from each film will also be included on the individual releases.


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Image via Lucasfilm

Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy said in a statement that she’s “thrilled that fans will be able to enjoy the Star Wars Saga on their digital devices wherever they go,” adding, “These films broke new ground in technology, design, sound, and visual effects, and we’ve created some very special bonus material which delves into the Saga’s rich history, including new and never-before-released conversations between legendary Star Wars artists – the masters who helped George bring his iconic universe to life.”

Walt Disney Studios President Alan Bergman added, “Since the debut of the first film nearly 40 years ago, Star Wars has become a worldwide phenomenon with legions of fans from every generation. It’s only fitting that audiences enjoy this legendary Saga and its many fascinating behind-the-scenes stories on a wide variety of platforms, and we’re very excited to finally bring all six films to Digital HD for the first time.”

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Image via Lucasfilm

It should be noted that the Digital HD versions of the films will be the versions that were included on the Blu-rays, so those hoping for Lucas' original cuts may be slightly disappointed. But still, Star Wars is coming to Digital HD.

A new home video platform release is a big deal for the Star Wars faithful, and yet another way to ensure that the franchise will reach a wider audience, create new fans, and continue to dominate our collective consciousness for years to come. This push is also no doubt intended to prepare folks for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, whose December release date is fast approaching.


Check out a full list of bonus features included on each release below and the commerical, though note that digital offerings may differ based on retailer. And check back here on Collider tomorrow to watch an exclusive clip from one of the new extras.

STAR WARS EPISODE I: The Phantom Menace

New Bonus Content:

  • Conversations: Doug Chiang Looks Back (Documentary)- Design Director Doug Chiang provides a look at Star Wars conceptual drawings and models and reveals the lessons learned from George Lucas that helped him create some of cinema’s most lasting and iconic images.
  • Discoveries From Inside: Models & Miniatures (Documentary)- Steve Gawley and Lorne Peterson discuss how they created miniscule and massive models that became classic pieces of the Star Wars universe, plus, how emerging technology altered the course of the Millennium Falcon and the art of “painting with 3D parts.”
  • Legacy content includes “The Beginning”; The Podrace: Theatrical Edit;plus eight deleted scenes. 
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Image via Lucasfilm

STAR WARS EPISODE II:  Attack of the Clones

New Bonus Content:

  • Conversations: Sounds In Space (Documentary)- Legendary sound mixers Ben Burtt and Matthew Wood meet at Skywalker Ranch to discuss how they came to work on the Star Wars films, share the surprising sounds that made the movies roar to life and celebrate the franchise that defined their careers.
  • Discoveries From Inside: Costumes Revealed (Documentary)-W. Rinzler and Laela French look at some of the most iconic wardrobe pieces in cinema history and share anecdotal fun facts about the costumes of Darth Vader, Boba Fett, Han Solo and other fascinating Star Wars characters.
  • Legacy content includes “From Puppets To Pixels: Digital Characters In Episode II”; State Of The Art: The Previsualization Of Episode II; and “Films Are Not Released, They Escape”; plus Episode II Visual Effects Breakdown Montage and six deleted scenes. 

STAR WARS EPISODE III: Revenge of the Sith

New Bonus Content:

  • Conversations: The Star Wars That Almost Was (Documentary)- Jonathan Rinzler and Pablo Hidalgo, historians and writers for the Star Wars empire, reveal how iconic moments and stories from the Saga almost took very different paths - and discover original ideas behind classic characters and quotes.
  • Discoveries From Inside: Hologram & Bloopers (Documentary)-W. Rinzler and Monica Chin-Perez enter the Archives to view original work prints for the 35mm hologram of Princess Leia, an early version of the Death Star explosion, a recently discovered blooper reel featuring actors’ flubs and more.
  • Legacy content includes documentaries “Within A Minute: The Making Of Episode III”; The Journey Part 1; and The Journey Part 2; plus six deleted scenes.
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Image via Lucasfilm

STAR WARS EPISODE IV: A New Hope (20th Century Fox)

New Bonus Content:

  • Conversations: Creating A Universe (Documentary)- Longtime collaborators Roger Christian and Joe Johnston meet for the first time to discuss the impact that George Lucas had on their lives and share memories of building the Millennium Falcon and other iconic elements of the Star Wars universe.
  • Discoveries From Inside: Weapons & The First Lightsaber (Documentary)-W. Rinzler and Roger Christian open up the hallowed Archives at Skywalker Ranch to showcase classic props created for the Star Wars empire, including the most iconic piece of all…the Lightsaber – plus, the Archives’ latest discovery!
  • Legacy content includes “Anatomy Of A Dewback”; Star Wars Launch Trailer; plus eight deleted scenes.

STAR WARS EPISODE V: The Empire Strikes Back

New Bonus Content:

  • Conversations: The Lost Interviews (Documentary)- Listen to never-before-heard interviews with the cast and crew of Star Wars: A New Hope accompanied by rare, behind-the-scenes footage and pictures. Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford and others reveal the thrills and challenges of their early days on set.
  • Discoveries From Inside: Matte Paintings Unveiled (Documentary)- Esteemed artist and matte painter Harrison Ellenshaw discusses the nearly lost art of matte painting – an element crucial to the look of Star Wars and so many other classic films – plus, he shares a big find of pint-sized proportions from A New Hope.
  • Legacy content includes “A Conversation With The Masters” (2010); “Dennis Muren: How Walkers Walk”; “George Lucas On Editing The Empire Strikes Back 1979”; and “George Lucas On The Force: 2010”; plus six deleted scenes. 

STAR WARS EPISODE VI: Return of the Jedi


New Bonus Content:

  • Conversations: The Effects (Documentary)- A team of legendary video effects artists celebrate the technological advances made possible by the Star Wars franchise and share stories, secrets and “happy accidents” from their groundbreaking work on the original films.
  • Discoveries From Inside: The Sounds Of Ben Burtt (Documentary)- Ben Burtt invites you into his office at Skysound, a laboratory of artifacts used to create the unforgettable SFX of Star Wars. Discover the inspiration for the sounds of C-3PO, R2-D2, the Lightsaber and the ominous breathing of Darth Vader.
  • Legacy content includes “Classic Creatures: Return Of The Jedi”; “Revenge Of The Jedi Teaser Trailer”; Return Of The Jedi Launch Trailer; “It Began TV Spot”; “Climactic Chapter TV Spot”; plus five deleted scenes.
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Image via Disney