JediDefender.com Forums
Multimedia => The Prequel Trilogy => Topic started by: darth fett on May 12, 2003, 02:08 PM
-
The Clone Wars end at the beginning of the film, and the rest of the movie will be very small and personal & centered around obi-wan, anakin & padme as usual .
anakins jealousy and anger towards Obi-Wan and blaming everyone else for his inability to be as powerful as he wants to be, which he hears that he will be, so here he sort of lays out his ambititon and you'll see later on his ambition and his dialogue here is the same as Dooku's. He says "I will become more powerful than every Jedi." And you'll hear later on Dooku will say "I have become more powerful than any Jedi." So you're going start to see everyboy saying the same thing. And Dooku is kind of the fallen Jedi who was converted to the Dark Side because the other Sith Lord didn't have time to start from scratch, and so we can see that that's where this is going to lead which is that it is possible for a Jedi to be converted. It is possible for a Jedi to want to become more powerful, and control things. Because of that, and because he was unwilling to let go of his mother, because he was so attached to her, he committed this terrible revenge on the Tusken Raiders.
Palpatine will influence anakin in turning agaist obi wan telling him that obi wan is trying to keep him from becoming a great jedi & is reponsible for hiding padme from him .
Padme dies after giving birth to luke & leia due to injuries suffered.
episode 3 will revisit darth vaders ship , degobah & the cantina on tatooin where we will see chewbaca again
The scene where Anakin does actually become Vader is pretty good. I mean, I like it. It's a little in the vocabulary of a ... I don't know how much I want to give away ... but it's in the vocabulary of a time - of the 1930s and 1940s. It's a pretty neat little thing, I think, and hopefully it's going to work GL
Boba will be in Episode III, but his role definitely won't be larger. He's in a transition period of becoming a bounty hunter. The next film takes place two or three years later, so Boba would only be 13 and still wouldn't fit the suit. GL
Anakins memory will be erased and so will R2 & c-3po's memorys. So, they don't remember anything from the first trilogy. I'm telling you something from Episode 3, but I shouldn't be telling you that, but I think most of the fans already know that. GL
tarkin should be present in episode 3 helping palpatine into power.
someone in the Jedi order has been hiding this whole system from the Jedi Archives. It does come out eventually in the next movie exactly what's behind all this. I wanted to have it there in this movie but not so strongly that you asked a lot of questions about who is the one that erased the tapes and who started the army and how all that works because it's something that unfortunately doesn't get revealed until the third film. (i think its mace windu ..call it a gut feeling ..if you watch the movies & notice his responses & reactions you'll catch on to what im talking about )
we will only see bio vader in the last 10 min of the movie right after anakin falls into a lava pit after his fight with obi wan
dooku will have his own agenda in episode 3 with mace windu
There are some, if I can fit them in, but I won't say who they are. Some key characters are scheduled to be fit in if I can make it work. They are not so integral to the story--it's really done to say, 'Oh look, there's so-and-so.' GL this will tell you that chewbaca will have but breif cameo & will in no way shape or form make a diffrence in the movie
Anakin completing his training at the mercy of Sidious
maybe some of this is true who know's but i cant wait to se the finished product of the final episode of george lucas trilogy
-
Wow where did you hear all of this stuff?
-
as well as rick confirmed the clone troopers will have a new look in episode 3 as super arc commandos . heres an intresting theory of who erased kamino from the jedi files ....i found this real intresting : Who Done It and Why: The Search for Kamino
In these days where every infrequent spoiler report is more unbelievable than the last, there's not much to fill the time with, for your typical spoilerhead - except speculation. I have heard some say that it's a lost art. It may be. I know that many, including myself, thrive on facts; hard, proven data. But when those facts just aren't there, you've got to make good with what you've got. Enter speculation.
Lucas has said quite a bit about Episode III. He's told us that most of what we need to know to solve the big "mysteries" of the Star Wars universe is already out there. We just have to put it together. By reading between the lines in a lot of his quotes, I believe it's quite possible to do just that. Certain aspects of the universe, like disappearing Jedi and, the focus of this editorial, exactly who erased Kamino from the Jedi library, begin to become clear.
So what do I refer to? How can I claim to know who erased the files from the single quote of "Someone in the Jedi order has been hiding this whole system from the Jedi Archives."? Well, simple answer, I can't. Until May 2005, George could always pull a "Obi-Wan is your father" on us, no matter what the leaked script in our hands says. But from what we have at our disposal at this moment in time, I submit the following theory:
Anakin did it.
Okay, maybe you're thinking it's a little out there. From my experiences peddling this theory from message board to message board, the majority of people that I've mentioned this to have basically called me crazy. That I was really reaching. And then there's the other population, though a very small minority, that have thought this from day one of viewing AOTC. Or, at the least, they believe the theory now. If you're in that small minority, I guess I don't have to convince you of anything. But if you're skeptical, read on. You might luck out and get persuaded like some other prior non-believers.
First off, Lucas said that "someone IN the Jedi order HAS BEEN HIDING Kamino…" The 'in' and 'has been hiding' infer that the perpetrator is still in the Jedi Order. Up until a month or so ago, if you asked me who erased the Kamino file, I would've said "Dooku. Duh." Well, Dooku hasn't been a Jedi for ten years. So that rules him out. Since Mace, Yoda, Ki-Adi, Plo, etc. are NOT traitors, that doesn't leave many candidates. Specifically, it leaves Anakin. Now, that's certainly not my entire proof. As I said before, a lot of this theory stems from my interpretation of Lucas's own quotes. If you read through Lucas Says, located at http://www.episode-x.com/episode3/lucassays, specifically, the section regarding Palpatine's Influence on Anakin, you'll get an idea where I'm going. Here are Lucas's words, reproduced from that section:
TPM DVD Commentary:
GL: There's a very subtle thing going on here through the next two movies of Palpatine's involvement with Anakin which isn't on screen, it's all sort of hinted at.
AOTC DVD Commentary:
GL: Here with Obi-Wan we get a little sense that Anakin has some relationship with Palpatine and that he likes Palpatine. In the last film we set up the fact that Palpatine was gonna watch after Anakin.
GL: I had all these hints that Palpatine had been helping Anakin, but I needed an explicit scene that actually spelled it out and where you could see that some of Anakin's dialogue later on has come from Palpatine.
GL: So we have this little picnic where Anakin brings out the uncomfortable subject of previous boyfriends which boys have a tendency to do, and then we get into this political discussion which allows us to get a little insight into Anakin and Palpatine's influence over Anakin and some of his thought process.
As you can see, Lucas seems to like to talk about how much Anakin and Palpatine get along. We can see that Palpatine has Anakin thinking dictatorship already. We know that Palpatine has been offering him guidance. We can hear Palpatine's dialogue being recycled and coming out of Anakin's mouth. And most importantly, we know (at least, most of us do) that Palpatine is Darth Sidious.
Darth Sidious, Palpatine, is the puppet master. He's pulling all the strings, setting everything up, foreseeing everything (well, almost). Everything that has transpired has done so according to his design. At the end of TPM, when he suddenly found himself apprentice-less, he needed a new one to do the dirty work for him. As his plan was already set in motion, he needed someone pre-trained in the ways of the Force that he could teach the Dark Side to rather easily. As such, he chose, and turned, a Jedi in the form of Count Dooku. However, from the line "We will watch your career with great interest.", and the fact that ten years later in Attack of the Clones we find out that Palpatine has been guiding Anakin (most likely unbeknownst to the Jedi Council), it's not hard to believe that Palpatine was already eyeing Anakin as early as the Phantom Menace as his next apprentice.
Where does that put us? We know that Palpatine likes Anakin, and vice-versa. That doesn't give Anakin much of a reason to erase some files. But listen again to Anakin's dialogue about or directly to Palpatine in Episode II. "The Chancellor doesn't appear to be corrupt.", "I think he's a good man.", "Your guidance, more than my patience." It's quite clear that Anakin not only likes Palpatine, but trusts him a lot.
So let's speculate. What if Palpatine told Anakin that there existed a planet Kamino, and, for whatever reason (insert reason here), it'd be best for the galaxy if all knowledge of that planet was lost. Who knows what reason he might give. I've yet to come with a really good reason that would convince Anakin that it really was a good idea to erase the files, but that certainly doesn't mean that George couldn't come up with one. Anyway, Anakin trusts Palpatine. He buys into this "good of the galaxy" line that Palpatine is feeding him, and when he gets a few free minutes, he heads up to Jocasta's pad and hits the delete key a few times.
Now let me set something straight here: I am in no means implying that Anakin is a bad guy or a traitor in Episode II. He may have made a bad decision in the Tusken camp, but we can tell from the confession scene after that that he's a Jedi - he knows he's better than that. Point being, he's TRYING to be a great Jedi. He's still a good guy. If my theory is true, then Anakin erased the files because Palpatine, the SUPREME CHANCELLOR of the Republic, the person everyone in the galaxy should trust implicitly to know what's best for the Republic, asked him to. Remember I said earlier that Palpatine somehow convinced Anakin that erasing the file was for the GOOD of the galaxy. Anakin is still a good guy - he just trusts the wrong person.
Now, from experience writing this theory all over the place, I anticipate a lot of the questions you're going to have about my theory. So let me try and answer them now.
"The files were erased when the clones were ordered - ten years ago. Anakin was only nine. He couldn't have done it then."
Where does it say that the files were erased when the clones were ordered? No where, of course, but this is a common assumption. And we all know what happens when you assume… Think about this: Kamino is far away from Coruscant. It's 12 parsecs south of the Rishi Maze, beyond the Outer Rim. It's far enough away that the transmission from Obi-Wan to the Old Folks Home is very fuzzy and jumpy. Yoda's never heard of it. The very haughty Jocasta Nu has never heard of it. Only the well traveled Dexter even knows about it. Since no one would have even the slightest inkling of knowledge about the clones, and there's nothing else of interest going on there, there's no reason for anyone to want to look up Kamino… ever. The only time it would need to be erased is when someone IS going to be looking for it. Since Palpatine is practically omnipotent in this whole thing, he KNOWS when the Jedi are going to be looking for a planet called Kamino. Only then does it need to be erased (or does it? We'll get to that in a second). Therefore, the file could have been erased at any time over the ten years. Anakin could have done it, theoretically, the day before Episode II starts.
"If Anakin thought he was erasing the file for the good of the galaxy, why didn't he speak up when Obi-Wan started talking about strange happenings on some planet called Kamino?"
Well, as my good friend CrazyOldJedi pointed out, Obi-Wan doesn't hear the name Kamino until he talks to Dexter - and that scene is directly AFTER Anakin and Padme leave for Naboo to fall in love. Convenient, no? And when Obi-Wan and Anakin meet up again later, while tied to poles, they don't exactly have much time for "so, what have you been up to?" conversations.
"Oh come on - what about the two years between Episode II and Episode III? Anakin never heard about Kamino in that span?"
Well, there's a couple of ways I can think to explain that. First reason: who cares what happens off screen - it's EU! :P
The real answer I have for this may be a bit convoluted, but it's certainly possible. What if, when Palpatine convinced Anakin to erase the files, he also told him not to tell the Jedi? Now, admittedly, this should normally have raised a red flag in Anakin's mind that maybe the Chancellor's not all he's cracked up to be. BUT, suppose he told Anakin that there was a traitor in the Jedi's midst? Suppose he said he had evidence that a Council member was a Sith, and that informing the Jedi Council of this erasure could tip said Council member off that he/she was found out, or that informing the Jedi Council could jeopardize the good reasons behind erasing the file in the first place. Or maybe he told Anakin exactly what Yoda told Obi-Wan and Mace - that the Jedi were just not functioning correctly anymore. That they couldn't be trusted to handle the situation, so he was entrusting this erasure task to him.
Anyway, long story short, make up your own reason. There's plenty of reasons why he might not have told the Jedi. I listed but a few. I'm sure that, if George takes this route, he'll come up with yet another, better reason.
"Yoda says that only a Jedi could've erased the files; Anakin is only a Padawan learner. So how could he have done it?"
This has got to be one of the most asked questions about this theory. But let me ask you back - why would there be some way to erase the files that only full Jedi know of? Theoretically, the Jedi DO NOT want the files erased. It contains millenia of knowledge. So why, upon completion of the trials would they say to a new Jedi "Psst - if you go here and do this, you can delete files! But don't do it ever." Obvious answer: they wouldn't.
So, it's not just some secret that only full Jedi know. That would make no sense. That leaves us with two options. One, there is no protection on the files. The Jedi simply know that, since only people associated with the Jedi order ("Only a Jedi could've erased those files") have access to the files in the first place, and since the Jedi are the GOOD guys, none of them would be going around erasing files. So they don't worry about precautions, and erasing files really is as easy as hitting the delete key a couple times. Perhaps another sign that the Jedi have become too confident? But I digress.
The second possible explanation is that there is indeed some sort of security on the files. This seems to be the most likely option, seeing as Obi-Wan says "But Master Yoda, who could empty information from the archives, that's IMPOSSIBLE isn't it?" Thus, it would take some sort of hacking into the system to delete files. And what person associated with the Jedi order do we know who's built a protocol droid and a podracer - someone obviously very adept at technology? Hmm...
Also, just to clarify what I stated above, although Yoda says that only a Jedi could've erased the files, I FULLY believe that that statement was just in reference to the fact that only Jedi are allowed to go into the libary in the first place. I think this line was just there to tell us that Sidious couldn't have done it (and perhaps to falsely throw us in suspicion of Dooku...), cause he ain't no Jedi. And if you watch the library scene in AOTC, you see a youngling, about ten years old, wandering free in the background. Obviously, you don't have to be a full Jedi to have access to the library. Anakin, as a Padawan learner, DEFINITELY has the necessary access.
"I don't buy this - George has to make the traitor a surprise, and everyone knows that Anakin's a traitor."
Why is Anakin being the file eraser not a surprise? In fact, I guarantee you it would be, since 90% of the people that read my theory on message boards told me that I was crazy and that they had never in a million years ever thought that that could be possible. That sounds like a surprise to me.
Also, you have to remember that George is making these movies to be viewed in chronological order. To the people watching the films for the first time, with no knowledge of Darth Vader and Anakin going bad will be quite surprised to learn that sweet little innocent Anakin was "betraying" the Jedi even before Episode II!
If you have further questions concerning the validity of my theory, please send them to vandaronas@hotmail.com and I'll see if I can BS an answer. :P
Finally, I'd like to discuss exactly WHY the file was erased in the first place. It may seem like a dumb question at first. It was erased, of course, to hide Kamino! But think about Palpatine's plan: he wanted the Jedi to discover the clones, and to use the clones, so that it made them look responsible for them. It's most likely one of the ways he's going to turn the general populace of the galaxy against the Jedi - because they were responsible for the Clone Wars. But for that to be the case, like I said, the Jedi have to discover Kamino. So how does hiding it from them do Palpatine any good?
Palpatine claims that everything has proceeded as he has foreseen/planned. Therefore, he foresaw that the Jedi would have to use an alternate source of info to identify the dart since their archives were ill-equipped to do so. He foresaw that that source would also give them coordinates of the planet. Therefore, he felt comfortable in deleting the file, since he knew that the Jedi would still be able to get there without it.
But still, either way, what WAS the purpose of deleting the file? With or without it, the Jedi were going to get to Kamino. Well, for one, deleting the file creates a sense of mystery. Obi-Wan was perplexed by it's absence from the archives - and it made him want to get to Kamino even more. The fact that it was erased was, to him, a sign that someone didn't want him there - so he better get there. Not only that, but it created an air of mistrust among the Jedi. "Only a Jedi could've erased those files." If the Jedi are busy searching for a rat in their system when the "rat" is right under their noses (Anakin), it takes their attention away from the larger goings on in the galaxy. Mainly, the Sith rising to power.
Also, another possible explanation for why the file is erased is that perhaps Palpatine wanted to test Anakin's allegiance. For years, he'd been guiding him, helping him out, etc. He knew that Anakin trusted him, but he wanted to, quote end quote "test the water." Can Anakin really go against his Master's? Will he? Asking Anakin to do this, and then him actually doing it, proves to Palpatine that Anakin trusts him implicitly, and is willing to 'do his bidding.'
And we all know how that turns out.
In conclusion, I'd like to say that I, personally, really like this theory. It offers a twist on what is probably considered a given (that Dooku did it); it makes Anakin's character more complex, as, for whatever reason, he chose to go with Palpatine's word over the Jedi; and it makes the relationship between Anakin and Palpatine just that much COOLER. Think about Return of the Jedi. "I MUST obey my Master." That's YEARS of experience talking. Not just since he joined the dark side either, but with this theory, it could be argued that Palpatine was his Master since before Episode II - possibly even since the end of Episode I - which means that there were even more years than the many we already knew about of "Palpatine is Good" thoughts that Anakin had to overcome in order to save his son from the evil Emperor. And that's a damn cool thought. :D
On page 25, a reporter brought up the character Jar Jar Binks and how he added silly comedy to Episode I and how he added drama to Episode II. The reporter then asked what does he add to Episode III and what happens to him. Lucas commented that Jar Jar would not die on screen in the film or not even die at all.
He said that he created the character to add to the story, not to be created to then be killed at the end. The reporter then asked why Jar Jar isn't in the original trilogy. Lucas said that Episode III will explain everything that needs to be explained.
woudn't this make a good twist ?
-
Wow that is even better, where did you hear this?
-
Hera are some great Facts not rumours for all you great star wars fans :
March 02, 1997 / Lucas on BBC Radio:
"...the third film will be the darkest of the prequels."
March 04, 1997 / Lucas interview for BBC Radio One:
"...and the third one is the dark one - it will probably fit in really well with 21st century!"
April 21, 1998 / Lucas Interview:
"Luke failed his challenge in Empire Strikes Back in that the only thing he lost was his hand. Anakin will fail his challenge but it will cost him his soul."
October 11, 1998 / TFN Spy Report:
"Just got back from a lecture given by James Earl Jones at Penn State. He spoke about the arts and gave a thoroughly enjoyable speech. During the q & a session, he did happen to mention that his voice will only be heard during the last 5 minutes of episode #3. I guess we can all look forward to that."
March, 1999 / Lucas Interview:
"The man Leia called Father was obviously not her father. He is part of the group that ends up having to fight Darth Vader in the film that will be out in 2003 [laughs]."
April 23, 1999 / Premiere Magazine Interview with Lucas:
• (And the next episodes in the prequel series will be darker than Episode I?)
"By their very nature. The next one isn't so bad. The third one's pretty bad."
• (That's when Anakin goes over to the dark side and becomes Darth Vader?)
"Yes. Episode III will probably make half of whatever the others make..."
May 2, 1999 / Rick McCallum at the Denver Star Wars Celebration:
"George Lucas will "unquestionably" be directing Episode Three." McCallum also revealed the third prequel begins filming in June 2003 and will be released in May 2005.
May 18, 1999 / Rosie O'Donnell Show: Natalie Portman made it official: she's signed to star in Episode III.
February, 2000 / Lucas MP3 from "Magic of the Myth":
"The Empire is portrayed in very hard blacks and whites, most of the sets are dark grey and the emperor's in a black cloak, the stormtroopers are all in white and the royal guards are in a deep maroon - the significance of which will become more apparent when you're able to see all six films together. I tried to keep things very much in black and whites and greytones and not introduce very much color. The only colors introduced are basically red or maroon/dark maroon which is kind of reminiscent of blood and also very royal kind of color."
February 24, 2000 / McCallum Interview with InsideReel.com:
"Dangerous. Dark in a gentle darkening way. But all to say it's the story of the fold. How do you get this perfect kid that, if you're a parent, is the kind of kid that any parent would love to be able to have and what happens to him. Is it ego? Is it pride? Is it environment? Is it genetics that actually turns him into who he becomes? What is it that makes somebody feel better than somebody else? What is the Dark Side in us? Why do we do horrible things to people, especially people that we love? And then, what are the consequences when we do them? Why can't we stop ourselves? All those are the central basic themes of what Episodes II and III are about. It's the downward spiral."
May 31, 2000 / TFN Spy Report:
Jimmy Smits will appear in Episode Three. What's very interesting is the fact that Smits has been promised his character's part will be significantly expanded in Episode Three; again, very similar in nature to Jackson's role as Jedi Master Mace Windu in Star Wars, Episode Two which Lucas has said is an "emerging character".
February 10, 2001 / Empire Magazine Lucas Interview:
"...if you start with Star Wars, then Vader’s just the villain, and that’s it. But you don’t realize that he’s a human being, that he’s got problems you don’t realize that he could have been saved, that he was tricked and can be resurrected."
March 19, 2001 / James Earl Jones spoke at a lecture:
When asked whether he would do Darth Vader for Episode III "Are you kidding?" he says, which is a good point, "Who else are they going to get? I saw George Lucas in Idaho and asked, ‘Do I work again?’ and he said, ‘Well, at some point in the third episode [of the new trilogy, which is about the transformation of young Anakin Skywalker into the evil Darth Vader], Darth will become bionic and he should sound like you then.’" He said there might be no more than five minutes at the end. "And I said, ‘Fine, I’ll take whatever you can give me.’"
April 21, 2001 / Lucas Interview:
"...the third film is very, very, very dark. It's not a happy movie by any stretch of the imagination. It's a tragedy. Ultimately the final story is between Yoda, Obi-Wan, Anakin and the Padmé. It's really their story. Those four characters."
March 27, 2001 / Rick McCallum interview in Australian Sci-Fi Magazine:
"If fans of Obi wan were disappointed that he had a pretty low profile in Ep1, then they are going to be very happy with EpII, and ecstatic about EpIII."
May 18, 2001 / Brisbane radio station B105:
Jay Laga'aia (Capt Typho) said he was approached by Rick McCallum about being cast in Episode III even though George Lucas has not written the script yet.
June 06, 2001 / OS Making of Ep2 Video about location shooting with an emphasis on using Tunisia for Tatooine:
Lucas is asked out of nowhere while on the Tunisia set, "So why did you shoot a scene from Episode III today?" He responds with "you'll have to wait six years to find out", but then he goes into a bit more detail. He says that it's the only shot he'd need for Episode III at the Tunisia location, and shooting it now makes more sense than packing up a crew of 60 people down the line. When asked what he'll do if he ends up needing more shots in Tunisia, he replies "Then I don't get it."
June 10, 2001 / TFN Spy Report (not corroborated) on Tatooine Scene Already filmed for Ep3:
"The 'one shot' for episode 3 that Lucas got while filming in Tunisia was quite simple but needed for a more emotional scene probably towards the end of Episode 3. Additional interior shots will be added when shooting on the set of Episode 3. Lucas wanted a shot of Obi-wan arriving at Owen and Beru's hovel bringing a little delivery. There was no baby on the set of Episode 2. Just a simple prop that looked like the Jedi was carrying a baby wrapped with cloth. I'm assuming we will see the close ups of young Luke in Episode 3 but that is just speculation on my part. George didn't need to bring Ewan all the way to Tunisia for one shot! He just needed a shot of Obi-wan arriving at the hovel. So it was shot with a stand-in from a distance toward the end of the day. He wanted to get the shot while the sun was near setting. It will most likely produce a feeling of deja-vu with most of those that saw Star Wars years ago. Although Ewan was not on the set....if Lucas wanted to he would just add him in digitally....but I doubt it. Again....the majority of this scene will most likely take place on a set in Australia."
August 15, 2001 / TFN Spy Report (based of OS report) on Lava Planet pre-production art work:
"When we were doing [Jedi] I remember I had done a series of sketches of Vader's home, and there was a sea of lava that his house looked out on," remember Johnson. "I remember having trouble drawing it because everything was either orange or a shadow; it was very intense. But before we got too far, George said he would save this for somewhere down the line, and I stopped working on it."
November 13, 2002 / Interview with John Williams:
John Williams talks about the themes of Episode II and also mentions that George Lucas has told him the ending of Episode III. "Not to worry", Williams says. "George Lucas has narrated the last piece to me. After I heard it, I told him, 'Just hurry up and do it, because that is a fabulous ending.'"
November 16, 2001 / TV GUIDE Interview with Lucas on Episodes 7-9:
• (ANY STAR WARS MOVIES AFTER EPISODE III?)
"There's nothing written and it's not like I'm contemplating something. I'd have to start from scratch."
• (WHAT WOULD IT TAKE FOR YOU TO DO A THIRD TRILOGY, WITH EPISODES VII,
-
VIII and IX)
"Each time I do a trilogy it is ten years out of my life. I'll finish "Episode III" and I'll be 60. And the next 20 years after that I want to spend doing something other than "Star Wars." If at 80 I'm still lively and having a good time and think I can work hard for another 10 years between 80 and 90, I might consider it. But don't count on it. There's nothing written and it's not like I'm contemplating something. I'd have to start from scratch. (The idea of episodes VII, VIII and IX) was more of a media thing than it was me."
January 14, 2002 / Rick McCallum on the OS:
"There will be no cameos of characters from the Classic Trilogy in Episode III. No Chewie, Mon Mothma, or Tarkin." (Rick was later stood corrected)
March 16, 2002 / Star Wars Insider:
On page 12, it lists actors returning for Episode III. It mentions Christopher Lee returning for the next movie. It also states Jimmy Smits and Samuel L. Jackson will be returning. It also states that "some smaller parts, including another bad guy," are yet to be cast.
March 27, 2002 / Samuel L. Jackson in Calgary Sun newspaper:
While speaking with The hinted at what's in store for his character in Episode III -- and the request he made to Star Wars creator about how Mace Windu should exit stage right. "All the Jedi die in Episode III during the Clone Wars," Jackson told The Sun. "I told George (Lucas) I didn't mind dying, I just didn't want to go out like some punk. George said that was fine and he'd see what he could do about a fitting death scene for Mace."
May 03, 2002 / SW Celebration, TFN Report:
C-3PO will be played by Anthony Daniels, despite the fact that Lucas has bragged to him that Threepio does exist in the computer so he had better be good. Also the film will be rated PG and the rocket technology seen in Epsiode II becomes obsolete.
May 05, 2002 / Celebration: Episode III Hints:
The first is that in the final prequel, "armageddon" will take place. It was also revealed that pieces of Darth Vader's armor will be seen on several different characters. It will all come together to make the final Vader armor in Episode III. It was also said that they'll start work on Episode III pre-production in either the middle of June or mid-September depending on how long of a break is needed after Episode II. Bonnie Piesse and Joel Edgerton both said they have not filmed anything for Episode III and that they are not yet signed for it either.
May 09, 2002 / Rick McCallum in New York Post on the Fetts:
"Jango's the coolest dude in the movie," he says. "His gear is fantastic. He can fly. He’s got a flame-thrower." He’s also the father of the clone army, and the father of the coolest dude in the original trilogy, Boba Fett, who goes on to capture Han Solo, trap Luke Skywalker and back-talk Vader in front of his officers. Here, we see him as an ambitious young tyke. "You get to understand the relentlessness that Boba has," McCallum says. "Here, and especially in ‘Episode III,’ you’ll understand why he’s so obsessed with destroying any part of the Skywalker family."
May 09, 2002 / Stars of Ep2 talk Ep3 on OS:
For Lucas, the time for reflection on Episode II has been short. "I'm working on writing the next one while this one comes out. I can only worry about what I'm doing today." The actors are eagerly anticipating what the final Star Wars chapter will bring, though thus far they've been kept in the dark on the details. "I hope I die on-screen," laughs Jackson. "We know that's what happens. There are only two Jedi left when the first Star Wars starts, Obi-Wan and Yoda. Unless the rest of us went on vacation, we're dead. I just hope I have a great death scene. That's what acting's all about -- dying great!" "George has told me nothing. Absolutely nothing," said Hayden shaking his head. "I'll have more mechanical parts in the next one for sure. I'm told I might get to sport the dark helmet. I'd like to kill Mace Windu. I love Sam. He's supposed to be one of the most powerful Jedi." Fans enjoying Padme's midriff in Clones will have a different perspective in three years. "I'm going to be with child," said Portman patting her belly. "The next one, according to George, is going to be a tragedy. It's going to be sad, but I'm looking forward to having more to do."
May 13, 2002 / Stars of Ep2 talk Ep3 at AOTC Premiere:
• Ahmed Best confirmed he will be back for Episode 3.
• Ewan McGregor answered in reference to a question about how much stunt work he would have in the new movie versus what he did in pt. 2. The end of the answer was "Obviously, it's no secret. But me and Hayden have this huge battle against each other in Pt. III. So I have to get ready for that." Ewan - talked a lot about the fighting style and how he didn't have to train as hard for this one since he learned all the basics while training for Phantom and that he couldn't wait for the next one. He's excited for whatever big battle will happen between him and Hayden and he mentioned they'll go back to work on it next May.
May 13, 2002 / Lucas Interview on sfgate.com:
Part of the problem, Lucas concludes, is that some older "fans" -- a word that doesn't trip lightly from his tongue -- wanted him to start the prequel trilogy with a movie that was substantially less expository than "Phantom Menace." They didn't care to wait another three years for the hard-core mythologizing and breakneck action to kick into gear. In their impatience, these fans ignored the fact that Lucas had waited nearly 10 times that long for his complete "Star Wars" vision to emerge as one 12-hour story, broken into six more or less equal parts. The outline he wrote 30 years ago was very specific, Lucas said, so the segment of the story unfolding this week isn't much different from the one originally submitted to Fox executives. Because of budget restraints, Fox merely decided to shoot the end before the beginning. "'Episode II' wouldn't have made any sense without 'Phantom Menace,' " Lucas argued. "The prequel is intended to show the descent of a good guy (Anakin Skywalker) into the depths (becoming Darth Vader) in three acts, just like a play. The first act was there to set up all the relevant parts and introduce the characters. It's during Act II that the plot thickens, and Act III is when everything comes together. That's going to be the most fun to do."
May 13, 2002:
After the press picked up on what he said at the Star Wars Celebration, now McCallum's changing his mind about Hugh Jackman being in SW3. In an article published last week in the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper, the producer now says the Jackman rumor is "totally false". He also said that about 80-85% of Episode 3 will be shot in Sydney, starting June 2003.
May 14, 2002 / AP Interview with Hayden Christensen:
Christensen said "Star Wars" creator George Lucas has not told how far the transformation will go in "Episode III." The actor has managed to try on Vader's helmet, just for fun, he said in an interview last week at Lucas' Skywalker Ranch. "Last time I was here, I went up to the archives and got shown around, and there was the dark helm," said Christensen, 21. "I asked if I could put it on and get a picture, which is pretty funny, because I'm wearing this gray track suit and had this enormous helmet on which is just completely disproportionate." Christensen has tried to pry more details about the next film out of Lucas, who begins shooting "Episode III" next summer for release in 2005. "I nag him every now and then about whether or not I'll get to wear the Darth Vader outfit, and he gives me a little wink-wink, nudge-nudge, that maybe I will," Christensen said.
