MUMBAI: The Star Wars saga will soon be converted to 3D as announced by Lucasfilm. Work is under way on converting the Star Wars saga to 3D.

All six films will get theatrical re-release in stereoscopic, starting with Episode I: The Phantom Menace, which will release in 2012.

Though the exact date for release has not yet been confirmed, news is that the film will open close to day and date worldwide.

The films will be distributed by 20th Century Fox. The conversion is being done by outside vendors and overseen by Lucasfilm's Industrial Light & Magic visual effects supervisor John Knoll.




GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR FUCK YOU GEORGE LUCAS

How about some original Star Wars films, enough re-releasing !!!

what the fuck do I want new Star Wars films for? the saga is DONE.

fucking awesome news, it's been on the cards for years.

There is other branches of the saga that would be cool to see. 3D is so played out, especially on movies not filmed in 3D. He will release a new film every year, then after the theater releases, he will re-re-re-release them on 3D home entertainment (whatever it will be then). Fucking asshole genius.

yeah this is lame, i don't see how you can think this is awesome. this guy just keeps staining the legacy of star wars all for the cash.

and conversion 3D is shit compared to the real deal being filmed in 3D, i'm sure they will have the top of the line conversion programing and whatever but fuck man, leave the god damn saga alone already. this shit reminds of that south park episode about them cranking out all the special edition ones. just STOP it already.

Basik...what branches are these you speak of? The main saga is DONE. Believe me. There is never going to be a 7, 8, 9. What ideas there were for 7, 8 and 9 were more or less incorporated into 4, 5, 6 (and certain concepts into 1, 2, 3).

If we're still around here in a few years, I'll dig that "3D is so played out" quote of yours and shame you with it. I agree that the market is saturated with 3D movies. I agree that many of them are garbage. I'm also with you on thinking that movies converted from 2D to 3D are weak.

But here's the thing, 3D movies have been around (in various degrees of popularity) since the 1950's. So if you think they're a "fad", you're wrong. The reason they're more popular than ever is because (since Avatar) they've fucking NAILED it. Gone are the ancient stereoscopic/polarized images. It's all new tech these days and it works. You want proof of that, look at the box office figures.

And honestly, do you really think Lucasfilm will take this (ridiculously expensive) decision and do a half-assed job? Not a chance. Converting 2D to 3D is more difficult, but it's not impossible to do it - and do it well. You just need time, talent and money. Don't look at something like "Clash of the Titans" as the benchmark. Apparently there were a few shots in Avatar that were 2D to 3D conversions and no one had a problem with them. I suspect, even if this is fucking breathtaking, that people will bitch about the quality of the 3D.

Sorry to go on about it, but the conversion is not an issue. This movie is going to be done over a year with five years of research going into it. It's drastically different than the work done on Clash of the Titans. Anyone who compares the work being done to a standard 3D obligatory release is either an idiot or has a huge nerdy agenda. It just doesn't compare. I know very little about the process but it's not that difficult to figure out how it differs. Basically any film shot in layers (i.e. digitally) is optimal for 3D conversion as the shots can be deconstructed. Even shots that aren't, as in Avatar's case, have proven it can be done right and there is a huge difference between a rush job and a quality job.

Anyway enough of all that, here's the details. It's one film released per year, starting with episode 1 (which, regardless of what people think of that film, the pod race will look fucking amazing in 3D). We'll get the long-awaited Blu-Ray box set in 2012, then the inevitable 3D Blu-Ray box set in 2018.

And seriously, if you want something else watch the (in my opinion, great) Clone Wars cartoons. Or, the upcoming Live Action series. Or the Comedy Series (w/Seth Green).

From a personal point of view, this is a great chance for me to share Star Wars with my kid. He'll be 3 in 2012, only a bit younger than I was when I saw ESB.

Regarding the quality, read this:
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118024...z10wDeyiKk

Quote:The Force in 3D
Techies vow first-rate transfer for 'Star Wars' conversion
By DAVID S. COHEN
'Episode I: The Phantom Menace'

'Episode I: The Phantom Menace' will be the first of the six 'Star Wars' films to be released in 3D beginning sometime in 2012.
'Titanic'

'Titanic,' like 'Star Wars,' is also planned for 3D conversion.

But 3D pros are more excited about the prospect of seeing a 3D conversion with sufficient time and resources to deliver a quality result.

And getting that quality result won't be easy. The \"Star Wars\" pics are full of challenges for even the most advanced technology.

