Now that Disney’s purchase of Lusasfilm is all done and dusted, another wing of the Mouse’s empire, the US ABC TV network, is ready to talk about the live action Star Wars TV series.
Speaking to EW.com , ABC entertainment president Paul Lee said, “We’d love to do something with Lucasfilm. We’re not sure what yet. We haven’t even sat down with them. We’re going to look at [the live-action series]. We’re going to look at all of them, and see what’s right. We weren’t able to discuss this with them until [the acquisition] closed and it just closed. It’s definitely going to be part of the conversation.
“It’s going to be very much up to the Lucasfilm brands how they want to play it,” he added. “We got to a point here with Marvel, a very special point, where we’re in the Marvel universe, and very relevantly so. We’re not doing The Avengers , but SHIELD is part of The Avengers . So maybe something oblique is the way to [approach the Star Wars universe] rather than going straight head-on at it.”
The live-action show has been in development for many years now. Former Lucasfilm producer Rick McCallum enlisted writers such as Battlestar Galactica ’s Ron Moore and swore them to NDA secrecy on the plot details (more on the show’s storyline below). Allegedly at least 50 scripts were written, but the project faltered as George Lucas was apparently waiting for special effects technology to develop (and become more cost-effective) enough to make the ambition of the series possible on the small screen. In other words, it was just too damned expensive for any TV network to take a punt on (some rumours suggested up to $5 million an episode).
There are also rumours that many elements of the show have found their way into the upcoming videogame, 1313 . which focuses on a bounty hunter.
Further reading:
• The Best Of Star Wars: Clone Wars
• BLOG Princess Leia Goes Top Gun – The Verdict
• BLOG Princess Leia: X-Wing Pilot – A Blow For Feminism Or Stunt Casting?
• Top 51 Sci-Fi Spaceships
