UPDATE: It was announced at the 2011 Consumer Electronic Expo (CES) that the Star Wars blu-rays will be released in September 2011 in 3 boxsets. More details here.

At the Star Wars Celebration event in Florida, George Lucus revealed that the six movie Star Wars saga will be releasing in a blu-ray boxset in quarter 4 (US Fall) of 2011 (No specific release date was given). While not much detail has currently been released, the box set will span all six of the Star Wars movies from 1977’s “Star Wars” through the final 2005 prequel, “Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith” and will include deleted scenes, documentary content and previously unseen footage. The first three “Star Wars” films – “Star Wars,” “The Empire Strikes Back” and “Return of the Jedi” included in the Blu-ray boxed set will be the special-edition releases that were shown theatrically in 1997 and digitally restored for a 2004 standard-definition DVD boxed set.

Below is the press release posted on StarWars.com

The Star Wars saga will at long last be released in a high-definition home video format as all six movies come to Blu-Ray in a Box Set in Fall 2011, as announced by George Lucas this morning at Celebration V. At the fan convention’s Main Event, thousands of Star Wars fans braved the muggy heat of an Orlando morning to queue for a one-time only stage session between George Lucas and The Daily Show‘s Jon Stewart. Stewart asked Lucas questions submitted from the fan community, and one of the most frequently asked questions submitted online prior to the Main Event was about the saga’s release on Blu-Ray.”I wish I could say it was coming out this year,” said Lucas, “but it will come out next year.”

The set will feature all six live-action Star Wars feature films, with the highest picture and audio quality, along with extensive special features.

Star Wars fans were treated to a glimpse of bonus material, in the form of a long-lost deleted scene from Return of the Jedi. The scene has long been talked about online — a sequence that depicts Luke Skywalker assembling his new, green-bladed lightsaber prior to infiltrating Jabba the Hutt’s palace. After completing the Jedi weapon, Luke stashes it in R2-D2’s dome. What makes the Jedi deleted clip so remarkable is that it made it all the way to postproduction before it was cut, so it is a rare example of a cut scene with completed visual effects and music.

Actor Mark Hamill came out to describe the scene, remarking that once again his original introduction in a Star Wars film was cut out (his Anchorhead introduction was, of course, cut from A New Hope). Luke’s intro is purposely played as ominous, with his face cowled in shadows and his intentions unclear.”I had the black cloak, the glove, and I thought, wow, this time around I get to be the antagonist. Little did I know I was predicting the path of the prequels,” said Hamill, noting the similarities to Luke in this scene and Anakin Skywalker’s appearance.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars can currently be purchased on blu-ray from Amazon.co.uk and other retailers.

Source: NY Times