News

Lost showrunner Carlton Cuse, along with his son Nick, are working on a new Star Wars series for Disney/Lucasfilm, it’s been announced.

After a lengthy wait, Andor season 2 has begun streaming in certain territories (the UK gets it on the 23rd April). Meanwhile, Lucasfilm appears to be planning other small screen adventures in the Star Wars franchise.

Several outlets – including Variety – are reporting that Carlton Cuse, perhaps best known as the showrunner of hit ABC series Lost, is currently in the early stages of developing a new Star Wars TV series. Cuse is said to be making the show with his son Nick, writer on the likes of the 2019 Watchmen series or Masters Of The Air.

Besides that, absolutely nothing is known about what the Cuses are working on. This means we’ll have to write about some other semi-related things in order to make this news story look a bit more substantial.

While Disney+ has a ton of scripted content, it also has some of the most underrated documentary content in the game. Offering a behind-the-scenes glimpse at aspects of the Mouse House that make the magic, these documentaries are always a delight to watch. The second season of Light & Magic is no exception, offering another deep dive into the art of special effects with a particular emphasis on a galaxy far, far away.

Light & Magic Season 2 Review

Season two of Light & Magic continues to explore the story of Industrial Light & Magic, the visual effects house behind such influential films and franchises as the Star Wars and Indiana Jones movies, the Jurassic Park films, the Transformers movies, and more. This season focuses on the transition to digital, exploring challenges like creating CGI characters in live action and designing CGI water.

Whereas the first season of Light & Magic was only six episodes,...

Every once in a while, the subject of Star Wars: Underworld resurfaces, leaving Star Wars fans even more curious about it. Now, producer Rick McCallum has revealed more information about the scrapped George Lucaslive-action series, and it sounds like, had it gone forward, both the franchise and television itself would be very different right now. This notion comes at a curious moment, because Star Wars has been struggling with streaming for a long time, as if it's still unsure of its footing and what it wants to be. What McCallum revealed about Underworld actually sounds like what the franchise is sorely lacking right now, and not for the reasons fans would imagine.

Long before its purchase by Disney, Lucasfilm was working on a TV series, Star Wars: Underworld. Producer Rick McCallum has talked about why it never happened.

Revenge Of The Sith, the last Star Wars episode directed by George Lucas himself, celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. And while that 2005 film marked the end of the prequel trilogy, Lucas still had plans to expand the Star Wars universe on television.

Announced around the time of Revenge Of The Sith’s release, the TV series Star Wars: Underworld was billed as a darker, edgier take on his space fantasy saga; Lucas once described it as being “based on film noir movies of the 1940s.”

Other people who worked on the show compared its tone to sweary western series Deadwood or gangster epic, The Godfather.

With Battlestar Galactica's Ronald D Moore among its stable of writers, Star Wars: Underworld was in development for at least five years,...

“There’s always a little bit of truth in legends,” Ahsoka once said on “Star Wars: Rebels.”

That line was a little Easter Egg to fans to assuage them about how the pre-Disney takeover “Star Wars” stories — told in decades-worth of novels, comics, and video games — might still live on in the official canon. It also applies a bit to the show “Star Wars: Underworld,” George Lucas’s ambitious, but ultimately scrapped live-action TV series he was developing in the years after “Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith” hit theaters in 2005.

Little bits of information have leaked about the show over the years. One thing was certain: Per its title, it was set in the demimonde of the galaxy far, far away, among its scoundrels, and smugglers, and bounty hunters and assorted other criminals. But now Rick McCallum, the producer best associated with the “Star Wars” prequels, who...

Before George Lucas sold Lucasfilm to Disney in 2012, he was working on a handful of new Star Wars projects. One of those projects was Star Wars: Underworld, a live-action TV series which would have been set between the events of Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope. The series was axed when Disney took over the franchise, but a lot of work had already been done, including writing over 60 scripts.

However, Star Wars: Underworld wouldn’t have come cheap. While speaking on the Young Indy Chroniclers podcast, producer Rick McCallum said each episode would have cost $40 million. “I think we had over 60 scripts… like third draft scripts,” McCallum said. “These were dark [scripts]. They were sexy. They were violent. They were absolutely wonderful, complicated, challenging scripts. The problem was that each episode was bigger than the films, so the lowest I could get it down to with the each that...

George Lucas’ “Star Wars” producer Rick McCallum recently appeared on an episode of the “Young Indy Chronicles” podcast and teased what would’ve been “Star Wars: Underworld,” an ambitious television series that was one of the last “Star Wars” projects Lucas was working on before he sold the franchise to Disney in 2012 for $4.05 billion. The series was set between the events of “Revenge of the Sith” and “A New Hope” and would’ve acted as a bridge between the original “Star Wars” trilogy and the prequel trilogy, the later of which McCallum produced.

