Star Wars Trilogies Coming to Theaters in 3-D (1 Viewer)

[Bryan Tuck]

Originally Posted by SD_Brian

Absolutely. I'd really like to know how much revenue he thinks is going to be generated by re-releasing The Phantom Menace theatrically vs. how much could be brought in by releasing the OOT on Blu-Ray (factoring in the cost of preparing each release, of course).

 

[TravisR]

Originally Posted by Bryan Tuck

Absolutely. I'd really like to know how much revenue he thinks is going to be generated by re-releasing The Phantom Menace theatrically vs. how much could be brought in by releasing the OOT on Blu-Ray (factoring in the cost of preparing each release, of course).

By putting a movie in theaters, they're going to sell alot more merchandise to kids than they would by releasing the originals on Blu-ray. Most kids don't know or care about the original versions and they're the majority of toy buyers so having The Phantom Menace in theaters is going to make more money overall.

 

[Brian Sheffield]

Kids are a renewable resource. By the time TPM comes out in 3D the target audience (kids under 13) will never have seen it on the big screen.


The myopia of older fans is astounding.

 

[Jason Charlton]

Originally Posted by TravisR /forum/thread/304501/star-wars-trilogies-coming-to-theaters-in-3-d#post_3734798

 

[TravisR]

Originally Posted by Jason Charlton

I meant the original versions of the original trilogy. I'm sure kids still watch the original trilogy but I'd be flabbergasted if there were many 10 year olds that know or care that there's multiple versions of the movie.


And for the record, I didn't call anyone 'myopic'. Not that you specifically attributed that to me but I just want to clarify because Star Wars threads tend to get heated.

 

[Brian Sheffield]

Just in case..

When I mentioned the myopia of older SW fans, I simply meant the many older fans, especially those without children, focus on their own history with Star Wars. They forget that this series plays to children of newer generations; those that have never seen a big screen Star Wars movie.

No insult was intended or implied by my use of the term.

 

[Jason Charlton]

Originally Posted by TravisR
And for the record, I didn't call anyone 'myopic'. Not that you specifically attributed that to me but I just want to clarify because Star Wars threads tend to get heated.

Oops, my apologies... post edited.

 

[Bryan Tuck]

Originally Posted by Brian Sheffield

Just in case..

When I mentioned the myopia of older SW fans, I simply meant the many older fans, especially those without children, focus on their own history with Star Wars. They forget that this series plays to children of newer generations; those that have never seen a big screen Star Wars movie.

No insult was intended or implied by my use of the term.

No offense taken (if you were referring to me). It's true that Star Wars in general does have an overwhelming ability to attract new fans as time goes on. I met a 9-year-old a while back that said that when she first saw Revenge of the Sith, she didn't like it because she didn't know Anakin was going to go bad, and it hit me that there are kids who are watching the series chronologically.


But I've often wondered if the kids who grew up watching the prequel trilogy (whether or not they saw the originals first) will have the same kind of fond memories of it as they grow older as we did of the originals. One of the reasons the 1997 re-issues were so successful is that you had at least a couple of generations that wanted to see the films on the big screen: those who had never gotten a chance to, and those who wanted to again, because they genuinely loved them. I think that's going to be a harder audience to conjure up for the prequels. It might be balanced out by the new generation of kids who don't remember the prequels on the big screen, but I don't know. I guess we'll see.


As I've often said, Lucas can do what he wants to; I disagree with many of the decisions he's made over the years, but I've never bought into the whole "he raped my childhood" nonsense. However, I still wish he'd spend a fraction of what these conversions are going to cost on restoring the OOT for Blu-Ray.

 

[Brent M]

Originally Posted by Bryan Tuck


As I've often said, Lucas can do what he wants to; I disagree with many of the decisions he's made over the years, but I've never bought into the whole "he raped my childhood" nonsense. However, I still wish he'd spend a fraction of what these conversions are going to cost on restoring the OOT for Blu-Ray.

That's pretty much exactly how I feel about the whole thing. Wish more people could be that level-headed and reasonable when discussing the topic.

 

[Ryan-G]

Originally Posted by Bryan Tuck
As I've often said, Lucas can do what he wants to; I disagree with many of the decisions he's made over the years, but I've never bought into the whole "he raped my childhood" nonsense. However, I still wish he'd spend a fraction of what these conversions are going to cost on restoring the OOT for Blu-Ray.

I'm actually pretty convinced this is the precurser to major events. At least one of 3 things is going to happen, quite possibly a combination...


1. Lucas is going realize that no matter what he does, the movies are not going to be up to the quality he's imagining. Even if he goes back to the work prints of the Prequels and redoes all the effects, it still won't look as good as Avatar, it wasn't shot with 3d in mind.


2. Lucas is going to catch the bug again, thinking about Star Wars in 3d, and get the urge to do more movies.


3. Lucas is going to have an epiphany, and realize his legacy is Star Wars, and will feel the need to explore the universe further.


