Return of the Jedi (1983)
Adventure, Action, Science Fiction • 2h 12m
Overview
Luke Skywalker leads a mission to rescue his friend Han Solo from the clutches of Jabba the Hutt, while the Emperor seeks to destroy the Rebellion once and for all with a second dreaded Death Star.
Director: Richard Marquand
Cast: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, Sebastian Shaw, Ian McDiarmid, Frank Oz, James Earl Jones, David Prowse, Alec Guinness, Kenny Baker, Michael Pennington, Kenneth Colley, Michael Carter, Denis Lawson, Tim Rose, Dermot Crowley, Caroline Blakiston, Warwick Davis, Jeremy Bulloch, Femi Taylor, Annie Arbogast, Claire Davenport, Jack Purvis, Mike Edmonds, Jane Busby, Malcolm Dixon, Mike Cottrell, Nicki Reade, Adam Bareham, Jonathan Oliver, Pip Miller, Tom Mannion, Margo Apostolos, Eileen Baker, Michael Henbury Ballan, Bobby Bell, Patty Bell, Alan Bennett, Sarah Bennett, Pamela Betts, Danny Blackner, Linda Bowley, Peter Burroughs, Debbie Lee Carrington, Maureen Charlton, Willie Coppen, Sadie Corre, Tony Cox, John Cumming, Jean D'Agostino, Luis De Jesus, Debbie Dixon, Margarita Fernández, Phil Fondacaro, Sal Fondacaro, Tony Friel, Daniel Frishman, John Ghavan, Michael Gilden, Paul Grant, Lydia Green, Lars Green, Pam Grizz, Andrew Herd, J.J. Jackson, Richard Jones, Trevor Jones, Glynn Jones, Karen Lay, John Lummiss, Nancy MacLean, Peter Mandell, Carole Morris, Stacie Nichols, Chris Nunn, Barbara O'Laughlin, Brian Orenstein, Harrell Parker Jr., John Pedrick, April Perkins, Ronnie Phillips, Katie Purvis, Carol Read, Nicholas Read, Diana Reynolds, Danielle Rodgers, Chris Romano, Dean Shackelford, Kiran Shah, Felix Silla, Linda Spriggs, Gerald Staddon, Josephine Staddon, Kevin Thompson, Kendra Wall, Brian Wheeler, Butch Wilhelm, Mark Dodson, Simon J. Williamson, Richard Bonehill, David Gonzales, Peter Roy, Erik Bauersfeld, Mike Quinn, Bill Kipsang Rotich, Deep Roy, Alisa Berk, Hugh Spight, Swee Lim, Richard Robinson, Gerald Home, Phil Herbert, Tim Dry, Sean Crawford, Phil Tippett, Toby Philpott, David Alan Barclay, Jasper Jacob, Peter Allen, John Altman, Glyn Baker, Dickey Beer, Ailsa Berk, Paul Brooke, Ben Burtt, Maurice Bush, Trevor Butterfield, Vivienne Chandler, Tony Clarkin, Kenneth Coombs, Andy Cunningham, Peter Diamond, Richard Driscoll, Douglas Farrell, Alan Flyng, Ernie Fosselius, Stuart Fox, Isaac Grand, Gordon Hann, Alan Harris, Walter Henry, Philip Herbert, Larry Holt, William Hoyland, Colin Hunt, Monty Jordan, Michael Josephs, Eiji Kusuhara, Anthony Lang, Arnold Lee, Julius LeFlore, John Maloney, Paul Markham, Richard Marquand, Hilton McRae, Billy J. Mitchell, Amanda Noar, Terry Sach, Errol Shaker, Guy Standeven, Jules Walters, Robert Watts, Paul Weston, Corey Dee Williams, Michael Stevens, Michael McCormick, David Stone, Lynne Hazelden, Paul Springer, Ronny Cush, John Cannon, Larry Ward, Jason Wingreen
High seas for the recreated Theatrical Cut
High seas for the recreated Theatrical Cut, Disney 4K Blu-ray is disappointing
High seas for the recreated Theatrical Cut
High seas for the recreated Theatrical Cut, Disney 4K Blu-ray is disappointing
Director: Ron Howard
Director: Ron Howard
OG: "4K80" on the high seas
If not, Disney 4K Blu-ray
OG: "4K80" on the high seas
Special Editon: "4K97_V" or "D_97_VI" on the high seas. If not, the 4K Blu-rays are generally considered an improvement over the 2011 Blu-rays. (although both restorations are DNR'ed and have issues).