“I think we had over 60 scripts… like third draft scripts,” McCallum said, noting they brought the “most wonderful writers in the world” to Lucas’ Skywalker Ranch to map out and pen the series. “These were dark [scripts]. They were sexy. They were violent. They were absolutely wonderful, complicated, challenging scripts.”

McCallum stopped short of providing plot details for...

Before George Lucas sold Lucasfilm and the “Star Wars” rights to Disney, he had attempted to put together an extremely ambitious television project called “Star Wars: Underworld” and according to longtime producer Rick McCallum (“Indiana Jones” and “Star Wars” franchises) there were some headache-inducing costs involved because of the limited technology at the time.

McCallum spoke with the podcast “Young Indy Chronicles” (spotted by Gizmodo) detailing how many scripts they compiled during their pained and long development period alongside what each episode would have cost them using the VFX tech of the day.

Continue reading George Lucas’ Unmade ‘Star Wars: Underworld’ Series Would Have Cost Billions Due To Technology Limitations at The Playlist.

Star Wars Underworld is one of those projects fans of the franchise have never stopped talking about, even though they have never actually seen it (and likely never will). That's probably why we're still hearing about it all these years later -- and why we finally have some possible answers to the age-old question: Why did this never actually happen?

Underworld was supposed to be a George Lucas-created television series that, three decades ago, would have been unlike anything fans of a galaxy far, far away had ever seen. In a recent interview on the Young Indy Chronicles podcast, however, Lucas's then-producer Rick McCallum shared that while the up to 60 scripts never moved beyond that, it wasn't because they lacked in quality. Quite the opposite, actually.

"It’s one of the great disappointments of our life," he said about the scrapped Star Wars series. "We had ... the most wonderful...

These days, the idea of a Star Wars TV series is old news. In lieu of any big-screen outings for the franchise since the widely panned "Rise of Skywalker" in 2019, the last five-plus years of Star Wars have consisted entirely of streaming shows on Disney+, books, comics, and video games. But back before George Lucas sold Lucasfilm and its associated properties to Disney, Star Wars was a film series before all else, and the idea of bringing its universe to television in live-action seemed far-fetched. Even still, it nearly happened under Lucas, and we now know just how far those grand plans went.

The series' working title was "Star Wars: Underworld," and it would have looked at all kinds of less-traveled corners of the galaxy, following smugglers, bounty hunters, the general criminal element, and other stories less central to the saga of the Skywalkers and the Jedi. And according to...

George Lucas didn’t always see his Star Wars saga as being aimed at family audiences, and recently surfaced details about his abandoned TV series, Star Wars: Underworld, suggest that the franchise could have been very different if it had gone ahead. While Star Wars TV shows have been a big part of the franchise in the last six years, just before Disney bought Lucasfilm in the late 2000s, Lucas was on the verge of producing a violent and sexy show that would have had an episode cost higher than many movies.

Planned as a network television series long before streaming was a thing, the series would have taken place after the events of Revenge of the Sith, potentially forming a bridge between the prequel movies and the original trilogy. Although it was known that Lucas planned such a series, during an appearance on the Young Indy Chroniclers podcast, producer...

Star Wars: Underworld was a hugely ambitious project imagined by George Lucas as the first live-action TV series set in a Galaxy Far, Far Away. Dozens of scripts were written, but making it proved to be something of a logistical nightmare for Lucasfilm.

Ultimately, it fell by the wayside alongside several other small screen projects when Disney acquired the studio. Since then, we've seen the Kathleen Kennedy-led studio produce several shows for Disney+, including The Mandalorian, Ahsoka, and Obi-Wan Kenobi.

We know the series was set on Coruscant and, as the title implies, it was going to explore the planet's Underworld at the height of the Empire's rule.

Little else is known beyond that but former Star Wars franchise producer Rick McCallum has shared some new details (via SFFGazette.com), including the fact each episode was going to cost $40 million to produce.

Considering 60 of them were planned, you can...

Star Wars: Underworld was a planned live-action TV series set between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope. George Lucas announced it in 2005, and over 60 scripts were written. The show was supposed to be dark, action-packed, and focused on the criminal underworld of Coruscant. It would not follow the main Star Wars characters but could feature some familiar faces.

Lucas and his team worked hard to bring the series to life, but in 2010, it was put on hold because it was too expensive to make. The show was described as Deadwood in space and The Godfather of Star Wars. It would have explored bounty hunters, crime lords, and the rise of the Empire.

Although it was never made, Star Wars: Underworld remains one of the most exciting “what-ifs” in Star Wars history.

Related: Latest Rumor Claims Ryan Gosling’s ‘Star Wars’ Film Will Feature Him and a Young Male Padawan

Rick McCallum,...

I recently came across some fascinating details about a Star Wars project that never saw the light of day. It’s called Star Wars: Underworld, and it was a bold idea from George Lucas himself.

