Since Disney bought Lucasfilm back in 2012, there has been a steady stream of new Star Wars material for fans to explore that galaxy far, far, away.  A couple of weeks ago, the animated television series Star Wars: Rebels wrapped up its four-season run.  Tomorrow sees the release of The Last Jedi, the latest film in the famous saga, on DVD and Blu-ray.  On May 25, the second "anthology film," Solo: A Star Wars Story will be released.  Next year, the Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge areas are to open at Disneyland and Walt Disney World, and the end of 2019 will see the release of the currently-untitled conclusion to the latest trilogy.  Amidst all of that, on May 4 (which has become an unofficial "Star Wars Day" around the world), Walt Disney Records is revisiting the soundtracks to the original trilogy and prequel trilogy with six newly-remastered soundtrack CDs (taken from the films themselves) featuring new artwork and mini-posters.

The music of Star Wars needs little introduction.  John Williams' scores are not only integral parts of the films, but iconic in their own right.  The score to the first film has been preserved in the National Recording Registry and named by AFI as the most memorable score of all time to an American film.  But surprisingly for one of the most successful movie franchises and some of the most recognizable music in cinema history, the soundtracks to the Star Wars films have a spotty history of releases.  Each of the original trilogy received a soundtrack LP at the time of its release, Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back getting 2 LPs and Return of the Jedi only getting one.  The three scores were first released in the mid-1980s on CD by Polydor (although the Empire score was abridged).  In 1993, 20th Century Fox released the Star Wars Trilogy - Original Soundtrack Anthology 4-CD set which featured expanded editions of the three scores.  Then, in 1997, to coincide with the Special Edition versions of the films, RCA Victor released 2-CD sets of each of the three films.  These were later re-released in different packaging by Sony Classical when they acquired the license.  The new release was also remastered.  In 2007, Sony Classical put all six discs into a box set with a bonus seventh compilation disc featuring music from the entire saga.  However, these editions were still missing some cues, and portions had been remixed.

The history of the prequel trilogy is little less complicated.  Each film received a single CD soundtrack release from Sony Classical.  Only The Phantom Menace got a 2-CD expanded edition in 2000, although this version did feature the complete score.  Attack of the Clones had one bonus track exclusive to Target in its initial release and The Phantom Menace single CD was re-released in 2012 with a bonus track from the 2-CD edition.

In 2016, Sony Classical released Star Wars: The Ultimate Soundtrack Collection on CD, vinyl and digital.  The CD box gathered up the Special Edition releases of the original trilogy and the single CD versions of the prequels.  It also added a bonus CD featuring cues from across the six films and a DVD with interviews with John Williams and Harrison Ford, plus an old special on the films' music.  The vinyl box was slightly different, replicating the original LP releases of each of original trilogy soundtracks and putting the single CD programs of the prequel trilogy on vinyl (marking the debut in that format for Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith).  Each of the soundtracks received a hi-res remaster from the original album elements.  The digital version mirrored the vinyl box (marking the digital debut of the original album programs to The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi).  Last year, Walt Disney Records got the rights to these first six soundtracks and released a deluxe vinyl set of the original Star Wars soundtrack to mark the film's 40th anniversary.

For these latest editions, Walt Disney Records is once again returning to the original soundtrack album presentations of each film.  However, unlike the vinyl and digital release in 2016, which were sourced from the original album masters, these releases are reconstructed from new 24/192 transfers of the original score overseen by Shawn Murphy at Skywalker Sound. Murphy confirmed in a Facebook post that "the film mixes from the original sources" (as opposed to LP-specific and later mixes) will be edited to match the original soundtrack programs.

These releases mark the first release of the original Star Wars double album and Return of The Jedi single album programs on CD in more than 30 years, as well as the first-ever CD release featuring the double album program for The Empire Strikes Back.

If you would like to revisit these classic scores, they're all due out May 4, and we've got the full tracklisting and preorder links below.

