'Star Wars' movies to be released digitally for the first time Friday

BURBANK, Calif., April 7 (UPI) -- The Star Wars Digital Movie Collection is to be released for the first time Friday by Walt Disney Studios, Lucasfilm and 20th Century Fox. Digital copies of all six of the sci-fi blockbusters, along with bonus features, will be available to purchase individually or as a collection. Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the seventh installment and first new film in the Star Wars saga in a decade, is to premiere in theaters this December.

"Since the debut of the first film nearly 40 years ago, Star Wars has become a worldwide phenomenon with legions of fans from every generation," Alan Bergman, president of Walt Disney Studios, said in a statement. "It's only fitting that audiences enjoy this legendary saga and its many fascinating behind-the-scenes stories on a wide variety of platforms, and we're very excited to finally bring all six films to Digital HD for the first time."

"We're thrilled that fans will be able to enjoy the Star Wars saga on their digital devices wherever they go," added Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy. "These films broke new ground in technology, design, sound, and visual effects, and we've created some very special bonus material which delves into the saga's rich history, including new and never-before-released conversations between legendary Star Wars artists -- the masters who helped George [Lucas] bring his iconic universe to life."