May 14, 2002 / Empire Online Interview Ewan McGregor:
• (Has George told you anything about what to expect in Episode III?)
"No, not really. I know that it'll end in a big fight between me and Hayden which will be fantastic, because Hayden also put a lot of work in the fighting stuff and is very good at it. So there'll be a big kick-off fight, I can imagine, when Hayden becomes Darth Vader. In terms of what leads us up to that, I don't really know. I was always hoping that it would be some kind of love triangle, fighting over Natalie, but I don't know if that's the case, because Obi-Wan doesn't have a look-in in Episode II."
• (Is there anything else you'd like to know?)
"What happens to the Siths? Because there are no Siths in the first three are there? Well, there's the Emperor and there's Darth Vader and that's it. Because there are always two, apparently. I don't know what happens at the end of Three."
-
May 19, 2002 / NBC Extra Interviews Stars of Ep2:
Lucas: "Well in 3, Anakin becomes Darth Vader so that's about as dark as you can get."
• Ewan McGregor comments on his upcoming duel with Anakin Skywalker, "we want it to be the biggest baddest fight scene ever set to movies."
• Hayden on donning the Vader suit, "that will be amazing, to actually, really wear Darth Vader's outfit."
• The announcer reports about the birth of the twins, Luke and Leia, the rise of the Empire, and the fall of the Jedi for Episode 3.
• Samuel L. Jackson talks about his exit in EP3, "I don't think I'm going out like some, some girl. I gotta go down, you know, in a blaze of glory. It (EP3) will lead perfectly into what we know as, you know, the original."
May 20, 2002 / Movie Nights Interview with Hayden Christensen:
• (And you say George hasn’t told you anything –have you told him anything that you would like to do what you’d expect for the character?)
"Not really - it’s his molding of it really and how he sees fit, but I have sort of nagged him a little bit about getting to wear the dark helmet and Darth Vader's costume, and he sort of gives me the wink, wink, nudge, nudge that I will – so that would be really cool, but other than that they’re asking me to put on a little bit of weight or size – I’m not going to go De Niro and get real fat but just so I can be wicked with a light saber, so I think there are going to be some pretty extensive fight sequences in the next one especially between Obi Wan and myself and that’ll be fun." (And are you practicing your moves in the mirror – do you sort of pose with a light saber and see how it goes?) "No I don’t do that, but I’m constantly playing with it and trying to find little different things to do with it. Ewan and I have made a pact to go out to Australia a couple of months before we start filming the next one and just get wicked with our light sabers, just so we can really have a go at each other – and you know I get on really well with Ewan so I think we’ll have some really good fun doing that."
May 22, 2002 / Star Wars Insider Interview with Lucas:
• (Will any OT characters like Tarkin or Chewbacca might appear in Episode III?)
"There are some, if I can fit them in, but I won't say who they are. Some key characters are scheduled to be fit in if I can make it work. They are not so integral to the story--it's really done to say, 'Oh look, there's so-and-so."
May 27, 2002; E! Daily News Interview with Lucas:
...and finally got an answer on the mystery surrounding what R2-D2 and C-3PO should and shouldn't remember of their adventures in the prequels. "Well, one, his brains have, his memory system has been erased and so has R2's. So, they don't remember anything from the first trilogy. I'm telling you something from Episode III, but I shouldn't be telling you that, but I think most of the fans already know that."
May 28, 2002 / Interview with Ahmed Best:
Ahmed shares some words on Jar Jar. First, it says he promises to be back in E3, after that it says, "George told me I'm going to be there."
Jun 06, 2002 / Lucas interview on Entertainment Tonight:
"The Clone Wars would end at the beginning of the film, and it would then become very small and personal." Looks like the big battle will be at the beginning, like in ESB.
Jun 24, 2002 / Starlog Magazine Interviews Lucas:
• STARLOG: And isn’t that Qui-Gon Jinn’s [Liam Neeson] voice we hear during Anakin’s attack on the Tusken Raiders who killed Shmi Skywalker [Pernilla August]?
LUCAS: "That’s a fan thing, isn’t it? It’s actually more than that. It’s a plot point. All I can really say is that you’ll find out [more] in the next film. If you thought really hard, you would probably be able to figure it out, but it really is a set-up for the next film. It’s connected with the whole ability to be brought into and become a part of the Force, but still be able to retain YOUR ability – which, up to this point, Anakin couldn’t do. We talked to Liam about [recording new dialogue], and we went back and forth [about it]. This [dialogue] is something we already had [from Menace]. Next time will be a little more complicated."
• STARLOG: What about Boba Fett?
LUCAS: “Boba WILL be in Episode III, but his role definitely won’t be larger. He’s in a transition period of becoming a bounty hunter. The next film takes place two or three years later, so Boba would only be 13 and still wouldn’t fit in the suit."
• STARLOG: And what about killing Samuel L. Jackson’s character, Mace Windu?
LUCAS: “Sam’s a little concerned that I make it nice and dramatic. It won’t be in the movie’s first scene.”"
• STARLOG: What of all the plot threads and character tidbits that remain to be tied up in Episode III are you – the guy who created this whole universe – most excited to get on film?
LUCAS: "The scene where Anakin does actually become Vader is pretty good [as written in Lucas’ Episode III outline]. I mean, I like it. It’s a little in the vocabulary of…I don’t know how much I want to give away…but it’s in the vocabulary of a time – of the 1930s and 1940s. It’s a pretty neat little thing, I think, and hopefully it’s going to work."
• STARLOG: Will we see more of Anakin or Darth Vader in Episode III?
LUCAS: "It’s mostly Anakin."
Jul 16, 2002 / Nick Gillard Comment at Celebration II:
When asked what he may have in store for the final Duel in Ep3 between Anakin and Obi-Wan, he said that he wasn't 100% sure that he'd be doing the choreography on Ep3 because he was starting to direct. Nick expressed how much he enjoyed directing, but also how he would probably not miss out of putting together what was sure to be the most memorable moment of any Star Wars film... the final duel between Anakin and Obi-Wan.
August 02, 2002 / OS "Ask jedi Council", Rick M. Question:
Will Hugh Jackman be in Episode III?
Answer: "No, we haven't spoken to him.I've heard the recordings on the net of a fan asking me that question at Celebration II in Indianapolis. What happened was that I couldn't hear the question, even when he repeated it, and the moderator said to me, "I think he's asking about Sio Bibble (Oliver Ford Davies)," so I replied, "Yes, as of now" or something like that. I didn't realize he was asking about Hugh Jackman. That's a question I misunderstood."
August 03, 2002 / Interview with George Lucas in Film Comment magazine,p.32 Jul/Aug issue:
FC: One last question: In ANH, why don't R2D2 and C3PO tell Luke what happened in the first 3 episodes and tell him who his father is?
GL: "Should I really tell you why that didn't happen? Their memories will be erased at the end of EpIII. In the end when it's all finished, I'm sure people will spend a lot of time figuring out all the loopholes."
August 27, 2002 / Natalie Portman: "Forbidden Love" / starwars.com feature interview:
• ...Lucas had to give Portman a summary of all three prequels before she signed on to play Padmé for Phantom Menace. "He mainly told me the plot of the three films and where we were going," she said. "I pretty much knew the basic storyline of Attack of the Clones from the start, because George had given me the basic gist of what was going to happen when I decided to do all three movies at 14."
• That means that Portman is one of the few people who has been given a heads-up on what's in store for Episode III from the man himself. "It's very basic--I think it's pretty much what everyone knows about Episode III," she said. "The children are born, and Anakin goes to the dark side. But that's pretty much all I know."
• But does Natalie Portman know what part Padmé plays in Anakin's tragic turn? "I don't think you can say someone else's decisions or actions are caused by a particular person," she said, "but I think everyone's environment shapes them. So I have a feeling that everyone who ever came into Anakin's world had some effect on him that led him to where he ended up--and especially Padmé, being such a central part of his life, from such a young age, probably influenced him a little bit."
September 04, 2002 / Preparing for Episode III, McCallum Interview / OS:
• With George Lucas busy writing the final film in the Anakin Skywalker saga, Producer Rick McCallum is mobilizing the rest of the creative team for the three years of work ahead.
• A small team of artists have already been doing some exploratory sketches. "They've been doing research on some different scenes and potential new environments," reports McCallum. "We meet with George once a week for review. These preliminary visuals serve as inspiration for writing, more than anything else. We won't be in full mode until the script is closer to completion next year."
• Even the post-production crew at Industrial Light & Magic is keeping one eye on the upcoming project. "We're really going to pump up the 3-D matte department at ILM," McCallum said. "We're looking to cast for that in early September, in the next few weeks. We expect to have twice as many as we did for Episode II, where they did a fantastic job."
• Shortly, McCallum plans to travel to Australia to finalize agreements with Fox Studios in Sydney where principal photography for Episode III is to take place next summer. From there, he will head to London to meet with the U.K. crew and stop by Elstree Studios.
• Another task for this winter is the start of location scouting. "For Episode II we visited Spain, Italy and Tunisia. In the next few months we'll nail down what we need for Episode III, and then try to find it," said the producer. "I just got back from Croatia and Bosnia on a holiday. I found some really great spots, but I doubt they are right for this film. Incredible stuff that I'll file in my brain for some future project maybe. We'll start scouting for Ep III in the early part of November."
• Look for most of the actors from Episode II to return with the story focusing on the characters played by Hayden Christensen (Anakin), Ewan McGregor (Obi-Wan), Natalie Portman (Padmé) and Ian McDiarmid (Palpatine). "Effectively, we're 95% cast except for incidental characters," said McCallum. "That probably won't begin until February or March of 2003."
• "We're planning for a summer 2005 release," McCallum nodded, "and that's about all there is to tell at this point."
September 08, 2002 / TFN SPY REPORT / Ian McCaig Returns for Episode III:
Ian McCaig will not be attending the Sydney sessions of Star Wars: Magic of Myth Industry Seminar or Conversations which begins September, 18th. Word has it that Rick McCallum has asked him to begin work on Star Wars Episode III. Ben Snow, Visual Effects Supervisor, will replace him instead.
September 08, 2002 / Sydney Morning Herald; Episode III to Film in March 2003:
...an article in the Sydney Morning Herald with some clues to Episode III's start date for principle photography and set construction:
- A spokeswoman for Fox Studios said two top-flight crews were freed up when The Matrix sequels finished shooting last month.
- And with The Fountain apparently in limbo waiting for another green light from Hollywood, the next definite booking at the studio was George Lucas' Star Wars: Episode III next March.
September 08, 2002 / SWMovies.net Interview / Doug Chiang will not be returning for Episode III:
...For fans who followed the production of Attack of the Clones, or who spent many hours watching the extra's on the DVD of The Phantom Menace, the face of Doug Chiang was a familiar sight. He easy manner and excellent communications skills really allowed the viewer to feel like he was talking directly to them. Could it possibly be true that he wasn't returning to head up the team for Episode III?
"Glenn,
Yes, it's true that I resigned earlier this year to work on another film. It was a very hard decision especially after 13 years with the company. However, if my schedule allows I will try to contribute some designs for ep 3."
Best, Doug
So it looks like Doug Chiang will definitely not be heading up the Concept Design Team for the final film of the trilogy. In this interview with 3DArtist FV from July '01 Doug referred to his time with ILM in the past tense.
"While at ILM I was always striving to improve my skills, both as an artist and as a designer. I was happy with the work at ILM but a part of me felt the desire to keep growing."
October 03, 2002 / James Earl Jones to Voice Darth Vader Again at ORT Toronto:
...As for Star Wars, he really is coming full circle as Vader. Plans are to return him as the voice of Vader in part three of the new Star Wars trilogy, which currently has a release date of 2005. "George Lucas says 'When Anakin goes bionic -- that will be in the last five minutes of episode three -- they will hear you." He gives his seal of approval to Hayden Christensen, the current Anakin Skywalker and the man who will be Vader. "Aren't you impressed with him?" he says. "I like his whole bearing, the spine, the neck ... he's like a snake." Not that he feels at all proprietary about who plays Darth. "No," he laughs, "the little kid (The Phantom Menace's Jake Lloyd) got me over that."
October 07, 2002 / SciFi.com Interviews SLJ on Mace Windu's Fate:
Samuel L. Jackson told SCI FI Wire that he is preparing for his character Mace Windu's big death scene in Star Wars: Episode III. "I know what's going to happen," Jackson said in an interview. "I gotta go there. I gotta die." Jackson went on to explain that he had a lunch meeting with George Lucas last month, during which time he tried to find out details of his character's impending demise. "We were just talking about stuff," Jackson said. "And then [Lucas] finally said, 'Okay, so you know you've got to die. I haven't quite figured out how I'm going to kill you yet, because I guess you're the most important guy that's going to die. In the other ones, Obi Wan is still there and Yoda's still alive and Darth is still there.' So I become the most important character that can die. I guess it's got to be pretty dynamic. So he's working that out." Star Wars: Episode III goes into production in June 2003 for a May 2005 release.
October 10, 2002 / Ep2 DVD Commentary info from TFN's early DVD review:
His (George's) discussion during the arena battle sequence centers around Mace Windu, where George mentions the character's demise at the end of the Clone Wars. George also articulates that Bail Organa will be featured much more in Episode III, and that actor Jimmy Smits had to deal with just being introduced in AOTC. George at several other points reminds listeners of the importance of Episode II in that it is Anakin's move from innocence in The Phantom Menace to his complete downfall in Episode III.
October 14, 2002 / Countingdown.com Interview with John Williams:
• (Can you give us a rundown of the film scores you have upcoming?)
"Well, I'm certainly busy as ever, which I enjoy. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is definitely in my future. Star Wars Episode 3 will follow that, which I'm very much looking forward to doing. It's like the completion of an epic journey."
October 15, 2002 / E! Interview with Samuel L. Jackson about Ep3:
"Actually, I don't know much. I had lunch with George Lucas a couple of weeks ago, and we kind of touched on it. The most he would say is, "Well, sometime next summer, I guess I'll be killing you." I was like, "Yeah, I guess so." He'll tell me how I die later on. But I know I won't make it to the end. In the first Star Wars, there were only three Jedis left - Luke, Obi-Wan and Yoda. That's it. Everybody else is dead."
-
October 2002 / Star Wars Insider Update with Rick McCallum:
• "I finalize the deal at FOX Studios, Sydney in about a week's time; I've got our production designer starting in October; Our costume designer starts next month, and she starts shopping for fabrics. We're equipping the sound stages, sending in stuff from England back over to Sydney. So we're in real "go" mode now."
• "We've been doing that [looking at concept designs] for three or four months now, so we're starting to collect the basic look and feel of the planets that are involved. It's probably going faster than George wants, but slower than I want it to. We're getting there."
• "George says he's writing, so we're just moving forward, trying to make him feel as guilty as possible." The possibility that george Lucas will emply a co-writer for Episode III remains "impossible to tell" at this point, but McCallum expects the screenplay will be finished next spring.
• McCallum hasn't started location scouting for Episode III. "I'll probably start doing that when [production designer] Gavin Bocquet starts, which will be in late October."
• He can't even hint about specifics, but Rick McCallum expects that Episode III will again showcase spectacular lightsaber battles. "I'm not only expecting it, I'm looking forward to it."
• He demurs when asked how Lucas and stunt coordinator Nick Gillard could possibly top the Jedi fight scenes in Attack of the Clones, but reminds us, "Episode III is the last one, so no-holds barred now."
• With that lofty goal in mind, the principal combatants have their work cut out for them. "Hayden's doing a small movie," says McCallum, "and he finishes that at the end of September and then goes into some serious training. He's got some serious work to do. He's going to be training a lot. He changes physically a lot. Our stunt coordinator will start three and half months before shooting, when he'll start working with Hayden and Ewan McGregor."
• "Episode III is the last one," McCallum reminds us. "In many ways in terms of scale, in terms of what's going on, in terms of the story, everything, it's going to be the biggest one."
• In addition to being the last Star Wars movie, Episode III also promises to be the darkest chapter in the Skywalker saga. Even without a script in hand, fans expect that certain events will happen...
- ObiWan and Anakin will fight
- The Emperor will take control of the galaxy
- Anakin will become Dartth Vader
- Yoda will end up stranded on Dagobah
- Obi Wan Kenobi will change his name to "Ben" and become a hermit on Tatooine
• "I can't promise a happy ending," says McCallum.
• In addition to his own expectations as a fan of the series, McCallum has the advantage of overseeing the early concept designs, so he has had a preview of the story to come. It will not be limited to the events we expect to happen. "I think it will be reflected in terms of the design of the picture, the photography, the look. This is the downward spriral."
• American audiences are notoriously unwilling to accept movies with a downbeat conclusion, but McCallum is not worried about how fans will approach the saga's most ominous episode. "I think we'll be given a lot of leeway there, because most people understand that this is just a chapter. Yes, the film has to work within its own context and work as a film complete unto itself, but when we're talking about the issues that we have to deal with, there's a lot of light there. Most people who know the Star Wars saga know that this is Anakin's destiny. In many ways, he is the Chosen One. Without him, the galaxy would never be saved."
• Considering the tragic theme of this final chapter in the prequel trilogy, should fans expect it to be more violent than previous movies?
• "No," replies McCallum. "I don't think so. The violence comes from within, it's betrayal. That's more violent than just about anything."
• Despite these general predictions, McCallum remains carefully coy when asked whether fans should brace themselves for the deaths of important characters. "You should definitely brace yourself for that." he laughs, refusing to give any more specific hints.
October 23, 2002 / Star Wars Magic of the Myth in Sydney Industry Seminar:
Hosted by Anthony Daniels with guests Lorne Peterson and Ben Snow. Lorne stated that:
• "...the history of the Millenium Falcon will be revealed in Episode III..."
• "...we will understand why Han Solo has a fondness for the Millenium Falcon..."
• "...a single catastrophic event will explain how the galaxy changed from those we know in the PT, to those in the OT..."
• Lorne Peterson was quickly reprimanded by Anthony Daniels and Ben Snow from revealing too much more.
October 28, 2002 / OS Question to Rick McCallum:
Q: When can we expect to see the first trailer for Episode III?
A: "Timing from the last two films would suggest maybe around Thanksgiving of 2004, with the movie coming in the summer of 2005."
November 09, 2002; LucasFilm UK was giving a small presentation to the Penguin Group, UK:
"...Episode III is going to be the biggest thing ever, partly because of it being 'real time'." When asked "You mean it will only cover 2 hours of Star Wars time?", she replied, "No. What I mean is that when Episode III opens in May 2005, the Clone Wars will be just finishing as the film opens. The Clone Wars last for three years. So the Clone Wars are happening now."
November 10, 2002; Italian newspaper reports on local cameraman shooting volcano "footage" for Ep3:
• Ron Fricke (considered an amazing cinematographer) has been on the Etna (volcano) for a week now, shooting for Episode III. The Italian cameraman explains how he was called for the job: "Lucas figured out it would be cheaper to film a real volcano rather than creating it digitally, and when Etna became "noisy" again a couple of weeks ago, Lucasfilm contacted the italian company Too Motion for which I work" (considered the best company for HD digital video in Italy).
• The article says the cameraman was called on the 31st of October and asked to be in Sicily the following day. They should have finished shooting on the 6th, but he says they keep finding amazing new angles and images to capture on video.
November 12th, 2002; Lucas Commentary from Ep2 DVD:
• "You start with the little characters, the same thing with Jimmy Smits, he's an evolving character. He's hardly in this movie but it's important that he be here so that he's established for the next movie where he actually gets to come into his own."
• "When we have the attack of the droids here it was important to establish these droids as slightly goofy, rather than ominous, and not very good shots, and they have absolutely no defense against a Jedi and a laser sword. They're just hopeless. So the idea was that as we go on, the problem of developing better combat technology is established in this movie and then it will be dealt with further in Episode II… the failings of a robotic army in terms of all being controlled by one source and not being as swift as a human is a theme that we play out through all the movies."
• "The lynch pin of this plot device of the droids being controlled by one source is based on the inability of the Neimodians to give up control to the droids, because if they could think for themselves and do things on their own, they would worry about having this giant army that might take them over, because they would assume that their way of thinking, which is greedy and power driven to consume and ravage…eventually the droids would do the same thing and take over them."
• "It wasn't until I started working on this script that I decided to make Boba the son of the Original Clone. Before he was just another clone who was for whatever reason had sort of broken loose from the stormtroopers. I didn't really go into detail at that point, even in my mind or in the backstory about any more of it other than that they were connected but early on the stormtroopers were meant to be clones."
• "In that scene also which we don't see we cut to Yoda who is meditating who hears this off-screen and we do hear a voice in there, and that voice is the voice of Qui-Gon Jinn. So we very subtley establish that in this rather intense emotional connection that Yoda is feeling the pain and suffering of Anakin and the Tusken Raiders he's also making a connection unwittingly with Qui-Gon Jinn and, up to this point, we haven't really established that you can make a connection with the departed in this world, and that will become a factor in the next one. Lots of issues sort of come out of that but this is the very beginning of that, Yoda making a connection with Qui-Gon Jinn in the middle of Anakin's pain."
-
• "The confrontation between Obi-Wan and Dooku originally was a confrontation between Padme and Dooku and it was a political thing. I decided after seeing the movie that I didn't need that scene with Padme and Dooku, it was in the wrong part of the picture, and this one with Obi-Wan would be more appropriate and would work better if Dooku would actually tell the truth about what was going on and then create a situation where nobody would believe him. It also allows you to kind of have some sympathy for Dooku in that he carries the sympathies of most of the Jedi which is that the Senate is corrupt and it's incapable of carrying on any meaningful actions because they argue about everything all the time. I accentuate that by introducing Darth Sidious again. Darth Sidious we refer to in the first film and he's a hologram and we see a little tiny bit of him but I needed at this point to say that there is a Darth Sidious, especially if you haven't seen the first film. I needed to identify that there is a Darth Sidious who is behind all this and who is the same Darth Sidious that was in league with the Trade Federation in the last movie. It's really important to set up for the very end scene here where Darth Tyranus and Darth Sidious come together in the end and you realize who's behind all of this."
• "The fun part about being able to set up a character like Mace Windu and Sam wanting to do the pictures is that we were able to set him up in the first film and actually use him in this film. And he's looking forward to the fact that he knows that at the end of the Clone War he gets killed so he gets hopefully a great death scene. So you kind of know where everything is going."
• "Here with Obi-Wan we get a little sense that Anakin has some relationship with Palpatine and that he likes Palpatine. In the last film we set up the fact that Palpatine was gonna watch after Anakin."
• "I had all these hints that Palpatine had been helping Anakin, but I needed an explicit scene that actually spelled it out and where you could see that some of Anakin's dialogue later on has come from Palpatine."
• "So we have this little picnic where Anakin brings out the uncomfortable subject of previous boyfriends which boys have a tendency to do, and then we get into this political discussion which allows us to get a little insight into Anakin and Palpatine's influence over Anakin and some of his thought process."
• "Someone in the Jedi order has been hiding this whole system from the Jedi Archives. It does come out eventually in the next movie exactly what's behind all this. I wanted to have it there in this movie but not so strongly that you asked a lot of questions about who is the one that erased the tapes and who started the army and how all that works because it's something that unfortunately doesn't get revealed until the third film."
November 18, 2002; More Artists Join Episode III:
Feng Zhu has joined the work on Episode III. He's right in the mix on stuff, working on the final Star Wars movie ever to be made. Interesting is that they really don't have an art director for Episode III per se, really more or less just working as a team for now since the fallout. The usual suspects, Ian McCaig and so forth are back, and someone you haven't mentioned, Sang Jun Lee (a former ILMer) has also been asked to join up. They are producing conceptual artwork at the rate of several pieces a day, currently based on what Lucas has told them in generalizations, since there's still no script that anyone has seen yet. These people are pumped about this film. This is where the amazing visuals of the prequels meets the story we loved so much in the classics.
November 18, 2002; StarWars Insider #64 Tidbits:
• "We're really moving now," he says, "I just did a round-the-world trip. I finalized the deal at the studio in Sydney. We met some new crewmembers who will be joining us, including a new set decorator, Richard Rogers. Peter Russell, our Art Director, has already started, but the main bulk of the team will begin in January."
• The magazine says that the concept designers are hard at work designing the worlds of "Episode III" and the images should be leaping into action as you're reading this. "We've got our animatics artists starting to work soon... They'll start working on the first of the action sequences for Episode III. Then the pedal will be to the metal all the way through to the time we start shooting."
• All of the work, however, is proceeding without a finished script, but that doesn't stop the veteran producer. "Obviously, I would give anything in the world to have the script. But I don't have it. That's the reality I have to work under. That's the challenge for all of us - not to lose our minds before we get it."
• The article goes on to say that Costume Designer Trisha Biggar has been hard at work with Concept Designer Ian McCaig at creating costumes for the next prequel. The costume department began work in mid-November in Sydney, Australia. "We'll probably make another 1,200 costumes, so it's a serious operation," says McCallum. "George has approved about 10 of them". Lucas only consults on those costumes designated for the principal characters.
• Designer Gavin Bocquet has another big task to face. He recently visited Skywalker Ranch to confer with McCallum and the other filmmakers, and now he's off to work on two new vehicles at Elstree Studios. McCallum says that Bocquet has "lots of planets and vehicles" to work on. "Remember, everything has to be designed in a Star Wars world".
November 21, 2002; Lucasfilm Casting Confirmation on Hayden:
Lucasfilm as always refuses to comment on rumors, but this is one time they were quick to squash the obviously errant rumors from around the 'net. Lucasfilm was pleased with Hayden's performance and "he definitely is in for Episode III."
November 24, 2002; Variety Article on Lucas:
Lucasfilm editors supervised the cuts for the recent Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones IMAX release, with little involvement from George Lucas, says Fox distributing president Bruce Snyder.
"You don't lose the continuity of the story by the scenes that have been taken away or shortened," Snyder stresses. A Lucasfilm spokeswoman said Lucas delegated the scenes' editing because he's "consumed with writing 'Episode III.'"
December 02, 2002; UK Film Magazine Interview with Chris Lee:
"I'm committed to doing the next Star Wars picture, although I have no idea what I'm going to be doing. The only information I've been given is that I'm in it."
December 03, 2002; Sydney Morning Herald Interview with Rob Coleman:
Coleman will be supervising animation on the next Star Wars film, which takes over Fox Studios next year. Lucas is still writing the third episode, but Coleman expects him to bring back Yoda.
December 03, 2002; SW Con Comment on Ackbar by Tim Rose:
...Tim rose is "creature player" and help among other things Admiral Ackbar to the life. Computers are quickly replacing people in this role of puppeteering and a younger version of Ackbar is to appear in Episode 3 as CGI animation.
January 04, 2003: Rick McCallum Production Update SW.com:
"We have a production art department in London that's started, feverishly. We have a costume dept. that starts next week in Sydney, and then the production art dept. moves to Sydney in the beginning of 2003. So all systems are go. We start our basic construction of the things that are needed in each dept. (in Australia). In about two weeks, we'll have our new set director Richard Roberts, come into Sydney to scout locations and service companies. This is just the beginning of the pre-production on the film." The conceptual art dept. at Skywalker Ranch is in full swing. About twenty artists are now at work on Episode 3 and as of Nov. 2002, they'd already created 1,500 illustrations. McCallum says "we'll reach 10,000 before we start shooting." So far, they're of "paintings and sketches for all the costumes - of which there'll be about 1,200 different ones." The next big step for graphic design was scheduled for Dec. 2002 with animatics expected to begin from early script pages. McCallum adds, "We won't have a completely new camera, we'll have a much more sophisticated, hot-rodded camera. It's much more sophisticated now with better resolution, better picture quality and color imagery." When asked about more EP3 questions, he says "I can't talk about that yet. This is a bad month (for news). Everything is about to happen."
January 09; 2003; SW.com Reports On Returning Characters:
"Look for most of the actors from Episode II to return with the story focusing on the characters played by Hayden Christensen (Anakin), Ewan McGregor (Obi-Wan), Natalie Portman (Padmé) and Ian McDiarmid (Palpatine)."
January 23; 2003: James Earl Jones Talks Ep3:
James Earl Jones talks about his role being about 5 minutes in length, "right after Anakin goes bionic and falls into a volcano."
January 26, 2003: Clayton Watson Cast in Ep3:
Aussie actor Clayton Watson, he said that he had landed a role in the "third Star Wars prequel at the request of George Lucas".
January 31, 2003: Sam Jackson Hints on Mace Windu while on MTV:
"I did get an e-mail from the stunt coordinator," he explained, "who said he'd like for me to show up a little early because he has some things we want to work out. So I guess that sounds like I'm gonna go out in a blaze of glory. I'm looking forward to it."
February 01, 2003: UK LOK Magazine, Lucas Comments on Jar-Jar's Fate:
• On page 25, a reporter brought up the character Jar Jar Binks and how he added silly comedy to Episode I and how he added drama to Episode II. The reporter then asked what does he add to Episode III and what happens to him. Lucas commented that Jar Jar would not die on screen in the film or not even die at all.
• He said that he created the character to add to the story, not to be created to then be killed at the end. The reporter then asked why Jar Jar isn't in the original trilogy. Lucas said that Episode III will explain everything that needs to be explained.
February 18, 2003: Ep3 Info in SW Insider from Rick McCallum:
• (Will we see new trooper designs? )
"Yes. That's all I can answer."
• (How about Vader's armor?)
"Too early to tell."
March 10, 2003: Gavin Bocquet (SW.com) Talks Set Construction:
• In addition to the Jedi Council chambers, the Senate Rotunda and Palpatine's office, two environments from the original trilogy are being carefully recreated for this earlier era in Star Wars history, much like the Lars Homestead was faithfully reconstructed for Episode II
-
• "It's always quite interesting going back to those historic elements of the saga," says Bocquet. "I think these ones are a little bit easier than the homestead, because they're studio-based and not location-based. They have quite precise drawings that we managed to extricate from the archives, although the archive isn't quite as full for A New Hope as it is for Empire and Jedi, simply because nobody knew what the films were going to become! We're working from the few drawings they do have, plus the stills and looking at the films, and breaking things down and trying to reproduce it."
• Aside from these two classic environments, Bocquet's team has begun preliminary work on two new locales -- one space-based and one planet-based -- that will each be the stage for intricate action sequences.
• "We do have four or five sets that are being repeated from Clones and a couple of the other Episodes, which gives us a chance to work quite quickly on those. They don't need any great design input or even technical drawings, because they have existed before".
March 18, 2003: SW.com, Lucas Will Not Use "Starline Hyperspace Effect":
George Lucas himself answered the question saying that he had decided not to use it in the first three films.
March 20, 2003: Joel Edgerton Back for Ep3:
"I've got one day. It's probably going to be a smaller role than last time [in "Attack of the Clones"]."
