Unfortunately for “Star Wars” fans in the U.K., Disney is scrapping plans to release a 4K version of “The Empire Strikes Back” in theaters. Just a couple of weeks ago the company had announced that it would re-release the remastered edition of the film as U.K. theaters began re-opening. But amidst reopening dates for theaters shifting, the deal broke down and a 2K version of the film will be shown instead.
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The news comes from Variety, with a report that Disney rolls back its plans to screen a UHD version of one of the original trilogy films for the first time. Turns out, talks with exhibitors broke down in the last few weeks, just as U.K. exhibitors Vue and Cineworld changed their reopening dates from July 10 to July 31 to get closer to the major releases like “Tenet.” According to the report, Vue was originally on board to show the 4K version of the film across its theaters in the U.K., but they’ll now screen the 2K version instead.
The 4K version of the original “Star Wars” trilogy is currently only available on Disney+ and UHD Blu-Ray, together with the rest of the nine parts of the Skywalker Saga. This would have marked the first time “The Empire Strikes Back,” which just celebrated its 40th anniversary in May, was going to be screened in theaters in 4K.
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As theaters wait for major titles like “Tenet” and “Mulan” to get released, they’re using older titles to entice movie-goers. Though a 4K version of the “Star Wars” film may not get released just now, other blockbuster hits like “Inception,” and Christopher Nolan‘s Batman trilogy are being released in theaters across the world in anticipation of “Tenet.”