Fans were upset by the edits, and the controversy helped shape later decisions, including Lucas’s decision to sell the franchise to Disney.

To celebrate the 50th anniversary, the original 1977 Star Wars film will return to theaters in February 2027 in its unaltered form.

Lucas defends his habit of updating the original trilogy, arguing that filmmakers often never finish and that revisions helped him complete his storytelling.

The edits appeared across multiple releases: the 1997 Special Edition with major changes, the 2004 DVD, the 2011 Blu-ray, and smaller tweaks for the 2019 Disney+ release.

Notable edits include the Greedo–Han Solo 'who shot first' moment, changes to Anakin Skywalker’s appearance, and the addition of Hayden Christensen as a Force ghost, among other links to the prequels.

Lucas says studios struggle to heed unhappy fans, and that following such feedback too closely may not yield good cinema.