No 4K Release of The Empire Strikes Back in UK
Firstly: Not sure I would have seen it; however, my local drive-in has The Empire Strikes Back on a twin bill with Black Panther. Second: There was no word on a 4K release in the USA.
But the UK looked forward to a 4K release of the seminal Star Wars film.
Two words: Not. Happening.
No Empire in 4K for UK
Image: StarWars.com
Disney has rolled back on plans to release a 4K version of “Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back” in theaters, Variety has confirmed.
The decision comes just weeks after it was revealed a 4K edition of the film would form part of U.K. cinemas’ reopening slate. While “The Empire Strikes Back” will still be screened in U.K. cinemas, it will be a standard 2K version of the 1980 film.
Variety understands the Mouse House scrapped plans for a 4K release — which would have marked the first time a UHD version of an original trilogy film had been screened in cinemas — after talks broke down with exhibitors in the last few weeks.
The Important Part
The actual story here may not be the changeup. The most important facet of the report is this:
Disney’s about-face on a 4K “The Empire Strikes Back” release in cinemas is, in many ways, indicative of the moving parts facing studios and exhibitors as they look to rebound amid a global pandemic.
Just a week ago, Disney was forced to push “Mulan” from its July 24 release date to Aug. 21, off the back of Warner Bros. moving the hotly anticipated “Tenet” from July 31 to Aug. 12.
And as the pandemic continues, Many outlets are wondering how movie theaters will cope with change.
The Washington Post explained:
[The Walt Disney Company] has three movies set for the [upcoming] quarter, all in the back half: the twice-delayed “Mulan,” now set for Aug. 21, and new installments in the X-Men and Kinsgman series in the weeks following. Even if they can remain on the calendar, many U.S. movie theaters may not be open, and it’s unclear whether consumers will come if they are. California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) on Wednesday ordered the few movie theaters that had opened to close for three weeks…
Keep it here for the latest.