March 20, 2003: Claudia Karvan In for Ep3:
On the Australian TV show 'Enough Rope - with Andrew Denton', she mentioned she is back for Ep3, assumingly reprising her role as Sola Naberrie, Padme's sister in the Ep2 Deleted Scenes.
March 21, 2003: ILM Starts on Ep3:
SW.com reports Industrial Light and Magic's has begun preliminary work on Episode III. "We have started to discuss how we are going to approach the visual effects and animation work. Just this week, I was looking at which character models we could start building."
March 28, 2003: Animatics Dept Working on Opening Scenes of Ep3 (SW.com):
Every Friday since late February, Gregoire has presented his team's latest work to George Lucas. "At this point in time the first level of a sequence is actually more of a litmus test," explains Gregoire. "It's getting it in front of George, so that he can see where we're going, and then having him react to that sequence one way or the other." In this early stage of Episode III's development, Gregoire's team has been concentrating on the opening five to ten-minute sequence of the film. "As with any early development some of the main story elements are still in flux, so we've been concentrating primarily on getting the assets for the initial sequence built."
March 29, 2003: Lucas Talks Ep3 in EW:
"It's a darker version of Star Wars," says Lucas. "It's not as dark as a Quentin Tarantino movie, but at the same time, for Star Wars it will be pretty dark. I¹m not sure ya know, how popular it's going to be. It may be popular with the fans, but I don¹t sure how popular it will be with the general public. So, I expect that one to be less financially successful than the other ones. But, ya know, I gotta tell a story. I see Star Wars as a six part movie, ya know, done in twelve hours. I don't see them as individual pieces. I don't see them as individual episodes. I see them as one -- one six episode movie."
March 29, 2003: Highlights from SW Insider 67:
• There will be a cameo by a classic trilogy character in Episode III.
• The first outline of Episode III was set to be delivered February 21st.
• As of this writing, Lucas had approved 2,000 pieces of concept artwork. A total of 10,000 are expected to be produced.
• Hayden Christensen and Ewan McGregor will arrive four or five weeks before shooting to start training with Nick Gillard.
April 07, 2003: Dave Prowse Talks Vader:
On Saturday at a Memorabilia fair in Birmingham, England, David Prowse was in attendance. He confirmed that he has not been asked to return for Episode 3. However he did state that James Earl Jones will be in the film for 8 minutes, but then he re-phrased this to say he has 8 minutes of dialogue in the film.
April 17, 2003: Ewan McGregor Talks Ep3 Fight in MAXIM Magazine:
"I don't know anything about it. I suppose me and Hayden have some big kickoff fight - as far as I know, it's not been written yet."
April 17, 2003: Script Update from SW.com:
"We get our preliminary first draft of the script next week, which we're very excited about," says Producer Rick McCallum, "We're currently on schedule to begin on or around June 30, finishing some time in September." Already, the crew down under has enough information from George Lucas to begin construction of environments, props and costumes.
April 23, 2003: Chewbacca, R2-D2, C-3PO Returning for Ep3 (SW.com):
Episode III will further connect the Star Wars saga, bridging the prequel trilogy to the original trilogy in new and surprising ways. As such, familiar faces and places will return in this new Star Wars film, which is currently in pre-production. Reprising their classic roles from the original trilogy are actors Peter Mayhew, Anthony Daniels and Kenny Baker. They return to Star Wars as Chewbacca the Wookiee, C-3PO and R2-D2. "I'm delighted to return as Chewbacca," says Mayhew. "I think his re-appearance in this film is a fitting way to tie the whole saga together, especially for Wookiee fans." Given that Chewbacca is a sprightly 200 years old in Episode IV, he is more than old enough to fit into the prequel timeline.
April 29, 2003: Hayden Talks Vader with Empire Online:
...according to Anakin himself, Hayden Christensen, the black look may not be in for 2005. Asked if he'd end up in the traditional Vader garb for Episode III the actor surprisingly answered in the negative. "No, not as far as I know," he told E!Online. "It's not in the story if we begin from where we left off." So there'll be no mask? No asthmatic breathing? "None of that, as far as I know. But that's very little. George Lucas is notorious, he keeps it all very secretive."
May 05, 2003: John Williams Talks Ep3 with CNN:
Williams will be picking up his conductor's baton for the final "Star Wars" film, the yet-untitled Episode III, which arrives in 2005. For the last installment, he hopes to use hints of some of the themes in the very first "Star Wars" film (now known as "Episode IV: A New Hope") to link the two trilogies musically. So if you hear a familiar melody -- say, the Imperial theme that ran under Princess Leia's first meeting with Darth Vader -- don't be surprised. "I think working backwards some musical hints like that will be appropriate," he says. "I am looking forward to bringing all those thematic fragments together in the final episode of 'Star Wars' and to pick up what opportunities it'll have for new material, also to sort of round out a whole corpus of musical themes that are all interrelated and connected."
May 08, 2003: Old Fashions Return for Ep3 (SW.com):
There are certain cultures and technologies in this new movie that will reflect the 1970s look. It's going to be a subtle thing, but it will make sense when you see it. To us in the Art Department the '1970s look' is actually just the look of the Star Wars universe during its dark ages rather than the waning glory days portrayed in the prequels.
-
May 10, 2003: SW Insider 68 Highlights:
• McCallum will not confirm or deny if there's a Star Destroyer bridge as one of the sets of the film.
• There is no complete script as of this writing, but there was a 46 page outline from Lucas. Still no talk of a co-writer on the film.
• Lucas has approved 52 sets as well as "lots of vehicles".
• Hayden Christensen started fight training at the beginning of May. Ewan McGregor arrives June 10th. Filming begins late June.
May 26, 2003; New Zealand Herald: Captain Typho Returns:
"Jay Laga'aia is recovering from sugery ahead of his appearance in the sixth Star Wars movie, due to begin filming in Australia shortly."
May 29, 2003: Homing Beacon #68:
• Episode III is the final chapter detailing what fans already know is a bleak resolution for Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala. The Chosen One succumbs to the call of the dark side, with disastrous consequences for those he loves. McCaig notes satisfaction with the way this transformation currently exists, as words on the script pages and accompanying artwork.
• "In Episode I, when we saw Jake Lloyd, we wondered where’s the dark side? Why isn’t this kid creepy?" recounts McCaig. "And then, in Episode II, Hayden Christensen came across as a justifiably angry teenager more than a kid who crosses over to the true dark side. Killing the Sand People... they killed his mom! I could go mad and do something like that. So, I kept waiting for the dark side to take hold. In this film, you realize, it’s more about Anakin making the wrong choices. He’s given a glorious moment by George -- I’m so happy with part of the script -- where he truly has to make a choice. In the end, I think that’s a smarter way to go than a slow transformation. It’s more tragic this way."
• Tragedy follows the beautiful Amidala as well. Since Episode I, McCaig has helped develop Padmé’s intricate costumes, which often serve as reflections of her political position, and where she is in her life. "What are we wearing this year in Star Wars?" smiles McCaig. "In Episode I, she was the Queen, and she was wearing disguises. I once said she should be able to slip out of the back of the costume, and you’d never know she was gone. Ironically, in this one, she’s back to wearing disguises. As well as now hiding this marriage to a Jedi, which is not allowed, she has to hide the fact that she’s going to have babies. All of the costumes had to disguise these facts."
May 27, 2003; Hyperspace: "Dueling for the First Day":
• Episode III has taken over all seven stages of Fox Studios Australia.
• Stunt Coordinator and Sword Master Nick Gillard is whipping Jedi into shape and perfecting new moves.
• Kyle Rowling, Dooku's stunt double, was squaring off against Ben Cooke, a newcomer to Star Wars. Behind them, Michael Byrne was sparring with Hayden Christensen.
• For six weeks, Jedi have been practicing. On the walls are printouts of animatic frames for three key set-pieces, and Nick's desk has several rough storyboards of what looks to be intense action. It's part of the duel fans have been waiting for: the falling out between master and apprentice.
• Hayden has been practicing his skills with the lightsaber for the past three weeks. For six hours a day, it's dueling drills. For another two, it's time to workout. "It's feeling right," he says.
May 28, 2003; Hyperspace: "Return of Two Jedi":
Nalini Krishan and Orli Shoshan spent the morning transforming into the Jedi warriors Barriss Offee and Shaak Ti for makeup and wardrobe tests.
May 29, 2003; Hyperspace: "More Extras, More Aliens & Moore Makeup":
• In the same chair where her Padawan sat yesterday, Luminara Unduli -- or rather, actress Mary Oyaya -- undergoes a similar makeup process.
• Sandy Thompson will be playing the Neimoidian Rune Haako.
• Sandi Finlay is returning to the role of Sly Moore, Palpatine's ghostly aide first seen in Episode II. Sly is getting some new threads for Episode III.
May 31, 2003; Hyperspace: "The Aptly Named Jedi-Not-Appearing-In-This-Film":
Depa Billaba, Oppo Rancisis, Even Piell, Yarael Poof, and Yaddle will not be in Episode III.
June 02, 2003: Hyperspace: "All The World's A Stage":
• Seven enormous soundstages are currently bustling with activity, as they house sets in various stages of construction. A few are returning from Episode II, while at least one currently erected has been recreated from the original trilogy.
• "Probably fifty percent of what you're seeing is stuff from the other films, because those were the first ones that were easy for us to dive into," says Gavin Bocquet, Production Designer.
• One stage is Padmé's Coruscant penthouse apartment. The set is being modified, to add an extension as dictated by the story of Episode III, which include a door leading to a new environment.
• Also being modified is Supreme Chancellor Palpatine's Office. It now has a branching corridor leading away from the office and into a circular antechamber.
June 03, 2003; Hyperspace: "Developing the Duel":
One stage is the dueling arena for Michael Byrne and Hayden Christensen as they perform an intense duel. It's more than just a test-run. These combatants are being videotaped today for inclusion into the working rough cut of Episode III. The footage then gets sent back to the Editorial department so that it can be cut along with animatics and storyboards into a rough assembly.
June 03, 2003; OS: Pre-Production Almost Wrapped:
• George Lucas leaves for Sydney, Australia in just two weeks to begin principal photography for Episode III. While Producer Rick McCallum is down under driving construction crews, costume and prop departments, and countless others in preparation for the director's arrival, the teams in the U.S. are feverishly attempting to wrap-up as many tasks as possible before he leaves. With much of the basic look of the characters, vehicles and locations of Episode III finalized, the size of the Concept Design team has dwindled somewhat as Iain McCaig and others have moved on to other projects. Ryan Church, Eric Teimens and the remaining artists are now concentrating on storyboards and specific details that help to dictate the movie's solidifying story line.
-
• Meanwhile, Ben Burtt is hard at work compiling computer-generated animatics from Dan Gregoire's pre-visualization team, footage from Australia of Hayden Christensen and other stunt doubles performing Nick Gillard's preliminary stunt choreography, scans of storyboards and artwork, some occasional stock footage and a soundtrack of Burtt himself performing dialog for all of the characters. Each week, this assembly is reviewed with Lucas as a rough-cut of the film's major sequences is coming together. With only two more meetings remaining, this compilation will serve as reference for the live-action crew.
June 04, 2003; Hyperspace: "Blue In The Face":
Matt Rowan is returning as the corrupt and corpulent politician Orn Free Taa.
June 05; Globe & Mail Interview; Hayden Packs on the Muscle:
• As of last Friday, Christensen weighed in at 175. He's aiming for 190. And he wants to hit that benchmark in three weeks, when Queen Amidala (Natalie Portman), Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) and the rest of the Star Wars crew join him in Sydney, Australia, to start shooting the eagerly awaited prequel.
• It's 11 a.m. on Friday morning, and Christensen's doing the interview by cellphone, just outside the stunt office on the Twentieth Century Fox lot in the Aussie city. He's excused himself to shut a door, a vain attempt to muffle the din of clashing light sabers and other frankly weird clanging noises.
• "Sorry about that," he says politely, trying to catch his breath. "We're choreographing a light saber battle." Just as in Star Wars: Episode II -- Attack of the Clones, Christensen insists on doing his own crouching-tiger, high-wire acts. Why, one might ask, does he insist on getting battered and bruised when a double would gladly take the knocks for him?
• "It's a unique film to be a part of, and I sort of want to do as much as I can," he explains. "I want to know -- at every point in the film when I see my character -- it's actually me. Not some stunt person or a digitally rendered version of me. It's just important."
June 05, Clayton Watson Talks to Casting in TV Week:
According to reports at Moviehole.net, Clayton Watson might indeed be taking up a role in “Star Wars Episode III”. While talking to TV Week, Watson said how a phony rumour that he tied him to the next “Star Wars” movie, actually got people talking about it for real. “Apparently they want to see more for the next Star Wars movie. A rumour got out that I was in it and it wasn’t true, but the casting director heard about it and heard what else I’d done and wants a meeting with me as soon as I get back to Australia”, Watson says.
June 05, 2003; Hyperspace: "Separatists & Swan":
• Paul Nicholson will be underneath the Po Nudo mask. The Aqualish Senator-turned-Separatist and his aide are returning for Episode III.
• Paul Davies is set to play an as-yet unnamed Mon Calamari.
• Also showing up for fittings was Marty Wetherill, who will play Passel Argente.
• For any Episode III returning extras with visible features, George Lucas mandated that if the previous performer was not available, that the character simply would not be back. This was in an effort to preserve continuity and avoid creating doppelganger-Jedi like Stass Allie (she sure looks like Adi Gallia) or Agen Kolar (a successful Eeth Koth-impersonator).
• Mimi Daraphet is returning as Bultar Swan.
June 06, 2003; Hyperspace: "Name That Zabrak":
Tux Akindoyeni returns as Agen Kolar, the Zabrak Jedi that replaced Eeth Koth in Episode II.
June 07; Entertainment Weekly Quotes Lucas about Chewie:
Yoda won a trophy for his Attack of the Clones' saber skills at the 2003 MTV Movie Awards - and now George Lucas says Chewbacca will join the fray with a "small part in one of the action sequences" of Episode III.
June 10; Scottish Daily Record Reports on Possible Return for ESB Character:
Aberdeen-born Michael (Sheard), is hopeful he'll get a chance to star in the next installment of the sci-fi series. He says: "It looks like my character is in the next film. I know I can't play me as a 19-year-old, but I'd like to be on screen, maybe as Admiral Ozzel's dad."
June 10, 2003; Rick McCallum Hyperspace Chat:
• All principal photography shooting in Sydney. For pickups next year we may extend to Europe.
• It takes 12 weeks to film a movie.
• It should be about the same length... 2 hours.
• The look of the third prequel will definitely be closer to that of the original films.
• Ep III definitively has the most lightsaber action of any Star Wars film.
• The battles will be on an even larger scale.
• It'll take place 3 years or so after Ep II.
• Will we get to see an epic space battle right at the beginning of the movie.
• We will see some glorious death scenes.
• Lots of new ship designs.
• We will see many new worlds.
• Ewan's beard is fully grown.
• We will see Anakin doing more evil things a la slaughtering the Tuskens.
• We will see the emperor or Anakin make use of the dark side of the force with lightning, chokes and more.
• Jar Jar's role is smaller than Ep II.
• We will see lots of great changes like the transformation of clones into stormtroopers, uniforms, etc.
• All the characters are moving to the way we first saw them in the Original Trilogy as far as look.
• Ben Burtt will be back as Sound Designer.
• Expect "someone serious" as the new villain.
• We will see more interaction between Anakin and Palpatine.
• A character from the Clone Wars cartoon will appear in Episode III.
June 10, 2003; Hyperspace: "More Familiar Names and Faces":
• Ewan's first day on the set was today and he practiced lightsaber stuff with Nick Gillard.
• Ewan will be using the same lightsaber that he has been using since Episode I.
• The classic saber of Ben Kenobi is mentioned to be there among the sabers in use.
• A character from the Expanded Universe is making an appearance in Episode III.
June 11, 2003; Hyperspace: "Good Hair Day":
• The Creature Shop has built Chewbacca's costume.
• Peter Mayhew will wear to fill out his Wookiee physique.
• Ewan will be looking somewhat different with some tints and hues to age his hair style and color.
• Work is being done on Padmé's elaborate hairstyles.
June 12, 2003; Hyperspace: "Can't Keep A Good Jedi Down":
• Kenji Oates is playing the returning Jedi, Saesee Tiin.
• The creature shop are working on new aliens.
• Kit Fisto is slated to return, played by a new stuntman. The Creature Shop is sculpting a brand new head for him which will be even more detailed, so it can withstand tight close-ups should the shooting require it.
-
June 13, 2003; Hyperspace: "Preparing for GWL":
• George Lucas arrives on Monday to start his time in Sydney.
• George is scheduled for a tour of the various sound stages alongside Producer Rick McCallum, Production Designer Gavin Bocquet, Supervising Art Director Peter Russell, Art Director Ian Gracie, Director of Photography David Tattersall and 1st Assistant Director Colin Fletcher.
• Palpatine's office and connecting corridors now have the familiar red walls. The Jedi Council chambers are coming together. A new starship bridge sharing the same stage as Padmé's apartment looks almost finished.
• Hayden is slated for a full makeup test on Monday for his Episode III look.
• The Costume Props Dept is focusing on pieces like Padmé's headdresses and a suit of alien military armor.
• Ewan McGregor had a lifecast done of his head and hands, which had to include his beard. Dave Elsey spent much of today "shaving" the clay beard off the head-cast, reproducing a replica of a clean-shaven Obi-Wan to allow makeup work for an effect needed early in Episode III.
June 16, 2003; Hyperspace: "Home Sweet Home":
• "Home sweet home" is referencing the familiar red interior of Palpatine's office.
• While on the set, George and Rick decide a shattered glass effect will be achieved digitally since shattered practical glass on the set floor may impede the work of the stunt performers needed in that environment.
June 17, 2003; Hyperspace: "Accessories Included":
• Costume Props is working on a suit of alien military armor with handmade breast and back-plates. The flexible abdominal plates are perfectly articulated. It all works, and six copies of this armor will have to be made for the production.
• Bail Organa will wear it like a decorative wrist-guard. A ring of blinking LEDs provide the perfect feel.
• Narrow pieces of jewelry will become the basis of a larger costume prop for a Padmé headdress.
June 17; David Stiff Cast as Wookie:
Sydney Kings basketball star David Stiff has landed a part as a Wookie.
June 17; Captain Typho Films in July:
Jay Lagalia appeared on 'Mornings with Kerrie-Anne' on Australian TV and mentioned he starts shooting on the last prequel next month.
June 18; Bai Ling Cast in Episode III:
Access Hollywood interviewed actress Bai Ling. She says she was offered a role in the new Star Wars movie. She doesn't know the part, but she will leave for Sydney next week.
June 18, 2003; Hyperspace: "Making Good Guys Look Good":
• Natalie Portman is now in Sydney.
• One of Padmé's headdress mockups is a spectacular arrangement.
• Ewan McGregor continues his hair and makeup tests. His hair will be styled more like a younger version of Alec Guinness. He will wear temple pieces, and they will be graying. Ewan's beard will be neatly trimmed and less bushy, with more sculpting and manicuring into a more goatee shape.
• Hayden will look quite rugged and weathered after having fought in the Clone Wars for years.
• Lily Nyamwasa will return as Jedi Stass Allie.
• A starship captain and a handmaiden have been cast in small parts.
June 18, 2003; OS Casting Update - Spence Joins Ep III:
Bruce Spence joins the cast as a helpful alien.
June 19, 2003; Hyperspace: "Unpacking a Star":
• R2-D2 units arrived today in Sydney.
• In another padded crate are the pieces of C-3PO, who will start to be assembled Friday morning.
• Matt Sloan will return as Plo Koon.
• Plo Koon will have a brief appearance in Episode III, but the script requires very specific actions for him.
• Plo does have scripted dialogue in Episode III, but there is no guarantee that it'll remain in the finished film.
June 23, 2003; OS Update: "Meeting Genevieve O'Reilly":
• Genevieve O'Reilly has been cast in the role of Mon Mothma.
• Industrial Light & Magic has arrived in Sydney. Visual Effects Supervisor John Knoll, Animation Director Rob Coleman and Matchmove Supervisor Jason Snell are setting up shop and touring the stages.
June 24, 2003; Hyperspace: "Blue Guards & Tall Pilots":
• Five blue Senate Guard candidates donned velvety robes.
• The blue guards will be undergoing some modifications. This is not only to advance their look along the timeline, but also to create new helmets to replace the older Episode I artifacts that are starting to show some wear-and-tear. The new look brings them closer to the sleeker red helmets worn by Palpatine's personal guards.
• The red guards will again appear in Episode III. Costume Props are fabricating new helmets and force pikes for these fan-favorites based on the designs of the originals.
• A few extras came in to be fitted as Neimoidian pilots.
June 25, 2003; Hyperspace: "Lights, Camera, Testing":
• Padmé's apartment is the location for a full-fledged camera test today. The set is finished and decorated with furniture and props.
• George Lucas and Rick McCallum soon sit down and look at the images that the cameras are gathering.
• George asks that a copy of Return of the Jedi is given to Genevieve O'Reilly so she can watch the Mon Mothma parts repeatedly to get used to the manner of speech.
• Hayden Christensen and Ewan McGregor show up in full wardrobe. Anakin's is in one of his Episode III looks -- according to the slate, they're shooting Hayden's "tidy" look. His "messy" look will come later.
• George musses with Hayden's hair a bit. The tidy look is apparently too tidy. A scar added by makeup isn't reading well enough on the monitors, so Nikki Gooley and her crew thicken it up to make this particular trophy of the Clone Wars more visible.
• Obi-Wan looks dignified. The contour of the beard and the cut of the hair perfectly define a distinguished Jedi. "I don't seem to remember ever owning a droid," Ewan says, just to get into the spirit of things. And it's perfect.
• Hayden runs through one frame of shooting to test the drape of his cloak and the flow of his hair.
June 25, 2003; Hyperspace Web Chat with Gavin Bocquet Summary:
• No Neimoidian planet. But we will see more of their hardware and crafts.
• There are around 67 physical sets built. More than any previous SW film. But there are also more CGI environments.
• There are new Starfighters being built for Anakin and Obi-Wan. There will also be new Starfighters for the rest of the Jedi. The new starfighters will have new weapons and fight in big battles.
• A question was asked if we would be seeing any sets with Imperial implications in Episode III. He said yes. Both seeing and building. But that's all he could say.
• There are many new worlds in Episode III. But most are being built on sound stages and do not require traveling elsewhere.
• There are a few scenes he believes we'll go nuts over.
• We will see a number of sets and environments returning from the OT.
• We will get to see OT Starships in Episode III.
• Some places and vehicles will have a more "used" feel to them.
• There will be many fights on sets that change in level.
• Sets are going back to the monochrome color. But other sets are going the complete opposite way.
• There are a couple of set environments that were cut from Episode II that will be returning because now they can fit them into the story.
• The colors of the sets on Stage 3 are soft cream with copper highlights
-
June 26, 2003; Hyperspace: "The King of Casting":
• The "starship captain" previously cast was cut from the film.
• Silas Carson is returning as Ki-Adi-Mundi and Nute Gunray.
• Bodie Taylor returns and will play the younger clones.
• Bai Ling will be playing a Senator.
• Warren Owens will play a Senator.
• Chris Kirby will play a Senator.
• Kristy Wright and Chantal Freer will play handmaidens.
• Rebecca Jackson Mendoza will play a royal leader.
• Rohan Nichol will play a starship captain.
• Kee Chan will play a Senator.
• There will be about 150 to 300 extras.
• Though there are no plans for location shoots, visual effects plates will be photographed in New Zealand, Switzerland and Italy in March.
June 26, 2003; MTV: Samuel L Jackson & Ewan McGregor Talk Episode 3:
• "I'm just going to die, you know?" Jackson said recently of George Lucas' plans for "Star Wars Episode III," which the actor begins work on next month in Australia. "I'm basically going down there hoping that I'm going to have this really awesome lightsaber battle with somebody that takes me out in the proper way. You know, the way a Jedi of my status deserves to be taken out. I owe thanks to George for creating a character like Mace Windu that makes me, like, the second-baddest dude in the universe," he said. "It's kind of awesome. And then, you know, to top that off, giving me the oddest lightsaber in the universe. I got the only purple lightsaber in the universe."
• Like Jackson, Ewan McGregor — a.k.a. Obi-Wan Kenobi — is looking forward to getting his hands back on the Jedi knights' signature weapon, even if he isn't too psyched about shooting scenes on empty soundstages in front of green screens, interacting with things that will be added in later. "I like the fighting sequences [the best]," he said. "They're good fun to prepare for and also good fun to shoot. It's one of the rare instances in the 'Star Wars' movies when you're working with someone else, because you can't really swordfight on your own. However, most of the other scenes seem to be played into midair with computer-generated characters."
June 26, 2003; OS Casting Update: EP3:
• Joel Edgerton - Owen Lars
• Jay Laga'aia - Captain Typho
• Rena Owen - Taun We
• Kee Chan - Senator
• Chantal Freer - Handmaiden
• Christopher Kirby - Senator
• Rebecca Jackson Mendoza - Royal Leader
• Rohan Nichol - Young Captain
• Warren Owens - Senator
• Kristy Wright - Handmaiden
June 26, 2003; Sydney Morning Herald Interviews Rick McCallum:
• Episode III would be shot almost entirely inside the studios from next Monday.
• The main shoot would take 12 weeks, with Lucas returning for additional filming over the next 18 months.
• The only shooting outside Sydney would be some plate photography - for visual effects - in Italy, New Zealand and Switzerland.
• It's a huge picture and, under today's standards, it's a pretty moderately budgeted film," McCallum said. "But they're a lot of fun to make."
• For Episode II, Lucas finished the script only three days before shooting started. This time around, he finished with five days to spare.
• "I think they're always tough for him to write," McCallum said. "Especially this one, because it has to tie everything up from the prequels to the original trilogy. And you've got really big themes and issues in this one - how and why Anakin turns into Darth Vader."
June 27, 2003; Hyperspace: "Behind the Photo":
"Extreme wind" is on the shooting schedule and the Costume Dept will work to keep the added hair wefts attached to Ewan and Anakin's hair for these scenes.
Jun 29; Insider #69 Tidbits:
• First draft of the Episode III script was 102 pages long. Major changes are expected on following drafts.
• The major focus is the breakdown in friendship between Obi-Wan and Anakin.
• Color and darkness will be emphasized in the film.
• Nick Gillard was, as of May 2003, hitting local fight clubs to find fighters for the new movie.
• Anakin Skywalker won't have a beard in Episode III.
• Yoda's homeworld or species will not be revealed.
• No rematch between Yoda and Dooku though both will have their own fights.
• Temuera Morrison won't be seen as a clone trooper.
• There is no location shooting for EP 3.
• No extra shots of Natalie Portman will be put in the classic trilogy.
June 30, 2003; Hyperspace: "Day One":
• The active stage today contains four sets, but only one will be used for shooting. The other three are in various states of completion.
• Today's set is an environment new to Episode III, mundanely described as an "ELEVATOR LOBBY" and "HALLWAY" on the call sheets. The scene takes up 2/8th of a script page.
• At 8:07 a.m., Rick McCallum takes the clapboard and marks the first take of production. "Good luck everybody. Kick some ass. Let's do this in 60 days."
• The first take is a "control take," a clean plate of the environment for the benefit of Industrial Light & Magic. moves.
• The scene is shot again, this time with Hayden and Ewan in frame. They exchange lines of dialogue as they walk down the corridor.
• A scene requiring Anakin to sidestep some obstacles keeps stalling as Hayden gets his cloak stuck on an unruly outcropping.
• R2-D2 joins Ewan and Hayden on set for a brief appearance.
• Chris Kirby, Warren Owens and Genevieve O'Reilly are fitted into their Senatorial robes, while an extra is dressed as Senator Tikkes' aide.
• A 10-year old Padawan undergoes combat rehearsals.
• Anthony Daniels dresses into his familiar golden shell.
July 01, 2003; Hyperspace: "Bring Me the Head of Yoda":
• Yoda has yet to appear in any shooting, but when scenes call for the Jedi Master, the actors on set will use a quick stand-in model which is Yoda's head on a stick.
• Day two of the shooting is in the same set environment as day one. Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen are standing within the tight confines of an elevator set, built full scale with a completely decorated interior.
• A wind machine blasts Hayden Christensen as they test out a change in Anakin's environment, carefully watch Anakin's hair to see how it reacts to the gusts of wind.
• The "extreme" wind actually comes later in the schedule.
July 02, 2003; Hyperspace: "The Voice You May Not Hear":
• C-3PO will serve drinks to a gathering of Senators, which include Genevieve O'Reilly as Mon Mothma, Chris Kirby, Warren Owens, Bai Ling, as well as a new blue faced female Senator who has appeared in both Episodes I and II ("Pampy").
• Genevieve is perfect as Mon Mothma.
• Standing over this meeting is Bail Organa, but it's not Jimmy Smits. Jimmy isn't due to arrive until later this month, but this scene required Bail, so a stand-in performs the scene and Bail will be digitally composited in later.
• There will be a lot of speaking roles that won't actually be on set. Duncan Young will do the speaking parts for those scenes until the editing process dubs over them.
July 02, 2003; Basketball Players for Wookiees:
Sydney Morning Herald talks about the need for tall furry people in Episode III. Kingma was snapped up with four others by writer and director George Lucas at open auditions for "tall guys" to play friends Chewbacca in the Star Wars prequel. "I'm fairly pumped up about the whole thing, it should be a lot of fun," Kingma said. "The five wookies will come in different shapes and sizes - I've already been fitted for a muscle suit, apparently they wanted to bulk me up a bit and I'm scheduled for a fur fitting next week," said Kingma.
-
July 02; Hyperspace Webchat with Rob Coleman - Summary:
• Yoda will look the same as in Episode II.
• There will definitely be more CG work involving characters and vehicles in Episode III than in the other prequels.
• The new fights are going to be amazing.
• We will see Battle Droids (including Supers) and Destroyer Droids in Episode 3 - as well as some "cool new ones".
• Ep3 is going to be dark.
• Yoda will be seen in action sequences again.
• Ep3 will have the most visual effects of all the movies.
• The clonetroopers will be all CGI and there will be new variations of them that "look really cool".
• Some of the fights are incredibly huge.
• We will some new, even bigger monsters/creatures.
• The last 3 pages of the script gave Rob goosebumps.
• There will be new starships and planets.
• The opening sequence of the movie is going to be quite challenging for ILM.
• There is a sequence in Ep3 that makes Rob think "this is what I always wanted to see in the prequels".
July 03, 2003; Hyperspace: "Makin' Wookiee":
• The Creature Shop crafted a brand new suit for Chewbacca.