Lucasfilm disclosed Tuesday that work is already under way on converting the \"Star Wars\" saga to 3D. All six pics will get theatrical re-release in stereoscopic starting with \"Episode I: The Phantom Menace,\" which returns to theaters in 2012. (The animated \"Clone Wars\" feature was not included in the announcement.)

John Knoll, who will oversee the conversion, told Daily Variety , \"I have been a vocal critic of some of the previous efforts at doing 3D conversions. (But) I think the problems that have been encountered are mostly because of budget and schedule, trying to ram the work though in too short a period of time.\"

Knoll said the conversion will be done by outside vendors under the close supervision of Knoll and Industrial Light and Magic.

Issues of time and budget have plagued conversion work on this summer's much-criticized 3D tentpoles, including Warner's \"Clash of the Titans,\" and Paramount's \"The Last Airbender.\"

So when \"Avatar\" producer Jon Landau called the announcement \"very exciting\" he was quick to add, \"George will do it right and he'll take his time to do it right. I think the key is having the filmmaker involved in the process.\"

DreamWorks Animation topper Jeffrey Katzenberg has been a vocal opponent of rushed conversions, but DWA's global stereoscopic supervisor Phil McNally said his stand is \"I'm not against conversion, I'm against poor conversion.\"

Charlotte Huggins, longtime 3D filmmaker and producer of \"Journey to the Center of the Earth,\" said a conversion can be as good as native 3D. \"It's like saying a paintbrush doesn't work because the painter is rushed. It's an artistic process. If you want a good conversion, take your time and get really talented people.\"

Exact release date has not been announced, but a Lucasfilm spokesperson said the pic will open wide and \"as close to day and date (worldwide) as possible.\"

20th Century Fox will once again distribute. Fox domestic distribution prexy Bruce Snyder called the series \"perfectly suited\" for 3D and said \"I expect this to be as much fun for people that have not experienced 'Star Wars' as it was for people who were there in 1977 staring at the screen with mouth agape.\"

Spacing of the re-releases has not yet been determined, as that will depend on the pace of the conversion effort.

There are no plans yet for a homevideo release.

Knoll, who oversaw ILM's contributions to \"Avatar,\" said Lucasfilm is committed to ensuring that the 3D conversion delivers results as good as a movie shot and authored in 3D.

\"Having seen a lot of stereo material, I have very strong opinions about what I like and don't like about stereo. I'm going to be applying my aesthetic. It's not going to look like (conversions) we've seen in the past.\"

He said that 3D will be used to make the experience more immersive. \"Stereo can be played realistically or stylized,\" he said. \"We're going to try to find a good balance.\"

He aims to avoid some of the more jarring, exaggerated uses of 3D that have marked stereoscopic pics, including a lot of 3D added to wide shots that wouldn't naturally have it.

Lucasfilm is likely to need all of the time -- up to 27 months -- it has scheduled to get the work done.

McNally said some elements are challenging in any conversion: smoke, mist, transparencies and reflections. The series is replete with blaster shots, the mist of Yoda's planet Dagobah and plexiglass windscreens on X-wing fighters. Said Knoll: \"All those are present in abundance in the 'Star Wars' pictures. We are going to do what we can to make the path easier.\"

Original elements from the Lucasfilm archives will be used where necessary, he added.

Knoll said there are no plans to add or fix visual effects on the movies. Over the years, George Lucas's digital tweaks on the original trilogy of pics have generated pushback from fans.

Some fans are likely to be displeased, though, at getting \"The Phantom Menace\" as their first taste of \"Star Wars\" in 3D. Pic was derided for its unfunny comic relief, Jar-Jar Binks, and attacked for ethnic stereotyping. Lucas, however, prefers to reintroduce the film in order of the episodes, with the prequel trilogy first. The original \"Star Wars\" was renamed \"Episode IV: A New Hope.\"

Lucas has been teasing fans for years about a 3D \"Star Wars.\" He told ShoWest in 2005 that he planned to release the saga in stereoscopic 3D and was working with In-Three, the Thousand Oaks based conversion company. His comments were widely reported as an announcement, but Lucasfilm insisted it was no such thing.

McNally (a onetime ILM animator) and Huggins recall being impressed with those 2005 tests of the opening scenes of the original \"Star Wars.\" But Lucas casually revealed in an interview several years later that Lucasfilm was no longer working with In-Three and was exploring other options for conversion.

