"Star Wars" movies to become available as digital downloads

The Force is going digital.

All six "Star Wars" films are being made available for digital download for the first time in the saga's history.

Disney and Lucasfilm announced Monday that the movies, from 1977's "Star Wars" through 2005's "Revenge of the Sith," will be available starting April 10 as a collection or individually from retailers including iTunes, Google Play and Amazon.

The digital HD versions of the films will come with bonus features, including deleted scenes and interviews with George Lucas and others who helped bring the "Star Wars" universe to life.

"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 Alan Bergman, president of Walt Disney Studios. "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."

The news comes as Disney and Lucasfilm gear up for the launch of the next film in the "Star Wars" saga, the J.J. Abrams-directed "The Force Awakens," opening in theaters this December.