70mm six-track mix is included in 4K80 (taken from an actual 70mm print)
OG: "4K80" on the high seas
If not, Disney 4K Blu-ray
OG: "4K80" on the high seas
Special Editon: "4K97_V" or "D_97_VI" on the high seas. If not, the 4K Blu-rays are generally considered an improvement over the 2011 Blu-rays. (although both restorations are DNR'ed and have issues).
70mm six-track mix is included in 4K80 (taken from an actual 70mm print)
Director: George Lucas
OG: "4K77" or "D+77" on high seas.
Special Edition: "4K97" or "D+97_IV" on high seas.
OG: "4K77" or "D+77" on high seas.
Special Edition: "4K97" or "D+97_IV" on high seas.
Director: George Lucas
OG: "4K77" or "D+77" on high seas.
Special Edition: "4K97" or "D+97_IV" on high seas.
OG: "4K77" or "D+77" on high seas.
Special Edition: "4K97" or "D+97_IV" on high seas.
High seas for recreated Theatrical Cut or HDTV rip, Disney 4K Blu-ray is a mediocre upscale.
High seas for recreated Theatrical Cut or HDTV rip, Disney 4K Blu-ray is a mediocre upscale.
High seas for recreated Theatrical Cut or HDTV rip, Disney 4K Blu-ray is a mediocre upscale.
High seas for recreated Theatrical Cut or HDTV rip, Disney 4K Blu-ray is a mediocre upscale.
High seas for recreated Theatrical Cut or HDTV rip, Disney 4K Blu-ray is a mediocre upscale.
High seas for recreated Theatrical Cut or HDTV rip, Disney 4K Blu-ray is a mediocre upscale.
High seas for recreated Theatrical Cut or HDTV rip, Disney 4K Blu-ray is a mediocre upscale.
High seas for recreated Theatrical Cut or HDTV rip, Disney 4K Blu-ray is a mediocre upscale.
Director: Orson Welles
MoC 4K Blu-ray and Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray are similar
Director: Orson Welles
MoC 4K Blu-ray and Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray are similar
Director: Robert Wise
Disney 4K Blu-ray, see caps https://slow.pics/c/hE3HUCdj
Disney 4K Atmos is great, a reference quality track. It's a very slight remix (music seems to be from a better source), but it's completely seamless and faithful to the original, better fidelity than anything since the 1994 30th Anniversary Edition LaserDisc.
All DVDs (and 2010 Blu-ray) sound far worse than the 4K Blu-ray/LaserDisc and have various missing sound cues.
Director: Robert Wise
Disney 4K Blu-ray, see caps https://slow.pics/c/hE3HUCdj
Disney 4K Atmos is great, a reference quality track. It's a very slight remix (music seems to be from a better source), but it's completely seamless and faithful to the original, better fidelity than anything since the 1994 30th Anniversary Edition LaserDisc.
All DVDs (and 2010 Blu-ray) sound far worse than the 4K Blu-ray/LaserDisc and have various missing sound cues.