ILM has converted \"The Nightmare Before Christmas\" and is accruing expertise in S3D visual effects, but has declined to enter the 3D conversion business.

The other expected major 3D conversion is \"Titanic 3D,\" which is targeting the 100th anni of the sinking of the Titanic for theatrical release.

Landau said there will be more news about \"Titanic 3D\" \"after we hear about 'Star Wars 3D. ' \"

And watch this video
http://www.starwars.com/video/view/001116.html

Couple more articles

http://www.bigshinyrobot.com/reviews/archives/17244

Quote:12 Scenes From Star Wars I Need to See in 3D
Wednesday, September 29th, 2010 at 2:10 pm Category: Movies, Nerds, Star Wars

MTV made a list of the 10 scenes they want to see most in 3D, but I think they missed the mark quite a bit. They seemed more like they were rushing the article to completion than actually thinking about it. So I’m presenting my alternate list of scenes from the new Star Wars 3D that I simply can’t wait to see.

Instead of limiting myself to ten, I’m going to pick the two biggest from each film, starting with Phantom Menace.

Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace

1 – The Pod Race: I think this is a no-brainer for everyone. Anyone and everyone who saw this film was taken in by this sequence, even if they didn’t like the movie. It’s already an incredibly immersive sequence, but translating it into 3D is going to be mind blowing.

2 – Otoh Gunga and The Bongo Ride: I know everyone is excited about the lightsaber duel with Darth Maul, but the ride from Otoh Gunga to Theed is already pretty spectacular. If they can add to the feeling of speeding through the underwater worlds of Naboo and properly illustrate the mass of the Sando Aqua Monster and the Colo Claw Fish, this should be a highlight for the 3D conversion.

Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones

1 – Obi-Wan and Jango in the Asteroid Belt: One of the most already breathtaking sequences that would lend itself well to stereoscopic 3D is the dog fight between the Slave I and Obi-wan’s Jedi Starfighter. Just imagine the seismic charges hitting that asteroid and having pieces of it flying across the screen along with the explosion. The sound design in that scene already gets your head right in the middle of it, 3D would push this sequence over the top.

2 – Everything on Geonosis: From the Droid foundries to Yoda fighting with his lightsaber. Think of what the 3D would look like for the shots of the Geonosian arena, with the monster fights, with hundreds of Geonosians fleeing into the air, Mace Windu and the Jedi arriving, becoming overwhelmed, and then millions of clones showing up to face off against the droid armies. It will be tremendous.

Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith

1 – The Opening Space Battle: In 2D I already get the feeling of size and mass watching this battle. It’s almost a complete single shot and when it crests that first battle cruiser and you see the scope of the battle occurring over Coruscant, it’s already enough to give you the chills and maybe a touch of Vertigo. In 3D? This sequence would be turned up to 11.

2 – Vader Putting the Mask on: There are dozens of other moments that would be great to see in 3D (From Obi-wan’s fight with Grievous to the entire duel on Mustafar) but one of the best and most iconic would easily be Vader being built and the mask coming down on him for the first time. If they can capture the claustrophobia of that more intensely in 3D, that would be one of the most riveting shots in the Saga. (though, in my opinion it already is.)

Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope

1 – Han’s First Jump into Hyperspace: Does much more need to be said than that?

2 – The Death Star Trench Run: Again, this one is pretty self-explanatory. The trench run has always had the ability to draw you into it, in 3D you’ll actually be Red 5.

Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back

1 – The Battle of Hoth: This might be the most straightforward land battle in the entire Saga and happens on wide open plains of snow and expanses and the scale of the AT-AT’s versus the tiny fighters of the rebels would be heightened to the nth degree in 3D.

2 – The Asteroid Field: The Millennium Falcon weaving in and out of asteroids, evading Tie Fighters? Sign me up right now.

Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi

1 – The Speeder Bike Chase: This might be the hardest sequence to convert to 3D properly, but if they do it right, this will be one of the most memorable sequences in 3D film history. Racing through the forest moon of Endor at breakneck speeds on speeder bikes is going to be so amazing to watch, I can’t even begin to describe it. Again, the beauty of Star Wars is that it’s already so immersive, 3D is going to be icing on the cake, just like Pixar films.

2 – The Space Battle: The final battle to destroy both the second Death Star and the Empire itself is one of the most thrilling moments in film history. It’s also the most complicated and well-crafted space battle ever committed to film. It’s so deeply layered that 3D is going to raise the stakes on these sequences in a way I don’t think anyone could imagine.