• The new Chewie has some added subtle enhancements in his expressiveness thanks to small animatronics that control his lips. He can now snarl, smirk and purse his lips realistically.
• George asked that Chewie have a messier hairstyle, similar to Ep6.
• Today's entire shooting consisted of quiet exchanges of dialogue in Padmé's apartment set with only three actors on set: Hayden Christensen, Anthony Daniels, and Natalie Portman.
• One scene today required a shirtless Anakin. For his exposed mechanical arm, Hayden Christensen wears a long blue glove on his real arm.
July 04, 2003; Hyperspace: "Wrapping Up Week One":
• Today's action takes place in a new environment is an expansive example of classical architecture, resplendent with elegant columns and majestic statuary that befits the status of the locale's tenant.
• Off the edge of the set sits what the call sheet describes as a "Blue Speeder", a simple geometric shape done in the familiar bluescreen hue, with two banks of seats. In postproduction, ILM will replace it with a computer-generated vehicle. Since flesh-and-blood actors will occupy it, they need something with which to interact.
• At the center of the floor is a bowl-shaped structure intended to be a fountain. It will be digitally inserted in post, thus avoiding the work of incorporating running water onto the set.
July 07, 2003; Hyperspace: "Tour of the Galaxy":
• Family set tours began this week, a rare privilege and opportunity on a closed movie set like Star Wars.
• Padmé's apartment is dismantled, already having served its purpose in Episode III.
• The next stage is home to the Jedi Council chamber. Again, the group stands within the instantly recognizable circular room, which currently is unfurnished.
• Palpatine's office is now furnished, with Palpatine's familiar looking chair in place, complete with working lights. His table is adorned with the crystal pyramids seen in Episode II.
• Ian McDiarmid is now in Sydney. The Creature Shop Creative Supervisor is working to determine the continued evolution of Palpatine, and how to get one step closer to how we first saw him in Return of the Jedi.
• Samuel L. Jackson is also in Sydney. Today, he's scheduled for a costume fitting. Mace Windu will be wearing the same Jedi robes as in Episode II. Jackson will soon begin lightsaber rehearsals with Nick Gillard.
• Peter Mayhew is here today as well. Chewbacca is back.
• Bai Ling has wrapped her shooting requirements for Episode III, and has left Sydney.
July 08, 2003; Hyperspace: "Breezy Blue Vistas":
• Today's call sheet notes the wind requirements as "moderate," gentle currents of air flowing from an unseen vista.
• This environment is a mix of interior and exterior -- a sitting area with an expansive view.
• Anthony Daniels is polished and golden as C-3PO.
• Today's shoot adds another two pages, for a total of eight pages of script shot in this environment so far. George Lucas says it is "the scene that explains it all". True to the much-predicted tone of Episode III, the characters have grim expressions as they account for the dark state of things.
• Animatronics were worked on for a Mon Calamari mask mouth. The character will ultimately be a senator.
• Olive Levi will play a Senator, and Caroline De Souza will play one of Bail Organa's aides.
Jul 08, 2003; Peter Mayhew Talks Episode III with UK LOK Magazine:
• On page 49, Robin Hail asked Peter Mayhew how he felt about the prequel trilogy and Episode III in particular since Chewbacca will make his silver-screen return. Peter replied, “I am very pleased with Episodes 1 and 2. George Lucas is doing a remarkable job. However, Lucas assures me that Episode 3 with far surpass the other two in both action and story and from some of the pages I have read from the Episode III script, I certainly believe him.” Later he goes on to say, “As you know, none of the actors get the full script of Episode III, but they do get the pages for what scene they are working on. Therefore, I have not read the full script yet, just a few pages with my character.”
• After Peter talked about Episode III’s script, Robin asked Peter on the role that Chewbacca will play. I liked what Peter said. Peter replied, “I was told by George Lucas that I would be playing a large part in the story including the delivering of two twin babies and playing a role in a major battle scene that involves many war machines. Sadly, I have not read those sequences of the script yet.”
• After a small bit of Robin comparing the Original trilogy to the Prequel trilogy, she asked Peter how well he liked the parts of the script that he had seen. Peter says, “Again, I haven’t really seen the complete script. Lucas only gives us copies for that days shooting. But from what I’ve seen, it looks good. Of course, I really don’t have any lines (he laughs). Lucas has really changed his writing style from back when he wrote the original trilogy. He is much bolder and willing to push the envelope in both settings and dialogue. In fact, the opening action scene involving many Wookiees takes place on one of the many new planets seen in this movie.”
July 09, 2003; Hyperspace: "New Kit On The Block":
• Ben Cooke underwent his Kit Fisto makeup test.
• Ben Cooke is also Anakin's double, a bodyguard, and a few droids. For several of these roles, he won't be seen in the movie, but his performance will be the basis of a CGI character and serves as vital interaction for actual live actors.
• Peter Mayhew donned the Chewbacca suit for tests.
• Anthony Daniels donned the golden droid outfit to perform alongside R2-D2.
• The main set today was a landing platform on Coruscant with Ewan and Hayden. There are 10 landing platform sets for Episode III. Many different types of vehicles will be seen traveling to and from these platforms.
July 10, 2003: Hyperspace Webchat with Nick Gillard - Summary:
• Mace Windu will go out in a blaze of glory.
• There will be many intense fights
• There are going to be new styles of lightsaber fighting. Deconstructing the current Jedi style.
• There's no question that we'll see Saber duels in Episode III that will definitely top the Obi-Wan / Maul duel.
• The tall individuals on the web cam that were seen fighting with poles were not Wookies nor Imperial Guards.
• Nick Gillard will be having a cameo as a Jedi in Episode III. May or may not have large ears.
• We will see at least one character we've never seen fight before with a lightsaber, do so in Episode III. Also expect a new style from this or these characters too.
• Anakin will cover just about every fighting style in Episode III.
• Many limbs will be lost in Episode III.
• The Epic duel between Anakin and Obi-Wan will be the longest lightsaber duel ever.
• Female Jedi will fight in Episode III.
• Anakin is vulnerable on a slope.
July 10, 2003; Hyperspace: "Council In Session":
• The Jedi Council set is complete and shooting there has begun.
• Due to the Clone Wars, the Jedi that comprise the 12 Council chairs has changed for Ep3. There will be 4 alien Jedi (and one human Jedi with a funky alien hat).
• What was once a polished floor now has visible scuff marks and wear. The chairs of the Jedi COuncil are marked and torn, being visual cues that things have been chaotic and difficult these past 3 years.
• Samuel L. Jackson was on the Jedi Council set with Hayden and Ewan. Mace discusses new assignments with them. Ki-Adi-Mundi and Plo Koon are not in the scene as they are on a mission off-world. We will see their holograms during this scene. Agen Kolar, Stass Allie, and Saesee Tiin are among those present.
• CGI Jedi Masters may be added into the scenes.
• Duncan Young spoke Yoda's lines and Yoda will be added digitally to the scene.
July 11, 2003; Hyperspace: "Supreme Performance":
• His first day of shooting, Ian McDiarmid performed some of his on the Supreme Chancellor's office set.
• Much of Palpatine's plan will be revealed in Ep3, meaning the actor has a large number of scenes. Today was the filming of a big scene.
• Palpatine discusses a new assignment to Anakin in this scene.
• In a scene, a Senator refuses a beverage offered to him by C-3PO as he is serving drinks. We will hear 3PO's lines to be formal and humorous, similar to his OT lines.
• The "scene that explains it all," was cut together. It was amazing and will be even more dramatic once the editing has been completed.
-
July 14, 2003; Hyperspace: "Quick Turnarounds":
• Today's shoot involves a dialogue-intensive scene entirely in Palpatine's Office. The scene is in a new corridor that connects the Ep2 office to a new Ep3 antechamber.
• Today's shoot has some complicated blocking and camera moves. As the characters exchange words, they slowly circle each other, and the camera in turn circles them.
• The stage where shooting started held four sets: the elevator lobby, the hallway, the elevator shaft, and the majestic environment with the columns and statues.
• Six new sets will be built. One of these new environments will feature an opening in the floor which will reveal a ten-foot deep sunken area to be filled with water. One of our heroes get wet.
July 15, 2003; Hyperspace: "Nothing Up This Sleeve":
• Today's scenes are once again in the Chancellor's office. Palpatine holds important meetings to discuss affairs of galactic significance.
• Natalie Portman returns as the Senator from Naboo.
• A CGI alien Senator will also be present. He will have no lines.
• An as-yet unnamed Mon Calamari Senator will also be present.
• Rena Owen (Taun We's voice in Ep2) will play a human Senator.
• Ask Aak, will be back for Episode III, played by extra Paul Spence. Ask Aak has no lines.
July 16, 2003; Hyperspace: "Spin Me Right Round":
• Set crews are working on revolving sets to create a "topsy-turvy effect".
• Some special FX to be done by ILM will include wind effects, sparking squib hits, indoor rain, smoke and fire, and now - working with a huge rotating set called a "revolve".
• A square wooden room will be in the center of the "revolve".
• The set can spin fast enough that someone running inside would not be able to keep up with the rotation.
• There were 20 costume fittings booked today.
• Palpatine's Royal Guards were included in today's shoot.
• Jimmy Smits has arrived at Fox Studios. Bail Organa will have several costume changes.
July 17, 2003; Hyperspace Webchat with Rick McCallum:
• Mace Windu's role will be bigger and unforgettable.
• Christopher Lee has arrived in Sydney but has not started shooting.
• Vader may have more screentime that originally anticipated.
• Keira Knightley is not in Ep3.
• The scenes for the EU character will not be shot until 2004 and no one has been cast for the part.
• Rick is most looking forward to the Anakin/Obi-Wan duel.
• Tatooine will "tie everything together" in Ep3.
July 17, 2003; Hyperspace: "Matching Moves & Making Faces":
• ILM is waiting for principal photography to be complete so they can begin the large amount of digital work needed for Ep3 post-production.
• ILM places tracking makers around the set to match where digital characters may be and where they will look to other characters or things. All these measurements are very specific and carefully managed. Lighting is sampled and tests are run on the rough footage in between takes.
• The Creature Shop animatronics engineers are working with the heads of Nute Gunray, Rune Haako, and a third Neimoidian.
• Nute and Rune will have new hats.
• The Neimoidians aren't scheduled for shooting for maybe another four weeks.
• Rune Haako only has one line.
• Silas Carson has recorded a number of Nute's lines.
• Ahmed Best is now in Sydney and was fitted into his Jar Jar Binks skin, and then quickly took off to Costumes, to try on Jar Jar's new clothes.
July 17, 2003; Hyperspace Webchat with John Knoll - A Summary:
• The Clone Troopers will again be CG, yet different than seen before.
• Ep3 will contain roughly the same amount of visual effects as AOTC.
• Wat Tambor is back, and "badder".
• Page 7, word twelve of the script is "trench".
• There's more planets in Ep3 than any previous SW film.
• There will be some spectacular battles.
• No plans for a CG Chewbacca.
• Artoo will still have his jet rockets.
• We will be seeing more of Coruscant.
• We will see the next step in evolution of the Republic ship to the Imperial ships.
• Pre-visualization will continue until a few months before the film is finished.
• Droids will be CG at times.
• The current plan is for Anakin to have the same metallic hand he had at the end of AOTC.
• Watto will not be in Ep3.
• No CG bounty hunters in Ep3 that he knows so far.
• Mace still has a purple lightsaber.
• Padme and Threepio will be looking out a window of a palace at something spectacular.
• The elevator set from shooting so far is not the Death Star.
July 18, 2003; Hyperspace: "Change of Venue":
• George may change the shooting script at any time to change ideas.
• A private meeting scene originally shot in Palpatine's Office was changed to occur in a very public place.
• Today's shooting was on sparse set which will become a Coruscant theater in post-production. The theater will feature tiers of viewing boxes and an elaborate stage show for entertainment yet to be determined. Palpatine will be in this scene and a clue is that the show may be "refined and sophisticated".
• Palpatine will be seated, awaiting a guest. He will by joined by his aides Sly Moore and Mas Amedda and a pair of red robed guards.
• Sly Moore will not have a new outfit as previously reported.
• Mas Amedda has a new costume featuring new imposing shoulder-pieces.
• The theater scene will last 8 minutes, but may later be shortened.
• Shooting in Palpatine's office is now complete.
July 18, 2003 ; COMIC-CON: Lucasfilm Previews Star Wars: Episode III:
• The 'flannelled one' appeared next on a set he himself described as the 'Emperor's Throne Room'. He spoke briefly about looking forward to having all the fans see the final film… which he said the title of, but was beeped out with the words "Title Censored" flashed across the screen. "Oh, I wasn't suppose to say that yet?" he questioned to someone off-screen.
• When the video was over, Steve Sansweet returned to the microphone, quick to say that he didn't know what Lucas had called the third film… "So, don't ask!" he laughed.
• Sansweet reassured fans that Episode III will answer the "Why" and "How" of the saga. He added that while most of the main characters are returning, some of the characters from the classic trilogy also emerge, such as Chewie and Mon Mothma. He also promised new vehicles, weapons, creatures and planets that we've only heard or read about.
• In closing, Sansweet said Episode III will 'surprise, amaze and shock.' He reinforced that it will be the darkest of the six saga films and promised that it will tie the series together in 'unexpected and surprising' ways.
July 21, 2003 ; Hyperspace: "Three Sets In One ":
• Two of the three sets used today are small "bridge" environments for characters to transition from one set to another.
• Shoot Day 16 starts with reversal angles of the Coruscant Theater. The previous shooting focused on the seated characters, while today focuses on angles behind them, looking out over their shoulders toward the stage show.
• The next set is a starship boarding ramp. R2 and 3PO will be in a scene going down the ramp.
• Padmé and Obi-Wan join C-3PO, hurrying down the ramp to meet Bail Organa at its base.
• Later, this set is transformed into a lobby.
• Four Jedi walk through the lobby set which is an environment that will be completely digital in the finished film.
• The final set is a new Coruscant landing platform. R2 will be in this scene. Three wind machines blast the actors on the first take.
• Large fans provide wispy clouds of smoke to waft into frame of the windy environment on Coruscant.
July 22, 2003; Hyperspace: "Two Dozen's A Crowd":
• Today's shooting is again on the Coruscant landing platforms. One the later scenes will take place on a Republic gunship.
• The gunship scene will include Obi-Wan and Mace. Mace is speaking to Yoda via hologram and Yoda will receive the transmission from Mace.
• The next landing platform scene features Palpatine, Mas Amedda, and four red-robed guards. They will depart in a vehicle yet to be built. It will ultimately be a large shuttle.
• A new scene includes Obi-Wan, Anakin, Palpatine, Mace, and Bail Organa - as well as a swarm of Senators and planetary representatives, alien and human alike.
• Jar Jar Binks wears a new dark maroon outfit. Orn Free Taa wears a new costume as well. Mon Mothma wears a silver-painted headpiece. The new Senators include Warren Owens, Chris Kirby, Kee Chan, Rena Owen and two new politicians played by special cameos.
• The extras include Olive Levi's human Senator, the Mon Calamari Senator, Senator Ask Aak, a Quarren Senator and his aide (whose species is questionable, since the character is completely obscured by an intricate black and charcoal costume) and several blue Coruscant guards. Oh, and there may be a new computer-generated Senator in the frame.
• C-3PO is also in the scene accompanied by R2-D2.
• At the end of shooting day, the stage is again a landing platform, this one an indoor hangar for Bail Organa and his aides. The light cast on the floor behind the characters perfectly emulates the light that would come from behind a closing and opening door, with long shadows cast by the Alderaanians as they walk closer to camera.
July 23, 2003; Hyperspace: "They Came From the Ranch":
• Five members of the Skywalker Ranch Art Department are now in Sydney.
• One of the sets is a bridge of a Trade Federation Cruiser. One of the artists said "...it's great knowing what's going to happen there, and what we're going to see out those huge windows."
• Shooting today focused on the "Senate Office Building Main Hall," as described in the script. Padmé Amidala (still a Senator) was in the scene.
• Bail Organa's female aide wears something that is very "nice" for male fandom.
• The Creature Shop is working on the alien designing for Bruce Spence.
-
July 14, 2003; Hyperspace: "Quick Turnarounds":
• Today's shoot involves a dialogue-intensive scene entirely in Palpatine's Office. The scene is in a new corridor that connects the Ep2 office to a new Ep3 antechamber.
• Today's shoot has some complicated blocking and camera moves. As the characters exchange words, they slowly circle each other, and the camera in turn circles them.
• The stage where shooting started held four sets: the elevator lobby, the hallway, the elevator shaft, and the majestic environment with the columns and statues.
• Six new sets will be built. One of these new environments will feature an opening in the floor which will reveal a ten-foot deep sunken area to be filled with water. One of our heroes get wet.
-
July 15, 2003; Hyperspace: "Nothing Up This Sleeve":
• Today's scenes are once again in the Chancellor's office. Palpatine holds important meetings to discuss affairs of galactic significance.
• Natalie Portman returns as the Senator from Naboo.
• A CGI alien Senator will also be present. He will have no lines.
• An as-yet unnamed Mon Calamari Senator will also be present.
• Rena Owen (Taun We's voice in Ep2) will play a human Senator.
• Ask Aak, will be back for Episode III, played by extra Paul Spence. Ask Aak has no lines.
-
July 16, 2003; Hyperspace: "Spin Me Right Round":
• Set crews are working on revolving sets to create a "topsy-turvy effect".
• Some special FX to be done by ILM will include wind effects, sparking squib hits, indoor rain, smoke and fire, and now - working with a huge rotating set called a "revolve".
• A square wooden room will be in the center of the "revolve".
• The set can spin fast enough that someone running inside would not be able to keep up with the rotation.
• There were 20 costume fittings booked today.
• Palpatine's Royal Guards were included in today's shoot.
• Jimmy Smits has arrived at Fox Studios. Bail Organa will have several costume changes.
-
July 17, 2003; Hyperspace Webchat with Rick McCallum:
• Mace Windu's role will be bigger and unforgettable.
• Christopher Lee has arrived in Sydney but has not started shooting.
• Vader may have more screentime that originally anticipated.
• Keira Knightley is not in Ep3.
• The scenes for the EU character will not be shot until 2004 and no one has been cast for the part.
• Rick is most looking forward to the Anakin/Obi-Wan duel.
• Tatooine will "tie everything together" in Ep3.
-
July 17, 2003; Hyperspace: "Matching Moves & Making Faces":
• ILM is waiting for principal photography to be complete so they can begin the large amount of digital work needed for Ep3 post-production.
• ILM places tracking makers around the set to match where digital characters may be and where they will look to other characters or things. All these measurements are very specific and carefully managed. Lighting is sampled and tests are run on the rough footage in between takes.
• The Creature Shop animatronics engineers are working with the heads of Nute Gunray, Rune Haako, and a third Neimoidian.
• Nute and Rune will have new hats.
• The Neimoidians aren't scheduled for shooting for maybe another four weeks.
• Rune Haako only has one line.
• Silas Carson has recorded a number of Nute's lines.
• Ahmed Best is now in Sydney and was fitted into his Jar Jar Binks skin, and then quickly took off to Costumes, to try on Jar Jar's new clothes.
July 17, 2003; Hyperspace Webchat with John Knoll - A Summary:
• The Clone Troopers will again be CG, yet different than seen before.
• Ep3 will contain roughly the same amount of visual effects as AOTC.
• Wat Tambor is back, and "badder".
• Page 7, word twelve of the script is "trench".
• There's more planets in Ep3 than any previous SW film.
• There will be some spectacular battles.
• No plans for a CG Chewbacca.
• Artoo will still have his jet rockets.
• We will be seeing more of Coruscant.
• We will see the next step in evolution of the Republic ship to the Imperial ships.
• Pre-visualization will continue until a few months before the film is finished.
• Droids will be CG at times.
• The current plan is for Anakin to have the same metallic hand he had at the end of AOTC.
• Watto will not be in Ep3.
• No CG bounty hunters in Ep3 that he knows so far.
• Mace still has a purple lightsaber.
• Padme and Threepio will be looking out a window of a palace at something spectacular.
• The elevator set from shooting so far is not the Death Star.
July 18, 2003; Hyperspace: "Change of Venue":
• George may change the shooting script at any time to change ideas.
• A private meeting scene originally shot in Palpatine's Office was changed to occur in a very public place.
• Today's shooting was on sparse set which will become a Coruscant theater in post-production. The theater will feature tiers of viewing boxes and an elaborate stage show for entertainment yet to be determined. Palpatine will be in this scene and a clue is that the show may be "refined and sophisticated".
• Palpatine will be seated, awaiting a guest. He will by joined by his aides Sly Moore and Mas Amedda and a pair of red robed guards.
• Sly Moore will not have a new outfit as previously reported.
• Mas Amedda has a new costume featuring new imposing shoulder-pieces.
• The theater scene will last 8 minutes, but may later be shortened.
• Shooting in Palpatine's office is now complete.
July 18, 2003 ; COMIC-CON: Lucasfilm Previews Star Wars: Episode III:
• The 'flannelled one' appeared next on a set he himself described as the 'Emperor's Throne Room'. He spoke briefly about looking forward to having all the fans see the final film… which he said the title of, but was beeped out with the words "Title Censored" flashed across the screen. "Oh, I wasn't suppose to say that yet?" he questioned to someone off-screen.
• When the video was over, Steve Sansweet returned to the microphone, quick to say that he didn't know what Lucas had called the third film… "So, don't ask!" he laughed.
• Sansweet reassured fans that Episode III will answer the "Why" and "How" of the saga. He added that while most of the main characters are returning, some of the characters from the classic trilogy also emerge, such as Chewie and Mon Mothma. He also promised new vehicles, weapons, creatures and planets that we've only heard or read about.
• In closing, Sansweet said Episode III will 'surprise, amaze and shock.' He reinforced that it will be the darkest of the six saga films and promised that it will tie the series together in 'unexpected and surprising' ways.
July 21, 2003 ; Hyperspace: "Three Sets In One ":
• Two of the three sets used today are small "bridge" environments for characters to transition from one set to another.
• Shoot Day 16 starts with reversal angles of the Coruscant Theater. The previous shooting focused on the seated characters, while today focuses on angles behind them, looking out over their shoulders toward the stage show.
• The next set is a starship boarding ramp. R2 and 3PO will be in a scene going down the ramp.
• Padmé and Obi-Wan join C-3PO, hurrying down the ramp to meet Bail Organa at its base.
• Later, this set is transformed into a lobby.
• Four Jedi walk through the lobby set which is an environment that will be completely digital in the finished film.
• The final set is a new Coruscant landing platform. R2 will be in this scene. Three wind machines blast the actors on the first take.
• Large fans provide wispy clouds of smoke to waft into frame of the windy environment on Coruscant.
-
July 22, 2003; Hyperspace: "Two Dozen's A Crowd":
• Today's shooting is again on the Coruscant landing platforms. One the later scenes will take place on a Republic gunship.
• The gunship scene will include Obi-Wan and Mace. Mace is speaking to Yoda via hologram and Yoda will receive the transmission from Mace.
• The next landing platform scene features Palpatine, Mas Amedda, and four red-robed guards. They will depart in a vehicle yet to be built. It will ultimately be a large shuttle.
• A new scene includes Obi-Wan, Anakin, Palpatine, Mace, and Bail Organa - as well as a swarm of Senators and planetary representatives, alien and human alike.
• Jar Jar Binks wears a new dark maroon outfit. Orn Free Taa wears a new costume as well. Mon Mothma wears a silver-painted headpiece. The new Senators include Warren Owens, Chris Kirby, Kee Chan, Rena Owen and two new politicians played by special cameos.
• The extras include Olive Levi's human Senator, the Mon Calamari Senator, Senator Ask Aak, a Quarren Senator and his aide (whose species is questionable, since the character is completely obscured by an intricate black and charcoal costume) and several blue Coruscant guards. Oh, and there may be a new computer-generated Senator in the frame.
• C-3PO is also in the scene accompanied by R2-D2.
• At the end of shooting day, the stage is again a landing platform, this one an indoor hangar for Bail Organa and his aides. The light cast on the floor behind the characters perfectly emulates the light that would come from behind a closing and opening door, with long shadows cast by the Alderaanians as they walk closer to camera.
July 23, 2003; Hyperspace: "They Came From the Ranch":
• Five members of the Skywalker Ranch Art Department are now in Sydney.
• One of the sets is a bridge of a Trade Federation Cruiser. One of the artists said "...it's great knowing what's going to happen there, and what we're going to see out those huge windows."
• Shooting today focused on the "Senate Office Building Main Hall," as described in the script. Padmé Amidala (still a Senator) was in the scene.
• Bail Organa's female aide wears something that is very "nice" for male fandom.
• The Creature Shop is working on the alien designing for Bruce Spence.
July 24, 2003; Hyperspace: "From All Angles":
• Shooting today included Yoda's quarters, as seen in Ep2, and scenes include Obi-Wan, Yoda, and Mace Windu.
• Palpatine's office set has been torn down since shooting scenes there has been completed.
• Scenes shot on a different set include Yoda walking and talking with Obi-Wan and Bail Organa. This was the last of the scenes need for Mace Windu for principal photography. Additional shooting for Mace may happen next year.
• The battle droids in Ep3 will be a mix of what we've seen before, but the clone troopers will have some new markings to match their new designs.
• Mace, Obi-Wan, and Hayden were extensively photographed for visual effects reference. ILM is using a rotating chair with six camera and one hand-held camera for work on close-ups and a method of "polarized lighting". This method of photography will be used for model geometry and painted skin of the digital stunt doubles required for the more intense action sequences of Episode III and will aid in post-production details for ILM for digital doubles of characters.
July 25 2003; smh.com.au Interview with Bruce Spence:
• ...Next month he will shoot scenes for Star Wars Episode III in which he plays the leader of an alien planet who harbours a fugitive Obi-Wan Kenobi.
• "I'm a very benevolent person, a helpful alien the heroes need to hide with for a while," Spence explained.
• "It involves an enormous amount of latex. There are no tentacles, but he is very tall and he is definitely an alien."
-
July 25, 2003; Hyperspace: "Passing the Baton":
• Iain McCaig has arrived at Fox Studios and describes passing his artistic creations to other designers to actually build them as "passing of the baton".
• The sculpt of Bruce Spence's alien character in the process of being molded and the design was very influenced by the look of Boris Karloff in one of his famous makeup roles.
• Virtual environments have dominated this week of shooting. There are currently five sets in varying states of completion, including two sets that can be lowered into what will be a sunken pool of water.
• Two of the sets will be interiors of a starship and are tubular shafts lined with meticulous mechanical detail.
• A scene(s) will be similar (if not exact) to the tracking shot of Mace Windu entering the Senate Rotunda to meet with Yoda in Ep2 and will this time feature Bail Organa who will be "in a hurry".
• Today brings an end to Shoot Day 20.
-
July 28, 2003; Hyperspace: "A Busy Day for Bail":
• Three scenes are were shot today and all of them included Bail Organa, the Senator from Alderaan.
• Bail will have a different costume (3) to fit the locations and actions required. The outfits are less regal and more conducive for action scenes and also blend in with the OT costumes a bit more.
• The first scene is in a conference room that features blinking lights and buttons that hark back to the OT settings. The scene is all dialogue and the characters are discussing crucial events of the galaxy.. Yoda will be in the scene.
• The second scene is on a landing platform on Coruscant and is round in shape. Bail will exchange laser fire with unseen opponents before making a quick escape in his shiny red speeder.
• The third scene involves shooting Bail's shots to be digitally incorporated into a previously shot landing platform scene which includes Mon Mothma, Padmé, the blue skinned senator, and the characters played by Bai Ling, Christopher Kirby and Warren Owens.
-
July 29, 2003; Hyperspace: "We Shall Have Order":
• Today's shooting was in the Senate Rotunda with the only set piece being the Chancellor's podium and a Senator pod. The huge senate chamber will be reconstructed in post-production.
-
• The Senate pod is filled with the Naboo delegation, Senator Amidala, Captain Typho, Jar-Jar Binks, and Kristy Wright as a handmaiden. The seat next to Amidala is empty, awaiting a guest.
• Jar-Jar's robes are a dark red and violet scheme and cover much of his body, making things easier for ILM in post-production.
• Duncan Young and his dialogue coach are provide background voices for Senators in the scene, to include applause.
• Today finished the last of Jar-Jar's scenes. Ahmed Best's time shooting scenes in the PT as Jar-Jar Binks has concluded.
• Shots in the scene include Chancellor Palpatine, Sly Moore and Mas Amedda in their familiar positions on the Chancellor's podium.
-
July 29; Hyperspace webchat with Don Bies - A Summary:
• It looks like there will be more digital R2-D2 in Ep3 than Kenny Baker acting/working R2.
• There have no real bloopers with R2 on set yet that would be on the Ep3 DVD, but we will see a few bloopers of C-3PO.
• There is not likely a need for the "sand-R2" which is modified to operate in a sandy environment (Tatooine).
• We will see new types of rescues by R2-D2 and new "environmental situations".
• We will see additional R2 astromech droids in Ep3.
• R2 will likely have a larger role in Ep3 than he did in Ep2.
• R2 may climb stairs in Ep3 but it will be done with a digital R2.
• There will be new and unique droids in Ep3.
• R2 will be flying in the back of a small fighter ship similar to how he did with Luke and young Anakin. This scene(s) will include ships fighting a la X-Wings and TIE's.
• R2 will see and be present for at least one lightsaber duel in Ep3.
• "You won't be disappointed in the script."
• R2 and 3PO's relationship "deepens and blossoms" in Ep3.
• R2 will see his fair share of peril in Ep3.
• There are currently no plans to include another protocol droid in Ep3 other than C-3PO.
• For C-3PO's costume they are re-using one from ESB/ROJ and modifying the TC-14 costume due to the more jumbled wires which is more of an Ep4 tie-in.
• C-3PO's shin is not silver in Ep3.
• Currently there are no plans for C-3PO to be injured in Ep3 other than emotional damage.
-
• There will be "evil" droids we have not yet seen in the prequels.
-
July 30, 2003; Hyperspace: "Rock and Roll":
• A gimbal rig will be used to rock and roll the speeders and starfighter cockpits for the kinetic sequences with various ships, such as Bail Organa's shiny red speeder.
• Bail Organa will be in his speeder with wind effects. Bail will also use his wrist comlink in the scene.
• Christopher Lee watches the day's shooting from the shadows and is scheduled to shoot this week.
-
July 30; Hyperspace webchat with Anthony Daniels - A Summary:
• Anthony likes any Star Wars movie that doesn't contain Ewoks.
• Anthony "doesn't remember" the first thing C-3PO says after his memory is erased.
• C-3PO will not have any action sequences.
• They have not filmed (or decided) whether or not C-3PO will have the last line in Ep3.
• C-3PO may or may not have space travel.