Let’s dig into what could have been a game-changer for the franchise, based on what I learned from a podcast episode of Young Indy Chronicles featuring Peter and Daniel, along with producer Rick McCallum.

This canceled show was set to be unlike any Star Wars story we’ve seen before. Imagine a darker, more intense Star Wars with a mature edge—something that felt sexy and even violent.

It was meant to push boundaries, showing a side of the galaxy far removed from the family-friendly adventures we’re used to. The plan was to explore the gritty underbelly of this universe, and it sounds like it would have been a wild ride.

The project...

Steve Jobs once said, “The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.” In the 1970s, George Lucas blew open the world of sci-fi with his first Star Wars flick, Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope. The seeds he planted as a young filmmaker back in the day would later blossom into the multi-billion dollar franchise we adore today.

Star Wars | Credit: Lucasfilm

And his hunger for success would only go on to fuel his ambition. Among his future plans for the galaxy far, far away, included a television show of equally massive proportions. His vision would have birthed the most expensive TV show of its time, going head to head against already established franchises like Star Trek that were dominating the TV circuit.

However, the idea itself was deemed too big to fit in a tiny square frame...

Revenge of the Sith involved George Lucas’ own money when it came to producing the finale of the Prequel Trilogy. Producer Rick McCallum talked to Vanity Fair about how he was trying to wrap up the production of the film for as little money as possible, aiming to get things settled for a snug $115 million.

Revenge of The Sith || Credit: Lucasfilm

Revenge of the Sith delivered a fantastic finale to Star Wars’ Prequel trilogy, which had its issues, but has been remembered fondly by an entire generation of fans. The fact that George Lucas’ own money was involved in the film and that producers were actively working to cut corners did not, in fact, diminish the final product, although opinions on that might be split.

Revenge of the Sith wrapped up production short of the budget that Rick McCallum promised Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader in Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith || Credit: Lucasfilm

Rick McCallum,...

When you're in "Star Wars," you don't always need that many lines or that much screen time to become a fan favorite. Just ask Ray Park, who quickly shot to fame within the fandom after playing Darth Maul in 1999's "The Phantom Menace." Park doesn't utter a single word as the character, as Maul's few lines were dubbed over by Peter Serafinowicz. When the character was resurrected for "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" and "Star Wars Rebels," he was voiced by veteran voice actor Sam Witwer instead. But Park's version of Maul has remained near and dear to fans' hearts due to his unforgettable physical presence and martial arts ability. And yet, he likely would have never been cast if not for a truly terrible movie.

In 1995, "Mortal Kombat" gave us one of the best video game movies we'd seen in decades. It's goofy and campy, sure, but it's also fun,...

One of John Candy’s 80s classics from director Carl Reiner, Summer Rental, was pretty elusive on physical media. Fans of this comedy don’t have to wait any longer as the boutique label Kino Lorber will now be releasing a new 4K restoration Blu-ray transfer of the film at the start of the new year. Blu-ray.com is reporting that Summer Rental, which was previously scheduled to hit retailers this year, will now have its physical media release on January 21, 2025.

The 1985 comedy stars John Candy, Karen Austin, Kerri Green, Joey Lawrence, and Aubrey Jene and is directed by Dick Van Dyke Show alum and Ocean’s Eleven star, Carl Reiner, who would direct another summer-themed comedy with Mark Harmon, Summer School, just a couple years later.

The description reads, “Comedy legend Carl Reiner (Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid) directed this tale of a family man who takes a vacation from...

As countries improve tax incentives and develop larger numbers of qualified crews and state-of-the-art facilities, Europe has become a buzzing international production hub for film and TV. With a wealth of options to choose from, how are line producers deciding where to shoot? And how are service providers attracting clients?

“It doesn’t take a lot of brain power to realize that it’s easy to move now,” says producer Rick McCallum, co-founder of Prague-based production company Film United. “For years, especially in England and the U.S., people were horrified to try shooting in Central or Eastern Europe because of the language and currency differences but now there are generous incentive programs and cheaper labor costs. If you can save 20% on your budget, you move.”

The Czech Republic is one of the prime European destinations for international shoots, with McCallum adding that “crew costs easily 25 to 30% less than most Western European countries.

We’ve got a double dose of supernatural horror now streaming on Screambox starting with the paranormal Halloween special “The Dark Zone Presents: The Haunting at Balgonie Castle”.

The Dark Zone invited Hollywood Ghost Hunters, led by Rick McCallum, to join them in an investigation at Balgonie Castle, in Fife Scotland, which is considered to be one of the most haunted locations in the UK. Watch it here.

In addition, Screambox has added the first full season of “My Paranormal Experience”.

Spooky season is right around the corner, so gear up, keep your eyes open, and step inside the experience with filmmaker Nathan Withers as he explores and showcases true encounters of the supernatural from people across the globe.