What do you guys think? A better list than MTV’s for sure. What other scenes would you like to see converted?

http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2010/09/29/sta...ait-to-see

Quote:'Star Wars' Saga Set for 3-D Makeover: 10 Scenes We Can't Wait to See

Posted 10 hrs ago by Tom DiChiara in Hot Stuff, News

Star WarsA long time ago in a galaxy far, far away... 3-D movies didn't exist.

Now that they do, it should come as no surprise that \"Star Wars,\" one of the most eye-popping movie sagas of all time, is about to get the three-dimensional treatment.

The good news: According to The Hollywood Reporter, George Lucas is set to oversee the conversion of all six \"Star Wars\" films to the state-of-the-art format. The bad news: Lucas is kicking things off with \"Phantom Menace\" in early 2012 and then proceeding to release one film per year in chapter order. That means it'll be 2015 before we get a 3-D glimpse of the original trilogy. As Jar Jar would say: \"Misa not so happy 'bout this, Annie.\"

But enough of the complaining. We're getting \"Star Wars\" in 3-D! That's an excellent thing. In fact, we're so pumped that we're going to go ahead and count down our picks for the top 10 scenes from the saga that we can't wait to see in three dimensions.

10. The Final Battle Between Anakin and Obi-Wan (\"Revenge of the Sith\"): It lacks the emotional heft of a Vader-Luke showdown, but the molten-lava backdrop and badass acrobatics of the mano-a-mano brawl lend themselves well to 3-D.

9. Anakin Wins the Podracing Tournament (\"The Phantom Menace\"): Even in 2-D the scene creates the thrilling sense that the viewer is behind the wheel of Anakin's speeding pod -- racing through canyons, just barely executing hairpin turns and, of course, duking it out with Sebulba. To quote Annie: \"Yippee!\"

8. Yoda vs. Count Dooku Lightsaber Battle (\"Attack of the Clones\") : Any scene, 3-D or otherwise, that involves Yoda flipping and wielding a sword made of light particles is cool by us.

7. Luke Battles the Rancor (\"Return of the Jedi\"): We'll get to experience the fear Luke felt as Jabba the Hut's giant grotesque pet tried to rip him limb-from-limb.

6. Padme and Anakin Embrace on the Balcony (\"Revenge of the Sith\"): \"Oh Annie, hold me like you held me by the lake on Naboo.\" We kid!

(Real) 6. Death Star Trash Compactor Closes in on Our Heroes (\"A New Hope\"): Get ready to feel claustrophobic -- it'll feel like the walls of the Death Star trash compactor are closing in on Luke, Han, Leia, Chewie and YOU, as R2D2 works feverishly (can robots get fevers?) to shut it down. One of the first movie's tensest sequences, to be sure.

5. Yoda vs. Darth Sidious Lightsaber Battle (\"Revenge of the Sith\"): See No. 8 above.

4. Luke Blows Up the Death Star (\"A New Hope\"): If you thought you cheered a lot when this moment -- and the mind-blowing space battle that preceded it -- happened in 2-D, imagine what an extra dimension will add.

3. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan vs. Darth Maul (\"Phantom Menace\"): The first epic lightsaber battle of the new trilogy, this puppy redefined the way all such battles were fought in the \"Star Wars\" universe. We're sure it'll do the same in 3-D.

2. The Imperial Forces vs. the Rebels on Hoth: Our jaws will do doubt rest comfortably on the floor for the duration of epic battle, in which Rebel X-wing fighters battle the Empire's gargantuan AT-ATs.

1. Luke Saves His Pals at the Sarlacc Pit (\"Return of the Jedi\"): \"Jedi\" peaked early with this unforgettably tense and and action-packed scene in which Luke and co. fight to avoid becoming a repast for the giant desert-dwelling beast on Tatooine. The only thing more exciting than the Sarlacc's tentacles reaching directly for us will be seeing Leia in her slave dancer outfit in 3-D.

Would you pay to watch the \"Star Wars\" films in 3-D? And which scenes are you most excited to see with a third dimension? Sound off below!

and some clarification

http://www.examiner.com/star-wars-in-nat...iner-email

Quote:No, Star Wars fans aren't angry about the 3D release

It's any wonder that MTV used to be the voice of a generation, because they have missed the mark once again in trying to take the pulse of the popular culture.

