How the Special Edition Star Wars Trilogy Changed the Franchise for the Better

Times were tough for Star Wars fans in the early ’90s, as the general public had seemingly moved on from the sci-fi franchise and, despite how many records it broke at the box office, the mythology had been relegated to books, comics, and video games, with the last live-action entry being the made-for-TV Ewok movies in the mid-’80s. Luckily, as the 20th-anniversary for Star Wars: A New Hope approached, reports began to emerge that creator George Lucas would be revisiting his films to deliver Special Edition releases, featuring upgraded visual effects, audio improvements, and additional scenes. While purists might bemoan the tweaks made to the flawless original trilogy and the trend of Lucas’ endless tinkering to the films, few things have been better for the franchise than the release of the Star Wars Special Edition trilogy.Videos by ComicBook.comThe world of movie theaters was entirely different in the late ’70s and early ’80s, as films would be screened for months and even earn re-r...