Disney and Lucasfilm's Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker home video release list of special features is missing deleted scenes and a director commentary. The latest and final entry in the beloved Skywalker saga has been both spectacular and divisive, and its upcoming home video release seems to echo that.
Though it arrived to very mixed reviews and a wide array of diverse opinion from fans, Rise of Skywalker was still a box office smash hit, taking in over $1 billion worldwide. The final film in the latest Star Wars trilogy, Rise of Skywalker marked J.J. Abrams return to the series that he kicked off back in 2015 with The Force Awakens. And while Abrams was responsible for two thirds of the new trilogy, many fans felt that it was The Last Jedi director, Rian Johnson who gave fans the closest thing to what they wanted out of a new Star Wars film. This particular issue is certainly a matter of personal preference, but it does illustrate how important the right director is to any Star Wars film. Fans are always eager to know what decisions were made and why, what footage was left on the cutting room floor and any further insight that went into getting each notoriously difficult Star Wars production off the ground. It’s for precisely this reason that long after the box office battle has been waged, the next major proving ground for a Star Wars film is often its home video release.
As things currently stand, The Rise of Skywalker is set for a digital release on March 17, and a 4K Ultra HD, Blu-Ray and DVD release on March 31. This is great news for those who want to add this final instalment of the Skywalker saga to their collections, but unfortunately it won’t include what many Star Wars fans consider to be some of the single most important extra features. According to Star Wars, the upcoming home video release will not include either commentary (director or otherwise), nor will it provide any deleted scenes.
Unfortunately, the above omissions make The Rise of Skywalker’s home video release the first film of the new trilogy to be released without deleted scenes. However, to date, only The Last Jedi has had an official release that also included commentary. This seems strange, given the insatiable appetite for all things Star Wars that fans are known to have. If past home video releases are any indication, Disney could simply be planning for a full Skywalker saga release, which could include a variety of sought after extras, but at this point, such an idea is nothing more than conjecture. At any rate, it’s safe to assume that another release of The Rise of Skywalker as well as the remaining two films in the trilogy will eventually be re-packaged and re-released, but there’s no telling when that could happen.
For die-hard Star Wars fans and particularly for fans of The Rise of Skywalker, not having commentary is a big deal. Disney simply shouldn’t be toying with their loyal fanbase at this point, especially considering how much time and money has been put into the franchise. Yes, recording commentary might not always be the easiest option considering the busy schedules of many of those who fans want to hear from, but at the very least, releasing Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker deleted scenes could have been a nice way for Disney to say thank you to fans and collectors who have stuck with the series all these years.
Source: Star Wars