Also catch up on all three seasons of the paranormal reality series “The Witching Hour”, which you can stream here.

“The Witching Hour” is an award-winning series that goes where no...

Star Wars Insider is the go-to magazine for everything going on in a galaxy far, far away. For the 25th anniversary of Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, the publisher is releasing a special edition issue out on October 29!

According to the official press release, "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace: The 25th Anniversary Special Edition recounts the behind-the-scenes story of the first chapter in the prequel trilogy from the unique vantage point of Star Wars Insider, as it followed the movie’s progress firsthand from pre-production to premiere.

With prequel updates from producer Rick McCallum, insights from writer and director George Lucas, and in-depth looks at the movie’s spectacular concept designs and visual effects, this official special edition takes you back in time to explore the making of the movie –as it happened.

Also included in this anniversary edition are on-set interviews with cast members Liam Neeson,...

The Star Wars franchise has proven to be successful over several decades, appealing to audiences across the globe. However, the prequel trilogy wasn’t particularly well received when it was first released. For Attack of the Clones, Hayden Christensen was cast as Anakin Skywalker, but the film received mixed reactions.

Rick McCallum served as a producer on Attack of the Clones (Credit: Lucasfilm).

The reactions would have been even more negative if one of the film’s most intense scenes would not have been fixed during reshoots. Producer Rick McCallum revealed how one of Christensen’s most intense scenes in Attack of the Clones was originally much different and could have proved to be a disaster. Here is how the scene was fixed during additional filming.

Star Wars Producer Revealed How One Intense Attack of the Clones Scene Was Fixed During Reshoots

Producer Rick McCallum is known for his work with Lucasfilm,...

It’s officially Halloween season and Screambox has revealed the new films that are joining the horror streaming service in October, including our brand new original series, “Tales from the Void”, the viral sensation Crackcoon, and the Ghostwatch-inspired Haunted Ulster Live.

Just when you thought it was safe to take out the trash, Crackcoon kills! Described as “Rocket Raccoon meets Cocaine Bear,” the Screambox Original horror-comedy is streaming now!

Who will survive The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, and what will be left of them? Celebrate 50 years of Leatherface with Tobe Hooper’s indelible horror masterpiece, now playing on Screambox!

On October 8, Haunted Ulster Live will take viewers back to Halloween 1998. Drawing comparisons to Ghostwatch and Late Night With the Devil, the Screambox Exclusive film is presented as a live broadcast from a haunted house that goes terrifyingly wrong.

Screambox Original horror anthology series Tales from the Void will get...

In recent years, the consensus surrounding the Star Wars prequels has shifted a lot, mostly thanks to Disney’s treatment of the huge IP. However, fans’ dissatisfaction with the new era of the Galaxy far, far away has led many to put on rose-tinted glasses while looking back at the prequels.

A still from Episode III- Revenge of the Sith | Credit: Lucasfilm

It’s important to acknowledge the IP under George Lucas wasn’t universally beloved, especially the prequels, which were seen as a letdown from the original trilogy at the time. Partaking in this discourse, fans recall their unbiased memory of the franchise from that era.

It Wasn’t All Sunshine and Roses for Star Wars Under George Lucas A still from Star Wars: Revenge Of The Sith | Credit: LucasFilm

One thing that separates the prequels from the recent Star Wars releases is that it was a project of George Lucas‘ unabashed artistic vision,...

The Phantom Menace was the first movie to be digitally projected, starting the shift to digital in theaters. George Lucas supported digital projection to ensure his movies were seen in the best quality. Lucas influenced Hollywood's transition to digital projection with The Phantom Menace, setting a new standard.

While George Lucas has always been a visionary filmmaker, especially with Star Wars, some fans may not know how radically Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace influenced digital projection in theaters. If I were to go to my local cinema, it's pretty much guaranteed that any movie I see would be projected digitally, unless I went to one of the few theaters that show older movies on film. Film projection has become a thing of the past for most moviegoers, limited to special screenings, like when Oppenheimer was projected on IMAX 70mm film at 30 theaters worldwide.

However, this wasn't the case 25 years ago,...

One of John Candy’s 80s classics from director Carl Reiner, Summer Rental, was pretty elusive on physical media. Fans of this comedy don’t have to wait any longer as the boutique label Kino Lorber will now be releasing a new Blu-ray transfer of the film sometime this year. Blu-ray.com is reporting that Summer Rental will be hitting retailers in late 2024.

The 1985 comedy stars John Candy, Karen Austin, Kerri Green, Joey Lawrence, and Aubrey Jene. The plot description reads, “After air traffic controller Jack Chester loses a plane (it’s covered on his screen by a fly), he’s told to take a break. Jack books his family into a plush resort, but it turns out that their lodgings are in a hut by the beach, and that’s as good as the vacation gets.” Reiner would direct another summer-themed comedy with Mark Harmon, Summer School, just a couple years later.