• Anthony knows "everything" about Vader. He said "choke...gag...choke".
• C-3PO will have scenes in Padme Amidala's home. (Apartment set? )
• Anthony has read the entire script twice and describes it as "heavy".
• C-3PO will have a scene(s) with Jar-Jar.
• Anthony likes the script and says it will "bridge all gaps between the PT and he OT".
• The "topsy-turvy" scenes were not scripted.
• C-3PO may (or may not) have scenes with Chewbacca.
• C-3PO will not be in the pool of water which was seen on the webcam.
• C-3PO is "indeed perfect" in Ep3 and "3PO feels good about it".
• Anthony can get in his C-3PO suit in 5 1/2 minutes.
• Ewan McGregor and Jimmy Smits were happy to meet (and have scenes?) with C-3PO.
• C-3PO will not refer to "the maker" in Ep3.
• The story of Ep3 will be enjoyable as the conclusion of the saga. It is dramatic, believable, frightening, sad, moving, hurtful, and human. It is the "missing key to a story fans have admired and remembered for so long".
• 3PO's entire existence is "pathetic". As George says, "he starts out as a droid, he ends up as a droid, and he has a bad time in between".
• Anthony dodged the question about "the lava theory".
• Sir Alec Guiness was his favorite actor to work with - but he likes Salacious Crumb.
• Ewan said he'd like to try the Hyperspace webchat sometime.
• August 12th is "probably" the last day of principal photography for Anthony.
• Hayden's acting and portrayal of Anakin turning to the dark side amazes Anthony. And to see Hayden wielding a lightsaber ("or three") is a treat. The audience will get "goosebumps" when they see the portrayal and "betrayal" by Anakin.
• Anthony loves how Ewan makes him laugh and reminds him of working with Alec Guiness.
• Anthony would not reveal if Padmé dies in Ep3.
• In one word, Anthony describes Ep3 as "awesome".
-
July 31, 2003; Hyperspace: "Seeing Doubles":
• Shooting today involved a dressed "revolve", a huge spinning circular frame that houses a set which will be used to represent four environments that change orientation on camera. The only actual pieces of the set that will not be created digitally are a door and a passageway.
• The set will revolve 90 degrees on camera. For the shot of the tilt, costumed stunt doubles do the acting and the actual real actors will be shot later when the set is not tumbling.
-
• Ewan's stunt doubles were on set today, including a complete artificially created Obi-Wan which is needed for a particular effect that is not practical with a live actor.
• Christopher Lee shot a pivotal confrontation scene as Count Dooku which will have action and powerful dialogue. The set was all blue and only featured specially patterned lighting. Much of the action in the scene will be performed by stunt double Kyle Rowling.
• Count Dooku 's role in Episode III is brief.
-
August 01, 2003; Hyperspace: "To the Bridge":
• Today's shooting is on the fully-constructed Trade Federation cruiser bridge set which is one of the largest built for Ep3.
• The Neimoidian characters in the scene today will show them working the controls of the ship and looking up with alarm at a new development. The "alarmed cries" of the Neimoidians will be added in later.
• The scene is only the beginning of a series of complicated series of actions that occur on the bridge.
• One of the cruiser pilots will have three lines of dialogue. This pilot sits in an oversized chair and is helming the capital starship itself.
• Stunt doubles Ben Cooke and Kyle Rowling are on set in blue suits so that they may be digitally replaced in post-production with new menacing character designs.
• Before the bridge scenes were shot, more work was done on Count Dooku's scenes. Christopher Lee jokingly "decapitates" Nick Gillard and mentions all the previously movies he filmed when he decapitated a character on -screen. (hint?)
-
August 02; SLJ on The Tonight Show:
"I Finally got my sword fight..."; Samuel L. Jackson said that he finally got to “do that” (use his lightsaber). He said he has already filmed his death scene and was visibly happy that he “doesn't go out like a punk”.
-
August 04, 2003; Hyperspace: "The Ultimate Toybox":
• Props, Modelmaking, Art Department, Costume Props, etc. gave tours to representatives from Hasbro and other toy companies to see the designs of Ep3 and begin planning for future Ep3 toy items.
• Shooting continued on the Federation cruiser bridge.
• Almost all the largest sets have been torn own and a new round of sets are being completed.
• Bruce Spence's alien character's species is decribed as "gaunt".
-
• The bronze and copper astromech droid won the Hyperspace contest. The copper droid will be Obi-Wan's astro droid in his starfighter during the film.
• The newly designed Jedi starfighter will now feature bold, aggressive lines further bridging the gap between ship designs from the prequels to the classic trilogy. The ship will feature designs and functions first seen in the toy version of the previous Jedi starfighter but were not used in the film itself (Ep2).
-
August 05, 2003; Hyperspace: "The Jedi Trials":
• This upcoming Friday's shoot requires eight new Jedi. The Costume and Wardrobe Departments are busy today fitting the Jedi with costumes.
• The eight hopeful Jedi candidates are both male and female and maybe some aliens - possibly Nikto.
• One of the Jedi is "Gervais Koffi" who is dark-skinned with a partially shaved head with a crown of short dreadlocks. Josh Canning is a young, fresh-faced Jedi with a Padawan braid. The other two Jedi are women. Aliyah Williams has long dark hair, while Dominique Chionchio has short cut dark hair.
• On the Federation Cruiser set, a Neimodian pilot shot his close-up today with the three lines of dialogue. Light casts shadows on the set to give a sense of shake and maneuvering. The pilot will move around in the scene near a 20-foot drop.
-
August 06, 2003; Hyperspace: "Sheer Brute Droidpower":
• C-3PO will carry something very heavy in the film. R2-D2 has a "similar task to perform", which will involve pulling.
• C-3PO and R2 will be shooting again tomorrow.
• Shooting has competed for the Trade Federation bridge.
• The Episode III Visual Script helps visualize the scenes and includes production paintings of what the finished movie will look like., It includes every landscape, confrontation, betrayal, revelation. It also features character/vehicle illustrations depicting what exactly fills up each scene.
• Today's scenes were shot on greenscreen sets and were described as "major" and "powerful" and include dialogue.
-
August 07, 2003; Jay Laga'aia Has Finished Filming:
The "Australian MX trainstation" newspaper reports that Laga'aia recently finished filming his part as Captain Typho in Star Wars: Episode III.
-
August 07, 2003; Rick McCallum interview in The Daily Telegraph:
• When we left our heroes in Episode II, the Clone Wars had begun and the tempestuous Anakin Skywalker had secretly married Senator Padme Amidala. Meanwhile, Jedi master Yoda and Skywalker's mentor, Obi-Wan Kenobi, are already seeing signs of Skywalker's anger and arrogance that will eventually lead him down the path of the dark side of the Force. Episode III is set two or three years later. The Republic is starting to crumble and the Empire is beginning to form, with plans in place to construct the Death Star. Lucas has said this will be the darkest of the Star Wars films.
-
• McCallum read the completed script only 10 days before production started and agrees with Lucas's summary. "It is a darker film and it's much more complex emotionally," he says. "Everybody knows Anakin Skywalker has to turn into Darth Vader, we just don't know the how and the why of it. That's what drives the drama of this one."
• As for keeping the ending a secret . . . well, the finale to Episode III was revealed in 1977 in the original film, Star Wars: A New Hope (Episode IV in the saga): Skywalker betrays the Jedi Order and hunts down and murders the remaining Jedi Knights; Padme Amidala, Skywalker's wife, gives birth to twins, Luke and Leia, but they are hidden from their father for their protection; Skywalker suffers serious injuries after a battle with Obi-Wan Kenobi and he becomes more machine than man in his recovery, to complete his transformation into the evil Darth Vader.
• "We are hoping it will be the shortest of all of them but it will probably end up at about exactly the same time – two hours and 10 minutes," he says.
• "This is about not really moving from II to III, this is about linking III to IV and tying up all the loose ends. So somebody who doesn't understand Star Wars can start with Episode I and follow the whole saga, the whole family all the way through. Personally, I think this is the coolest of the lot but I also thought that about Episode I and II."
-
August 07, 2003; Hyperspace: "Smile, You're On Webcam":
• Today's scenes involved Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Padmé in scenes described as "major" and "grim".
• The new Jedi starfighter was on the set and will involve a scene with R2-D2 debarking the ship.
• Next week's scenes will involve Obi-Wan swimming in the pool set.
• A total of seven scenes were shot today and R2-D2 and C-3PO finished up their cargo-carrying sequence.
-
August 07, 2003; Hyperspace Webchat with Anthony Daniels - A Summary:
• Due to the shiny hue of C-3PO's suit, the droid will undergo different suit variations due to the shooting against blue & green screen backgrounds. Perfection of the suit coloring on-screen will be done in post-production.
• The most difficult scenes to perform are those that involve steep inclines, such as a ship ramp. (Hasbro toy reference, see previous HS article about 3PO on a ramp)
• Anthony made a script change suggestion to George in order to change the word "hurt" to "damage" and it was approved.
-
• C-3PO has scene(s) with Palpatine in Ep3.
• As dark as Ep3 will be, we will still see classic humorous scenes between C-3PO and R2-D2.
• Ep3 is focused on Anakin's fall from grace, so 3PO will not be in the movie too much, yet we will definitely notice him when we see him.
• Anthony has watched some lightsaber duels being filmed. The skills of the actors involved is awesome and the drama was "real". He mentions that, even without the music being added, the scenes are "thrilling and frightening".
• August 13th is Anthony's last day of shooting for Ep3.
-
August 08, 2003; Hyperspace: "The Halfway Point":
• Today's shooting continued with somber scenes.
• The new Jedi starfighter is designed with a removable cockpit.
• Anakin, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Plo Koon and other Jedi will fly starfighters. Today's shooting filmed a Jedi being destroyed by enemy fire from behind.
• Shooting is now half-way complete with only 30 days to go.
-
TPM DVD Commentary Lucas says:
GL: It's kind of a theme that reoccurs in Episode IV is that I've purposely developed themes and ideas and I repeat them. It's very very clear in the two trilogies that I'm putting the characters in pretty much the same situation, sometimes even using the same dialogue so that the father and the son go through pretty much the same experience. Obviously Anakin takes a different road than his son takes, so that at some of these turning points they go the other way. But it's been set up for you to almost expect that they will go, you know that Luke will follow in his father's footsteps because in a lot of these Episodes they do follow each other which leads to a subtle influence which gives the audience a little expectation
-
Lucas on Boba fett :
Starlog Magazine:
GL: Boba will be in Episode III, but his role definitely won't be larger. He's in a transition period of becoming a bounty hunter. The next film takes place two or three years later, so Boba would only be 13 and still wouldn't fit the suit
-
In the only set diary that specifically mentioned what type of scene Count Dooku would be in we learned 5 things!
1) Count Dooku's role will be smaller than his AOTC role.
2) Count Dooku will duel in a dark mysterious place which has lights passing through a grid design on the ceiling which strike a pattern on the floor.
3) That Dooku will be wearing the same costume as he had in AOTC.
4) He will duel Anakin Skywalker. (mainly because we saw Anakin cleverly hidden behind George Lucas in the photo. The shoulders of the costume matched up perfectly with Anakins costume as well as the hair.
5) During breaks, Lee and Gillard talked about the many decapitations Lee has done over the span of his career. Most likely it was a topic spurred from what happens in the scene they were filming. Possibly meaning that Anakin decapitates Darth Tyranus.
-
Cinescape reported in 1999
Rick macallum told dutch publications SUM in 1997 that we will see Anakin rise through the jedi ranks from pedawan learner we see at the end of episode 1 to jedi knight to the lofty station of jedi master based on his heroism in the clone wars but at the height of his pride gets caught up in his own ego & makes a self serving choice to turn to the dark side
Jake loyd episode TPM teased the Australia’s Herals newspaper he said Anakin only went to the dark side because he was forced to .did you know that ? Anakin did not have enough will power not to that was his weekness loyd explained (sort of like when luke faced the empror but he had the will power not to give in to the dark side )
-
Darth sidious & palpatine are the same person
A quote given in the official Star wars Encyclopedia says Palpatine was the consummate actor in the galactic political arena as well as a master of the dark side . once he had tricked various factions into supporting him for a position of senate leader , he moved quickly to consolidate his power . So how did this phantom menace escape the notice of the jedi council masters right under there noses ? perhaps a line from Yoda I episode 1 answers that question best : “hard to see that dark side is “ even more difficult to see might be a dark side master more powerful in the force than any amoung the jedi ranks the little green guy included.
-
SLJ was on fox sports & this is what he had to say AUG 13 2003 :
He said that it takes a lot of athleticism to play a Jedi Knight. He also mentioned that it took three days for him to learn a 88 move lightsaber duel. He also mentioned he was the one being attacked in the duel but never mentioned who was the attacker & that he jumps over steps & various other things SLJ also said he thought it was difficult to learn being in a scene that involved him being backed up & on the defense the whole fight.
-
Wed, Aug 13, 03 09:40:23 PM EDT
Tonight's Hyperspace chat with Uncle Rick shed some fantastic new light on Episode III. Spoilers below!
- the film ends on a sad note
- Obi-Wan is fighting droids in the underwater tank they have been filming on recently. There is just a fight no full scale battle.
- Jar J ar does not die in episode 3 .
- The new villain in episode 3 ( a dark jedi ) will carry two light sabers. On an unrelated note, there is a scene where we see Vader getting his name & what it means.
- Palpatine is going to show us the power of the dark side , look out !
- The script is 129 pages they have shot about 80 of them up to this point.
-
EP3: Details from the Diary
Tue, Aug 12, 03 11:00:59 PM EDT
Today's Hyperspace set diary revealed and confirmed some interesting Episode III tidbits. Here's a few of the higlights:
Tamuera Morrison is on set today & playing ONLY an older clone . Bodie taylor is playing the middle aged clones.
Portam & daniels ( padme & c3po) were included in todays starship scene both of them are finished filming today.
-
Ian McDiarmid (Palpatine) has a much larger and important role in Episode III.
Rick has been trying to convince George to do a cameo in the prequels but George refuses.
The emphasis of Ep3 is as much story as Visual FX.
Ep3 will have the same emotional depth as ESB.
?Visually, Ep3 is the most ambitious film yet due to all the number of new planets.
The film will end on a sad note, but there is hope for the future of the story (Classic Trilogy).
Rick can neither confirm nor deny whether the character Tarkin will be in Ep3 (usally when they dont confirm or deny its usally true).
? Three major lightsaber duels have been shot so far.
? The underwater tank set will feature a scene where Obi-Wan fights with droids.
? Rick asks that the fans have faith in the decision to go with the CGI trooper suits as opposed to actual costumes.
? George is always making changes (likely to include the script to Ep3).
-
Three words that Darth Vader speaks in Ep3 are "I don't fear..." !!
The movie will explain all of Anakin's injuries except for one (the facial scar as noted in the recent HS set diary).
Currently, production is two days ahead of schedule, but the underwater scenes (with the water tank) are quite challenging.
Ep3 will provide the answers the fans have been waiting for, but may also pose some new questions.
-
The opening battle is entirely in space, but there will be land battles in the film.
Only small segments of the duel between Anakin and Obi-Wan have been filmed. The main action is yet to come.
September 19th will be Hayden's last day of filming.
Rick and/or George have never changed a scene for musical scoring purposes.
Kamino is not in Episode III.
Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca) will film his scenes in March of 2004.
The underwater scenes are not a battle, but a fight.
Count Dooku will only use one lightsaber in Ep3.
-
One character in the film will use two lightsabers at once "and he's bad."
A certain amount of Jedi will die in Ep3, but Rick would not specify how many.
Rick refused to comment on the possibility of a volcanic environment or planet.
We will see Mace in a certain form of "space action".
Rick would not give any hints on the EU character that appears in the film.
All the hairstyles are bad in Ep3, which will link the film to the Classic Trilogy.
It won't be the special effects that make the Obi-Wan/Anakin duel so thrilling, it will be the betrayal.
-
Joel Edgerton (Owen Lars) will shoot one day's work of shooting in 2004.
We will definitely see Palpatine/Sidious use an "awesome display of the dark side of the force".
Beru Whitesun (Bonnie Piesse) will appear in the film along with Owen.
Rick felt saddened, shocked, angry and betrayed after reading the story of Anakin's downfall.
Chewbacca will be easily identified during his scenes and character depth will be added to the classic trilogy Chewbacca.
The originally planned six sets of alien armor have been reduced to one set.
The one character that will make the best action figure is the one character Rick is not allowed to discuss.
Dave Prowse will not be playing Darth Vader.
Many people believe the reason Anakin turns to the dark side is a love triangle between Anakin, Padmé and Obi-Wan.
John Williams will begin scoring the film in November of 2004.
-
The last ten minutes of the film will be "a dream come true" for all fans. ...
Until a final cut of the film is ready, it is too early to predict how the score may blend in with some of the Classic Trilogy musical themes.
Rick didn't confirm or deny that a major character in the film, other than Boba Fett, is a clone.
The story will move much quicker than the previous films.
"Birth of an Empire" is not even close to the real title of the film.
Currently, the script is 129 pages long.
Ewan McGregor may do a webchat in a few weeks.
Rick's favorite set to shoot for this film was the Classic Trilogy set.
Jar-Jar does not die in the film.
-
mOnday, August 11:
· Hayden Christensen was filmed first for Anakin close-ups inside the gimbal-mounted cockpit of the Jedi-Starfighter. Anakin wears the headband introduced in Episode 2. Scripted dialogue as well as “wild lines” for the spacebattle were shot.
· Next up was Ewan McGregor for Obi-Wan’s cockpit scenes. There will be some chatter via the ships’ intercoms.
· R4-P17, the red astromech that accompagnied Obi-Wan to Kamino and Geonosis in Episode 2, will still feature as Obi’s droid unit for this spacebattle, but will likely be replaced by the new bronze astromech that fans voted on.
· The new version of the Jedi Starfighter reveals more of the droid’s features (instead of just the head, collar and shoulders are visible too now).
· Anakin sports a scar oh which the origin will not be revealed in Episode 3 (i.e. expanded universe sources will need to take care of it).
Tuesday, August 12:
· Jay Laga'aia, Anthony Daniels and Natalie Portman finished shooting today.
· 2 scenes were shot today: a quiet moment aboard an as yet un-designed Naboo starship with Natalie at the controls and 3PO keeping her company; it was recently added to the script. The other scene was another landing platform deal, with Padmé, Typho, 3PO and Obi. A Speeder was also involved.
· Tem Morrison will play older Clones with scars, etc... George Lucas says that the reason the stormtroopers are different in the Original Trilogy is because the Empire had to resort to using different templates to clone them.
· Obi-Wan's new fan-voted astrodroid is ready for filming.
Wednesday, August 13:
Shooting Stages as of today:
· A: Conference room, two vent shafts, the water pit.
· B: Greenscreen for various shots, mostly landing platforms.
· C: Starcruiser hallway, revolving sets, new industrial locale.
· D: New Jedi Temple interior location.
· E: Bluescreen for various shots and starfighter/ speeder gimbals.
· F: New control room and a bigass command center.
· G: Bluescreen; clones were shot in a hangar bay here yesterday.
· Also, wire-work today for Obi-Wan and Anakin for "mid-air action”. Furthermore, they used wires for Anakin's Force-assisted jumps in the 1st week's elevator shots as he jumped from one platform to the next.
· It was also revealed that the stair set seen in the webcam is located within the Jedi Temple. The set has been torn down again already, as it’s served its purpose.
Thursday, August 14:
· 4 brief underwater scenes shot today which don't take up a lot of screen time but took a long time to shoot.
· One scene involves a flooded room.
· One scene involves Obi-Wan "tangling with an enemy combatant".
· Obi-Wan's enemy combantant will be CG, because the stunt double was in a blue costume (assumption).
· Another scene involved a wave machine and a room filling with water.
· They mentioned Anakin but not in relation to a particular scene, only that they were having problems with his hair extensions drying out because of the clorine.
· Matt Sloan, aka Plo Koon and droid wrangler, is done shooting.
Friday, August 15:
· The diary is guest-written by Ali Keshavji of the documentary crew, since Pablo had to call in sick.
· The only filming briefly mentioned is more of Anakin and Obi-Wan getting wet.
-
EP3: Insider #70 Tidbits
Mon, Aug 18,
INSIDER: Chewbacca delivers the Skywalker twins to Obi-Wan Kenobi.
McCALLUM: “Can’t comment.”
INSIDER: By the end of the film, Yoda ends up on Dagobah.
McCALLUM: “These rumors are pretty good. We’ll see.”
INSIDER: Anakin loses more body parts.
McCALLUM: “Absolutely.”
INSIDER: We’ll see Darth Sidious wield a lightsaber.
McCALLUM: “Maybe. If you’re good. Maybe.”
-
Aug 18
Rick McCallum also revealed on his latest web chat that the episode 3 script is much longer then when they started almost 30 pages longer jumping from 102 pages to 129 & that they are ahead of schedule with about 80 pages covered
-
"Expect someone serious as the new villain." - Rick McCallum
• "We will some new, even bigger monsters/creatures." - Rick McCallum
• "A character from the Clone Wars cartoon will appear in Episode III." - Rick McCallum
• "The Clone Troopers will again be CG, yet different than seen before." - John Knol
• "We will see lots of great changes like the transformation of clones into stormtroopers, uniforms, etc." - Rick McCallum
• "We will see Battle Droids (including Supers) and Destroyer Droids in Episode 3 - as well as some cool new ones." - Rick McCallum
• The battle droids in Ep3 will be a mix of what we've seen before, but the clone troopers will have some new markings to match their new designs. - Star Wars.com
• "The clonetroopers will be all CGI and there will be new variations of them that look really cool." - Rick McCallum
• "All the characters are moving to the way we first saw them in the Original Trilogy as far as look." - Rick McCallum
• "The scenes for the EU character will not be shot until 2004 and no one has been cast for the part." - Rick McCallum
• "Wat Tambor is back, and "badder" than ever." - John Knoll
• Rune Haako only has one line. - Star Wars.com
• "Artoo will still have his jet rockets." - John Knoll
• Plo Koon will have a brief appearance in Episode III, but the script requires very specific actions for him. - Star Wars.com
• Plo does have scripted dialogue in Episode III, but there is no guarantee that it'll remain in the finished film. - Star Wars.com
-
Ep III definitively has the most lightsaber action of any Star Wars film." - Rick McCallum
• "The battles will be on an even larger scale." - Rick McCallum
• "We will see some glorious death scenes." - Rick McCallum
• "No rematch between Yoda and Dooku though both will have their own fights." - SW Insider
• "The new fights are going to be amazing." - Rick McCallum
• "Some of the fights are incredibly huge." - Rick mcCallum
• "There will be many intense fights." - Nick Gillard
• "Yoda will be seen in action sequences again." - Rick mcallumC
• "There are going to be new styles of lightsaber fighting. Deconstructing the current Jedi style." - Nick Gillard
• "There's no question that we'll see Saber duels in Episode III that will definitely top the Obi-Wan / Maul duel." - Nick Gillard
• "We will see at least one character we've never seen fight before with a lightsaber, do so in Episode III. Also expect a new style from this or these characters too." - Nick Gillard
• "Anakin will cover just about every fighting style in Episode III." - Nick Gillard
• "Many limbs will be lost in Episode III." - Nick Gillard
• "The Epic duel between Anakin and Obi-Wan will be the longest lightsaber duel ever." - Nick Gillard
• "Female Jedi will fight in Episode III." - Nick Gillard
• "Anakin is vulnerable on a slope." - Nick Gillard
• "There will be some spectacular battles." - John Knoll
-
We will be seeing more of Coruscant." - John Knoll
"Tatooine will tie everything together in Ep3." - Rick McCallum
"There are a few scenes you will go nuts over." - Gavin Bocquet
The last 3 pages of the script gave Rob Coleman goosebumps.
There is a sequence in Ep3 that makes Rob Coleman think "this is what I always wanted to see in the prequels".
Page 7, word twelve of the script is "trench". - John Knoll
-
Ewan McGregor had a lifecast done of his head and hands to allow makeup work for an effect needed early in Ep3. - StarWars.com
The major focus is the breakdown in friendship between Obi-Wan and Anakin. - SW Insider
Obi-Wan Kenobi, a fugitive, will find safe haven on an alien planet and in the company of an alien leader. -Bruce Spence
"The children are born." - Natalie Portman
Anakin will fail his challenge but it will cost him his soul." - George Lucas
Pieces of Darth Vader's armor will be seen on several different characters. It will all come together to make the final Vader armor. - Celebration 2
In this film, you realize, it’s more about Anakin making the wrong choices. He’s given a glorious moment by George -- I’m so happy with part of the script -- where he truly has to make a choice. In the end, I think that’s a smarter way to go than a slow transformation. It’s more tragic this way." - Iain McCaig
"We will see Anakin doing more evil things a la slaughtering the Tuskens." - Rick McCallum
"We will see the emperor and/or Anakin make use of the dark side of the force with lightning, chokes and more." - Rick McCallum
Hayden will look quite rugged and weathered after having fought in the Clone Wars for years. - Starwars.com
Hayden Christensen and Ewan McGregor show up in full wardrobe. Anakin's is in one of his Episode III looks -- according to the slate, they're shooting Hayden's "tidy" look. His "messy" look will come later. A scar added by makeup isn't reading well enough on the monitors, so Nikki Gooley and her crew thicken it up to make this particular trophy of the Clone Wars more visible. - Starwars.com
-
Anakin's transformation to Darth Vader is extremely graphic. Anakin suffers complete burn wounds from the neck down. His head takes severe injuries also. Anakin is going to look horrible. Due to some of the intense scenes shot for Episode 3, Lucas is going to have a hard time getting a PG rating in the United States. The death star plans are not primary to the Episode 3 plot. The dark side cave on Dagobah will not be seen. Sidious will remove his hood during the movie. Episode 3 WILL reveal how Jedi become ghosts/spirits.
-
Thanks for posting all this stuff, Darth Stiffler! :o
-
There was a post on theforce.net saying that the opening scroll will explain that the clone war is over and that supreme chancellor Palpatine has been captured by the separatists!!! This would give him a good way of leading the battle on the side of the Separatists. He could be in their base and no one would be suspicious. In comes Ani and Obi to the rescue. After their space battle they land on the separatist home-world where Ani takes out Dooku!
Go over there and check it out, I'm getting excited now, only two years to wait!
:o
-
thanx fox , i have heard that rumour a few times a few months ago i wasn't sure if that would happen im like you i cant wait im putting 100$ on table & i will say episode 3 will make episode 1 & 2 look like crapp MTFBWU urban fox
-
My pleasure Lando it makes it alot easier to have it all on one thread insted of running all over the place looking for spoilers ...btw the rumours of the duel being surrounded by lava seems to be true .The duel on the set of episode 3 is said to be donned i red lighting !!
-
The Official Site Homing Beacon talks about Episode III costumes. Here's a clip of the action to encourage you to subscribe yourself:
Anakin Skywalker clearly has the most profound transition from the prequel to the original trilogy, but the evolution of his Jedi robes from Attack of the Clones to his garb in the new installment is more understated than his future look of dark armor. "We changed his cloak shape, and gave him a new slightly more Jedi-like cloak this time," says Biggar. "We changed his colors, and we darkened them all down, hinting at what he's going to become. Although he was quite dark brown before, there were some lighter aspects. This time, we've really taken shades of dark brown to give him a dark outline even though he's still a Jedi."
Though Senators Padmé Amidala and Bail Organa are absent from the original films, they continue to evolve Episode III, building upon their looks from the previous chapter. "In Episode I, Padmé was very formal and very ceremonial, and that became slightly relaxed for Episode II. In Episode III, we see her in a couple of business-like -- but not heavily ceremonial -- costumes, so generally her look is softer, and we get a chance to see her in a more relaxed state. I think even more relaxed now than she was in Episode II -- softer, more feminine," explains Biggar.
"Though we saw Bail Organa in Episode II as a Senator, George wanted him to look slightly more high tech in a way," she says. "We ended up using more metal pieces in his costumes. He has a high-tech metal comlink, and his ceremonial Senate costume has a beautiful metal collar piece."
-
EP3: Ryan Church Chat Highlights
The Official Site updated with a chat with Ryan Church, concept designer for Episode III. Here's some highlights from what was a stellar day for spoilers:
We will see prototype TIE Fighters.
We will see both the "used universe" design style common in the Classic Trilogy as well as the sleek, "pretty" environments seen so far in the prequels.
We will see evidence of Rebel Alliance ships.
We will see a new location on Naboo.
The new bad guy has a lot of screen time, a memorable role, and he is central to the plot.
Ryan designed the prototype for the X-Wing.
Some of the old Ralph McQuarrie images were incorporated into Ep3. At the start of designing, George pointed out certain designs he definitely wanted to see in the film.
There are not too many scenes that take place in or around a Death Star.
The new Federation Cruiser is a large and aggressive warship. It will look "slightly familiar".
-
Episode III will be PG - This is what is best for the franchise no doubt. Though there's a trend to push for more and it would defintiely appeal to the older fans, PG is the way to go and no surprise.
Running Time: 2 Hours - The final cut of the film should clock in around 2 hours which means there's about a 110 page script that Lucas has produced. Fans wanting a lengthy finale will be dissapointed, but this is something everyone should have been prepared for and again no surprise.
Episode III definitively has the most lightsaber action of any Star Wars film - Again, great confirmation but expected. There's a lot to do ad we figure the saber will figure prominantly into the final sequences. Great to hear!
SW3 takes place 3 years or so after Ep II - Hayden said recently is would be much more than that, but Rick corrected him and gave us the time scale for the film, noting also that everything is bigger this time, including the battle scenes.
Space Battle Beginning - An epic space battle to begin the film. Now that is a great way to start. We know it is the end of the Clone Wars about this time period, so expect it to be the defintive moment of the war.
And here's a fun quote to end this review: "Yes, I do believe Ep III will bridge the gap and answer most all of the unanswered questions. I think it's much more of a fun adventure feel. Although, of course, Anakin turning into Vader is pretty intense."
-
the official 'Star Wars' website has officially revealed that Senator Palpatine and Darth Sidious are in fact the one and same.
Thanks to his piece: Palpatine instituted a military build-up unprecedented in galactic history. He created the New Order, a Galactic Empire that ruled by tyranny. The Jedi Knights, his biggest threat, were extinguished by his greatest dark side pupil: Anakin Skywalker, who had become Darth Vader. The only reason i have posted this is because everyone seems to think palpatine & sidious are not the same our tht palpatine is a clone of sidious episode 3 will reveal that both are the same
-
Dan Gregoire previsualization effects supervisor for Episode III Chat Highlights
- There are animatics for a scene in which there are clonetroopers on speeder bikes, but the scene may not be in the final film.
