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George Lucas planning 'Star Wars' TV series

ReklawReklaw Member UncommonPosts: 6,495
in Off-Topic Discussion

Some of you (includ. me) already knew it was in the planning but myself didn't know about recent development, thought i share

George Lucas planning 'Star Wars' TV series

 

George Lucas

But be forewarned: 'It has nothing to do with Luke Skywalker or Darth Vader,' according to the films' mastermind.

By Geoff Boucher, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

October 17, 2007

Attention, TV executives: The Force may soon be with you.



Filmmaker George Lucas said Tuesday that he has "just begun work" on a live-action television series rooted in the "Star Wars" universe, which is huge news not just for fans of the science-fiction epic but also for networks looking for a piece of the Lucas magic that has grossed $4.3 billion in theaters worldwide.





 
There is a caveat, though: The proposed series doesn't have anyone named Luke or Anakin in it, a story path that Lucas concedes is "taking chances" as far as connecting with an audience expecting the familiar mythology.



"The Skywalkers aren't in it, and it's about minor characters," Lucas said in an interview. "It has nothing to do with Luke Skywalker or Darth Vader or any of those people. It's completely different. But it's a good idea, and it's going to be a lot of fun to do."



Lucas joked that the series would be about "the life of robots" but wouldn't let any details slip about the true premise. The "extended universe" of "Star Wars" has come to life already in Lucas-sanctioned novels, comics and games that chronicle the history of the Jedi and tell the tales of bit players in the films, such as the bounty hunters from "The Empire Strikes Back."



Lucas already has another television series percolating: Lucas Animation has been working for months on "Star Wars: The Clone Wars," a computer-animated series that he hopes will introduce a new era of visuals to weekly episodic television. Lucas plans to produce it through his own companies before shopping the finished product to networks.



That model may also be used for the live-action show, although producer Rick McCallum said Tuesday that it's too early to say. McCallum is interviewing writers for the live-action series.



Lucas is confident he can find a home for his droids and Jedi, but he also knows the projects are unorthodox enough to give network executives pause.



"They are having a hard time," Lucas said. "They're saying, 'This doesn't fit into our little square boxes,' and I say, 'Well, yeah, but it's "Star Wars." And "Star Wars" doesn't fit into that box.' "


http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/tv/la-et-starwars17oct17,0,6734523.story?coll=la-home-center


 

Comments

  • outlaw101outlaw101 Member Posts: 351

    Looks great, good news for SWG : AED

    "Don't hold breath about another KOTOR game coming from Bioware" - Chris Preistly

    "Bioware is more intrested in pursueing development of it's own Intellectual properties"

    - James Henly

  • FlemFlem Member UncommonPosts: 2,870

    This would be good if it goes ahead.  Rumour is its set between episode's 3 & 4 so you could expect a few cameo's here and there.

  • Tuor7Tuor7 Member RarePosts: 982

    I'm going to take a pass on this one. SW is supposed to be epic. You can't do epic in a TV series... well, not very often, anyway. The only series I know that did epic well was Babylon 5. I don't think Lucas can capture the sort of vibe that B5 had.

  • SioBabbleSioBabble Member Posts: 2,803

    Well, there's no way in hell a relative hack writer like Lucas can hope to match JMS, so don't plan on this being like B5.  Lucas does not have that sort of depth of story in him.

    That being said, this sounds, conceptually, very much like the original SWG premise: the story of the extras being told, not the major players, of the SW universe.

    How this will go over with Lucas' own marketing department, which is lightsabers, lightsabers, lightsabers will be interesting to observe.

    CH, Jedi, Commando, Smuggler, BH, Scout, Doctor, Chef, BE...yeah, lots of SWG time invested.

    Once a denizen of Ahazi

  • alerumalerum Member Posts: 407
    Originally posted by Tuor7


    I'm going to take a pass on this one. SW is supposed to be epic. You can't do epic in a TV series... well, not very often, anyway. The only series I know that did epic well was Babylon 5. I don't think Lucas can capture the sort of vibe that B5 had.



    I have to agree with you on that one.

  • daelnordaelnor Member UncommonPosts: 1,556

    No thanks.

    D.

    image

  • xxthecorexxxxthecorexx Member Posts: 1,078

    what ??

    about "minor characters" ??

    no "iconic" characters ?

     

    pft.. i feel cheated.

    ____________________________
    TheCore

  • Agricola1Agricola1 Member UncommonPosts: 4,977

     

    Originally posted by xxthecorexx


    what ??
    about "minor characters" ??
    no "iconic" characters ?
     
    pft.. i feel cheated.

     

     

    Aslong as there's no reading and it has that "star warsy" feel to it with plenty of kill/loot/repeat in every episode I'm sure it'll be a hit. The first episode could be about a mass movement of refugees after their way of life was destroyed by some idiot governer that didn't list to his citizens. They protest but are censored then told to leave if they don't like it, the planets in the solar system then turn into massive ghost towns after the population leave to better prospects. Hey they could even make an MMORPG out of it!

    "Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience"

    CS Lewis

  • GodliestGodliest Member Posts: 3,486

    If they keep a epic Star Wars feeling I'll probably watch them, I just hope they don't screw it up royally. Would be cool if he manages to make a "new" story with new characters and still keep some older characters and some of the old story.

    image

    image

  • DCTitanDCTitan Member Posts: 88

    The Star War's storyline is "alright" but lets face it the coolness that was Star War's came from the epic battles and the awesomeness that was the "force" (Jedi vs. Sith).  The original time line that Lucas created is spent and has grown boring / stale and telling some story about some minor nobodies doesn't really impress me much.  Now if you wanted to create a series based on the EU (the Vong War, Knights of the Old Republic era etc.) with plenty of Jedi / Dark Jedi running around than I'd be all for it but I don't think a TV series can really capture our imagination the same way (we shall see).

  • MR-BubblesMR-Bubbles Member Posts: 649

    ITS THE JAR-JAR BINKS FAMILY FUN SHOW!!!

     

    Sound of children cheering in the background.

    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Retired from: Neocron, Everquest, Everquest 2, Guild Wars, RF Online and Final Fantasy VII

    Currently Playing : EvE Online.

  • maledicta777maledicta777 Member Posts: 95

     

    Originally posted by SioBabble


    Well, there's no way in hell a relative hack writer like Lucas can hope to match JMS, so don't plan on this being like B5.  Lucas does not have that sort of depth of story in him.
    That being said, this sounds, conceptually, very much like the original SWG premise: the story of the extras being told, not the major players, of the SW universe.
    How this will go over with Lucas' own marketing department, which is lightsabers, lightsabers, lightsabers will be interesting to observe.

    While B5 had an epic storyline, it failed miserably in dialogue.  Not to mention that any extra that appeared on the show had the acting talent of a street vendor or, well... me.  So, JMS was no genius when it came to dialogue, but his story certainly had continuity.   Not sure what he is thinking with the B5 tales.  Man, those things suck nuts. 

     

    As for SW, I'm pretty much done with it.  Lucas managed to take a wonderful franchise and grind it into nothing.  I seriously hate him for it.  I still remember going with my dad to the drive-in theater and watching the first movie and then receiving SW toys on Xmas day.   Was pretty cool.

    But who knows, maybe if Lucas limits himself to a shoestring budget he can pull something off that will be worth watching.  Seriously, someone take away his computers. 

    - Mal

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