Director: André de Toth
2D version: Warner Archive Blu-ray
3D version: Warner Archive 3D Blu-ray
2D version: Warner Archive Blu-ray
3D version: Warner Archive 3D Blu-ray
Director: André de Toth
2D version: Warner Archive Blu-ray
3D version: Warner Archive 3D Blu-ray
2D version: Warner Archive Blu-ray
3D version: Warner Archive 3D Blu-ray
Director: Sidney Lumet
2026 Criterion 4K Blu-ray
2011 Criterion Blu-ray is the best. Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray has heavily filtered audio
Director: Sidney Lumet
2026 Criterion 4K Blu-ray
2011 Criterion Blu-ray is the best. Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray has heavily filtered audio
Director: John McTiernan
Director: John McTiernan
Director: John Ford
Director: John Ford
1991 Warner Bros LaserDisc (for original mono track)
1996 Warner Bros 25th Anniversary LaserDisc has isolated music and effects track (incorrectly labeled "music minus vocals") not present on any other release
1991 Warner Bros LaserDisc (for original mono track)
1996 Warner Bros 25th Anniversary LaserDisc has isolated music and effects track (incorrectly labeled "music minus vocals") not present on any other release
Director: Alfred E. Green
Director: Alfred E. Green
Director: John Waters
Director: John Waters
More Adventure on Blu-ray
Director: Akira Kurosawa
BFI 4K Blu-ray has excellent master and grade, no DNR and tasteful HDR
Restored original mono mix: Toho Japan 4K Blu-ray
Unrestored original mono: 2014 BFI Blu-ray
BFI 4K Blu-ray has OG Perspecta (in 5.1 container) and a stereo downmix of it; no original mono.
The unrestored track on BFI's earlier release appears to be an almost entirely unmanipulated transfer of the original mix. It suffers from a distracting low-frequency hum. The 4K restoration comes with a restored track, which appears to be the same transfer, but which appears to be cleaned up with a moderate amount of noise reduction and some EQ, nicely opening up the high-end, and which is likely to be preferable to most listeners. All earlier releases sound poor.
Perspecta isn't a discrete surround format, instead only relying on manipulating volume and panning of the mono track across L/C/R channels, based on embedded control tones. As such, even the Perspecta track is technically just the mono mix, though the omission of the proper mono on BFI's 4K is still unfortunate.
Director: Akira Kurosawa
BFI 4K Blu-ray has excellent master and grade, no DNR and tasteful HDR
Restored original mono mix: Toho Japan 4K Blu-ray
Unrestored original mono: 2014 BFI Blu-ray
BFI 4K Blu-ray has OG Perspecta (in 5.1 container) and a stereo downmix of it; no original mono.
The unrestored track on BFI's earlier release appears to be an almost entirely unmanipulated transfer of the original mix. It suffers from a distracting low-frequency hum. The 4K restoration comes with a restored track, which appears to be the same transfer, but which appears to be cleaned up with a moderate amount of noise reduction and some EQ, nicely opening up the high-end, and which is likely to be preferable to most listeners. All earlier releases sound poor.
Perspecta isn't a discrete surround format, instead only relying on manipulating volume and panning of the mono track across L/C/R channels, based on embedded control tones. As such, even the Perspecta track is technically just the mono mix, though the omission of the proper mono on BFI's 4K is still unfortunate.
2025 Sony 4K Blu-ray
2025 Sony 4K Blu-ray
2025 Sony 4K Blu-ray
2025 Sony 4K Blu-ray
2017 US GKIDS Blu-ray has better detail and grain, 2014 Japan Studio Ghibli Blu-ray from the Hayao Miyazaki box set for MGVC with added bit-depth for supported players
2011/2014 Japan Studio Ghibli Blu-ray for original 6.1 audio mix, Cinema DTS for the English dub
2017 US GKIDS Blu-ray has better detail and grain, 2014 Japan Studio Ghibli Blu-ray from the Hayao Miyazaki box set for MGVC with added bit-depth for supported players
2011/2014 Japan Studio Ghibli Blu-ray for original 6.1 audio mix, Cinema DTS for the English dub
Director: John Woo
International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray
Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?
International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray
Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?
Director: John Woo
International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray
Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?
International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray
Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?
Director: John Woo
International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray
Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?
International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray
Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?
Director: John Woo
International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray
Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?
International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray
Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?
Director: James Cameron
Disney 4K Blu-ray's artificial smoothening of facial textures making actors look unnatural, grain reduction and other changes to make the film look less like a product of its time
Old WEB-DL or HDTV rip for non AI version
Director: James Cameron
Disney 4K Blu-ray's artificial smoothening of facial textures making actors look unnatural, grain reduction and other changes to make the film look less like a product of its time
Old WEB-DL or HDTV rip for non AI version
Director: Ted Kotcheff
Lionsgate 4K Blu-ray (2026 Rambo set)
Lionsgate 4K Blu-ray (2026 Rambo set)
caps #1 (with FEL), caps #2
Lionsgate 4K Blu-ray (2026 Rambo set)
The compression is underwhelming on all discs, but despite trading blows in various frames, Lionsgate's re-released 4K disc wins.