- The opening space battle in terms of scale and scope is bigger than anything we've seen.
- Episode 3 is more action oriented, dark and moody.
There's an entire environment that will be bigger than anything seen in any Star Wars film that will be primarily digital.
- Yoda will feature in a "spectacular action sequence".
The animatics for the Episode 3 space battle were more challenging because it's a journey rather than a single event..
- The Wookiees in action is "something to see".
-
Hyperspace Webchat with Rick McCallum
• Ian McDiarmid (Palpatine) has a much larger and important role in Episode III (for obvious reasons).
• Rick has been trying to convince George to do a cameo in the prequels but George refuses.
• The emphasis of Ep3 is as much story as Visual FX.
• Ep3 will have the same emotional depth as ESB.
• Visually, Ep3 is the most ambitious film yet due to all the number of new planets.
• The film will end on a sad note, but there is hope for the future of the story (Classic Trilogy).
• Rick can neither confirm nor deny whether the character Tarkin will be in Ep3.
• Three major lightsaber duels have been shot so far.
• The underwater tank set will feature a scene where Obi-Wan fights with droids.
• Rick asks that the fans have faith in the decision to go with the CGI trooper suits as opposed to actual costumes.
• George is always making changes (likely to include the script to Ep3).
• Rick's favorite film of the saga is Episode V.
• Rick realizes the fan anticipation for this final film in the SW saga.
• When asked if he had a favorite character in Ep3, Rick stated that he thought Palpatine was fantastic.
• Three words that Darth Vader speaks in Ep3 are "I don't fear..."
• The movie will explain all of Anakin's injuries except for one (the facial scar as noted in the recent HS set diary).
• Currently, production is two days ahead of schedule, but the underwater scenes (with the water tank) are quite challenging.
• Ep3 will provide the answers the fans have been waiting for, but may also pose some new questions.
• The opening battle is entirely in space, but there will be land battles in the film.
• Only small segments of the duel between Anakin and Obi-Wan have been filmed. The main action is yet to come.
• September 19th will be Hayden's last day of filming.
• Rick and/or George have never changed a scene for musical scoring purposes.
• Kamino is not in Episode III.
• Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca) will film his scenes in March of 2004.
• The underwater scenes are not a battle, but a fight.
• Count Dooku will only use one lightsaber in Ep3.
• One character in the film will use two lightsabers at once "and he's bad."
• A certain amount of Jedi will die in Ep3, but Rick would not specify how many.
• There will be a scene when Anakin is given the name of Darth Vader and an explanation as to why he was given the name and what it means.
• Rick refused to comment on the possibility of a volcanic environment or planet.
• We will see Mace in a certain form of "space action".
• Rick would not give any hints on the EU character that appears in the film.
• All the hairstyles are bad in Ep3, which will link the film to the Classic Trilogy.
• It won't be the special effects that make the Obi-Wan/Anakin duel so thrilling, it will be the betrayal.
• Joel Edgerton (Owen Lars) will shoot one day's work of shooting in 2004.
• We will definitely see Palpatine/Sidious use an "awesome display of the dark side of the force".
• Beru Whitesun (Bonnie Piesse) will appear in the film along with Owen.
• Rick felt saddened, shocked, angry and betrayed after reading the story of Anakin's downfall.
• Chewbacca will be easily identified during his scenes and character depth will be added to the classic trilogy Chewbacca.
• The originally planned six sets of alien armor have been reduced to one set.
• The one character that will make the best action figure is the one character Rick is not allowed to discuss.
• Dave Prowse will not be playing Darth Vader.
• Many people believe the reason Anakin turns to the dark side is a love triangle between Anakin, Padmé and Obi-Wan.
• John Williams will begin scoring the film in November of 2004.
• The last ten minutes of the film will be "a dream come true" for all fans.
• Until a final cut of the film is ready, it is too early to predict how the score may blend in with some of the Classic Trilogy musical themes.
• Rick didn't confirm or deny that a major character in the film, other than Boba Fett, is a clone.
• The story will move much quicker than the previous films.
• About 80 pages of script have been shot so far.
• "Birth of an Empire" is not even close to the real title of the film.
• Currently, the script is 129 pages long.
• Ewan McGregor may do a webchat in a few weeks.
• Rick's favorite set to shoot for this film was the Classic Trilogy set.
• Jar-Jar does not die in the film.
• The animatics that Rick has seen for the film are "brilliant".
• Ep3 will conclusively answer whether Palpatine is Sidious.
• Kit Fisto will not use a double-bladed lightsaber.
• The "rule of two" (Sith at once) remains true in Ep3.
• There is still one big role that has yet to be cast.
• Padmé is a Senator throughout Ep3.
• Dormé will not return for Ep3.
• Ep3 is a "2-hour turn to the dark side".
• Boss Nass will not appear in Ep3.
• At the end of the movie, the twins Luke and Leia are less than a month old.
• We will see Padmé pregnant in the film.
• Anakin will have scenes named "ceiling of a flooded room".
• We will see female Jedi fighting in Ep3.
• We will see who was born first, Luke or Leia.
• We will see Yoda fighting again.
-
Jackson Gives Fight Details on FoxSports Net:
Sam said that it takes a lot of athleticism to play a Jedi Knight. He also mentioned that it took three days for him to learn a 90+ move lightsaber duel, learning 30 moves per day over 3 three days of shooting. He also mentioned that he was the one being attacked in the duel though he didn't say by who. "It was difficult to learn how to be in a scene being backed up and on defense the whole time". The fight area covered about 400 yards and Sam jumped off steps and various other things.
-
• Obi-Wan and Anakin will have four scenes underwater which won't amount to much screentime.
• The first scene will involve Obi-Wan tangling with an enemy combatant and will involve close-ups of Obi-Wan.
• The last scene requires a wave machine and the water will fill a room to its ceiling. The set is lowered into the water to give the illusion of rising water.
• Matt Sloan has finished his scenes as Plo Koon and a wrangling droid.
August 18, 2003; SW Insider #70 Tidbits from Rick McCallum:
(Chewbacca delivers the Skywalker twins to Obi-Wan Kenobi?)
McCALLUM: “Can’t comment.”
(By the end of the film, Yoda ends up on Dagobah?)
McCALLUM: “These rumors are pretty good. We’ll see.”
(Anakin loses more body parts?)
McCALLUM: “Absolutely.”
(We’ll see Darth Sidious wield a lightsaber?)
McCALLUM: “Maybe. If you’re good. Maybe.”
August 20, 2003; Hyperspace: "A Helpful Alien on a New World"
• Today's shooting focused on a new planet, with new landing platforms and wind machines providing a breeze. The architecture of the planet is curved and ribbed and gives the environment an alien feel. The planet will be primarily digitally created since it is unlike any earthly environment where location shooting could help.
• The planet's inhabitants are costumed performers and not digital aliens. The aliens "look fantastic" and "creepy" and "impossible" with inhuman proportions and angular costumes.
• Bruce Spence and two other actors were on set to shoot their scenes. A ground crew of aliens will be digitally added for the scene(s).
• Spence's character is tall, gaunt, has macabre makeup, an ashen complexion, obsidian eyes and twisted teeth - giving a chilling smile that got reactions from the crew.
• George was impressed with Spence's performance and did many takes to get the most of the great shots.
-
August 21, 2003; Hyperspace webchat with Pablo Hidalgo - A Summary:
• Pablo has read the entire script.
• Vader will have lines that make it clear that he is with the Dark Side of the force.
• The most often-quoted line on set is one spoken by Palpatine, which is cool and will likely make many a person's email signature.
• Bruce Spence's character and species has been named, and though it is too soon to reveal them, they will sound familiar.
• Pablo is not in control of what is shown on the webcam. It is usually set up to monitor the largest stage possible and is placed where it is safe and out of the way.
• Pablo is now scheduled for weekly webchats from now until the end of production (4 more weeks). No info on possible webchats during additional shooting calls in 2004.
• There are at least 2 more other cast/crew scheduled for webchats and Pablo will try to get Rick McCallum for at least one more chat.
• In Pablo's opinion, the most dramatic scene of shooting he has witnessed so far was the day Palpatine delivered a riveting performance, and the entire crew applauded because it was so well done.
• Pablo believes Ep3 will be the largest of the StarWars films and will be the "shining point" of the prequel trilogy.
• There are plans for the webcam after production wraps, but nothing is confirmed as to how it will be used and where it will be placed.
• Ewan McGregor is alongside Ian McDiarmid as Pablo's favorite actors of the prequels.
• Jimmy Smits is great as Bail Organa and we will have a greater understanding of Bail's character and his "accessories".
• We will probably start seeing Episode III Select images after production has finished (4 weeks from now).
• The coolest thing Pablo has seen in Sydney so far was the "Original Trilogy Set".
• In tomorrow's set diary (Aug 22) we will learn more about the "toxic trooper" which was seen on the webcam being scanned for digital referencing.
• We may see Pablo in a future Ep3 DVD documentary since the crew did film him setting up the webcam one day.
• There are two webcams. One is typically remains set up on a stage sets and the other is moved around to an area where there may be something worthwhile for viewers to see.
• Some shots of the last ten minutes of the movie have already been filmed.
• Pablo believes the script is very efficient and fast-moving. All of the questions about the prequels he had in his mind were answered in the script.
• Reading the scripted scenes is nothing compared to the impact of actually seeing it in action and come to life before the camera. Even seemingly small scenes in the script proved to have real impact.
• When we hear about the script having pages added to its total length, it is often the addition of a only few line(s) on addendum pages.
• Yoda's scenes have not been in the set diaries due to the fact that Yoda is really brought to life in post-production by ILM and Frank Oz.
• The lightsabers used by Obi-Wan and Anakin are ones we have seen before.
• Regarding Ian's intensity in playing Palpatine in Ep3, "Ian doesn't hold anything back."
• Anakin will be seen using a blue lightsaber (seen in Ep4) and a red lightsaber.
• Pablo has briefly seen Lord Vader.
• We will hear the classic "I have a bad feeling about this" line spoken in Ep3.
• Pablo notifies George when there is a webcam on set to make sure George is comfortable with it.
• The character Pablo thinks is "hot" is Bail Organa's aide.
• Pablo thinks Darth Vader will prove to be the "most deadly character" in the film.
• It is unlikely that we will see Jawas in Ep3.
• No scenes with wookies have been filmed yet. (see previous report that wookie scenes are scheduled during pick-ups in 2004)
• There are currently no plans to use a CG Darth Vader.
• Pablo's favorite character from the entire saga is R2-D2.
• Characters will have hairstyles that blend with Ep4, such as sideburns.
• In the current script, Chewbacca wil be identified by name in the film.
• The Creature Shop is the department that has most impressed Pablo.
• A webchat with Ewan McGregor is in the works.
• It is doubtful we will see ARC troopers in Ep3. The design of the clones have progressed beyond the ARC design, but you never know who/what may make an appearance.
• Pablo has seen the "copper top" bronze R2 unit that will belong to Obi-Wan's starfighter. And the droid has been named.
• A conference room set will be shot next week.
• The infamous Anakin pic on the webcam was actually an accident, but it was planned by George. This meant Pablo didn't get in trouble.
-
August 25, 2003; Hyperspace: "Special Guest Diary":
• Pablo is taking a day off, and the Jump To Sydney contest winner is filling.
- Amy met with Steve Sansweet
- Toured various stages
- Saw a couple different starfighters
- Visited Creature Shop and saw Chewie costume, Fauxi (fake-Obi-Wan double), a Neimoidian head
- Toured the Props Dept and saw old and new lightsabers
- Toured the Costume Dept
• Today's shooting set was the conference room where a fast-paced action scene was filmed. It involved one scene with only Anakin and another where Anakin is joined by Obi-Wan. The scenes will cover only a few minutes of the film.
• The Anakin/Kenobi duel is a lengthy one and will span many sets and travel a lot of distance. Some of the duel was shot today. (likely involving or even beginning in the conference room set)
-
August 26, 2003; Hyperspace: "The Action Heats Up":
• Today's action featured red-gelled lights providing a glow to the set. Ewan and Hayden are shooting the duel.
• Shooting today focused on a third set for which the duel takes place. It will be a fierce confrontation and will keep up the pace for a while. Some of the fighting will take place on an incline...and "Anakin is weak on a slope", as Nick Gillard pointed out in his webchat.
• Anakin and Obi-Wan's costumes will have discolorizations, cuts and burns from fighting that had occurred previous to today's scenes.
• This particular fight entire segment will last 30 seconds on film.
• Obi-Wan has close-ups and looks determined and intense.
• Who is the aggressor and who is the defender will alternate during the fight.
• The Creature Shop was tasked to create many new background aliens.
-
August 27, 2003; Hyperspace: "The Duel Continues...":
• Shooting continued on greenscreen sets with red gelled lighting.
• Three segments were shot today which will focus on four different pieces of a much larger location where the duel takes place.
• Hayden and Ewan enjoy the fury of intense lightsaber fighting. During the scenes, their expressions are grim with determination and aggression.
• A wind machine provides atmosphere to the scenes and the wind is strong enough to blow off hexagonal markers on the greenscreen and billow it like a ship sail.
• In the scene, Anakin and Obi-Wan will look off-screen at a digitally created distraction. Their eyes will be looking at different spots of the distraction itself.
• The shooting of the duel then moved to a darkened room with a metallic surface with mechanical structures. And later the duel moves to isolated platforms. Anakin will circle his former master (Obi-Wan). The duel will continue tomorrow and "the finishing blow" will happen next week.
-
August 27, 2003; Hyperspace webchat with Trisha Biggar - A Summary:
• Certain characters will have darker costumes than previously seen. For example, Anakin's costume will "become darker" as the film moves forward.
• The challenges with Padmé's costume designs were to create outfits that allowed her to be a senator and still hide the fact that she is pregnant.
• More time is spent on the costumes of the major characters but the minor characters costumes are still given much attention.
• Concept artists design the costumes for the digital characters with the exception of Jar-Jar. Trisha's department created costumes that were then copied by ILM in post-production.
• Jimmy Smits and Ian McDiarmid seemed to be the actors that enjoyed wearing their costumes the most. Both have many more costumes than previous films and a number of costumes that could almost match Padmé's wardrobe in size.
• There will be new costume styles. Some will be moving towards the Classic Trilogy style and others will be unique as they are worn by new characters on new worlds.
• Some costumes seen in Ep1 and Ep2 will be seen again in Ep3.
• For the unknown EU character in Ep3, the costumes will match the pre-determined style and the action this character does in the EU fiction will be different than that action seen in Ep3. The character's costumes will have certain accomodations for these demands.
• Bail Organa will be in situations that will require many costume changes.
• The costume for Obi-Wan will have slight changes from the Ep2 look, which are chnages to move the costume closer to the Obi-Wan look of Ep4.
• Trisha has read the script and thinks it's great.
• The alien race played by Bruce Spence are tall and thin. The costumes are designed to exaggerate those traits.
• The headband worn by Obi-Wan in Ep2 is a "Jedi flight communicator" and will be seen again in Ep3, only it will be a different color.
• So far, less costumes have been made as compared to Ep2, but that could change.
• In addition to the Bail Organa pic seen on the official site, we will also see more costumes that resemble Imperial uniforms/costumes.
• Trisha describes the Ep3 costumes to be more "muted" rather than more "monotone", when referencing the Classic Trilogy costumes.
• Mon Mothma's costume will have some similarities to her ROTJ outfit and she will be recognizable.
• The Mon Calamari character's costume is completely different than the one seen ROTJ and Trisha says "It looks great".
• Chewbacca will not be wearing clothes, not that he ever did.
• Trisha has worked on the Vader costume and will be doing a costume fitting immediately after this webchat!
• The Costume Dept works closely with the concept artists but they do not focus on or consider the materials used in creating the costumes.
• Trisha has never had a disagreement with Lucas since he is "the boss".
• After principal photography has finished, all the costumes will be saved for potential use during pick-ups next year.
-
August 28, 2003; Hyperspace: "This Fight Is Rigged":
• Much of today's shooting required getting coverage from multiple angles and the cameras and location of the crew, lighting, and equipment changed a few times.
• Shooting continued on the duel and focused on the small isolated platform set with a greenscreen background.
• During one point in the duel, one character will swipe his lightsaber blade against an outcropping and sever it.
• Before shooting the lightsaber scenes, stand-ins rehearse and block out the entire sequence beforehand.
• The afternoon shooting focused on a specially designed section of set, rigged and articulated for harrowing action which will include hanging ropes
-
August 28, 2003; Hyperspace webchat with Pablo Hidalgo - A Summary:
• Shooting is currently ahead of schedule and the tentative completion date for principal photography is Sept 18th.
• Nick Gillard's background character will be the one to wield the odd-looking metal lightsaber seen in the set diary picture for 27 Aug.
• Pablo has seen no proof that Peter Mayhew's comments about "Chewbacca saving the twins" and/or "being in an action scene involving war machines" are anything more than rumors.
• We may see a new casting update tomorrow (29 Aug) if the headshot pictures are ready in time. If not tomorrow, then early next week.
• As previously stated, the duel will cover several sets/locations.
• All of next week's shooting will be on non-webcam accessible stages. Production is slowing down and gradually coming to a close.
• The Darth Vader scenes will be filmed next week.
• During the duel, the cameras filming the shots are very active when need be, in regards to movement and different angles.
• After Ep3 is released, Pablo is sure that some fans will still have unanswered questions even when the answers are staring them in the face.
• No details have been confirmed about post-production Hyperspace webcam coverage.
• Pablo avoided the question about whether or not the Sifo-Dyas mystery would be revealed in Ep3. (Lucas already said it would be explained)
• The ..."should have stayed on Tatooine and not gotten involved." line has been addressed already according to Pablo.
• Pablo has seen the clonetrooper design and so far they do not have a different name in Ep3. Some of the concept art has been seen before...
• There are no Bothans in Ep3.
• Pablo avoided the "Is Palpy the same person as Sidious?" question because he said it is too much fun to watch all the debate on the internet to come out and answer one way or another.
• The EU character is not a "major character" and his/her part in the story may change by the time they shoot the character's scenes in March 2004.
• Hayden and Ewan are very busy and may not have the time to do a webchat. Even between takes they are doing their publicity photos and documentary interviews.
• Jabba the Hutt is not in Ep3.
• The light sabers that were photographed for the set diary were practice lightsabers.
• Pablo was not sure about hearing "the son of the suns" in Ep1 and Ep6. All he heard was gibberish but would have to ask Ben Burtt.
• Ian McDiarmid will finish shooting his scenes in early-mid September, but Hayden will be there until the very end, Sept 18th (tentative).
• All characters have been cast for Ep3. But some paperwork is yet to be signed which is why the delay the official casting announcements.
• We will see Rodians in Ep3, specifically Dar Wac, Palpatine's aide from Ep2.
• Pablo purposely eluded the question about any bounty hunters in Ep3...for now.
• If Pablo had to venture a guess, he'd say that the EU Character will not be the only EU thing (ship/place, etc) that we will see in Ep3.
• Pablo believes there will be components of the film that are leaps of faith similar to the Yoda fight and pod race. And part of the challenge is the massive scale involved with bigger and more complicated shots.
• The duel between Anakin and Obi-Wan is not a gentleman's duel. It will get nasty (when asked about kicks and moves similar to Darth Maul).
• The character who speaks the classic line, "I have a bad feeling about this" is one that has not spoken the line before.
• We will see at least two sunsets in the film.
• All of the underwater shooting is complete.
• The film budget is about the same as Ep1 and Ep2.
• Dominique Chionchio is a Jedi that will be seen in the film.
• We will not see any further changeling characters such as Zam Wesell.
• Naboo does not get destroyed in Ep3.
• The biggest Official Site Ep3 databank entries will appear around the time of the first trailer (Nov 2004), however there are plans to "reveal things" a bit sooner then previous films...
• Pablo can visualize the entire ending sequences in his head after seeing the concept art and visual script.
• Kamino is not Hoth.
• For Hyperspace members, the Clone Wars cartoons are on the way, followed by Episode III Select images and even more surprises.
• Hyperspace members will be able to view the clone wars cartoons in their entirety.
• Pablo denied any rumor that a scene of Darth Vader flying this TIE to report to the Emperor will be added to the Ep4 DVD.
• Tears will be shed by at least one character.
• While much of the Dooku duel requires visual effects work, from what Pablo saw it will be very cool, especially a certain part at the end. But Pablo's favorite duel is still Anakin vs. Obi-Wan.
-
August 29, 2003; Hyperspace: "High Flying Jedi":
• Today's shooting continued to focus on the duel and featured Anakin and Obi-Wan dangling from cables, swinging to and fro. The wires being used are supposed to be visible as the characters will be swinging on rope-like cables in this environment. The Jedi will be wearing the "weathered and beaten" robes.
• Later, shooting moved to a more stable set to shoot an earlier segment of the duel where the Jedi robes are replaced with cleaner versions. Some of the scenes will be long straightaway shots.
• At one point during the duel, debris will fall and one the characters will deflect it (likely with a lightsaber).
• Hayden's saberwork was very well done and George said "That looked great" before announcing "cut!"
-
September 02, 2003; Hyperspace: "Concentrated Action":
• Shooting of the duel continued. Hayden and Ewan are happy since the duel gives them an opportunity to show off their extremely well honed lightsaber skills. But when it comes time for filming, it's all business, and they are able to maintain their intensity.
• Wind machines blast Anakin and Obi-Wan and steam obscures their paths. There are moments when words cut as deeply as lightsabers.
• This part of the duel will focus on the final moments of Anakin and Obi-Wan's relationship. Ewan asks for non-essential personnel to step back from the set and said "This is a rather important scene here."
• The scenes scheduled for March 2004 are less than a dozen and "aren't any more seismic in their revelations".
• "Pivotal scenes" have been shot over the past two days. One of these scenes is shot on a stage of intricately patterned mechanical floor. Some of the crew whistled the nine notes of the Imperial March.
• On Sept 01, at 5:48 p.m., an unmistakable and iconic dark form was captured on camera. The first take was mesmerizing and everyone applauded.
-
September 03, 2003; Hyperspace: "A Common Foe":
• Today's shooting focused on scenes for earlier in the film when Anakin and Obi-Wan are again wielding lightsabers as partners fighting side-by-side, united against a common foe.
• The set will be a new location to the Star Wars films and shot on a greenscreen stage with raised platforms and sunken floors. Handrails are along the edges of the uppermost platform.
• There are 46 scenes left to shoot before the end of principal photography and a few casting announcements are still on the way.
-
September 03, 2003; Hyperspace webchat with Pablo Hidalgo - Summary:
• Sometimes the webcam does not show as much action s fans would like due to technical limitations or because the webcam is purposely placed away from the sets so it would not be a distraction.
• Anakin's Jedi robes are darker in Ep3. Trisha Biggar will have an article in the next Homing Beacon where she will discuss the changes in wardrobe to the characters.
• There at least six more cast members to be announced but they are only waiting for deals to be signed, paperwork. Expect another new casting announcement this week.
• Jocasta Nu is not in Ep3.
• Currently there are no plans for any major characters to shoot scenes in March during the scheduled pick-ups but that may change. (We know that Chewbacca, Owen and others will shoot scenes in Mar 2004)
• Kenny baker has not yet been on set.
• In addition to 70's style themes, there are plenty of "blinking lights" to merge the PT into the Classic Trilogy.
• Nick Gillard has shot part of his cameo as a Jedi.
• Anakin will "save" Obi-Wan at one point during the film.
• Ian McDiarmid will be shooting scenes until the very end of filming.
• Ian has several scenes with Hayden.
• Sola, Pooja, and Ryoo will shoot their scenes in the coming days.
• There is no truth to the rumor that the original person cast to fill the Vader suit was fired (due to fanboy giddiness).
• Obi-Wan's actions in the film are pivotal to what ends the Clone Wars.
• It appears Senator Lott Dodd will return for Ep3.
• Pablo has a hard time believing some of the imagery will get a PG rating. Nothing is too over the top but in today's MPAA standards, some scenes are intense.
• Christian Bale, Ralph Fiennes, and Peter Wingfield are confirmed as not playing Tarkin nor having anything to do with Ep3.
• Rohan Nichol has already shot his scenes as a starship captain.
• The EU character is neither Thrawn nor Xizor. But Pablo said "nice try."
• The Death Star plans are not really important in Ep3. The focus of Ep3 is on more important story points.
• Pablo doubts we will see daily updates during post-production but we will see further coverage of the completion of the film.
• Pablo said to re-read Rick McCallum's quote on whether or not anyone turns out to be a clone in Ep3.
• There will be a few tender moments of romance in the film.
• Pablo stated that the Dagobah cave was explained in Ep5, does not need further explanation, and to focus energies on other things.
• Palatine has more than one look/style of appearance in the film.
• The "no disintegrations" line will not be explained in Ep3.
• The "force ghost" theory will be explained.
• Jar-Jar's role in Ep3 is not that important, in Pablo’s words.
• Over the remaining 10 days of shooting left, the webcam will not cover much of the shooting but will be located on other stages.
• There will be no doubt that Anakin is Darth Vader as seen in the film. Pablo added "unless someone out there starts a clone theory or something".
• Plo Koon, Saesee Tiin, and Kit Fisto have completed their scenes. Ki-Adi-Mundi still has some shooting left to complete. Luminara, Barriss and Bultar will shoot their scenes in March during pick-ups.
• There will not be any puppet characters but there will be at least two important alien species showcased in Ep3 that will be realized through old-fashioned creature effects.
• So far no new styles of lightsabers, but we will see new styles of lightsaber combat.
• Anakin knows Padme is pregnant and expecting.
• The Trade federation Cruise will be a new design. Pablo is unsure on how large the ship will be on film but he expects it to be larger than the Republic Cruisers.
• There will be cut scenes from Ep3, as with every movie.
• The fate of the younglings will be explained.
• Ewan and Hayden are the actors with the most screen time.
• Palpatine and his entourage will be watching some performance art (Coruscant Theater) at one point in the film. The art will be created by ILM.
• Pablo related more to Obi-Wan's perspective n the film as opposed to Anakin's.
• Anakin's fall is shocking.
• Pablo sends his set diaries to California each day and the diaries are scrubbed for any potential spoilers that may be too revealing.
• Wherever the March 2004 pick-ups are held, someone from starwars.com will be there to document the production.
• At the beginning of the film Anakin and Obi-Wan are still good friends and we will see they have grown even closer since battling in the clone wars together. But Anakin has been building another friendship too...
• The March 2004 pick-ups will be studio-based and Pablo expects that some characters will be digitally added or edited in the scenes, such as Sio Bibble was added into Ep2.
• Overall, Palpatine has much more screen time than Sidious. But Sidious will have much more screen time than seen in Ep2.
• Pablo says that some of the theories seen on StarWars message boards are very close to the plot of Ep3, but also that the story is not that much of a secret since we have known the basic plot since the prologue to the Ep4 novel. The only mysteries to be revealed are the "why" and "where" things happen.
• The reason Obi-Wan changes his name to "Ben" will be seen in the movie but not an explanation as to why he chose "Ben" as the specific name.
• The timespan covered over the course of Ep3 is similar to that of the other films.
• Passel Argente will not have any lines in the film, but he will have a new look and will have on-screen closure to the character. Passel's aide Denaria Kee will also be seen in the film.
• Though Padmé's screen time is less than that of Obi-Wan and Anakin, she will still have an important role and a fair amount of screen time.
• Pablo knows the opening scroll text as it is in the script. The opening scroll will be important in Ep3 as it is in media res like ANH.
• Miniature work is part of post-production and that phase has yet to begin.
• All the droids in the Droid Unit, to include "copper top" (Obi-Wan's starfighter droid), have been crated up as their time for shooting has finished.
• There are scenes that will have moments that could be seen as "scary".
• Darth Sidious will remove his hood.
-
September 04, 2003; Hyperspace: "The Master Plan":
• More shooting on the Obi-Wan & Anakin duel. Today's scenes involved four characters at one point. Multiple takes and varying angles were used to gather more coverage of the duel to help the editing process.
• This segment of the duel will span multiple locations of the set and will span a couple of minutes. The duel is visually loaded with quick lunges, twirling swipes, and dramatic camera angles.
• The crew debated about how much of Darth Sidious' agenda does a certain character know. If he knows all, then a certain line of dialogue in the film seemingly makes no sense. If he knows none, then his actions are puzzling. Trying to navigate a Sith master plan is tricky, and we each come up with counterarguments and scenarios when we reach a logical dead-end.
• For Expanded Universe-is-canon proponents, the Ep3 inclusion of a certain character, vehicle designs and other concept art created or expanded in literature will add fuel to their arguments.
• For those movie purists who like to counter with pointing out (apparent) contradictions, there's at least two lines of dialogue -- one dealing with the Jedi Council, the other with the Republic -- that will require some creative interpretation to make the universe one big happy place again.
-
September 05, 2003; Hyperspace: "All Over The Place":
• There was a change of plans and today's scheduled shooting was postponed until next week due to an injury Hayden sustained while executing a leap in an action scene weeks ago. The injury has been aggravated to the point where it may start affecting Hayden's physical performance. Hayden will be taking it easy the new few days and hopes to be ready to go for the cameras on Monday morning.
• This shift in schedule means the scenes planned for next Wednesday (Sep 10) were moved up to today. This called for three new sets for use in today's shooting.
• Here are the six scenes shot today:
1: Darth Sidious communicates with someone via hologram. Duncan Young, serving as a vocal stand-in, provides the voice of one of Sidious' evil henchmen.
2: Obi-Wan Kenobi stunt double, Nash Edgerton, did a stunt where he is hurled through the air, hits the wall, and collapses on the ground - all without wirework. Nash manages to land in the exact same sprawled position that Ewan McGregor assumed in a previously shot segment.
3: One scene with the revolve (rotating set) was shot for the final time today. Originally the revolve was only a a floor and a ceiling. Stunt performers in the set were to start in a normal orientation, and then fall towards the "ceiling."
4: An alien wilderness rocky cave was shot with Obi-Wan Kenobi doing the spelunking. Given the craggy gray rocks and the circular cave-opening, Ewan compared the scenes as entering a rather unpleasant part of an elephant.
5: A new environment within the Jedi Temple as Obi-Wan fiddles with a high tech piece of equipment and a computer console in a pillar.
6: Another new section of the Jedi Temple where there will be a conversation between Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda. Duncan Young provided the voice for Yoda. A little person, about the Yoda's height, served as a stand-in to block the scene, since the sage must walk across frame.
• Departures: Editor Roger Barton and Assistant Editor Jett Sally
-
September 05, 2003; Hyperspace webchat with Ryan Church - Summary:
• The windy environment in Ep3 is a concept in which Ralph McQuarrie had done previous designs. George decided to re-visit the idea and give it a fresh pass.
• We will see prototype TIE Fighters.
