Star Wars 3D Re-Releases Cancelled

These are no longer the 3D big screen returns you're looking for...
Two years back, Lucasfilm announced the incredible decision to re-release all six Star Wars films in a stunning 3D format once again on the big screen. Fast forward eighteen months, and Walt Disney Studios announced their own big project acquisition of the entire Lucas franchise for future film instalments. Yep, it's certainly a fantastic time to be a fan, with re-releases of Episode II: Attack Of The Clones and Episode III: Revenge Of The Sith set for back-to-back distribution this September and October...

...Or so we thought. Today, Deadline has confirmed that in fact, both 3D re-releases have been cancelled by Disney. Yes, you read right- we're no longer going to get the chance to relive the Battle Of Genosis, the Clone Wars, Order 66 or the rise of Darth Vader on the big screen in 2013. For some of 'fans' who hated the prequels, perhaps this will be a blessing, but given that they would have been by no means obliged to catch these cash shoe-ins, it's a major shame for those of us who were looking forward to them. I caught Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace 3D (3.5/5) last February in my local ODEON, and it proved to be a heck of a better film than I had ever remembered as a result.

The worst part of this tragic turn of events? It means that we won't have the chance to see Episodes IV-VI in 3D on the big screen again, either. No announcement has been yet made on the classic re-releases, yet chances are that they're gone and dusted now too. It's a genuine shame, and something that I reckon Disney and Lucasfilm will live to regret despite the only decent sales of The Phantom Menace 3D in 2012. It seems that Disney want to place all of their focus with JJ Abrams' resurrection of the film franchise with Episode VII, yet they had best be wary of deserting the legacy of filmic greatness that the final chronological four movies left behind in 2005. Star Wars: Episode VII is set for release in 2015.
Update: StarWars.com has at least released an official statement that may yet hold some hope for the re-releases: "Lucasfilm has decided to postpone this fall's scheduled release of Star Wars Episode II and III in 3D. Given the recent development that we are moving forward with a new Star Wars trilogy, we will now focus 100% of our efforts on Star Wars: Episode VII in order to ensure the best possible experience for our fans. We will post further information about our 3D plans at a later date."