The Lionsgate 4K re-release includes original matrixed Dolby Stereo mix, transferred from a LaserDisc, with missing cues at side changeover points corrected, and consistent volume throughout, as well as two remixed variants in 5.1 and 7.1 Atmos. The 5.1 is incorrectly labeled as original on the menu.
Director: Ted Kotcheff
Lionsgate 4K Blu-ray (2026 Rambo set)
Lionsgate 4K Blu-ray (2026 Rambo set)
caps #1 (with FEL), caps #2
Lionsgate 4K Blu-ray (2026 Rambo set)
The compression is underwhelming on all discs, but despite trading blows in various frames, Lionsgate's re-released 4K disc wins.
The Lionsgate 4K re-release includes original matrixed Dolby Stereo mix, transferred from a LaserDisc, with missing cues at side changeover points corrected, and consistent volume throughout, as well as two remixed variants in 5.1 and 7.1 Atmos. The 5.1 is incorrectly labeled as original on the menu.
Director: Ken Hughes
MGM Blu-ray's stereo track.
MGM's 7.1 track is a remix with a few flaws and much worse fidelity. Capelight's stereo and 7.1 track are both from the remix.
The movie was originally premiered as a roadshow release, with a a 70mm 6-Track Stereo mix. This mix, unfortunately has not been released on home video.
The closest thing to that mix, is the stereo track included on the 2010 Blu-ray. It sounds great, with high fidelity and little filtering. It's lossy, but that doesn't matter very much.
Both the DVD 5.1 and the Blu-ray 7.1 tracks (identical on both discs) are a new remix, rather than a repackaging of the original mix. The 7.1 track sounds quite muffled, though not evenly so. The Capelight Blu-ray's lossless stereo track uses the same remix, but with higher fidelity than the surround tracks, sounding significantly less muffled. Compared to the original, this remix sounds wider and more "cleaned up". The remix contains a handful of errors, for example the intermission cue fades out, rather than ending correctly.
Comparison samples
Director: Ken Hughes
MGM Blu-ray's stereo track.
MGM's 7.1 track is a remix with a few flaws and much worse fidelity. Capelight's stereo and 7.1 track are both from the remix.
The movie was originally premiered as a roadshow release, with a a 70mm 6-Track Stereo mix. This mix, unfortunately has not been released on home video.
The closest thing to that mix, is the stereo track included on the 2010 Blu-ray. It sounds great, with high fidelity and little filtering. It's lossy, but that doesn't matter very much.
Both the DVD 5.1 and the Blu-ray 7.1 tracks (identical on both discs) are a new remix, rather than a repackaging of the original mix. The 7.1 track sounds quite muffled, though not evenly so. The Capelight Blu-ray's lossless stereo track uses the same remix, but with higher fidelity than the surround tracks, sounding significantly less muffled. Compared to the original, this remix sounds wider and more "cleaned up". The remix contains a handful of errors, for example the intermission cue fades out, rather than ending correctly.
Comparison samples
Directors: Jules Bass & Arthur Rankin, Jr.
Directors: Jules Bass & Arthur Rankin, Jr.
Edit History
11/8/2025
Format
Added
UHD Blu-ray
Added
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly Release
Added
4K83 for OG version on high seas
Added
4K83 for OG version on high seas
Best Video Release
Added
4K83 for OG version on high seas
Added
4K83 for OG version on high seas
Best Audio Release
Added
4K83 has OG mix
Added
4K83 has OG mix
Blu-ray.com
Added
https://www.blu-ray.com/Star-Wars-Episode-VI-Return-of-the-Jedi/20516/#Releases
Added
https://www.blu-ray.com/Star-Wars-Episode-VI-Return-of-the-Jedi/20516/#Releases