• About 1/3 of the action sequences in the film will occur on the new planets where will we also see the most visually spectacular sequences.
• Much time was spent in designing new weaponry for both the clone and Separatist armies. We may even see some walkers (predecessors to AT-AT's).
• Great care was taken in the design work for Ep3 to ensure it bridged the trilogies and will mesh the prequels so far and on into ANH.
• The designs for the new worlds are brand new concepts that George wanted to explore, and they may not all be necessarily "Star Wars-like".
• A very large number of designs were created and submitted to George for Ep3, and there are so many ideas that many of these designs will not make it into the final film.
• Spanish art neauvau and 1940s futurist / art deco were some of the design influences used for the Ep3 concept work.
• Ryan's favorite things to design are vehicles and military hardware. He also enjoys painting the environments and situations.
• Ralph's favorite Ep3 design of all is one he cannot reveal due to being a heavy spoiler.
• There were many designs for Ep2 that George had discarded but had also specifically saved for use in Ep3.
• We will see both the "used universe" design style common in the Classic Trilogy as well as the sleek, "pretty" environments seen so far in the prequels.
• Some of the new environments have sophisticated cultures that are hard to categorize because they don't really fit with being "used universe" or "pretty".
• During pre-production, George presented the design crew with some art work by Mark Rothko and asked that some of those influences be captured for the film.
• To avoid repetition, the design crew has developed a new look for the outer space locations.
• Ryan designed many of the separatist planets but they are currently not scheduled to be used in the final film.
• For the new planet designs, some historical sources were researched and integrated, but most new worlds are focused on being as unique and fresh as possible.
• Most of the Coruscant designs will expand on previously seen locations. There are a few new locations on Coruscant we will see - and one in particular that Ryan thinks is really cool.
• Before reading the script, the design crew created many designs based on suggestions from George before he ever came out and specifically asked for them.
• Flash Gordon style sci-fi images have always been part of the influence in concept designing for the films.
• We will see evidence of Rebel Alliance ships.
• While the feel of the movie is bridging the prequels and the Classic Trilogy together, Ep3 is also meant to contrast with them.
• We will see many land battles and at least one is of the continuing Clone Wars. Ryan thinks it looks cool.
• The new Federation Cruiser is a large and aggressive warship. It will look "slightly familiar".
• In addition to working directly for George, Ryan also works with the animatics crew and ILM when they work on creating the shots.
• There are not too many scenes that take place in or around a Death Star.
• Visually speaking, Ryan believes Ep3 will certainly be the best Star Wars film to cross the screen.
• The clonetrooper designs are not very different from Ep2 but the clones will be doing a lot more in this film and needed customizations to their suits.
• The Jedi Starfighter is not the same design seen in Ep2.
• Ryan mostly works on locations, architecture, ships and droids.
• The crew designed the entire planet for the alien race played by Bruce Spence's character, to include ships and technology.
• We will see a new location on Naboo.
• We won't see 2-1B but we will see some cool new designs on medical droids.
• The fire ship captain will be seen flying a fire ship and puts out a fire on Coruscant. The fire ships are the fire department.
• Derek Thompson of he design crew tried very hard to get IG-88 into the film. It is not known whether the droid will be seen.
• George was very certain about what he wanted for the Anakin/Obi-Wan duel environment. The design crew only created the architecture.
• Ryan does not think there will be any other actors in suits other than Chewbacca.
• The first thing George asked of the design team was to conceptualize the seven planets of the clone war. However, many of those planets did not make the final cut.
• Doing the design work for the wookies was one the favorite jobs Ryan has had so far on Ep3.
• The design crew worked very hard to make the new bad guy in Ep3 visually distinctive.
• The new bad guy has a lot of screen time, a memorable role, and he is central to the plot.
• Non-droid soldiers for the Separatist Army were designed but it is uncertain if those characters will make it into the movie.
• Ryan's main goal in working on Ep3 is to have ILM bring the designs to realization, photorealistically creating the worlds from the paintings.
• Ryan designed the prototype for the X-Wing.
• We will not see any more characters of Yoda's species.
• Ryan does not think we will see Dooku's Solar Sailor ship in Ep3.
• Ryan likes to listen to soundtracks and opera while working on Ep3.
• Ryan is most proud of his Hailfire Droid design from Ep2 and was surprised George put it into the final film. (The droid that shot the rockets and had large wheels)
• The busiest time working on Ep3 for Ryan was during the 9-month pre-production phase. There were lots of late nights because the work was so fun.
• Some of the old Ralph McQuarrie images were incorporated into Ep3. At the start of designing, George pointed out certain designs he definitely wanted to see in the film.
-
September 08, 2003; Hyperspace: "Separatist Gathering":
• The Separatists are pawns who are manipulated by shadowy puppet-masters to wage what is ultimately a meaningless war. Today's shooting has gathered the leaders of the Confederacy of Independent Systems (CIS) into one place, which makes for a crowded set with a wide range of interesting alien faces and colorful costumes.
• In one scene, the Separatist Council will convene in a grimy and shopworn control room. The war has been hard on these pampered commerce barons. The locations where they run their wars and operations have become increasingly inhospitable to stave off Republic pursuit. This set will have minimal amounts of windows and doorframes. Large rectangles of illuminated color represent tactical viewscreens.
• Silas Carson is shooting the scenes as Nute Gunray and he will be communicating with a holographic form. For today's shoot, Rune Haako has no dialogue. Colin Ware plays a Neimoidian who is an aide to Rune and Nute.
• In the background are Senator Po Nudo and his aide in their Episode II costumes, Passel Argente and his aide, Denaria Kee, wearing new costumes.
• It turns out that Senator Tikkes will not be in Ep3 but rather Senator Tundra Dowmeia, the loyalist Quarren Senator.
• Poggle the Lesser, Wat Tambor, Shu Mai and San Hill will return in their CGI forms.
-
September 09, 2003; Hyperspace: "Duel Redux":
• More shooting on the duel was done today and it involved some of the fastest dueling Pablo has ever seen. The specific scene will take place just before the heart of the duel. Another segment of the duel was also shot which will take place later in the duel form the first scene shot.
• Hayden is back in action after having rested his sore leg over the weekend. The dueling almost appears artificially sped-up. It's just that fast.
• The red-gel light retuned top provide atmosphere as reported in previous duel scenes. There are also some flashes from strobe lights going off to signify an alert of some kind and a hazard.. During the duel, Anakin and Obi-Wan will push their weapons into counter-tops and control panels and the FX Dept ignited squibs that burst to fill the frame and cover the actors with bright sparks and debris.
• The fight also involves leaps and throws at an accelerated rate.
• During today's action, both Obi-Wan and Anakin have a moment where they collide with a control panel and land hard against a rough surface. The control panels and display screens have many unyielding protrusions.
• On one wall of the set is a hue and very thick blast door rigged to open by pulling on chains. Using muscle power, the door is slow to open.
• The fight path of the duel will double back on itself at least once as far as territory covered and Anakin and Obi-Wan will cross the same room twice.
• Bonnie Piesse (Beru) was in the Makeup Dept. and doing reference photos with her new wig. Beru's scene in has been moved up from the March shoot to next week. Beru's hairstyle will be similar to the one we see in Ep4.
-
September 09, 2003; Hyperspace webchat with Dan Gregoire - A Summary
• The animatics for a scene involving clonetroopers on speeder bikes have been developed. It is up to George whether or not it makes it into the final film.
• There is a larger Animatics team for this film which means the standards are higher and almost half of the film has already been completed in regards to the animatics for ILM to realize digitally.
• In terms of scale and scope, the opening space battle of Ep3 is bigger than anything we have seen before.
• When asked what color Anakin's lightsaber will be during the duel with Obi-Wan, Dan said to watch Ep4.
• Including Dan, the Animatics team consists of 12 people.
• Dan and the team are not upset when some of their work does not make it into the final film. They understand that it is the essential ideas that start the shots that make it to the big screen.
• For the pre-visualization of Ep2, the Animatics team used this software: Alias Wavefront's Maya, Adobe's After Effects, 2D3's Boujou.
• The different fights involving Yoda, Dooku, Mace, and Palpatine (not necessarily linked to one another) are all very interesting and Dan is working on one that is "really cool."
• There are some scenes that are so cool that Dan wishes he could reveal them.
• The process for pre-visualizing Ep3 starts with the heaviest effects sequences and then immediately replace the bluescreen elements with digital sets and creatures to establish a rough draft to see if the shot is working and how to see the potential for future digital scene enhancement. The team does this process approximately 2-3 times per day.
• The standards of the animatics were set pretty high by the end of Ep2 and the team picked up where they left off and have worked to maintain that consistency for Ep3.
• Generally, from start to finish it takes about 1-2 weeks to get a scene exactly the way it is supposed to look. However, with Ep2 they did one scene at a time, and with Ep3 they are working 5-6 scenes at once, all in various stages of revision or development.
• Animatics have done pre-visualization for the new bad guy and "he is one bad mother".
• Overall, Ep3 is more action-oriented but will still have its fair share of quiet, character-driven scenes.
• Animatics do preliminary work on the lightsaber duels with digital doubles. Nick Gillard choreographs the actual live fights and after the fight is filmed, Animatics then adds the lightsabers, digital environments and any other effects as required.
• In regards to new aliens and designs, the Art Dept out-did themselves and we will see a lot of cool stuff.
• Currently, there is no digital version of Darth Vader but there may be one designed in the future.
• In one word, Dan describes Ep3 as "Dark".
• Animatics are currently working on the scenes being filmed in FOX Studios Sydney, which is most of the film.
• There is an entirely new digital environment that will be bigger than anything seen in any Star Wars film and will be very challenging for ILM.
• Dan believes Ep3 will be better than Ep1 and Ep2 due to the fact that it is "dark and moody".
• Ben Burtt adds the temporary sound effects and orchestration to the animatics sequences.
• We will see huge fleets of starships.
• Yoda will be featured in a spectacular action sequence.
• While the main goal of the Animatics team is to make sure the shots are working, they also take care to light and texture the environments to capture the atmosphere and look that George wants to see.
• It was tough to answer if "good guy ships" are damaged or destroyed. After all, "who are the good guys"?
• Dan shares the excitement of Ryan Church over the script and the number of new planets/environments seen in Ep3.
• Dan is unsure whether he will continue to work for Lucasfilm after Ep3.
• The entire movie is one big special effect. There will not be a single scene that is not touched by effects in some way.
• If the Jedi that die in the film are "real Jedi" then they will take some clones with them.
• Technically speaking, Animatics have done a rough version of the entire film. But certain segments are never really done since George tweaks things until the last minute.
• Yoda will not have a beard in Ep3.
• The last 10 minutes of the film will definitely pull some emotions.
• Dan agrees that there are some elements of the movie that push the limits of a PG rating but it is too early to tell what the final film will be or how it might be rated.
• There will not be any "Star Wars profanity" in Ep3, such as "sithspit".
• The ultimate film will be George's vision but the Animatics crew does have influence over some little pieces.
• We will see some brand new vehicle designs. The Art Dept had to move forward from the Ep2 designs and moved in the direction of merging with Ep4.
• The clones were Dan's favorite character(s) in Ep2.
• The reason the space battle in Ep3 will be bigger and more challenging than the ROTJ space battle is because this new space battle will be a journey and not a single event.
• Even though every idea has been used before, the Animatics team focused hard to be as unique as possible in their pre-visualization work.
• The most difficult part of the pre-visualization process is to faithfully interpret written or verbal instruction.
• The favorite part of the pre-visualization process is to see the scenes fully developed and finished by ILM and the scenes looking conceptually the same as the pre-vis work.
• Dan's favorite StarWars film is ROTJ.
• Generally the entire pre-vis team works on one sequence together but several other scenes that may overlap are also given attention so the team can move to the next sequence. While scheduling and managing the most recent tasks, the team is always developing new shots, revising old shots, and adding to previously done sequences.
• We will see wookiees in action and Dan thinks "it is something to see".
• Obi-Wan will become "General Kenobi" and the great hero of the Clone Wars.
• Dan's other goals include cinematic theory and good movie-making techniques
-
- New scene of Anakin and Obi-Wan fighting a common foe(s) from yesterday, a majority of the footage previously shot is being repeated to increase options; including a part at one point involving four characters.
- Nick Gillard has co-ordinated the fight to move over a number of different levels.
- The action is filled with various fast moves, spins and acrobatics.
- Hayden seems very much in charge of the role now; sensing when he's made even the slightest mistake, even to the point of annoying Nick Gillard with their apparently oblique nature.
- A certain character possibly knows, to some degree, what Darth Sidious' ultimate aim is. Pablo argued with Jonathan Rinzler, Senior Editor for LucasBooks, about this.
- If the same character knows what the plan is, then the line of dialogue that sparked the debate is apparently nonsensical. If they know none of it, then their reaction to it is questionable.
- Pablo considers the 'EU = Canon' debate irrelevant for a fictional universe, but appreciates the continuity some fans defend.
- Relating to this, he says that certain aspects of Episode III will apparently draw on the EU, pleasing those who favour EU = Canon. For those who pick holes in the EU for it's inconsistencies with the movies, there are a couple of lines of dialogue - one reffering to the Jedi Council and another to The Republic - that will require a bit of imagination to 'fit'.
-
Sorry if there is any double postings :P
-
Three words that Darth Vader speaks in Ep3 are "I don't fear..."
That is the most amazing thing that I just read.... woah! :o
-
"If the Jedi that die in the film are "real Jedi" then they will take some clones with them" ....What??? Does this mean there are cloned Jedi? or are they saying that the Jedi are now fighting the clone troopers?
-
"If the Jedi that die in the film are "real Jedi" then they will take some clones with them" ....What??? Does this mean there are cloned Jedi? or are they saying that the Jedi are now fighting the clone troopers?
The only clones are the clone troopers & Boba Fett , the jedi will be fighting the clone troopers in episode 3 since Palpatine will blame the jedi for the clone wars & will order a purge on the jedi order & remember palpatine is in control of the clone army not the jedi.
-
Anakins clothes are darker in this film
Six more roles to sign, another casting announcement this week [Note from Tai: Trisha Noble (Jobal Naberrie) and Bonnie Piesse (Beru) have been announced – that now leaves four roles]
No Jocasta Nu for E-3
Much more blinking buttons for that seventies feel in the film
Nick Gillard has shot some of his cameo
Anakin saves Obi-Wan at one point in the film (possibly even multiple times)
Ian Mcdiarmid has several scenes with Hayden
Sola, Ryoo, Pooja shoot their scenes this month
Obi-Wans actions are vital to the ending of the clone wars
Pablo thinks that the imagery of this movie could have a hard time making a pg rating
Concerning whether Christain Bale, Ralph Fiennes, or Peter Wingfield would be playing Tarkin, Pablo said that none of them have any relation with this movie
Rohan Nichol has shot all of his scenes
The EU character is not Thrawn or Xizor
The death star has no real importance in this movie, thats all for E-4
When asked whether or not one of the main charcters would turn out to be a clone, Pablo said to take a close look at the phrasing at the answer Rick McCallum gave in his chat.
There are several little sweet moments of romance
Give up on the dagobah cave theory already
Palpatine has more than one look
Force ghosts are explained in the film
Jar Jar does not have an improtant role in the film
At end of film, its obvious that Anakin is Vader
Ki-Adi-Mundi still has to shoot some scenes
No puppets
Some new forms of combat
Kinda admits that anakin has knowledge of Padmé expecting
New design for Trade Federation ship where a lot of action takes place, Pablo thinks its much larger then the Republic Crusier
The fate of the twins is explained
Ewan and Hayden have the most screen time
Obi and Anakin show on screen that they have become good freinds, but Anakin has also become good friends with Palpatine
Sidous has more screen time than in E-2
The reason for Obi taking a different name (Ben) is explained, but not why he chose that particular name
Padmé has some important scenes, but doesnt have as much screen time as Obi and Anakin
Sidious will remove his hood
There are potential scary elements in the film
-
Tuesday, September 2:
During the scenes of the duel shot today, there are wind machines and there is steam that blocks Obi-Wan’s and Anakin’s paths.
The last part of Anakin and Obi-Wan’s time together was shot today. Ewan was in a higher position on set than normal.
Scenes shot on Monday and Tuesday were so pivotal that Pablo is afraid to even hint about them.
One of the scenes that had to biggest crowd of onlookers took place on a bluescreen set with a mechanical floor that has detailed patterns. While waiting for the scene, several crew members hummed the Imperial March.
On the HD, at 5:48 PM on 9/1/03, was an “iconic dark form”.
Memorable scenes were shot today, and Pablo’s not really giving any hints.
The pick-up shooting in March, according to Pablo, won't contain anything more "seismic" than what's already been shot.
Principle photography may finish earlier than anticipated.
Wednesday, September 3:
Shooting from earlier in the story line with Obi-Wan and Anakin united against a common foe in a multi-level set with pits and raised platforms.
Also included: paired stairways, rails on an upper platform; Pablo says the location is a new one for SW but that there are things that remind him of old SW faves: bulkheads from Imperial Star Destroyers, lit stairway like the carbon freezing chamber from ESB, "flower-petal" islands like those in Palpy's Death Star throne room in ROTJ.
46 scenes left to shoot. Today's encompassed about 3/4 of a scene.
Thursday, September 4:
Today's shooting continued in the multi-level set talked about yesterday.
At one point there are four characters who each get close-ups.
A line of dialogue from a character sparked a debate on how much the character new about Palpatine's scheme... no hint as to who it is, but the line may cause some confusion.
Aside from that mysterious EU character, there will also be EU vehicle designs and other concept art used.
There are two lines of dialouge regarding the Jedi Council and the Republic that will contradict with the EU big time.
-
More shooting on the duel today. The duel will finsih shooting sometime next week.
Shooting on Stage B: the greenscreen stage. It's broke up into 3 parts representing four sections of the environment where the duel takes place. It is lit by red lights again. The actors have to avoid obstaces to their footing while fighting in this scene.
The wind is getting stronger as the fight progresses
There will be "digital distractions" during their duel
Fighting today moved from greenscreen onto a metal structure, and then to a series of isolated platforms.
More duel shooting today, this morning it was on a block shaped platform the size of a pooltable.
During a part of the duel, a "wayward" lightsaber swipe cuts some metal pipes (an perhaps some of the surface is scared as well) on one of the platform sets in half.
Afternoon shooting was on a sixteen and a half foot long set that is rigged ropes and counterweights to provide "harrowing action".
More talk of reddish hue'd lights
Obi-Wan and Anakin are dangling from cables and swing about in shooting today.
They’re not flying. In the film, Anakin and Obi-Wan will be swinging on cables for this part of the fighting.
The cables in their hands will remain. The cable attached to their backs will be digitally removed.
Their swings have a pendulum movement.
There’s another segment shot today that takes place earlier in a duel. They change from the weathered robes to cleaner ones.
Some of the lightsaber fights already shot involved dueling in a straight line.
During the shot that takes place earlier, there’s Cg debris. One of the fighters has to deflect it.
-
Chase sequence in episode 3
AOTC DVD Commentary:
GL: I like chase sequences, I have a fondness for racing and I inevitably put something like a chase sequence in every movie in one form or another or a racing scene or something. It's just I love speed and I love the tension and excitement of the chase.
-
Reasons for Anakin's Turn
AOTC DVD Commentary:
GL: This is obviously a very pivitol scene for Anakin because this is reuniting with his mother and his youth and at the same time dealing with his inablility to let go of his emotions and allow himself to accept the inevitable. The fact that everything must change and that things come and go through his life and that he can't hold onto things which is a basic Jedi philosophy that he isn't willing to accept emotionally and the reason that is is because he was raised by his mother rather than the Jedi. If he'd have been taken in his first year and started to study to be a Jedi, he wouldn't have this particular connection as strong as it is and he'd have been trained to love people but not to become attached to them. But he has become attached to his mother and he will become attached to Padme and these things are, for a Jedi, who needs to have a clear mind and not be influenced by threats to their attachments, a dangerous situation. And it feeds into fear of losing things, which feeds into greed, wanting to keep things, wanting to keep his posessions and things that he should be letting go of. His fear of losing her turns to anger at losing her, which ultimately turns to revenge in wiping out the village. The scene with the Tusken Raiders is the first scene that ultimately takes him on the road to the dark side. I mean he's been prepping for this, but that's the one where he's sort of doing something that is completely inappropriate.
AOTC DVD Commentary:
GL: The scene in the garage here, we begin to see that what he's really upset about is the fact that he's not powerful enough. That if he had more power, he could've kept his mother. He could've saved her and she could've been in his life. That relationship could've stayed there if he'd have been just powerful enough. He's greedy in that he wants to keep his mother around, he's greedy in that he wants to become more powerful in order to control things in order to keep the things around that he wants. There's a lot of connections here with the beginning of him sliding into the dark side. And it also shows his jealousy and anger at Obi-Wan and blaming everyone else for his inability to be as powerful as he wants to be, which he hears that he will be, so here he sort of lays out his ambititon and you'll see later on his ambition and his dialogue here is the same as Dooku's. He says "I will become more powerful than every Jedi." And you'll hear later on Dooku will say "I have become more powerful than any Jedi." So you're going start to see everyboy saying the same thing. And Dooku is kind of the fallen Jedi who was converted to the Dark Side because the other Sith Lord didn't have time to start from scratch, and so we can see that that's where this is going to lead which is that it is possible for a Jedi to be converted. It is possible for a Jedi to want to become more powerful, and control things. Because of that, and because he was unwilling to let go of his mother, because he was so attached to her, he committed this terrible revenge on the Tusken Raiders.
AOTC DVD Commentary:
GL: The key part of this scene ultimately is Anakin saying "I'm not going to let this happen again." We're cementing his determination to become the most powerful Jedi. The only way you can really do that is to go to the Dark Side because the Dark Side is more powerful. If you want the ultimate power you really have to go to the stronger side which is the Dark Side, but ultimately it would be your undoing. But it's that need for power and the need for power in order to satisfy your greed to keep things and to not let go of things and to allow the natural course of life to go on, which is that things come and go, and to be able to accept the changes that happen around you and not want to keep moments forever frozen in time.
-
Sidious/Palpatine Connection
TPM DVD Commentary:
GL: Introducing Darth Sidious as a hologram was the way he was introduced actually in Empire Strikes Back, which was the first time we actually saw him in the first three films, so I thought it appropriate to keep that thematic device going so that we only know him as a hologram and not actually deal with him, except in one small scene as a real person, because I did want to make sure you knew that he wasn't just a hologram. Make him sort of flesh and blood.
TPM DVD Commentary:
GL: As we come back to the Trade Federation, every time I try to introduce a new element of danger, a new threat. In this one I introduce Darth Maul and at the same time move the plot along in the fact that he wants to have her sign a treaty which is the basis of the whole plot of the movie which is they're trying to get her to turn over her planet to the Trade Federation. The Trade Federation is working on one level of greed, you know, wanting to take over this planet, which Darth Sidious is manipulating because in the end his agenda is completely different. He's just simply using the Trade Federation, using the Jedi, using the Queen for his own purpose. He's the puppet master in all these movies. His goal in this one, the whole plot of the movie really, is for Palpatine to become Chancellor, and this whole thing is a large bunch of machinations to allow Palpatine to ascend to the highest office in the galaxy.
TPM DVD Commentary:
GL: One of thematic issues here is how Palpatine becomes Chancellor. Telling how he moved to the next level, and then when you see all of the films together it will all make a lot more sense. But this is kind of a very small thematic issue that transcends all six movies as opposed to something that's actually neatly tied up in this particular movie alone. Step one is that Palpatine becomes Chancellor, and you'll see in Episode II that he then makes another step, and in Episode III he makes another step.
AOTC DVD Commentary:
GL: I wanted to set up in this little scene with Anakin and Padme that these are all elected officials and that they have a term of office and she had a term of office and even though the people wanted her to stay, she didn't stay. This is in contrast to Palpatine who also has a term of office but has managed to stay because of one crises or another and in this film even gets more power.
AOTC DVD Commentary:
GL: This idea of a democracy being given up and in many cases being given up in a time of crisis, you see it throughout history whether it's Julius Ceaser, or Napoleon, or Adolf Hitler, you see these democracies under a lot of pressure, in a crisis situation, who end up giving up a lot of the freedoms they have and a lot of the checks and balances to somebody with a strong authority to help get them through the crisis. It's not the first time a politician has created a war to try to stay in office.
AOTC DVD Commentary:
GL: The confrontation between Obi-Wan and Dooku originally was a confrontation between Padme and Dooku and it was a political thing. I decided after seeing the movie that I didn't need that scene with Padme and Dooku, it was in the wrong part of the picture, and this one with Obi-Wan would be more appropriate and would work better if Dooku would actually tell the truth about what was going on and then create a situation where nobody would believe him. It also allows you to kind of have some sympathy for Dooku in that he carries the sympathies of most of the Jedi which is that the Senate is corrupt and it's incapable of carrying on any meaningful actions because they argue about everything all the time. I accentuate that by introducing Darth Sidious again. Darth Sidious we refer to in the first film and he's a hologram and we see a little tiny bit of him but I needed at this point to say that there is a Darth Sidious, especially if you haven't seen the first film. I needed to identify that there is a Darth Sidious who is behind all this and who is the same Darth Sidious that was in league with the Trade Federation in the last movie. It's really important to set up for the very end scene here where Darth Tyranus and Darth Sidious come together in the end and you realize who's behind all of this.
AOTC DVD Commentary:
GL: We do reveal that Dooku is Darth Tyranus, he's a Sith Lord, and that he's in league with Darth Sidious and Darth Sidious is pulling all the strings and everything is going just the way he wants them to go. The Emperor continues to pull the strings.
Starlog Magazine: Why is it that the Jedi never sense the Dark Side's devious deeds coming?
GL: It's not that they can't see the Dark Side coming, it's just that the Dark Side begins to envelop everything. It's like walking into a fog. The Jedi's ability to see lessens as the Dark Side grows.
-
Tarkin
Leonard Maltin: Can you tell us a little about Tarkin and is he in Episode 1?
GL: Well, Tarkin was basically a small time politician who was a governor of a small Outland Region sector until he became one of the first supporters of Palpatine. As a result of his ties with Palpatine, Tarkin steadily moved up the "political ladder" during Palpatine's climb up the political ranks, which culminates in Palpatine becoming Emperor. (December 1997)
Star Wars Insider: Will any OT characters like Tarkin or Chewbacca appear in Episode III?
GL: There are some, if I can fit them in, but I won't say who they are. Some key characters are scheduled to be fit in if I can make it work. They are not so integral to the story--it's really done to say, 'Oh look, there's so-and-so.' (May 2002)
Anakin & Luke
TPM DVD Commentary:
GL: It's kind of a theme that reoccurs in Episode IV is that I've purposely developed themes and ideas and I repeat them. It's very very clear in the two trilogies that I'm putting the characters in pretty much the same situation, sometimes even using the same dialogue so that the father and the son go through pretty much the same experience. Obviously Anakin takes a different road than his son takes, so that at some of these turning points they go the other way. But it's been set up for you to almost expect that they will go, you know that Luke will follow in his father's footsteps because in a lot of these Episodes they do follow each other which leads to a subtle influence which gives the audience a little expectation.
-
• There are parts of the duel when Anakin and Obi-Wan move even faster than the Maul/Obi-Wan duel in Ep1. This is due to the lighter graphite-bladed lightsabers being used for this film, but mostly due to the skills of the actors, and the demands of the scene.
• The shooting of the Anakin/ObiWan duel scenes is now complete.
• The new bad guy has connections to Darth Sidious.
• Kyle Rowling was one of the stunt doubles seen on the webcam recently wearing the blue suit on the green set. Kyle was not the only actor there...
• The "new bad guy" is not referring to Darth Vader. It will be an original, separate villain.
• Pablo could not confirm whether or not the March 2004 pick-up shots will be done in Sydney or England (Leavesden).
• We will not see a new answer to why Darth Maul had mentioned "getting revenge on the Jedi" in Ep1. Pablo states that line was answered in Ep1 with the mention that the Sith had been extinguished a millennium ago and hinted that the Jedi were the ones who did it.
• For the three remaining days of shooting left, it is possible that the webcam will have stage access. But Pablo expects the scenes scheduled for these days are ones that George will likely want to keep secret.
• There may be an EU/canon conflict due to what one character in the film says has happened. Pablo states that it is too early to know if the dialogue will make it into the final film, and also has faith that the EU will adjust to this possible new statement.
• It is possible to have both lots of action and emotional depth to the film. Pablo believes the Obi-Wan/Anakin conflict has the potential to be the most incredible action scene - and have intense emotional impact, due to who we will see fighting, why they're fighting to begin with, and the final outcome.
• Nick Gillard's Jedi character in the film is appropriate, given all of Nick's work on the prequels so far. Pablo was surprised he did not notice Nick's character's cameo in when reading the script the first time, especially given the character's name.
• Hyperspace will feature video content in the future. There are very cool things being planned for Oct, Nov and beyond!
• Pablo would not necessarily say that the big chair seen on the set is "the" Palpatine chair.
• Regarding the last 10 minutes of the film, Pablo has not seen the animatics, but he has seen the visual script and watched the shooting of those scenes. He believes it keeps with the traditional endings of Star Wars films, but since we know the futures of the characters and the locations we will see glimpses of, the ending will have more of an impact than usual.
• We will see evidence that Obi-Wan's Jedi skills have improved since Ep2 and he is also noticeably higher up in the Jedi hierarchy.
• Obi-Wan is still not fond of flying, and we will see new reasons why he still bemoans it.
• It was not Bonnie Piesse that was seen on the webcam on Wed night standing next to Obi-Wan. That was Tom Maynard, an Obi-Wan stand-in.
• The Obi-Wan/Anakin duel will be the biggest, longest and best duel in the saga, but that does not mean that the other duels in the film (Dooku, Mace, etc) are not good on their own.
• Ackbar does not command a fleet in battle.
• Anakin will be a Jedi Knight in Ep3, no longer a padawan.
• When Pablo returns to the ranch his work first focus on the databank entries will include Asajj Ventress, Durge, and other Clone War related material.
• We will not see the Jedi Trials in the film.
• The Ep4 Darth Vader line, "When I left you, I was but a learner, Now I am the master" will still make sense given Anakin and Obi-Wan's past together.
• Once shooting has wrapped, webchats are expected to continue but on a less frequent basis. None of the main talent (such as Hayden or Ewan) are expected to do a webchat before March pick-ups but anything's possible.
• Not all of the suited Darth Vader scenes have been shot. (Clue to what is involved in those secretive last 3 days of shooting? )
• Pablo asks that fans have patience in wanting to see the Darth Vader suit. They do not want to introduce such a thing with a small webcam image or vague set diary.
• It is way too early at this point to talk about details of the teaser trailer.