Fans still cannot get the accurate count of returning Fox characters that they saw in Deadpool & Wolverine. Some fans may remember seeing Mortimer Toynbee / Toad from the first X-Men movie in a few scenes. Interestingly, stuntman Ray Park played the role in both movies. However, fans of the character might be disappointed that he got a non-speaking role in the film.

Ray Park as Toad/Mortimer Toynbee in Deadpool & Wolverine | Marvel Studios

Park’s acting debut in films began with the Darth Maul role in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. He gave an incredible performance in the fight sequences in the film, however, he did not get to voice his character in the film due to one concern from George Lucas and producer Rick McCallum.

Deadpool & Wolverine Stole One Thing From Ray Park That His X-Men Role Gave Him Ray Park as Darth Maul in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace...

Actress Carrie Fisher is known for her performance as Leia Organa in the Star Wars franchise. After originating the role in the original trilogy of movies, Fisher also returned as Princess Leia for the sequels. Aside from her work on the space opera franchise, Fisher also contributed to the Indiana Jones franchise.

Carrie Fisher played Princess Leia in Star Wars (Credit: Lucasfilm).

During an interview, Lucasfilm producer Rick McCallum spoke about Fisher’s work on the action-adventure franchise. McCallum corroborated the reports of Fisher helping with the incident, which deals with the titular archaeologist losing his virginity. Here is everything you need to know about Carrie Fisher’s role in Indiana Jones’ story.

Star Wars Producer Revealed Carrie Fisher’s Involvement in Indiana Jones Losing His Virginity

Actress Carrie Fisher worked alongside Harrison Ford in the Star Wars franchise, created by George Lucas. Ford later played the role of the titular archaeologist in Indiana Jones,...

The cult classic and lesser-known work of Star Wars creator George Lucas, Radioland Murders, starring Brian Benben and Mary Stuart Masterson, will be celebrating its 30th anniversary with a brand new special Blu-ray release, according to Blu-ray.com. The 1994 film was directed by Mel Smith and the screenplay was penned by Lucas with Willard Huyck, Gloria Katz, Jeff Reno and Ron Osborn. The movie was also produced by Star Wars: Special Edition and Star Wars Episode I-iii producer Rick McCallum.

The description reads,

“The secretary at radio station Wbn, Penny Henderson (Mary Stuart Masterson) is frantically trying to keep things in order as a broadcast goes on the air. Chaos breaks loose, however, when a series of murders occurs in the building, accompanied by an enigmatic voice over the airwaves. Penny’s writer husband, Roger (Brian Benben), tries to deduce who the killer is, but he also happens to be the prime suspect.

Revenge of the Sith marks the conclusion of George Lucas’ prequel trilogy of Star Wars movies. The 2005 movie cemented Anakin Skywalker’s fall to the dark side while setting up the events of the original trilogy. As a result, the film had plenty of ground to cover in a short amount of screen time. However, Lucas originally had a much longer cut of the film on hand.

Revenge of the Sith might have been the longest Star Wars movie (Credit: LucasFilm).

According to Matthew Wood, who voiced General Grievous in the film, the original cut for the Revenge of the Sith would have made it one of the longest films in the franchise. However, Lucas eventually managed to trim the fat and reduce the film’s length. Here is what Wood had to say about the film’s original cut and his role as General Grievous.

Matthew Wood Talked About...

When it comes to the wielding lightsabers among actors in the Star Wars canon, few could rival the absolute beast that was Hayden Christensen. The actor has, on multiple occasions, demonstrated his lightsaber prowess, much to the excitement of fans. However, according to Rick McCallum, there is another actor worthy of the same praise.

Samuel L. Jackson as Jedi Master Mace Windu in Star Wars || Lucasfilm

McCallum, who was the producer for The Prequels, talked about how Samuel L. Jackson was one of the most versatile lightsaber users that he had seen. Jackson essayed the role of Jedi Master Mace Windu, who was arguably the strongest member of the Jedi Order, behind Yoda, Anakin, and Obi-Wan.

Rick McCallum was wowed by Samuel L. Jackson’s lightsaber skills

Samuel L. Jackson as Mace Windu || Lucasfilm

In an interview with Star Wars Insider, Rick McCallum was all praises for Mace Windu actor Samuel L.

The late actor Christopher Lee had two major franchise films in the year 2002. While he reprised his villain role of Saruman in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, he was also cast in another villain role in George Lucas’s Star Wars prequel trilogy. Lee played the role of Count Dooku, a former Jedi Master who turned to the Dark Side. However, not everyone was sold on the idea of casting the legendary actor.

Christopher Lee as Count Dooku in George Lucas’ Star Wars prequel trilogy | Lucasfilm Ltd.

