Star Wars collection available for digital download, streaming

Star Wars fans be able to download or stream the entire collection in the intergalactic space saga starting this Friday,Walt Disney Studios, Lucasfilm Ltd.and 20th Century Foxhave announced.

All sixmovieswill be available for purchase either individually or as a collection through a variety of online retailers,includingiTunes, Google Play andAmazon, among others, they said Monday.

The films inThe Star Wars Digital Movie Collection, in order of their release, are:

• Star Wars (also known asStar Wars Episode IV: A New Hope), 1977.
• The Empire Strikes Back (also known as Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back), 1980.
• Return of the Jedi (also known as Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi), 1983.
• Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, 1999.
• Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, 2002.
• Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, 2005.

It's the first time The Walt Disney Co., which owns Lucasflim Ltd., and 20th Century Fox,has made the films available digitally,allowing fans to dig into the space sagaat home or on their hand-held devices.

The release also includes bonus material such asnew and never-before-released conversations betweenartists and filmmakersand Star Wars creatorGeorge Lucas.

The Force Awakens in December

The six-moviedigital collectionrelease will be availableas anticipation builds for thenext Star Wars movie.Episode VII, better known asStar Wars: The Force Awakens,is slated for aDec. 18 release.

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The Force Awakens,whichis set 30 years afterEpisode VI: Return of the Jedi, stars originalcast members including Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisherand Harrison Ford. It's assumed they will reprise their roles asLukeSkywalker, Princess Leia Organa and Han Solo, respectively.

Little is known about the characters they will bebringing to life.

Fans were given a fewclues in a set of trading cardsrevealed by director J.J. Abrams and Lucasfilmlate last year.

Thefollowup to thatfilm, Star Wars: Episode VIII, is expected toblast into theatres in May 2017.

Earlier this year, Disney also announced the first in a series of big-screenStar Warsstand-alone films.

Rogue One will be directed byGareth Edwards (Godzilla) and star Oscar-winning British actressFelicity Jones as the female lead.

Filming is due to start in London this summer, with a release date of Dec. 16, 2016.