‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’ Gets Surprise Early Digital Release

Todd Spangler

Updated 14 March 2020 at 2:08 pm·2-min read

“Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” has hit digital channels a few days before originally scheduled.

The final installment of the original Star Wars saga became available for purchase late Friday (March 13) across digital retailers, four days before its previous March 17 release date. Disney’s early digital drop of “Rise of Skywalker” may have been spurred by the spreading coronavirus pandemic, as millions of people are staying at home amid the crisis.

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“Rise of Skywalker” is available in HD for $19.99 and in 4K Ultra HD for $24.99 (via participating retailers). It’s available on Apple TV and iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, Vudu, FandangoNow and Movies Anywhere. In addition, the full nine-movie “Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga” is now available through participating digital retailers.

Separately Friday, Disney unexpectedly announced that “Frozen 2” would hit the Disney Plus service in the U.S. on Sunday — three months early. The Mouse House said it was “surprising families with some fun and joy during this challenging period,” a reference to the global COVID-19 crisis.

In January, the movie crested the $1 billion mark at the worldwide box office. Directed by J.J. Abrams, “Rise of Skywalker” stars Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac and Mark Hamill.

Currently, “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” is scheduled to be released on physical DVD and in 4K Ultra HD on Blu-ray on March 31, when it also is slated to become available to rent.

Bonus material in the home-video release versions includes “The Skywalker Legacy,” a feature-length making-of documentary that goes behind the scenes with the cast and filmmakers. Other extras include featurettes about the film’s Pasaana desert scenes; Warwick Davis, who reprises his role as Wicket the Ewok; and how the Lucasfilm effects team created a record 584 creatures and droids for the film. The digital release also includes “The Maestro’s Finale,” an exclusive feature highlighting composer John Williams, who has scored every film in the Skywalker saga.

On March 31, for the first time, the release of the first eight movies on Blu-ray 4K UHD: “The Phantom Menace,” “Attack of the Clones,” “Revenge of the Sith,” “A New Hope,” “The Empire Strikes Back,” “Return of the Jedi,” “The Force Awakens” and “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.”

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