The producer of the film Rick McCallum shared that Lucas’s decision to cast The Hobbit actor as a villain was something out of the blue for him. However, McCallum had earlier worked with Lee and eventually came around to the idea of him as Darth Tyrannus.

Star Wars Producer Initially Did Not Agree With George Lucas Casting This Lord...

Welcome back to Dead Time. A group of terrifying, hulking horror villains getting together to hunt ghosts may sound like the plot of a movie, but it’s not.

Meet the Hollywood Ghost Hunters. The paranormal team includes actor and stuntman R.A. Mihailoff, as well as actor and stuntman Rick McCallum, who co-founded the group with actor Kane Hodder more than a decade ago.

Hollywood Ghost Hunters co-founder Rick McCallum has been an actor, stuntman, and stunt coordinator for more than 42 years. He’s worked on countless horror movies like Deepstar Six (1989), DarkWolf (2003), and the Hatchet series under makeup in character and coordinating the stunts on set. When McCallum discovered his longtime best friend Kane Hodder shared his love of the paranormal, they decided to form the paranormal team Hollywood Ghost Hunters with friend and fellow actor R.A. Mihailoff.

McCallum travels all over the world to hunt for ghosts...

The following contains spoilers for Star Wars: The Acolyte Episode 3 "Destiny," now available on Disney Plus.

Osha and Mae's origin mirrors Anakin Skywalker's birth, raising questions about the Sith's involvement in creating life through the Force. The Sith Order's obsession with manipulating midichlorians to extend life may explain the twins' conception and The Acolyte's connection with the Chosen One prophecy. The Jedi's investigation of the Brendok Coven hints at possible Sith activity, which potentially caused the destruction of the Coven and a mysterious fire.

The third episode of Star Wars: The Acolyte made the massive reveal that the twins, Osha and Mae Aniseya were artificially created by the force-sensitive dark sider, Mother Aniseya. The twins were conceived between Mother Aniseya and, fellow dark sider, Mother Koril, through some unknown manipulation of the force --or as they called it, The Thread-- to conceive life; yet according to them, they...

Not to be confused with the 1986 Gary Paulsen novel that was on your fifth-grade reading list, Adam Green's 2007 slasher "Hatchet" was intended to be an homage to the plentiful stalk-and-kill movies from the 1980s. The first "Hatchet" takes place deep in the swamps of Louisana where feckless city-dwellers get lost while taking a swamp tour. They trade stories of Victor Crowley, a local kid with facial differences who, years ago, was trapped in a burning house set ablaze by prankster teens. Crowley was accidentally killed by his father when he recklessly used a hatchet to free him from the fire. Victor's spirit is now said to haunt the swamp and murder interlopers. Of course, Victor will appear to start the predicted murders. 

Victor Crowley was played by stuntman Kane Hodder, perhaps best known for playing the masked killer Jason Voorhees in "Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood,...

Star Wars is still a cherished part of many people’s childhoods. Beyond the nostalgia, its sheer coolness and grandeur make it perfect for the theaters. However, it’s no secret that the Star Wars universe is expansive, with a plethora of spin-offs and sequels, which amounts to a $10 billion franchise.

Hollywood director George Lucas (image credit: Wikimedia Commons)

It’s remarkable to think that the franchise remains relevant with new movies still coming out to this day. Nevertheless, it’s only natural that, despite its popularity, Star Wars has had its occasional oopsie-daisy moments. One such instance is The Phantom Menace, which even George Lucas, the creator of the universe, admits to being a bit “disjointed.”

Even George Lucas Agrees This Star Wars Movie Was Hard to Watch

Despite its commercial success, The Phantom Menace was a critical disaster. Of course, it was a commercial success, as the fans...

Mace Windu's actions in "Attack of the Clones" set up Boba Fett's revenge story, creating a powerful motivation for the character. Despite the clear setup in the movie, Boba Fett's revenge arc has never been realized in both Star Wars canon and Legends continuity. Practical reasons and story dynamics have prevented Boba Fett from seeking revenge on Mace Windu, adding a tragic layer to his character.

Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones set up a Mace Windu Star Wars story that still hasn't been told, even after 22 years. George Lucas always insisted that Star Wars is like poetry, in that it rhymes; this is pretty much the key to understanding Star Wars movies and shows, because it means it's possible to track specific plots and themes in completely different mediums. What's more, because Star Wars is a transmedia franchise, plot elements can be picked up in surprising ways.

One of the most famous scenes in the Star Wars film saga almost didn’t happen at all. Although the movie was always going to end with Anakin Skywalker losing a few limbs, the stunt team behind Prequel Trilogy closer originally choreographed a different climax for Revenge of the Sith‘s final duel between brothers. In fact, an earlier version of the fight on Mustafar didn’t have Obi-Wan getting the high ground on Anakin at all; there was no cocky last leap from young Skywalker to seal his fate.