He's had 7-9 rolling about in his head, we know that. He's not going to get what he wants out of this, he shoots for the stars (Pun intended), this is just going to frustrate him when Avatar still puts it to shame. He's going to end up wanting to do more with his legacy.


Doesn't really matter how it plays out, or which one(s) of those events happens. Someone in marketing will realize that HD OT will be a money maker, and it'll get done. Especially as tools and techniques evolve and get cheaper. I wouldn't look for it for a couple years yet, but it's going to happen.


Personally, what I expect is...


The Star Wars Ultimate set, containing the OT, the OT:SE, the Prequels, and the complete set in 3D, released about one month before the release of Episode 7 which will likely occur somewhere around 2015-2017.(Yes, I realize that is the timeframe for the OT3D, I'm guessing in 2013 they'll come to the conclusion that they just can't get what they want out of it).

 

[MielR]

Originally Posted by TravisR




By putting a movie in theaters, they're going to sell alot more merchandise to kids than they would by releasing the originals on Blu-ray. Most kids don't know or care about the original versions and they're the majority of toy buyers so having The Phantom Menace in theaters is going to make more money overall.

I don't know about that- I remember when TPM was first released A LOT of the memorabilia ended up at Big Lots. I don't have kids so I don't have direct knowledge, but I don't think kids gobbled up Anakin Skywalker back packs the same way they gobbled up Darth Vader bed sheets back in the '70s.

 

[SilverWook]

The Hasbro toys did well enough. Seemed there was never enough Darth Maul figures to go around. (Of course, the toy scalpers didn't help things.) But the other merchandise approached saturation levels. There's still some TPM stuff haunting my local 99 cents only stores to this day!


IIRC, Lucasfilm scaled back from slapping the movie on every product under the sun by AOTC.


There must a be a ton of stuff in a warehouse somewhere.

 

[TravisR]

Originally Posted by MielR

I don't know about that- I remember when TPM was first released A LOT of the memorabilia ended up at Big Lots.

Nearly every product imaginable was created for The Phantom Menace so there was over saturation but the licensees already paid LFL their money so it's not LFL's problem if it doesn't sell. While that might scare off companies from making more products like Jar Jar candy tongues or Darth Maul frisbees, there's still companies that made alot of money and they continue to make those products.


I saw an article that said a 3-D conversion costs about $10 or $15 million so it'll cost less than $100 million to convert the entire series. Considering the cost of a 3-D ticket, it's not hard to imagine that the six movies will make significantly more than that. They could probably let everyone see the movies for free and make more than $100 million on the merchandise that will come out.

 

[Chuck Mayer]

Yeah, he showed a lot of restraint.

Originally Posted by SilverWook

IIRC, Lucasfilm scaled back from slapping the movie on every product under the sun by AOTC.

 

[Leo Kerr]

Sorry, Chuck, for doubting you. I had to check, and shockingly, that thing is still available from the big retailers in the Cloud.

Darth Vader sprinklers?!


Ah, well, I guess Mel Brooks had the right idea of it; I just never did see a Space Balls: The Flame Thrower on a shelf at the store...


Leo

 

[SilverWook]

Originally Posted by Chuck Mayer /forum/thread/304501/star-wars-trilogies-coming-to-theaters-in-3-d/30#post_3735763

 

[MielR]

Good CNN.com article on the subject (or not so good if you don't agree) :


http://www.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/10/06/3d.starwars.bad/index.html?hpt=Mid

....and please be sure to click on the "HAN SHOT FIRST" link within the article while you're there.

 

[Sam Favate]

Originally Posted by MielR

The part I agree with most in this is the line "If you need to expand, then give us the sequel."


Beyond that, I think the 3D thing will be positive in that it will introduce a new generation to the movies in the theater, and that could spawn a new appreciation for not only the Star Wars movies but of seeing movies in the theater in general. That said, I think 3D is a gimmick, same as it was in the 50s. But I'm not someone who thinks the prequels should be forgotten - I enjoyed them, and I say that as someone who saw Star Wars about 40 times in the theater between 1977 and 1979. Bottom line: Anything that gets people to go to theaters is a good thing.

 

[TravisR]

Regarding that CNN article, I can only laugh at someone starts out saying "I was sincerely disturbed when I found out you where [sic] planning on converting the 'Star Wars' franchise to 3-D. This is one of the worst ideas you've ever had about 'Star Wars.'" and then a few paragraphs later says "And I'll confess, as mad as I am at you, I will be there at 12:01 am again to see the 3-D version ..."


The idea that he's mad at a person who has never done anything to him and it's over a movie is hilarious by itself but that he hates what they're doing and hates the movie and he's going to see it anyway? That's the funniest or saddest thing I've ever read. If you don't like The Phantom Menace or all the prequels, don't go and see them in 3-D. If you don't like the idea of the movies being converted to 3-D, don't go. Some fans have forgotten that Star Wars is supposed to be fun and not some horrible burden to live with.

 

[SilverWook]

Lucas seems to forget that too sometimes.


It's a little confusing to hear him say restoration is too expensive when he's about to spend big bucks on 3D conversion.