 

Star Wars: The Phantom Menace - Remastered Soundtrack (originally released as Sony Classical SK 61806, 1999 - reissued Walt Disney Records, 2018)

Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. TBD / Amazon Canada

1. Star Wars Main Title and The Arrival At Naboo
2. Duel of The Fates
3. Anakin's Theme
4. Jar Jar's Introduction and The Swim to Otoh Gunga
5. The Sith Spacecraft and The Droid Battle
6. The Trip to the Naboo Temple and The Audience with Boss Nass
7. The Arrival At Tatooine and The Flag Parade
8. He is The Chosen One
9. Anakin Defeats Sebulba
10. Passage Through the Planet Core
11. Watto's Deal and Kids At Play
12. Panaka and The Queen's Protectors
13. Queen Amidala and The Naboo Palace
14. The Droid Invasion and The Appearance of Darth Maul
15. Qui-Gon's Noble End
16. The High Council Meeting and Qui-Gon's Funeral
17. Augie's Great Municipal Band and End Credits

Star Wars: Attack of The Clones - Remastered Soundtrack (originally released as Sony Classical SK 89932, 2002 - reissued Walt Disney Records, 2018)

Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. TBD / Amazon Canada

1. Star Wars Main Title and Ambush On Coruscant
2. Across The Stars (Love Theme from "Attack of The Clones")
3. Zam The Assassin and The Chase Through Coruscant
4. Yoda and The Younglings
5. Departing Coruscant
6. Anakin and Padmé
7. Jango's Escape
8. The Meadow Picnic
9. Bounty Hunter's Pursuit
10. Return to Tatooine
11. The Tusken Camp and The Homestead
12. Love Pledge and The Arena
13. Confrontation with Count Dooku and Finale

Star Wars: Revenge of The Sith - Remastered Soundtrack (originally released as Sony Classical SK 94420, 2005 - reissued Walt Disney Records, 2018)

Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. TBD / Amazon Canada

1. Star Wars and The Revenge of The Sith
2. Anakin's Dream
3. Battle of The Heroes
4. Anakin's Betrayal
5. General Grievous
6. Palpatine's Teachings
7. Grievous and The Droids
8. Padmé's Ruminations
9. Anakin vs. Obi-Wan
10. Anakin's Dark Deeds
11. Enter Lord Vader
12. The Immolation Scene
13. Grievous Speaks to Lord Sidious
14. The Birth of The Twins and Padmé's Destiny
15. A New Hope and End Credits

Star Wars: A New Hope - Remastered Soundtrack (originally released as 20th Century Records 2T-541, 1977 - reissued Walt Disney Records, 2018)

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1. Main Title
2. Imperial Attack
3. Princess Leia's Theme
4. The Desert and The Robot Auction
5. Ben's Death and TIE Fighter Attack
6. The Little People Work
7. Rescue of The Princess
8. Inner City
9. Cantina Band
10. Land of The Sand People
11. Mouse Robot and Blasting Off
12. The Return Home
13. The Walls Converge
14. The Princess Appears
15. The Last Battle
16. The Throne Room and End Title

Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back - Remastered Soundtrack (originally released as RSO Records RS2-4201, 1980 - reissued Walt Disney Records, 2018)

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1. Star Wars (Main Theme)
2. Yoda's Theme
3. The Training of a Jedi Knight
4. The Heroics of Luke and Han
5. The Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme)
6. Departure of Boba Fett
7. Han Solo and The Princess
8. Hyperspace
9. The Battle in the Snow
10. The Asteroid Field
11. City in the Clouds
12. Rebels At Bay
13. Yoda and The Force
14. The Duel
15. The Magic Tree
16. Lando's Palace
17. Finale

Star Wars: Return of The Jedi - Remastered Soundtrack (originally released as Polydor 811 767-1 Y-1, 1983 - reissued Walt Disney Records, 2018)

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1. Main Title (The Story Continues)
2. Into the Trap
3. Luke and Leia
4. Parade of The Ewoks
5. Han Solo Returns (At the Court of Jabba The Hutt)
6. Lapti Nek (Jabba's Palace Band)
7. The Forest Battle
8. Rebel Briefing
9. The Emperor
10. The Return of The Jedi
11. Ewok Celebration and Finale