They failed yesterday with their list of of 10 scenes they wanted to see in 3D, a quick rush job they threw together that I had to counter with my own list.  (You can read that here).

Today, they ran an article about overwhelming anger by \"nerds\" about the announcement of Star Wars in 3D.   Here's the lead in for their article:

Quote:    There are two types of people in this world, those who care that all six \"Star Wars\" films are going to be re-released in 3-D and those who don't. We're concerned with those who do for one reason: they're way funnier. You see, people who like \"Star Wars,\" as a general rule, did not like news of this 3D conversion. \"George Lucas sucks and he's always ruining everything,\" was the general sentiment.

Aside from their broad, over-generalizations about Star Wars fans, they proceeded to quote specific examples from the same hyper-vocal minority that bashes on the Prequels at every turn.  I get letters on a weekly basis from Star Wars fans who feel too bullied by the anonymous hordes on the internet to speak out in a positive manner for being shouted down by these blowhards.  I'm able to largely ignore them, but they are getting quite out of hand.  

The Star Wars fans I've talked to are all incredibly excited about seeing the Star Wars films on the big screen again.  A lot of the backlash coming from these "prequel haters" come from the idea that this re-release is two things.  First, they think for some reason, despite all the evidence and facts to the contrary, that this is going to be a quick and rushed sterescopic 3D upconversion.  They've already spent almost a decade working on it, and are still more than a year away from seeing even the first installment on it.  The bad 3D they're used to is almost always converted in a matter of months.  Secondly, they see this as some evil cash-grab by George Lucas (a man who's given half his fortune away to charity).  But they all miss the obvious point: They don't have to see it if they don't want to.

Actual Star Wars fans, and not disgruntled and anonymous internet trolls are excited for the opportunity to see these films again.  My son has only seen Revenge of the Sith on the big screen, and I'm more excited than you can imagine to share the entire saga with him the way it's meant to be seen.  And by and large Star Wars fans feel the same way.

Slim, There's no tweaking being done to the visuals on this release. No extra scenes. No added CG bits. This is JUST a 3D conversion of the special editions.

I've given up getting mad with Lucas fucking with the films. They're HIS. He can do what the fuck he likes with them. And there's no way he'd even consider it if there wasn't a demand for it. Hardcore fans have been crying out for 3D for years. So it's not just HIM. If people want to see them again - in whatever version or format - then they can.

Lou, I totally agree that the main saga is done. The main saga was about the tragedy of Anikan Skywalker and Luke's struggle. It is over.

There are however other stories, for example, there is a long time period between episode 3 and episode 4, and a lot of stuff went on during that period. Vader's rise to power is a main example of what I would like to see. At the end of Sith we just see him becoming Vader and in New Hope he is already a main villain in the empire. I know there are books that tell this story but I want to see it. See a movie about Han Solo before New Hope, how he met Chewy, the battles and mischief they went through, his dealings with Jaba. There is really no lack of content that could be made in to a movie that would not extend the saga at all.

Also, I know Star Wars is Lucas's baby, and he can do whatever he wants, but the less involvement he has with the movies the better they are. If you watch the making of the prequel movies on the latest DVD release he basically takes total control. Everything is so dense and packed into the frames. His quote from his early Star Wars years "A special effect is a tool, a means of telling a story. A special effect without a story is a pretty boring thing." no longer remains true to him I don't think. Because the prequels were boring, even the lightsaber battles were so choreographed that they were boring, there was no emotion to them like in the original.

Sorry to ramble on but basically what I am saying is 3D is not going to make the prequels any better, nor make the original trilogy better. The original trilogy is still going to be far superior. I have to admit I will go see these movies in the theater, probably not the prequels but the originals, just because I have always wanted to see these pictures on the big screen, but I wish they would play the unedited first releases that they included on the new DVDs. The ones without the sloppily pasted in CG that stands out like a sore thumb.

But Lucas is a genius, and a master in marketing. 

i get what your saying lou, i'm sure the demand is there and he won't lose any money on putting these out in 3D, and it does give a new generation a chance to get star wars fever and all, which is cool...but i dunno, call me old fashion but i'm just not crazy about the idea of rehashing 30 year old classic movies with 3D makeovers..i can see it more with the new ones, but not so much the original trilogy. i'm still curious to see how this turns out but a certain part of me thinks it's blasphemy.

Any details on the Live Action series?

Are we looking at Ewok made for TV movies, or a new dramatic series?