Star Wars . . . the TV Series

[peewee's lovechild]

And, it has nothing to do with the Skywalkers.

Will it work?

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

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George Lucas planning 'Star Wars' TV series

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.' "

[samikeyp]

Without at least the possibility of the more famous characters showing up, at least early on...I don't like its chances.

[FromWayDowntown]

The last time Star Wars went exclusively to television with something, they came up with 10 minutes of wookies unintelligbly growling at each other, Bea Arthur singing in the cantina, and Jefferson Starship performing in flourescent purple.

http://www.starwarsholidayspecial.com/

[CubanMustGo]

As long as Lucas gets someone else to write the scripts ...

[Soul_Patch]

it may work on the sci fi channel.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

As long as Lucas gets someone else to write the scripts ...

Absolutely! I wish he'd hire some real writers and remake the first three movies!

If they can resurrect Battlestar Galactica and make it as compelling as it was, don't tell me a well written Star Wars series wouldn't work.

This may sound crazy, but Lucas owes his entire success to Harrison Ford. Ford was great in American Graffiti (although admittedly that was more of an ensemble movie - lots of good young actors there), then in the original Star Wars trilogy, apparently most of the funny stuff is Ford ad libbing and taking the other actors with him. And the humour was essential to the success of those movies, and one of the defining differences between the first and second trilogies.

[leemajors]

live action is stupid. if Genndy Tartakovsky is doing the clone wars stuff again, i'm in. That series of 2 minute shorts was way better than any of the new star wars movies. he's also working on a samurai jack movie, which should be badass. also peewee, he's been pitching a dark tower cartoon, which would also be cool.

edit: looks like lucas went elsewhere for the TV series. incredibly stupid. :td

[Melmart1]

As if the Star Wars franchise doesn't already have the blight that is the last couple of movies on it (and dont get me started about Jar Jar Binks), but now they have the potential to put an even bigger pimple on its ass. Brilliant!

[CuckingFunt]

I've been boycotting Star Wars for several years. I expect that to continue.

[peewee's lovechild]

live action is stupid. if Genndy Tartakovsky is doing the clone wars stuff again, i'm in. That series of 2 minute shorts was way better than any of the new star wars movies. he's also working on a samurai jack movie, which should be badass. also peewee, he's been pitching a dark tower cartoon, which would also be cool.

edit: looks like lucas went elsewhere for the TV series. incredibly stupid. :td

Yea, I read about the Dark Tower cartoon.
It would be fucking brilliant under Tartakovsky.

But, I also read about Stephen King selling the movie rights to J.J. Abrams to see what he comes up with. However, he still won't commit to making the movies.

There's hope.

[peewee's lovechild]

As if the Star Wars franchise doesn't already have the blight that is the last couple of movies on it (and dont get me started about Jar Jar Binks), but now they have the potential to put an even bigger pimple on its ass. Brilliant!

It won't have anything to do with any of that.

So, maybe you can give it a chance?

[FromWayDowntown]

I've been boycotting Star Wars for several years. I expect that to continue.

You can be sure, though, that the legions of Star Wars nerds who lined up for hours waiting to see midnight showings of the prequel films will be the core audience of a television series. The loyalty of those guys is enough to drive the series for a year or two at least.

[peewee's lovechild]

The last time Star Wars went exclusively to television with something, they came up with 10 minutes of wookies unintelligbly growling at each other, Bea Arthur singing in the cantina, and Jefferson Starship performing in flourescent purple.

http://www.starwarsholidayspecial.com/

That wasn't Lucas' last flirtation with television.

Remember the Battle for Endor T.V. series??

[peewee's lovechild]

You can be sure, though, that the legions of Star Wars nerds who lined up for hours waiting to see midnight showings of the prequel films will be the core audience of a television series. The loyalty of those guys is enough to drive the series for a year or two at least.

Hey!!!

I resemble that remark.

[Melmart1]

Yea, I read about the Dark Tower cartoon.
It would be fucking brilliant under Tartakovsky.

But, I also read about Stephen King selling the movie rights to J.J. Abrams to see what he comes up with. However, he still won't commit to making the movies.

There's hope.
It doesn't matter if it has nothing to do with the originals. It will still have the Star Wars name attached. I will probably check it out, but my expectations at this point are very low.

[angel_luv]

"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."

Then what is the point?

He ought to call the series something completely different because Star Wars is about the Skywalkers.

I get why he is using the Star Wars name but down with false advertizing in the name of monetary gain. Greedy gus.

[peewee's lovechild]

Then what is the point?

He ought to call the series something completely different because Star Wars is about the Skywalkers.

I get why he is using the Star Wars name but down with false advertizing in the name of monetary gain. Greedy gus.

Because the characters are of the Star Wars saga.

We don't know which characters yet, but it will be some of the lesser characters that we have seen, or read about, in the past.

