Tuesday, September 23

• The Force Unleashed Could Be Headed for the Big Screen

  Star Wars fans (and pretty much everyone else) may have roundly rejected the recent animated flick Star Wars: The Clone Wars, but they've shown plenty of love for the videogame Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, snapping up over a million copies in its first five days of release. While TFU's gameplay has received mixed reviews, its storyline, revolving around Darth Vader's secret apprentice and the hunt for the last of the Jedi, has been lauded as the saga's best in over a decade (which, given its recent track record, isn't the toughest accomplishment).

  The L.A. Times' "Hero Complex" blog today posted an interesting article discussing the possibility of The Force Unleashed being made into a major motion picture. Given Lucasfilm's penchant for exploiting anything and everything Star Wars-related to its fullest profit-making potential, don't be surprised to see some iteration of the story make the leap to the big screen in the near future. Let's just hope that this time George Lucas resists the urge to add any flamboyantly effeminate Hutts or relentlessly annoying Padawans to its cast of characters.

  
  

  Posted 09/23/2008 by Thomas

  Related: George Lucas | Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Wednesday, June 4

• Lucas Says Obama Just as Cool as Jar-Jar, Ewoks
  

  Breitbert.com reports that George Lucas, the man behind such iconic characters as Indiana Jones and Han Solo (and Jar-Jar Binks and the Ewoks), has declared Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama a "hero."
  
  During a press tour for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull in Japan Wednesday, the creator of Star Wars said of Obama "for all of us who have hopes and dreams, is a hero."
  
  Lucas went on to discuss his homage to space aliens in Crystal Skull and once again defended Jar-Jar Binks as the logical future leader of the Galactic Senate.
  
  
  
  

  Posted 06/04/2008 by Jeff

  Related: George Lucas

Friday, May 9

• Clone Wars Trailer Reveals New Vision for Star Wars

  Lucasfilm today released the first theatrical trailer for Star Wars: The Clone Wars, the new 3-D animated flick slated for release on August 15th. Little of the plot is revealed in the two-minute clip, save for a few tidbits about a kidnapping plot involving Jabba the Hutt's son. Which means, of course, that Jabba found a way to procreate -- an unsettling fact that leaves all of us to wonder just how something like that could possibly have occurred. Let's hope that Clone Wars' story, which bridges the gap between episodes II and III of the Star Wars saga, leaves out that unpleasant detail.

  The new clip showcases Star Wars: The Clone Wars' interesting animation style and abundance of new characters -- both of which are likely to spur furious speculation in the fanboy community. Are the characters too "video game" in appearance? And just who exactly are all of those folks wielding red lightsabres? New Sith recruits? Check out the Clone Wars trailer over at Yahoo Movies and let us know what you think.

  
  

  Posted 05/09/2008 by Thomas

  Related: George Lucas | Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Tuesday, February 12

• Star Wars Clone Wars Coming to Big Screen

  The latest chapter in the never-ending Star Wars saga will be hitting the big AND small screens later this year.

  Lucasfilm has announced that the new Clone Wars TV series for the Cartoon Network will launch with a 90-minute theatrical version at theaters nationwide on August 15th.

  George Lucas and Co. are distributing through Warner Bros. on this one, which will make Clone Wars the first Star Wars feature not released through 20th Century Fox.

  
  

  Posted 02/12/2008 by Jeff

  Related: George Lucas | Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith | Star Wars: Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith | Star Wars: Episode II -- Attack of the Clones | Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace | Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back | Star Wars | Star Wars IV: A New Hope | Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi

Monday, October 15

• Star Wars May Finally be Headed to Small Screen Soon

  EW reports that sources have confirmed the long-rumored Star Wars TV series may finally be getting closer to actual production. According to EW's sources, George Lucas will be in Los Angeles next week to start hiring writers for the series. The writers would be working on the project on a freelance basis, but word is they would be relatively well-known writers.

  Lucas would reportedly be hiring writers for 13 episodes which will be independently financed by Lucas.

  Fans around the globe are collectively holding their breath for the announcement that Lucas will hire someone other than himself to direct the series.

  
  
  

  Dailies Clip

  MovieMakers gathered in Beverly Hills to honor Star Wars.

