29/03/98 Prequel Informant tells Aint It Cool News the tale of being at the right place at the right time to hear about rumors of what may well be!

I was at a New Years' Party in L.A. when who should walk in but my acquaintance, a close friend of Nathan Hamill. That's right a friend of Mark Hamill's teenaged son, who eerily looks just like him and is a complete and total Star Wars obsessive fanatic. Anyhoo, he was quite spacey from the bit of Ecstasy he had imbibed that night, and, seeing an opening in his weakened state, I grilled him for prequel news, surely he has listened to his bud talk. Here is what he told me: He had talked to Nathan, who told him of his visit to the huge warehouse/parking lot/structure where all the interior sets are located, and man oh man are they working hard in there. He said they have armies of artists detailing every surface to give it all that aged, battered classic Star Wars look. Nathan himself got to have a cameo as a Corellian spy being led away by Power Droids. He described to me some dailies that Nathan claimed to have seen that had a huge light- saber fight which was incredible, and Liam Neeson with crazy long hair and maybe a beard, I can't remember exactly, for I by that time was rather smashed as well, but he seemed to remember Nathan describing Liam's wild, long hair as being streaked white and sort of giving him an Obi-Wan-ish appearance -- sounds weird. He also said that Nathan described a huge underwater sequence, which brought me to inquire about the budget. He claims that it's only 60-80 million dollars -- but that Lucas is doing more with the money than any other director in history. Then, he laid a bombshell on me, which even I'm not sure I believe. He claims that one event in the movie is Anakin Skywalker building C3P0, and we get to see prototype C3P0's and whatnot, something about C3P0 having a see-through body... Crazy. Let's see, did he mention anything else... Basically just that Ewen MacGregor is awesome.

03/02/98 Episode 1 1998 surprise release?

I recieved an e-mail from a guy called Sam Massey who gives a little information which suggests that we shall see Star Wars Episode 1 by the end of 1998!, This would confirm Anthony (C3P0) Daniel's previous comment that Star Wars fans would recieve a special 1998 'Christmas treat'!
Sam's e-mail is as follows...

Dear Keepers of this page,

      A few months ago I was at a party being held in my house when I ducked out into my room to go online, so this guy pokes his head in and I start showing him the internet. We get to talking and he turns out to be a star wars fan. He works at a movie theatre in the greater orange county area and says that he has seen a chart of future movies and episode one is scheduled for this year! Going by other things I've heard I tend to believe him.

03/02/98 John Dodgshun tips Full Force of very likely episode 2 filming location!
..."There's a possibility that part of the trilogy will be filmed in Christchurch, New Zealand (that's here, where I live!).  George Lucas is reported to be interested in leasing a now-empty air force base, complete with hangars etc to build sets in"...

20/01/98 EXCLUSIVE Pictures of weapons to be used in EPISODE ONE!
More Prequel pictures, this time EXCLUSIVE photographs of 'ALLEGED' Star Wars Prequel Weapons.CLICK HERE to see all of them....


WARNING: These Pictures are only alleged props and COULD be fakes!

17/01/98 Detailed Descripton Of Episode One Opening Scene!
Imagine a small room, with a TV set and a video recorder. Someone slips a tape, marked with a number and a series of letters - the words "Episode One" can be read. The first image to come up on the TV is a wireframe of a gigantic city. The camera moves through the city, past towering wireframe skyscrapers, before settling upon one building, an archaic, gothic tower. The camera moves in closer, closer still to an open section - perhaps a balcony or window. Then the image cuts and the scene is replayed again. Next to appear, after a moment of blackness, is a shot of a sea and a dramatic cloudscape. The camera moves over the water in 360 degrees, though no land can be seen in any direction. More blackness. Then the water is there again, only this time the sky is full of movement. There are tiny dots in the sky, swarming like flies. Something shoots past the camera - it looks like some sort of aircraft, reminiscent of a Jules Verne design with a pointed nose, and a rounded rear. Only the aircraft must surely be a computer graphic image - it doesn't sit right within the frame, and it lacks colour or texture at this stage. A second craft shoots into view - it appears to be in pursuit of the first. This craft is less sleek and more mean-looking - it was designed for battle; a single-man fighter craft. Like the first craft this is clearly not a finished model. The camera cuts - the first aircraft is coming towards us, followed closely by the second. Then something hits the craft and it dips out of view. The camera cuts to a wider angle and we see the craft head for the water, obviously out of control, as the second ship gains altitude. And then the scene restarts, and is played in full once more, before the tape ends.

17/01/98 Adrian Dunbar leaks Prequel info on UK Jack Docherty Show!
Actor Adrian Dunbar (Bale Oberon) guested on the Jack Docherty Show on Channel 5 in the UK last night (15 Jan). Apparently he only has a few lines in the film ("not enough for a toy") and appears at a conference table with some green faced pigmen also in the scene. Lucas has told him that Oberon will be "in the next one and the next one" and "goes off to fight in the clone wars".