• We will not see any bowler hats in Ep3 but there will be a character's whose name should remind you of a bowler hats.
• When asked "Will Yoda and Sidious will get it on?", Pablo said it is not that kind of movie.
• No common brand names will be seen in the film but there is one speeder that has a very detailed name in the script.
• Geonosis will not be seen in Ep3.
• Rohan Nichol, who plays a young starship captain, has nothing to do with Han Solo. The starship captain character was almost a continuity issue but was later resolved.
• It is incorrect to guess that we will see a total of four new planets and that we would be seeing them for the first time from the ground.
• There will be some new and old capital warships seen in the opening space battle.
• Pablo hopes there will be some new official casting announcement soon. Two yet unannounced characters are shooting scene(s) next week and Pablo may have to omit them from any set diary since the contract memos have not been signed.
• One of the characters shooting next week is young, but not an infant. It is also a character brand new to the Star Wars story.
• Given the nature of the involvement of Padme's family in Ep3, Pablo would be very surprised if their scenes were cut.
• There are moments of reflection now that principal photography has almost wrapped. Some are looking forward to moving on to future projects and others are looking forward to the next step in production.
• Hyperspace members will get the first looks at the upcoming Select pics and "Making-Of" documentaries.
• Temuera Morrison just walked by Pablo's office.
• Pablo never feels an urge to divulge a big secret. Since LFL will be writing about Ep3 over the course of the next 2 years, it is good to keep some secrets so there is something to write about.
• It is unlikely that Ian McDiarmid will do an interview for Hyperspace at the present time, but the chances of such an interview will become more likely closer to the release of the film.
• There are no scenes in which N1 Starfighters are scripted. But Pablo can think of one scene where they may be added.
• New Select pics will not be seen daily, The pics will be spaced apart so LFL does not run out of material too quickly.
• There will not be any grand surprises but we will have a sense of familiarity with how the story of Ep3 unfolds. What surprises there are will revolve around the new locations, characters and elements that no one had predicted. For the prequels, the big surprise was when we learned in Ep1 that Darth Vader was once an innocent little kid.
• Pablo may get in one more webchat before he leaves for the United States. Once back at the ranch, he is not planning to do any webchats but will be on the OS message boards from time to time.
• Hayden's last day of shooting is Sept 17th, also the last day of principal photography.
• Bossk is not in Ep3.
• Pablo believes all the set diaries and webchats will remain archived on the Official Site for future reading.
• Scenes involving the infant twins have already been shot.
• Pablo has never heard about the possibility of Robbie Williams making a cameo in Ep3.
• Dantooine will not be seen in Ep3.
• When describing whether or not Padmé will have any action scenes, Pablo said she while she doesn't sit around all day, she doesn't exactly wrestle a Nexu either.
• Mandalorians are not in Ep3.
• A young Han Solo is not in Ep3.
• The character who ordered the clones was seen onscreen in Ep2. ( dooku is the one behind ordering the clones i garantee it)
-
-A character will be riding a very fast digital creature in Episode 3
-It is a blue barrel with a saddle on it that tries to move like the real creature will.
-Making real people ride fake animals has been a difficult task in all 5 star wars films.
-Rob Coleman has been studying a lot on how to best complete the effect.
-Pablo Helman has lots of video footage of the closest real world animal moving at different speeds on his laptop.
-Jason Snell has taped up several key areas that will be pivot points in the creature.
-The animal looks rather large from the picture.
-
• Obi-Wan will ride a non-terrestrial animal in a maroon saddle. The animal is very organic, fast, and agile. Obi-Wab is in for a hair-raising ride. -official site
• In one complicated action sequence, Obi-Wan will be on a new planet, fighting opponents and will concentrate on a group of armed thugs looking for a fight. The thugs will be very thin and wearing cloaks. These new baddies are much more of a challenge in a fight than battle droids or Geonosian drones. They will brandish weapons that are quite effective against Jedi. -Official site
• Obi-Wan will be seen in a new environment within the Jedi Temple and will fiddle with a high tech piece of equipment and a computer console imbedded inside a pillar. -Official Site
• Obi-Wan will enter a rocky cave in an alien wilderness. The cave will have craggy rocks and a circular opening. - Official Site
• Obi-Wan Kenobi will be hurled through the air, hit a wall, and collapse on the ground. -Official Site
• "Hayden's acting and portrayal of Anakin turning to the dark side amazes me. And to see Hayden wielding a lightsaber ("or three") is a treat. The audience will get goosebumps when they see the portrayal and betrayal by Anakin." - Anthony Daniels
• Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Padmé are in a scene described as "major" and "grim".- Official Site
• Darth Vader will prove to be the "most deadly character" in the film. - PH
• Anakin and Obi-Wan's costumes will have discolorizations, cuts and burns from fighting and from their environment. - Official Site
• Anakin's costume will become darker as the film moves forward. - TB
• There will be no doubt that Anakin is Darth Vader as seen in the film. -PH
• Anakin knows Padme is pregnant and expecting. -PH
• Currently, there is no digital version of Darth Vader but there may be one designed in the future. -DG
• In one scene, Anakin will be running from unseen dangers. George told Hayden he did not need to say his lines, only to look back and run like hell. -OS
• Anakin will slide down the length of a ramp while attempting to control his descent and using his comlink for help. -OS
• Anakin will be a Jedi Knight in Ep3, no longer a padawan. -PH
-
OBI-ONE/ ANAKIN DUEL : THE FACTS
• The classic saber of Ep4 Ben Kenobi will be among the sabers in use. - OS
• The major focus is the breakdown in friendship between Obi-Wan and Anakin. - SW Insider
• It won't be the special effects that make the Obi-Wan/Anakin duel so thrilling, it will be the betrayal. - RM
• The lightsabers used by Obi-Wan and Anakin are ones we have seen before. - PH
• The Anakin/Kenobi duel is a lengthy one and will span many sets and travel a lot of distance. - OS
• One of the several settings for the duel with have red-gelled lights providing a glow to the set. - OS
• The duel will be a fierce confrontation and will keep up the pace for a while. Some of the fighting will take place on an incline...and "Anakin is weak on a slope", as Nick Gillard pointed out in his webchat and meant it literally. - OS
• Anakin and Obi-Wan's costumes will have discolorizations, cuts and burns from fighting and from their environment. - OS
• Who is the aggressor and who is the defender will alternate during the duel. - OS
• In one setting for the duel, Obi-Wan and Anakin will move over a large area but will careful of their footing. There will be "obstacles". - OS
• At one point in the duel, Anakin and Obi-Wan will look off-screen at a distraction. Their eyes will be looking at different spots of this distraction itself. - OS
• The duel will have a segment in a darkened room with a metallic surface with mechanical structures. And later the duel will move to isolated platforms. Anakin will circle his former master (Obi-Wan). -OS
• During one point in the duel, either Anakin or Obi-Wan will swipe his lightsaber blade against an outcropping and sever it. -OS
• The duel between Anakin and Obi-Wan is not a gentleman's duel. It will get nasty. -PH
• During the duel there will be a segment when Anakin and Obi-Wan dangle from cables, swinging to and from.The wires being used are supposed to be visible The Jedi will be wearing the "weathered and beaten" robes. -OS
• At one point during the duel, debris will fall and one the characters will deflect it (likely with a lightsaber). -OS
• Some of the words spoken during the duel "will cut as deeply as lightsabers". -OS
• At one point during the duel, it will involve four characters. -OS
• "The Epic duel between Anakin and Obi-Wan will be the longest lightsaber duel ever." - NG
• "The duel involves some of the fastest dueling I have ever seen. It almost appears artificially sped-up. It's just that fast." - PH
• There are parts of the duel when Anakin and Obi-Wan move even faster than the Maul/Obi-Wan duel in Ep1. -PH
• Red-gel lighting provides atmosphere for the duel scenes. There are also flashes from strobe lights going off to signify an alert to some kind of hazard. -OS
• Anakin and Obi-Wan will push their weapons into counter-tops and control panels and the FX Dept ignited squibs that burst to fill the frame and cover the actors with bright sparks and debris. -OS
• The fight involves leaps and throws at an accelerated rate. -OS
• Obi-Wan and Anakin have a moment where they collide with a control panel and land hard against a rough surface. The control panels and display screens have many unyielding protrusions. -OS
• One huge wall has a very thick blast door rigged which is opened by chains. One character will open it using muscle power. - OS
• During the Anakin vs Obi-Wan duel there will be heavy winds in at least one setting. - OS
-
NEW VILLAIN : THE FACTS
• The design crew worked very hard to make the new bad guy in Ep3 visually distinctive. -RC
• "Expect someone serious as the new villain." - RM
• The new bad guy has a lot of screen time, a memorable role, and he is central to the plot. -RC
• One character in the film will use two lightsabers at once "and he's bad." - RM
• Animatics have done pre-visualization for the new bad guy and "he is one bad mother". -DG
• The new bad guy has connections to Darth Sidious. -PH
• The "new bad guy" is not referring to Darth Vader. It will be an original, separate villain. -PH
-
EU CHARACTER : THE FACTS
• "The scenes for the EU character will not be shot until 2004 and no one has been cast for the part." - RM
• "A character from the Clone Wars cartoon will appear in Episode III." - RM
• The EU character is not a "major character" and his/her part in the story may change by the time they shoot the character's scenes in March 2004. -PH
• For the unknown EU character in Ep3, the costumes will match the pre-determined style and the action this character does in the EU fiction will be different than that action seen in Ep3. The character's costumes will have certain accomodations for these demands. -TB
• If Pablo had to venture a guess, he'd say that the EU Character will not be the only EU thing (ship/place, etc) that we will see in Ep3. -PH
• The EU character is neither Thrawn nor Xizor. -PH
EU character
• The EU character is neither durge nor assaj ventress.-PH
• For EU-is-canon proponents, the inclusion of a certain character, vehicle designs and other concept art created or expanded in literature will add fuel to their arguments. -OS
• For EU-is-canon proponents, the inclusion of a certain character, vehicle designs and other concept art created or expanded in literature will add fuel to their arguments. -OS
-
• The Dagobah cave was explained in Ep5 and will not need further explanation in Ep3. -PH
• There will not be any grand surprises but we will have a sense of familiarity with how the story of Ep3 unfolds. What surprises there are will revolve around the new locations, characters and elements that no one had predicted. For the prequels, the big surprise was when we learned in Ep1 that Darth Vader was once an innocent little kid. -PH
• About 1/3 of the action sequences in the film will occur on the new planets where will we also see the most visually spectacular sequences. -RC
• A new alien planet will feature a landing platforms and breezy winds. The architecture of the planet is curved and ribbed and gives the environment an alien feel. The planet will be primarily digitally created since it is unlike any earthly environment where location shooting could help. - OS
• The windy environment in Ep3 is a concept in which Ralph McQuarrie had done previous designs. George decided to re-visit the idea and give it a fresh pass. -RC
• We will not see any further changeling characters such as Zam Wesell. -PH
-
Evil has never been more prominent than it has in the past few weeks, with Darth Sidious, Darth Vader, Nute Gunray, Wat Tambor, Boba Fett and a number of other galactic villains shooting scenes in the eleventh hour of film production on episode III.
This episode is said to be the darkest and that's been backed up very heavily this week, with more of the cataclysmic duel between Obi-wan and Anakin being filmed, as well as a separatist meeting and some cloaked baddies chasing our heroes to name but a few of the sinister scenes being shot.
Next week will wrap production on Wednesday, and the complicated process of post production begins.
-
The actor Hayden Christensen, speaking by phone from the Australian set of the final Star Wars prequel, was comparing his two most recent roles. "They have different kinds of ambition," said Mr. Christensen about Anakin Skywalker and Stephen Glass, the disgraced former New Republic writer, whom the actor portrays in the upcoming Lion’s Gate film Shattered Glass. "Anakin’s ambition is an all-dominating, rule-the-galaxy type of ambition," continued Mr. Christensen. "But yeah, they are both people who allow their sort of moral integrity to become questionable so that they can get what they want."
"they are both people who allow their sort of moral integrity to become questionable so that they can get what they want."
"Anakin’s ambition is an all-dominating, rule-the-galaxy type of ambition"
-
*Pablo discusses the misconception that all Star Wars films are shot on blue/greenscreen with no real sets. There is also impressive work done with costumes, sets and props.
*Today though, it's all digital. Ewan McGregor is the only real element on set. Apparently most of the remaining filming sequences will be mostly CG.
*The "planet" Obi-wan is on has such unique topography and architecture that it must be rendered digitally.
*The actual built set is just a green walkway surrounded by crash mats.
*Ewan is fighting a group of unseen opponents described as "armed toughs itching for a fight."
*Ben Cooke, Dean Gould, Michael Byrne and Kyle Rowling are dressed in green or blue tights so that they may be digitally removed during post production.
*One possible problem is that the CGI replacement characters will have very different anatomies from the stunt performers and will be much thinner. The solution is that the characters will be wearing cloaks which may help cover up any overlapping blue.
*The new digital badguys will be tougher than the usual "lightsaber-fodder," and will carry weapons that are actually effective against the Jedi. Obi-wan will be facing a challenge this time around.
*On a side note Daniel Logan (Boba Fett AotC) visited the set.
• Today's shooting focused on a blue ramp which was tilted up to become one big slide.
• Throughout the morning, actors ran across the same area of floor and were running from unseen dangers. George told Hayden he did not need to say his lines, only to look back and run like hell.
• For some takes, the floor is raised to about 30 degrees. Anakin will slide down the length of the ramp while attempting to control his descent and using his comlink for help.
• The glare on the blue ramp was a concern for ILM in regards to post-production work.
• Stunt doubles also did some ramp scenes where they ran the length of the floor and fell into a trap door.
• The Costume Department fitted nine handmaidens today.
• Wednesday, 17th September will be the last day of Principal Photography
-
* More than two dozen extras were crammed onto a greenscreen stage for filming with the principal actors. An Ishi Tib and a Quarren were among the alien species represented by the extras. Other characters are a handmaiden, and two blue Senatorial guards.
* This scene was originally planned to be shot in March as part of the pick-ups, but was moved forward on the schedule.
* One of McCallum's assistants, Jacqui Louez, is being made up as a Senator to appear as an extra.
* A correction to a previous report on Beru's hairstyle in Ep3: it will not be "Shelagh Fraseresque" after all. That was one of many styles being considered.
-
September 17, 2003; Hyperspace: "Day Fifty-Eight":
• Though the set diaries are at an end, Episode III still has a long road ahead of it, as it enters into postproduction. Work on Ep3 has been ongoing for 18 months and 18 more months remain. So we're at the half-way point, according to George Lucas.
• March 2004 pick-up shots are still scheduled.
• The final five scenes were shot today, four in one stage, and the last in another.
• The first four were dominated by stunt work. George commented that it was not about how fast you get the shooting down, but how good you get it.
• The last set was another original trilogy location, one of two sets recreated in this movie. The set is elevated to allow for sunken crew pits, and removable hand rails also border the set. The set featured control panel design such as knobs, switches, levers, personal computers, and viewports. Letters on the controls read "DEFLECTOR SHIELDS", "REACTOR STATUS", and "REBEL SCUM DETECTOR", "VADER PROXMITY DETECTOR", "Coast Clear. Goof Off", and "He's behind you. Look busy."
• When the webcam had gone all black, it was Pablo holding his ball cap over the webcam lens as George insisted some things in Episode III need to be revealed in a fashion more befitting their character.
• "V177G" was the last slate shot for Episode III. At 6:42 pm, shooting wrapped to the applause of everyone on set. Everyone enjoyed champagne, beer, and farewells.
• George thanked everyone for their hard work. he mentioned Ep3 was the most fun film he has ever worked on and was very easy and swift. He credited this to the fact that everyone worked in such harmony together. George is now looking forward to cutting the film together and "see what happens."
-
The ‘majestic palace set’ is the veranda of Padmé’s apartment (on Naboo most likely).
Two of Padmé’s handmaidens are named Elle (Chantal Freer) and Motee (Kristy Wright).
The senatorial characters or Chris Kirby and Bai Ling are called Giddean Danu and Bana Breemu respectively.
-
ayden hurt his leg a little executing a leap while shooting the duel and the duel scenes that were supposed to be shot today were moved to next week. Instead, a group of small scenes originally meant for next Wednesday were shot today:
Scene 1: Sidious talks to an "evil henchman" using a hologram
Scene 2: OB-1 is thrown against a wall
Scene 3: Last revolving set shot: stunt performers fall from floor to ceiling; also mentions "raised slats and sunken panels"
Scene 4: OB is exploring an "alien wilderness"; he climbs into some sort of cave and has a look around
Scene 5: OB accesses some sort of computer or something on a pillar in the Jedi Temple. A "greeblie-lined tray" is slid into the computer terminal
Scene 6: OB and Yoda have a bit of a talk in yet another new section of the Jedi Temple
-
-The new bad guy has his own vehicle that is involved in the big chase scene in the movie. Obi-Wan aboard his digital beast is also involved.
-The name Utapau is being resurrected for use in the film.
-Yes, that was a funeral scene on the webcam. No, it is not a clone, a dupe or a ruse as to who dies.
-Anakin vs. Dooku. Palpatine is shackled to his chair watching (with commentary).
-New bad guy has white armor.
That should make for some good speculation over
-
-New bad guy has white armor.
Who in the hell could that be? Could it be Boba Fett in the white armor that McQuarrie drew up in his original Boba Fett artwork?
Click HERE (http://www.bobafettmp.com/multimedia/images/conceptdrawings/images/Concept-18.jpg) for a photo of what I'm referring to.
-
thats a really cool pic you found very intresting dustrho but that was the original look of boba fett they decided later to add the colour scheme that we all know from the OT . im wondering if this bad guy is a humanoid droid.
-
That person in white could be a younger Boba Fett in white armor, before he acquired the outfit we're all used to seeing him in the OT. Maybe he's going to have a big role in EPIII. At this point in time who knows?
-
You might be on to something .This new villain one thing i do know is that The design crew worked very hard to make the new bad guy in Ep3 visually distinctive (a quote by rick mcCallum) so that makes me guess that he will be diffrent from what we have seen before i doubt that they would use the designe of boba fett for him that would not make him distinctive as rick said but thats just my opinion on it.
-
The production has officially wrapped and its been a short week but a cool one nonetheless. Though not said directly, Pablo made heavy implication that the final scene shot was Vader aboard the bridge of a star destroyer (complete with Rebel scum detectors!)
-
That person in white could be a younger Boba Fett in white armor, before he acquired the outfit we're all used to seeing him in the OT. Maybe he's going to have a big role in EPIII. At this point in time who knows?
I was thinking this as well, and at one point during the ESB process Boba was to be the commander of the stormtroopers or something along those lines. The only big problem I see with this is that this new bad dude is supposed to wield 2 lightsabers at one point. Plus Boba is only 13. Plus, I have also heard that he may not even be in the movie at all, but that's hard to believe. It's definately interesting the guy wears white armor. I think that has to do with the clones or stormtroopers someway.
-
I honestly see no point in Boba Fett being in episode 3 Lucas stated he would to young to wear the armor & everyone tends to think he will have his vengeance on Windu if that were true then he would play a major role I dont know what they can do with the character.As for the new villain i was thinking of a humanoid droid but now i think it may be a bounty hunter since it was said there will be no dark jedi or any other sith.
-
Yeah that's true. It's just weird that he'd even include young Boba in AOTC if he would not show up for Ep3 in some capacity.
-
- There is a point in the film when the clone troopers turn on their Jedi generals. Yoda is on Kashyyyk when this happens.
- There is a lava planet in the film. The "Bruce Spence" alien race is not on this planet. There is a unique new race that lives there.
- When things go down, Mace decides to go have a little chat with Palpatine.
- Since so much time is wasted debating on useless theories, I'll try to put it to rest. Padme dies. More interesting is how and who is involved
-
• Future Hyperspace features will include weekly Episode III production photo series, George Lucas Select images, Ep3 video documentaries, post-production webcam, post-production diaries, more webchats chats to feature authors, illustrators and other SW celebrities, the Clone Wars cartoons (with extras), and more!
• The webcam is expected to be re-activated very soon.
• Ep3 will answer many (if not all) questions, and will merge seamlessly with Ep4.
• Work is being done to produce Hyperspace t-shirts.
• Many old ideas and lore from previous Star Wars films were re-examined for their inclusion in Ep3. Some of these ideas will be incorporated into the film as intended from the start, some ideas will be modified from their original conception for the film, and some material will be cut and not make it into the film at all. The lava planet fits into one of those three categories.
• We will get our first look at the new villain next year.
• Planned future locations for the HS webcam include ILM, Skywalker Ranch, pick-up shooting, sound sessions, and maybe even more!
• Hyperspace members will get the best experience of the Clone Wars cartoons. The cartoon episodes will have DVD-style commentary tracks.
• George is back at the Ranch now and is rumored to have already selected some shots for the teaser trailer. Paul expects we will see Vader in the trailer since "that is what Ep3 is about".
• Paul looks at the message boards to get ideas on what the fans would like to see featured on the Official Site and Hyperspace.
• Paul agrees that featuring the recent HS poster of the production crew on the OS would be a good idea.
• The infant twins are human babies and not CGI, although the twins may need to be CG for their "big action sequence" and for any dialogue. A joke. (Or is it? )
• Some Lucasfilm employees are addicted to the webcam. Some of these employees are high up in the company's hierarchy.
• "From a certain point of view", nothing said in Ep3 will contradict anything said in Ep4.
• Paul has read the script.
• Later this year We will get our first glimpse of what Padmé looks like.
• Knowing what happens in Ep3 makes Paul see the classic trilogy in a new light. He specifically mentioned how he has a new understanding of the depth of friendship between Anakin and Obi-Wan. He now gets a lump in his throat when Vader strikes down Kenobi in Ep4.
• The best is yet to come for the Official Site and Hyperspace.
• We will immediately know why Obi-Wan referred to Anakin as "the best starpilot in the galaxy".
• Darth Sidious is not a shapeshifter.
• Obi-Wan Kenobi is in Ep3 a lot!
• The OS staff hopes to get more actors on for webchats next year.
• It is doubtful we will see any slow-motion stunts. George is also very wary of any wire-work in the SW films.
• Yoda went to Dagobah to hide.
-
Ben Burtt, September 19:
-Only about 15% of the dialogue recorded during principlal photography for a Star Wars film makes it into the final cut. (In other words, a lot of the dialogue uttered during principal photography gets replaced later on in production.)
-In EIII, we will hear a precursor the TIE Fighter sound of the OT.
-Vader’s breathing sound was made by recording a mic in a SCUBA tank regulator.
-Burtt says they have a lot of unused Chewie speech that may be used in EIII. But they might add some new ones as well.
-Burtt has no idea when or if James Earl Jones will be doing dialogue for Vader. He says he figures he won’t know much about that until a year from now.
-Burtt just saw footage of Spence’s character in the last week. He’s working on sounds and a language for the character. But what he does won’t make it into the film unless George likes it.
-The new bad guy’s voice will have some kind of processing to it.
-The new bad guy is male.
-Burtt thinks the most interesting sound in EIII comes from an environment.
-Burtt has already recorded some sounds for EIII. One of the sound will be based on the sound of pulling rusty nails out of warped wood. Burtt claims that he’s been waiting ten years for the nails to get rusty enough.
-The scene that is the furthest along presently is the opening space battle. Burtt’s been working on it today.
-Burtt hopes that some of the EIII duel will be silent like was the case in the ESB duel.
-
heres a couple of tidbits for episode 3 that may be of intrest :
-There will be fires on Coruscant
-Palpatine has more than one look & no he is not a shapshifter or a clone
-Hayden Christensen was "dangling precariously by one arm" in a scene
-Stunt Master Nick Gillard's Jedi character was instructing several Padawans when Anakin pays them a visit.
-General Ki-Adi-Mundi led clone troopers into battle on a new planet
-
-General Ki-Adi-Mundi led clone troopers into battle on a new planet
'
AWESOME! I cannot wait for EP3 to come out! And thank you so much for posting these tidbits... I sincerely appreciate it! ;D
-
Confirmed EPISODE III Characters
Jedi
Agen Kolar - Tux Akindoyeni
Anakin Skywalker - Hayden Christensen
Barriss Offee - Nalini Krishan
Bulter Swan - Mimi Daraphet
Ki-Adi-Mundi - Silas Carson
Kit Fisto - Ben Cooke
Luminara Unduli - Mary Oyaya
Mace Windu - Samuel L. Jackson
Obi-Wan Kenobi - Ewan McGregor
Plo Koon - Matt Sloan
Saesee Tiin - Kenji Oates
Shaak Ti - Orli Shoshan
Stass Allie - Lily Nyamwasa
Yoda - Frank Oz
Jedi Extra - Aliyah Williams
Jedi Extra - Dominique Chionchio
Jedi Extra - Gervais Koffi
Jedi Extra - Josh Canning
Jedi Extra - Nick Gillard
Male Jedi Padawan - Coinneach Alexander
Female Jedi Padawan - Mousy McCallum
Sith
Count Dooku/Darth Tyranus - Christopher Lee
Darth Sidious - Ian McDiarmid
Darth Vader - Hayden Christensen
Republic Personnel
Captain Typho - Jay Laga'aia
Mas Amedda - Dave Bowers
Palpatine - Ian McDiarmid
Sly Moore - Sandi Finlay
Younger Clone Troopers - Bodie Taylor
Older Clone Troopers - Temuera Morrison
Senators
Ask Aak - Paul Spence
Bail Organa - Jimmy Smits
Bana Breemu - Bai Ling
Giddean Danu - Christopher Kirby
Jar Jar Binks - Ahmed Best
Orn Free Taa - Matt Rowan
Mon Mothma - Genevieve O'Reilly
Padmé Amidala - Natalie Portman
Senatorial Aide to Bail Organa - Caroline De Souza
Senator (Mon Calamari) - Paul Davies
Senator (Nautolan) - Jacqui Louez
Senator (Human) - Lisa Shaunessy
Senator - Olive Levi
Senator - Rena Owen
Senator - Warren Owens
Senator - Kee Chan*
Separatists
Denaria Kee - Unknown
Nute Gunray - Silas Carson
Passel Argente - Marty Wetherill
Po Nudo - Paul Nicholson
Rune Haako - Sandy Thompson
Poggle the Lesser - CGI
San Hill - CGI
Shu Mai - CGI
Wat Tambor - CGI
Neimoidian Pilot - Colin Ware
Nute Gunray and Rune Haako's Aide - Colin Ware
Droids
C-3PO - Anthony Daniels
R2-D2 - Kenny Baker
Handmaidens
Elle - Chantal Freer
Motee - Kristy Wright
Handmaiden - Holly Stringer
Padmé's Family
Jobal Naberrie - Trisha Noble
Pooja Naberrie - Hayley Mooy
Ryoo Naberrie - Keira Wingate
Ruwee Naberrie - Graeme Blundell
Sola Naberrie - Claudia Karavan
Others
Chewbacca - Peter Mayhew
Beru Whitesun (Beru Lars) - Bonnie Maree Piesse
Owen Lars - Joel Edgerton
Helpful Alien - Bruce Spence
Wookiee Extra - Axel Dench
Royal Leader - Rebecca Jackson Mendoza
Regal Leader - Keisha Castle-Hughes
Young Captain - Rohan Nichol
Fire Ship Pilot - Ali Keshavji
Local Planetary Guard - Malcolm Eager
Local Planetary Guard - Jason MacPhee
Local Planetary Guard - Hamish Roxburgh
Blue Senate Guard - Peter Jackson
Blue Senate Guard - Lawrence Foster
new bad guy- cgi ?
eu charecter - not cast yet
tarkin - ?????
-
your very welcome dustrho MTFBWY ;)
-
interview with Paul Nicholson:
"It’s never good to fall asleep at work," advises Episode III extra Paul Nicholson. "I didn’t mean to fall asleep, but it’s hard not to when most of the air you’re breathing is the same air that’s just been expelled from your own lungs, you can barely hear nor see and you’re not allowed to move cause you’re dead."
Nicholson counts himself lucky to have landed a behind-the-mask part in Episode III as Senator Po Nudo. On the off chance you are a fan of the Aqualish representative from Ando, you may be sad to hear that Po Nudo does not survive to the end of the new movie. In fact, the greatest extra acting challenge for Nicholson was the fact that Nodu’s dead body serves as set dressing for a scene that took the "living" actors over ten hours to shoot.
"I could move my head inside my mask a bit," Nicholson recalls, "and I eventually found a way to watch the other actors while remaining dead. I only had a 1 mm diameter drill hole to look out of, so I really couldn’t see much -- especially considering my four eyes had been layered in KY jelly to make them shinier. And I really needed to pee."
He downplays any physical challenges, as Nicholson is an enthusiastic Star Wars fan who moved to Sydney three years ago "just to be in Star Wars", he claims. "It paid off. I would have paid to be in that movie."
By day, Nicholson works as a valet at a hot Sydney restaurant where he had spotted Star Wars celebrities including Natalie Portman and Ewan McGregor, but getting to see them in action on-set was naturally a thrilling experience.
"Hayden swings that metal baton around really, really well," Nicholson is pleased to report. "Ewan McGregor is a hardcore saberman as well. They exhausted themselves to make their scenes look great." Along with the chance to witness some Episode III history-in-the-making, and gather some autographs from cast and crew in his copy of the Attack of the Clones Visual Dictionary, Nicholson will carry away one other treasured memory. "Ewan sang ‘I am the Walrus’ with me at one stage, because I kind of looked like one."
While the Star Wars extra experience was particularly unique, Nicholson endorses the entire craft of being a movie extra. "Join an extras agency," he advises. "Look one up in your local directory. There are always television commercials and shows being made everywhere. You can do it at any age. It’s a fun way to meet people and the food is always good."
-
- Palpatine and Sidious are the same person. The dark side shrouds everything, even Jedi eyes.
- The new bad guy is the leader of the droid armies. He is the ultimate Jedi-killing machine. He isn't 100% droid but dont' expect his backstory to be revealed in the film. His backstory will be explained as much as Darth Maul's was in Episode I.
- Anakin kills Dooku, and really early in the film as previously reported. And the former Jedi isn't officially named "Darth Vader" until after the lava bath. But don't take this to mean he doesn't do some very very dark things before the duel takes place
-
I noticed this report over at starwarz.com, courtesy of T-Bone. Kind of an interesting read if you have the time, beware of SPOILERS though :):
T-Bone's Episode III Report (http://www.starwarz.com/tbone/movie_news/)
-
TheForce.net has updated with their weekly "Darth Friday" report...this week's is a biggun....lots of SPOILERS if this turns out to be true. Sigh, and I was going to avoid spoilers this time....so much for that :). You can check everything out here:
Ep3 Spy Report Too.Many.Spoilers. (http://www.theforce.net/episode3/index.shtml#22311)