  Posted 10/15/2007 by Jeff

  Related: George Lucas | Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith | Star Wars: Episode II -- Attack of the Clones | Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace | Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi | Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back | Star Wars

Tuesday, October 9

• Great Moments in Hollywood Delusion

  George Lucas made headlines recently with his bold assertion that Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull will be as good as the first Indy flick, Raiders of the Lost Ark. Lucas, who made the statement to VH1 while on the red carpet for AFI's 40th Anniversary gala last week, also bragged that the fourth film in the series will be the most similar in tone to the first one.

  Far be it from me to question the wisdom of the man who gave us Jar-Jar Binks, Ewoks and midichlorians, but if the fourth Indiana Jones flick does indeed have a chance to be as good as the first one, it's only because Lucas isn't directing it.

  
  

  Posted 10/09/2007 by Thomas

  Related: George Lucas | Steven Spielberg | Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull | Raiders of the Lost Ark

Friday, September 28

• Looks like ILM hates Jar-Jar Binks as much as we do

  Yesterday we got a chance to visit the hallowed halls of Industrial Light and Magic, the legendary special effects house founded by Star Wars guru George Lucas. While the bulk of the day was devoted to a behind-the-scenes look at the visual effects of Transformers (look for a detailed report next week), the ILM folks were kind enough to treat us to a tour of the facility, which houses an amazing collection of props and memorabilia from hundreds of ILM releases, dating all the way back to the original Star Wars: A New Hope.

  One of the more interesting items housed there is a life-sized Jar-Jar Binks frozen in carbonite (pictured left; click here for a larger version). An ignominious fate for the former senator from Naboo, to be sure, but certainly a much kinder one than most of us would have hoped.

  
  

  Posted 09/28/2007 by Thomas

  Related: George Lucas | Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones | Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith | Star Wars: Episode I -- The Phantom Menace

Thursday, May 10

• Lucas disses Spidey

  Count Star Wars profiteer creator George Lucas as among those unimpressed with Spider-Man 3.

  According to Fox News, Lucas referred to the third installment of the Spidey franchise as "a silly, silly movie," and added "There just isn't much there. Once you take it all apart, there's not much story, is there?"

  This coming from the man who gave us Jar-Jar Binks and the Ewoks.

  Judging from his increasingly ludicrous statements, it's becoming more and more apparent that Lucas is bent on becoming the Michael Jackson of directors, retreating into his own fantasy world in which the standard rules of taste simply don't apply. In George's world, superfluous CGI sidekicks make perfect sense, Hayden Christensen is considered a good actor and movies superior to his own are labeled "silly."

  
  

  Posted 05/10/2007 by Thomas

  Related: George Lucas

Wednesday, April 18

• Indy 4 already in trouble?

  Shooting has yet to begin on the fourth Indiana Jones film and fans already have cause to worry. In a recent interview with MTV News, one-time Indy 4 screenwriter Frank Darabont spoke of his much-publicized troubles with producer George Lucas:

  "I spent a year of very determined effort on something I was very excited about, working very closely with Steven Spielberg and coming up with a result that I and he felt was terrific. He wanted to direct it as his next movie, and then suddenly the whole thing goes down in flames because George Lucas doesn't like the script."

  Some speculate that the rift began when Darabont ignored Lucas's request for Indiana to be paired with a Jamaican-accented, CGI-animated sidekick. Lucas, having already contracted with Hasbro to sell a line of toys based on the new character, was left with no choice but to fire Darabont.

  Allegedly.

  
  

  Posted 04/18/2007 by Thomas

  Related: Frank Darabont | George Lucas | Steven Spielberg

Wednesday, March 28

• What, no Jar Jar Binks stamp?

  Geeks everywhere will soon have a new reason to leave their parents' basements, as today the U.S. Postal Service unveiled a set of 15 stamps commemorating 30th anniversary of Star Wars films. The new stamps, featuring iconic images of Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, Yoda and more will be available at your local post office on May 26th.

  The price of stamps goes up two cents on May 14th, allegedly to pay for the huge licensing fees demanded by George Lucas. Allegedly.

  
  

  Posted 03/28/2007 by Thomas

  Related: George Lucas | Star Wars