12/01/98 Episode Two Character/Cast List Information!
As you may know prelimary casting for Episode II is underway. Robin Gurland is searching for some key figures for the second prequel. Some of the known possible Actors/Actresses are as follows...


Mon Mothma:
As some of the die hard fans might expect this character will factor into second prequel during the Senate scenes on Coruscant. There are a number of actresses being looked at for the part. I can say that we'd like to get Kate Winslet, but she seems to have become a star since Titanic and the role might be too small for her now.
Kate was interviewed about TITANIC on FILM 98 (a UK movie review programme which comes on BBC1) and did mention the fact that she would be working on a really 'big' film this year that she was very 'enthuiastic and determined' about... She said that she was not allowed to say what it was and what her role would be although she wish she could. Knowing the secrecy of Lucasfilm of norm- these do indeed sound like the Star Wars prequels!. The rest of the group we are looking at consists of unknowns for the most part.
Tarkin:
Tarkin will not appear in Episode 1. He has been rumored to do so, by anyone who tells you he will be in it is lying. We are seriously considering Ben Cross for the part. The characer will have a small role in the second prequel, but will get serious screen time in the final chapter, as the legions of the Empire rise to power.
The leader of the Mandalorians:
The Mandalorians don't show up until Episode 2 either. Will Patton is being considered as their leader. Of course you are familiar with the Charlton Heston rumor. That rumor was so prominant we're considering putting Heston in a background scene in the second prequel for a lark. I doubt we'll do it though, since Ms. Gurland and Mr. McCallum have denied it so fervently.
Bail Organa:
Anthony Hopkins is George's first choice for the character. George really wants him, but nothing is official.
Anakin:
We are looking almost strictly at unknowns. Someone who looks both like Jake Lloyd and like Sebastian Shaw is required .

12/01/98 Rosie O'Donnell interview with Samuel L Jackson(about Episode One) Transcribed.
ROSIE:now i read your also in the new "star wars" movie.
SAM:yeah i just did my four days this summer.
ROSIE:and your not allowed to say who you are in the movie?
SAM:no! not at all!
ROSIE:allright...
SAM:but it was fun though, i had a really great time!
ROSIE:can we recognize you, or did you get all "aliened out"?
SAM:oh i'm pretty much just like this... but there were actors there that i wouldn't recognize if they walked in this room right now!
ROSIE:oh really?
SAM:yeah, and it was great, they had little kids there and uh... darth vader is about 8 years old in this.
ROSIE:right...
SAM:yeah it was real nice, obi wan kenobi was about 18, played by ewan mcgregor.
ROSIE:right...
SAM:so there was just this huge blue screen set and stuff...
ROSIE:right...
SAM:all i know is they gave me 4 pages, i did my pages and i don't know what came before or after that really...
ROSIE:you just did it and went home?
SAM:yeah but i'm just so glad i was part of it.
ROSIE:yeah thats gonna be a wonderful thing!
SAM:i can't wait!
ROSIE:yeah and your grandkids will get to watch that!
SAM:really? you think?
ROSIE:i think so! those are the kind of movies that stick around!

In addition, on ROSIE Natalie Portman(The 'Queen') has CONFIRMED that she has been signed for all 3 prequel movies.

11/01/98 Prequel Narrative Tidbits From BARCODE
Please take this with a grain of salt, but if it turns out to be true... it's very clever.

We all know how Lucas has been saying that the three new movies will make Jedi seem that much more powerful. Well, my brother is a news producer for a station up in NYC. He was told by a coleague that in the latter prequel, there is a scene in which Palpatine is on the verge of killing Obi Wan with those electric pulses from the end of Jedi. The Queen rushes to save him, because she has since fallen for Ben, and in the process is electrocuted vicously and intentionally by Palpatine. Anakin stands and watch as his true love is brutally murdered, but is to far loyal to the dark side to do anything but watch. In Jedi, his posistion is much the same, but rage inside of him over Palpatine taking away the women he loved grows to great and he in turn kills the Emperor. Very cool stuff.
Thanks,

Barcode

06/01/98 MAJOR MAJOR MAJOR PREQUEL SPOILERS!!!

Some HEAVY spoilers regarding the Star Wars Prequels have appeared on AINT IT COOL NEWS which I would advise NOT be read by those who want some element of intregue and surprise when watching the forthcoming Episode One.
Harry, webmaster of Aint It cool News has also posted strong warnings before the information is accessable, but for those of you who cant wait Click Here To Reach The Spoiler

05/01/98 Yet MORE PREQUEL PICTURES!
More Prequel pictures, this time from a French movie magazine have been added to the Prequel Pictures Page.CLICK HERE to see all of them....
The pictures are from the Tunisia set.

Part of the Wildman Website