Rumors have been floating around about it for quite some time, but it appears that all systems are go for the entire Star Wars franchise to be re-released in the 3D format. DreamWorks Animations CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg confirmed the details in a recent interview with Comingsoon.net saying "Lucas is excited about it" and "He isn't going to put a product out, I think, that isn't anything other than first rate."

Apparently, the cost of converting a traditional 2-D movie into 3D is between $50,000 and $100,000 per minute. I'm sure that Lucasfilm will make their money back and then some, but is it really worth it? Does anyone care to see this or is it just another case of Lucas screwing around too much with the franchise?

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I agree. That's the first thing I thought of when I read this...I'm a Star Wars fan, but in my experience when they convert from 2D to 3D, it's never worth it. Take the Nightmare Before Christmas. One of my favorite movies but when I saw it in 3D, basically all that was added was some flying snow into the audience and Jack's legs popping out. The jack-in-the-box pumpkin at the beginning of the movie was a lot more impressive than anything else they did!

Yet, Brendan Fraser's Journey to the Center of the Earth (while not the best movie) looked awesome in 3D because that's how it was made. They centered the movie around using the best effects.

Star Wars was not meant to be seen in 3D. What will we get? A few light saber thrusts into the audience? Eh, I'll pass.

Converting a 2D movie into 3D is a joke.  You can't create a decent 3D movie with only 2D material.  Our brains process two 2D images into 3D because each eye sees something that the other eye does not.


If you were to cross your eyes until you see three versions of the photo, the middle one will be in 3D.

This image gives an example of how we see something.  The left photo is what the left eye sees, the right photo what the right eye sees.  At first glance, they look identical but they are in fact not.  The subject is being viewed from a slightly different angle.  You can see behind objects in each side that you can't see on the other side.

To create a 3D image from one 2D image, you have to create something that isn't there.  And that's the flaw in this decision.

Lucas would probably release it on DVD too.

The Star Wars guy. Somehow pitiful.

Quote:
Apparently, the cost of converting a traditional 2-D movie into 3D is between $50,000 and $100,000 per minute.

Compare that, with this:

Quote:
Lucas also clarified that the original trilogy movies will be included as they were shown theatrically in 1997 and released on DVD in 2004 - i.e., the original versions will not be included. "You have to go through and do a whole restoration on it, and you have to do that digitally," he said. "It's a very, very expensive process to do it. So when we did the transfer to digital, we only transferred really the upgraded version."

Apparently cost is only a problem when it's something the fans actually want.

Now I know what to get my 7 year old granddaughter's - "kids"  for Xmas ....

The 3D Star Wars DVD Set  on Blu ray ...

cause that's how many years it will take to see a home video release on this ....

Lucas has to first release the 6 set series on Blu Ray,, then the first original 3 series on DVD,,
then The Original 3 series on Blue Ray, ,then the whole 6 film set of films on DVD,
Then second remake series(1997) on 3D re DVD;  and then the 1st Set of Star Wars series on 3D..,

Then all six 3D films on DVD (box set), ,Then all 6 films on Bluray 3D box set ..,

that should take us 25 years into the future ...  at least ..

Several years ago I was in a DLP display outside of a NASCAR race. They had a theater set up where they were demonstrating DLP and 3D technology and they played clips of several movies in 3D. One of those clips was the Episode 2 chase scene through Coruscant. It's the one clip from the demonstration that actually stuck in my head. I thought it looked great and if the rest of the movies look half as good in 3D, then I'd be game to check 'em out.

Being also a Star Wars fan, I too am disappointed at this decision because it will delay the HD release. By 2012 I don't know if I even care any more.

On the other hand, I can totally understand how it might be possible. CGI material is only a relativley simple mathematical algorithm away from stereoscopic image pairs. Some of the non-CGI material was undoubtedly shot with multiple cameras, from different angles. Massive editing could conceivebaly assemble quite a bit of legitimate 3D images derived from two or more camera angles. While the whole film might not be 100% true 3D, the results might still be fun.