news ‘Star Wars’ Blu-Ray Box Sets You Need in Your Collection

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The “Star Wars” franchise has so many great movies, it’s hard to chose which ones to add to your collection. The epic space saga kicked off more than 40 years ago, and with a new movie (“Rogue Squadron”), and several books slated for release in the near future, it’s safe to say that “Star Wars” is very much a powerful force in the world of sci-fi. What started out as the “Star Wars” film trilogy has expanded to include live-action and animated films with countless fans across generations.

It all started in 1977, when George’s Lucas “Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope” debuted and opened the door to what became a multi-billion-dollar franchise. Last year, Lucas opened up about selling his Lucasfilm imprint to Disney, and the difficulties of stepping back from the movie franchise. “On ‘The Empire Strikes Back’ and ‘Return of the Jedi’ I tried to stay out of the way, but I couldn’t,” Lucas said. “I was there every day. Even though the people were friends of mine and they did great work, it wasn’t the same as me doing it. It was like being once removed…I’m one of those micromanager guys, and I can’t help it. So I figured I would forgo that, enjoy what I had and I was looking forward to raising my daughter.”

He continued, “I’ve spent my life creating ‘Star Wars’ — 40 years — and giving it up was very, very painful. But it was the right thing to do. I thought I was going to have a little bit more to say about the next three because I’d already started them, but they decided they wanted to do something else. Things don’t always work out the way you want. Life is like that.”

“Star Wars” fans can pretty much take their pick between buying physical copies of the films, and streaming them online. Every major “Star Wars” movie is currently streaming on Disney+, along with the wildly popular series, “The Mandalorian.” If you’re not already subscribed, Disney+ costs $7.99 a month, or $79.99 to steam countless movies, TV shows, and original series. And if you want even more bang for your buck, bundle your Disney+ subscription with Hulu and ESPN+, for just $13.99 a month. Existing Hulu subscribers can also sign up for the Disney+ Bundle by accessing their accounts via the Hulu website. See below for our picks of “Star Wars” movie Blu-Ray box sets that you should own.

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Star Wars Trilogy: Episodes IV-VI

Buy: $84.99 Buy it

“Star Wars: The Original Trilogy” is a Blu-ray+DVD combo that features three movies from the saga (starring Carrie Fisher, Mark Hammill, and Harrison Ford) and our first introduction to a slate of (nonhuman) characters such as Yoda, C-3PO, and Chewbacca. Leading the pack in the movie set, “Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope” takes place 19 years after the Empire was formed. The story follows Luke Skywalker (Hammill) as he’s thrust into the Rebel Alliance struggle when he meets Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness), who has lived in seclusion for years on the desert planet of Tatooine. With Obi-Wan’s help, Skywalker begins training for a daring mission to rescue Princess Leia from the clutches of the evil Empire.

“Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back” finds Skywalker and his friends on the ice planet of Hoth, but the evil Empire discovers their secret location, prompting a narrow escape from Skywalker who sets out to find the Jedi Master known as Yoda. Finally, “Episode VI: Return of the Jedi” concludes the epic trilogy and takes place four years after “Episode IV.” The film centers around Skywalker going up against Jabba the Hut and Darth Vader in hopes of saving his friends in the Rebel Alliance, and the Galactic Empire at large. Meanwhile, Han Solo, Princess Leia, and the rest of the team band together to disrupt the Dark Side and defeat the evil emperor.

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“Star Wars:” The Skywalker Saga Complete

Buy: $91.79 Buy it

When your favorite franchise features multiple films, box sets are a great way to save money. This mega-box set includes all nine chapters of the “Star Wars” saga from young Anakin Skywalker’s descent to the dark side, to the rise of the Resistance and their struggle to restore peace in the galaxy. The box set includes “Episode I: The Phantom Menace,” “Episode II: Attack of the Clones,” “Episode III: Revenge of the Sith,” “Episode IV: A New Hope,” “ Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back,” “Episode VI: Return of the Jedi,” “Episode: VII: The Force Awakens,” “Episode VIII: The Last Jedi,” and “Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker.”

Each movie comes with an accompanying disc filled with hours of extra content, including documentaries that take you behind the scenes of your favorite “Star Wars” movies, plus commentary from Lucas, and more. If you’re in the market for less films, purchase the “Star Wars: Complete Episode Saga Episodes I-VI.”

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Rogue One: A Star Wars Story MovieNEX Premium Box Set

Buy: $144.03 Buy it

“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” is a prequel to the events that take place in “Star Wars – Episode IV: A New Hope,” and some fans enjoy it more than its predecessor. The 2016 film, starring Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Donnie Yen, and Mads Mikkelsen, follows a group of unlikely heroes led by Jyn Erso, a daring fugitive, and rebel spy Cassian Andor, who band together on a desperate mission to steal the Empire’s ultimate destruction weapon: the Death Star. Like the extra that comes with the other box sets, the set includes a separate Blu-Ray with over an hour of bonus content, and a steel book case complete with Death Trooper Specialist, plus eight art cards. If you’re more solely interested in buying the films without the extras included in the premium box set, check out the limited edition “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story 4k Ultra HD” for $89.99.
 
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