'Star Wars' movies to be released online

The six original "Star Wars" movies are being released online in digital form for the first time, the studios behind the iconic franchise has announced.

The films -- "Star Wars: a New Hope" (1977), "The Empire Strikes Back" (1980), "Return of the Jedi" (1983), "The Phantom Menace" (1999), "Attack of the Clones" (2002), and "Revenge of the Sith" (2005), will be available from April 10 on outlets like iTunes, Google Play and Amazon.

"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," said Walt Disney Studios head Alan Bergman in a statement late Monday.

"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."

A new episode in the franchise, "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," is due for release on December 18 this year in the United States.