As Revenge of the Sith stunt coordinator Nick Gillard explained to Empire magazine, “Originally, they both land on the side of the lava flow and immediately start fighting. Anakin disarms Obi and grabs him by the throat. He’s about to chop his head off, but Obi sucks the lightsaber into his hand in a defensive move to try and block it,...

George Lucas had original plans for Star Wars TV shows that were much more ambitious than Disney's current efforts, and would have spawned five TV shows per year. Lucas wanted to create multiple spin-off series from Star Wars: Underworld, but budgetary constraints led to the shelving of the project. Lucas's vision for Star Wars TV shows would have revolutionized the medium, but budget and technology limitations prevented its realization.

George Lucas' original plans for Star Wars TV ventures were surprisingly more ambitious than Disney's recent efforts have been. Since 2019, Star Wars' primary output has come from the world of television. This is evident by the continued efforts of Disney+, with several upcoming Star Wars TV shows only furthering the franchise's small-screen success. While the slate of upcoming Star Wars movies will finally see the franchise return to the big screen, there is no denying that Lucasfilm remains as committed as...

While Hayden Christensen ultimately won the role of Anakin Skywalker, Leonardo DiCaprio was originally the front-runner for the role. DiCaprio had a variety of reasons for ultimately turning down the role, some of which had to do with prior commitments. Hayden Christensen's portrayal of Anakin Skywalker proved to be the perfect choice, capturing the character's complex emotional and traumatic journey.

Leonardo DiCaprio was almost cast as Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones, but this is why he ultimately decided against taking the role. Anakin has become one of the most famous and divisive characters in the Star Wars galaxy. While the terrifying man-turned-machine Darth Vader in the original trilogy was wildly popular, his prequel origin story wasn't so well-received at the time. Many people thought that his character was whiny and poorly written. However, as the children of the prequel era have grown up,...

Obi-Wan spared Anakin's life assuming he was near death, unaware of Palpatine's intervention that saved him and led to his transformation into Darth Vader. Anakin Skywalker's story, not Luke's, became the heart of the Star Wars franchise, as his presence spans across all trilogies and series, shaping the saga's narrative. Hayden Christensen's potential return as Anakin in upcoming Star Wars projects keeps fans eager for more unseen parts of the Jedi's journey to be explored.

Star Wars has a number of moments that have stirred debates among fans, and one such pivotal moment of the franchise is the climactic battle between Ewan McGregor’s Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. As part of the current celebration of the prequel trilogy’s debut in 1999, one of the producers, Rick McCallum, recently addressed one question that has come up...

Obi-Wan believed Anakin would die on Mustafar, explaining why he left him alive after their duel in Revenge of the Sith. Anakin's survival was due to Palpatine's intervention and the extreme measures taken to save him. Obi-Wan's decision to spare Anakin eventually led to the galaxy's salvation, as Anakin redeemed himself and helped defeat Palpatine.

One of the producers of the Star Wars prequel trilogies recently confirmed the real reason Obi-Wan Kenobi left Anakin Skywalker for dead on Mustafar in Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith. After Order 66 and Anakin's fall to the dark side and transformation into Darth Vader, Obi-Wan confronted him on the volcanic planet Mustafar, and the two had their fateful duel. Though Anakin was the Chosen One, and much more powerful in the Force, Obi-Wan was able to defeat him. After a heartfelt speech, though, Obi-Wan left without killing Anakin, a decision...

Back in 1999, no cinema event was as hotly anticipated as the return of Star Wars. Thus the prequel trilogy began, unfolding George Lucas’ epic tragedy – vastly expanding the galaxy that fans loved, while pioneering the future of digital production. Now, to celebrate 25 years of the prequels, Empire presents an epic new look back at the trilogy that changed everything – packed with brand new interviews, rarely-seen concept art, and explorations of the greatest set pieces.

The issue hits newsstands on Thursday 15 February, with collectible light side and dark side covers – but in the meantime, here’s a sneak peek inside the mag.

Star Wars: 25 Years Of The Prequels

This is where the fun begins. Empire celebrates the Star Wars prequels on a landmark anniversary in a massive special – packed with brand new interviews. Including…

Hayden Christensen

Anakin speaks! The man who would become Darth Vader revisits his wild ride with Star Wars,...

Here’s the thing about Emperor Palpatine: somehow, he always returns. First, Ian McDiarmid donned old-age makeup to play the role of Star Wars’ arch-villain in 1983’s Return Of The Jedi. Then, he returned 16 years later to play Palpatine again in the prequel trilogy – this time as the politician who would become the Emperor. And in 2019’s The Rise Of Skywalker, he came back one last time as the rotting, reincarnated ruler, ready to emerge from the shadows and execute his plan once and for all. Palpatine’s resurrection in Episode IX was a controversial point for some fans – not just since Luke and Vader vanquished the Emperor together at the end of the original trilogy, but because the galaxy’s age-old enemy hadn’t featured in the other sequel trilogy films.