[FromWayDowntown]

Hey!!!

I resemble that remark.

Me too.

:oops

[angel_luv]

Because the characters are of the Star Wars saga.

We don't know which characters yet, but it will be some of the lesser characters that we have seen, or read about, in the past.


Sounds like something you true fans will enjoy.

I hope so anyway. :)

[peewee's lovechild]

Sounds like something you true fans will enjoy.

I hope so anyway. :)

That's what I'm hoping for.

[MaNuMaNiAc]

I don't have a problem with the series being about characters other than the original. As long as George Lucas doesn't write the episodes. In fact, they should get the guy who wrote the storyline for the Knights of the Old Republic games. IMO those two games had the best plot of anything Star Wars of the last 2 decades. Not that any self respecting Star Wars geek wouldn't already have played these, but if you haven't, they're a good example of the potential this series has, given the right circumstances.

[Mark in Austin]

If you go back and look at them objectively, the writing on the first trilogy was nothing to write home about either. The difference is how the stories were shot and assembled.

Lucas said in one of his interviews that on the newer three movies, he shot scenes and dialog prior to knowing how everything would fit together structurally in the movie. If he didn't know which scenes would go where in the movie, the actors didn't either; and I think that is why what the new trilogy suffers from most is a startling lack of emotional connection to the characters. I think the main reason for this is that the actors didn't have a clue as to how their respective characters evolved / what the emotional arc of their character within the story was - Lucas didn't give them the continuity and context needed to help them develop the characters. What we're left with - especially with Portman and Christiansen, whose characters individually and together change over time - is a performance where the actors are relying entirely on the script, and can't effectively bring nuance or their own layers to the character, because they weren't given a clear picture of the character's arc across the movies. (McGregor's character didn't suffer as badly from this, but his character didn't change much over the movies)

It seems like the Lucas mantra on the new films was "we'll deal with it in post." ugh.

At least, that's my theory.

[leemajors]

If you go back and look at them objectively, the writing on the first trilogy was nothing to write home about either. The difference is how the stories were shot and assembled.

Lucas said in one of his interviews that on the newer three movies, he shot scenes and dialog prior to knowing how everything would fit together structurally in the movie. If he didn't know which scenes would go where in the movie, the actors didn't either; and I think that is why what the new trilogy suffers from most is a startling lack of emotional connection to the characters. I think the main reason for this is that the actors didn't have a clue as to how their respective characters evolved / what the emotional arc of their character within the story was - Lucas didn't give them the continuity and context needed to help them develop the characters. What we're left with - especially with Portman and Christiansen, whose characters individually and together change over time - is a performance where the actors are relying entirely on the script, and can't effectively bring nuance or their own layers to the character, because they weren't given a clear picture of the character's arc across the movies. (McGregor's character didn't suffer as badly from this, but his character didn't change much over the movies)

It seems like the Lucas mantra on the new films was "we'll deal with it in post." ugh.

At least, that's my theory.
countdown to peewee meltdown about how wrong you are...

[Mark in Austin]

countdown to peewee meltdown about how wrong you are...

Don't get me wrong - I think the series could be very cool and successful. In fact, of all the fictional "universes" out there that have been created over the years, the Star Wars one is probably the most detailed we have in terms of level of awareness and knowledge in the general public.

Hell, you now have entire scenes in other movies devoted to discussing esoteric Star Wars plot points and hypotheticals (the Clerks death star contractor scene) - I think it could work.

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as long as Lucas stays hands off on the day to day stuff, and the concept isn't to do the show through the eyes of two droids. That would suck.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

It'll have some tough competition with Cavemen.

[peewee's lovechild]

It'll have some tough competition with Cavemen.

I hate you.

[peewee's lovechild]

countdown to peewee meltdown about how wrong you are...

I'm too tired right now, and I haven't had sex in a while.

I'm not in the right mind frame.

I'll do it tomorrow.

[timvp]

Star track threads :pctoss

[S_A_Longhorn]

As long as Lucas gets someone else to write the scripts ...


The scripts were fine. It was the director (yes, it was Lucas).

[The Red Hood]

The live action series will have nothing to do with the more popular characters such as Luke, Vader, and Han, but the other tv series (the Clone Wars) that Lucas is putting together for 08 - 09 will be computer animated, and will feature the more famous, popular, characters. :nerd
http://i21.tinypic.com/mvgrw7.jpg
http://i20.tinypic.com/z73wj.jpg

[leemajors]

The live action series will have nothing to do with the more popular characters such as Luke, Vader, and Han, but the other tv series (the Clone Wars) that Lucas is putting together for 08 - 09 will be computer animated, and will feature the more famous, popular, characters. :nerd
http://i21.tinypic.com/mvgrw7.jpg
http://i20.tinypic.com/z73wj.jpg
he should have begged tartakovsky to do it. this better not be like mtv's digi spiderman.