This will be a day long remembered! The prayers of Star Wars fans have been answered, as the original theatrical version of the 1977 film is now available to stream. Disney has said it has no plans to release the original version of the film, but it’s now available anyway, but you’ll have to move quickly to see it, because it may not be available for long.
The Special Edition of Star Wars is available to stream on Disney+, but that version includes a number of changes, including new scenes, updated special effects, color changes, and sound effect mixes that make it far different from the 1977 film. Creator George Lucas considers the Special Edition the definitive version of the film, even though it has changed multiple times since it was released in 1997 for the film’s twentieth anniversary.
Regardless, the original 1977 version of the film is now available on a free movie streaming service. The legality of the film’s availability is questionable, obviously, so if you want to see it, we strongly suggest you move quickly to watch it. The only catch is you’ll have to be a Roku user to see it.
Where to Watch the Original Theatrical Version of Star Wars
If you own a Roku TV or device, go to the SEARCH option and look for the Cinema Box app. You’ll know you have the right app if you see this icon:
Once you have it installed, you can find the film in either a featured category or by searching for it (hit the arrow to the left to access the search option and other categories.
According to other Roku users discussing the app on Reddit, the app has come and gone several times in recent years, so if if does get taken down, it may come back at some point.
Where Did This Version of Star Wars Come From?
After watching the credits, it is clear this version of the film is Harmy’s Despecialized Edition, a fan-made restoration project by Petr Harmy that used various sources to create the highest-quality version of the original theatrical film.
Although the Despecialized Edition has reportedly been mastered in 4K, the version available on Cinema Box appears to only be in HD, and the quality of the image seems to be affected by the app, not the video source itself.
This video, from Petr Harmy’s HarmyFilm YouTube channel, explains how the Despecialized Edition was created.
Be sure to share this article on social media!