But to McDiarmid himself, it makes sense. Speaking to Empire in a major new interview – celebrating 25 years of...

Carrie Fisher took the virginity of Indiana Jones. At least, that's how she told it while she was alive. Specifically, that's what she told me. In her own words: "I wrote it with George [Lucas.] We wrote Indiana Jones losing his virginity to Mata Hari. It went very well."

I had been asking about her work on the "Star Wars" prequel trilogy, so this answer came a bit out of left field. However, it's a little-known fact that Fisher worked as a writer on many George Lucas projects, doing an uncredited polish on the scripts for the prequels and even coming up with adventures for Indiana Jones to go on in his TV series, "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles." 

So, how did Indiana Jones actually lose his virginity, and what part did Fisher play?

Read more: The 18 Best Action Movie Actors Ranked

Bigger Than Life

"She was a bigger-than-life character and...

Ever since he first popped up in Episode I – The Phantom Menace, Mace Windu has been one of the baddest motherfu- sorry, baddest Jedi Masters in the business. Quite literally, in fact – Samuel L. Jackson has the letters ‘Bmf’ etched into the hilt of the lightsaber he kept. And so, since we never actually saw him perish, there have long been rumours – and wishes from fans – that maybe, just maybe, he didn’t die in Episode III – Revenge Of The Sith. Sure, his hand was sliced off by Anakin, and he was seriously sizzled by Palpatine’s Force lightning before being flung from a window into the Coruscant sky. But in the Star Wars galaxy, is that really enough to kill the coolest Jedi?

Not according to Jackson. For the new issue of Empire – celebrating 25 years of the Star Wars prequels – we fired off a few questions about the galaxy far,...

With the arrival of Revenge Of The Sith, Hayden Christensen thought his time as Anakin Skywalker was over, having picked up the baton from Jake Lloyd and plunged the Jedi Knight into darkness. But as it turned out, he wasn’t done quite yet. In recent years, Christensen has returned to Star Wars on screen in Obi-Wan Kenobi and most recently in Ahsoka, once again portraying Anakin (and Vader) in fights, flashbacks, Force-fuelled visions and more. Most notably, in Ahsoka, he got to play a version of Anakin that he’d never played before: his Clone Wars incarnation, previously only seen in animated form (and voiced by Matt Lanter) in The Clone Wars series.

As Christensen tells Empire in a major new interview – for our Star Wars prequels 25th anniversary issue – getting to star in live-action opposite Anakin’s one-time Padawan Ahsoka Tano was a big deal. “The scenes that...

Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace is heading back to the big screen.

Per Empire, it has been announced that Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace will be released in theaters for a limited time, arriving on May 3, 2024, to kick off this year's May the Fourth weekend. Along with the announcement was the unveiling of a special poster created for the film's theatrical return, as designed by Matt Ferguson. It provides a peek at Padmé (Natalie Portman), Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson), and Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) as Darth Maul (Ray Park) watches on. The poster can be viewed below.

Related Gina Carano Sues Disney Over Star Wars Firing, Wants Mandalorian Role Back With the help of billionaire Elon Musk, Gina Carano is taking Disney and Lucasfilm to court over firing her from The Mandalorian.

The announcement comes as part of a 25th anniversary celebration for the...

The epic Darth Maul vs. Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon Jinn duel. The thunderous Boonta Eve Podrace. The battle of Naboo. Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace is packed with moments best witnessed on the big screen, spooling back to the very beginning of the Skywalker Saga to depict Anakin Skywalker’s first encounter with the Jedi, the beginnings of the galactic civil war, and the menacing meddling of Palpatine. Well, good news: to mark 25 years since the film first hit cinemas in 1999, it’s coming back to cinemas later this year. Cue the fanfare!

This May the 4th weekend, The Phantom Menace will be re-released in cinemas for a limited time, meaning you can revisit all your favourite moments as large and loud as George Lucas intended. Not only that, but the release is accompanied by epic new poster art from Matt Ferguson – with Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon ready to head into battle,...

Talk about pressure. There are few villains in cinema as iconic as Darth Vader – recognisable from the briefest glimpse of his distinctive helmet, or the merest mechanical hiss of his respirator. So when Hayden Christensen signed on to play Anakin Skywalker in the Star Wars prequels, he took on a formidable task: presenting the man behind the mask. Across Episode II – Attack Of The Clones and Episode III – Revenge Of The Sith, Christensen showed us how exactly how the galaxy’s brightest hope turned from the light and plunged into total darkness – and through that time, his own Star Wars experience was a mix of light and dark too. After weathering years of criticism, he’s now been wholeheartedly embraced by the fandom.

Speaking to Empire in a major new interview – and original photo shoot – for our 25th anniversary celebration of the prequel trilogy, Christensen opened up on his time in the galaxy far,...