George Lucas’ Canceled Star Wars TV Series: Exploring ‘Underworld’
In a galaxy not so far away, George Lucas embarked on a daring vision that could have reshaped the Star Wars universe: “Star Wars: Underworld,” a live-action TV series set amidst the seedy underbelly of Coruscant. This ambitious project promised to explore the darker side of the galaxy, featuring smugglers, bounty hunters, and the criminal underworld between the prequel and original trilogies. With over 60 meticulously crafted scripts described as “dark, sexy, and violent,” this series, potentially the most expensive TV creation of its time with a staggering $40 million per episode budget, was set to shatter the family-friendly mold. Despite piquing the interest of HBO, the series faced insurmountable financial and technological hurdles, ultimately shelving what producer Rick McCallum called “one of the great disappointments of our lives.” Hear how this could-have-been epic almost brought John Williams’ iconic scores back to your living room and what interconnected projects might have accompanied the shadowy tales of Coruscant’s underworld. Has the Force truly forsaken this tantalizing tale, or is there hope on the horizon for its revival?
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Quick Takeaways:
- George Lucas was working on a live-action Star Wars series, Star Wars: Underworld, before Disney acquired Lucasfilm.
- The show was set between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope, focusing on the criminal element of the galaxy.
- Over 60 scripts were completed with a darker, grittier tone than traditional Star Wars stories.
- The estimated budget was $40 million per episode, making it difficult to produce.
- The project was ultimately shelved due to financial and technological limitations.
A Bold Vision for Star Wars on TV
Before selling Lucasfilm to Disney, George Lucas was developing Star Wars: Underworld, a live-action series intended to explore the grittier side of the Star Wars universe. Unlike past projects, this one aimed to focus on smugglers, bounty hunters, and criminal organizations on Coruscant. Producer Rick McCallum praised the concept, emphasizing that the show would have redefined the franchise with its darker, more mature tone.
Years of Development and Ambitious Plans
The show remained in development for about five years, with more than 60 completed third-draft scripts written by top writers. According to McCallum, the scripts were intense, complex, and far removed from the family-friendly tone often associated with Lucas’s work. The series was planned to take place between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope, providing new stories that bridged the gap between the prequel and original trilogies.
The High Cost of Innovation
One of the biggest challenges facing Star Wars: Underworld was its budget. With an estimated cost of $40 million per episode, the show would have been one of the most expensive television series ever attempted. Lucas and his team were developing new filmmaking techniques to bring movie-level visuals to television, but at the time, the technology wasn’t advanced enough to produce the series affordably.
Connections to Other Star Wars Projects
The series was meant to tie into other works in development, including the canceled video game Star Wars 1313, which would have followed Boba Fett’s journey as a young bounty hunter. In addition, legendary composer John Williams was set to score each episode, further reinforcing the cinematic scale of the project.
The Project That Never Came to Life
Despite discussions with HBO, financial and technical limitations kept the series from moving forward. Shifting priorities within HBO and the lack of a committed production partner led to its cancellation. McCallum later called it "one of the great disappointments of our lives," admitting that the project was ahead of its time in both ambition and cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was George Lucas’ scrapped live-action ‘Star Wars’ TV series?
George Lucas developed a live-action ‘Star Wars’ TV series called ‘Star Wars: Underworld’ in the early 2000s. It was meant to explore the criminal underbelly of the galaxy between Episodes III and IV but was ultimately canceled due to budget and technical limitations.
Why did Rick McCallum say the live-action ‘Star Wars’ series could have stopped Disney’s purchase?
Producer Rick McCallum suggested that if Lucas had moved forward with ‘Star Wars: Underworld,’ it might have solidified Lucasfilm’s independence. A successful TV series could have made selling the franchise to Disney unnecessary.
How far did George Lucas’ ‘Star Wars’ TV series get before cancellation?
Before cancellation, over 50 scripts were reportedly written, and test footage was created for ‘Star Wars: Underworld.’ However, the high production costs and technical challenges of creating a cinematic experience for television led to the project being shelved.
What would ‘Star Wars: Underworld’ have been about?
‘Star Wars: Underworld’ was set in the period between ‘Revenge of the Sith’ and ‘A New Hope’ and focused on the dark and gritty criminal underworld of Coruscant. The series aimed to explore the power struggles among bounty hunters, crime lords, and corrupt officials.
How did Disney’s purchase of Lucasfilm impact ‘Star Wars’ TV projects?
After Disney acquired Lucasfilm in 2012, they opted to develop new ‘Star Wars’ projects, including animated series and live-action shows like ‘The Mandalorian.’ The existing plans for ‘Star Wars: Underworld’ were abandoned in favor of a fresh direction for the franchise.
Did any elements of ‘Star Wars: Underworld’ influence later ‘Star Wars’ projects?
Some ideas from ‘Star Wars: Underworld’ reportedly influenced later projects like ‘Rogue One’ and ‘The Mandalorian.’ The focus on criminal organizations, bounty hunters, and a darker tone can be seen in modern ‘Star Wars’ storytelling.
Filipino Translation:
Bago pa bilhin ng Disney ang Lucasfilm, may isang project na pinagkakaabalahan si George Lucas na posibleng magbago nang todo sa Star Wars universe—isang live-action TV series na tinawag na Star Wars: Underworld. Ayon kay producer Rick McCallum, ang seryeng ’to ay magpo-focus sa madidilim at bihirang mapag-usapang parte ng Star Wars galaxy, lalo na sa mga smugglers, bounty hunters, at criminal underworld ng Coruscant.
Matagal ding nadevelop ang Star Wars: Underworld—mga kalahating dekada—at umabot sa mahigit 60 na third-draft scripts na gawa ng mga top-tier writers. Sabi nga ni McCallum, ang mga scripts na ’to ay "dark, sexy, violent, and absolutely wonderful, complicated, challenging… it would have blown up the whole Star Wars universe." Ang goal talaga ng series ay maging high-quality TV production na iba sa usual family-friendly vibe na inaasahan sa mga gawa ni Lucas. Ang kwento nito dapat ay nagaganap sa pagitan ng events ng Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith at Star Wars: A New Hope.
Pero dahil sa sobrang laki ng scope at dami ng teknolohiyang kailangan, nag-shoot up ang budget sa halos $40 million per episode—grabe, parang magiging pinaka-mahal na TV series noong panahong ’yon! May plano rin silang i-connect ang series sa iba pang projects na hindi natuloy, tulad ng game na Star Wars 1313, kung saan si Boba Fett ang bida sa early years niya bilang bounty hunter. Dagdag pa diyan, si John Williams mismo ang expected na gagawa ng musical score para sa bawat episode, para talagang cinematic ang feel nito.
Nakipag-usap pa sila sa HBO para sa posibleng partnership, pero hindi talaga kinaya ang financial at tech challenges. Sa huli, na-shelve na lang ang project dahil sa mga pagbabago sa loob ng HBO at kakulangan ng tamang production partner. Ayon kay McCallum, ito raw ang isa sa mga "great disappointments of our lives," kasi masyadong ambisyoso ang project para sa technology at budget noong time na ’yon.
Sayang talaga, no? Ang dami sanang pwedeng mangyari sa Star Wars universe kung natuloy ’to!
Producer Rick McCallum Says Lucas’ Scrapped Live-Action TV Series Would Have Nixed Disney ‘Star Wars’ Purchase was first published here.
