Not sure how many of you peeps are keeping up with the various unfoldings regarding Star Wars Episode 3: Rise of the Empire, but Rick McCallum is a personal chum of mine 🙂D) and whilst sharing a jar of ale in the Spotted Dog the other day, I put a few questions to him about the new film which is due for it's first cinema appearance in May 2005. Filming in sydney, Australia is now complete (subject to calling back certain cast members for added scenes here and there) and all the computer fiddly bits with the CGI and special effects are being worked on right now. The story is complete and the die has been cast. I decided to give my old chum Rick a bit of a grilling about the upcoming storyline.
So Rick, tell us, Episode 3 takes place three years after Attack Of The Clones, right?
True.
And the film begins with a massive space battle which marks the final stages of the Clone Wars?
Absoloutely.
Cool. And Samuel L. Jackson's Mace Windu will have a saber fight with a Sith master?
(Surprised) Yes, he will.
The film will feature fewer real sets than Episodes 1 and 2?
No. that's completely wrong. We have more sets in this film - we have 62 sets - but that's only marginally more than we had on the previous two films. However, all the background will be CGI. And there will still be 2,100 effects shots.
Droids C-3PO and R2-D2 have their memories wiped?
(laughs) God, you're good. I don't know if I can answer that. Let's just say perhaps.
Blimey, you're keeping your cards close to your chest. Emperor Palpatine, Anakin and Oni-Wan Kenobi use Force powers during the course of the film?
It's way too early to tell at the moment.
Hmmm... the film will feature a new race of bad guys called Dark Warriors who will be played by Maoris?
No, that's not true. It's a good idea though, isn't it?
And Chewbacca might be involved in the conspiracy to keep the newborn Luke and Leia away frokm Anakin/Vader...
Whoever's telling you this shit is good!
Seriously, that interview with Rick was from Empire movie magazine. Interesting stuff. Included in it are a few snapshots. Peter Mayhew sitting in the makeup chair, being turned into Chewbacca for the first time in 21 years, Hayden Christiensen, complete with long and darker hair and moody expression, staring out at the camera (He's also about a foot wider! The guy must have hit some serious weights to beef up for his transformation into Darth Vader!) and the R2-D2 shell in a packing case. Seeing this finale to the saga, still not sue for release for another 19 months, draws you in. We already know how it'll end; Anakin turns on Obi-Wan and they fight ( a rehersal of this sensational sabre duel is mentioned in the article) with Anakin getting his arse kicked and coming out horribly injured; Anakin is encased in black armour complete with life sustaining machinery and becomes incarnated as the latest Sith lord, Darth Vader. (Which makes you wonder what happens to Darth Tyranus/Count Dooku; does Anakin kill him in his Sith coming-of-age party, or what? It would certainly be the sort of thing Palpatine would go for, he tries to entice Luke to the same thing by killing Vader 22 years hence.) Most of the Jedi, including Mace Windu, get slaughtered horribly (got a feeling that Vader will slot Windu, personally) and the Jedi Order and the Republic comes crashing down in pieces. Chancellor Palpatine declares himself Emperor and is finally revealed officially as Darth Sidious, the manipulator of both sides in the Clone Wars. The Empire rises, hope dies and all is swallowed into darkness. At leat, until 18 years or so have gone by and the young Luke Skywalker learns the ways of the Force and detonates the Death Star.
I'm not surprised to learn that the droids will have their memories wiped. I'd guessed that myself some months ago as it would be the only way to explain Threepeio not knowing the planet where he had lived for 11 years, or the moisture farm where he spent the best part of 10. Also not knowing that the second worst despot in the universe was his "father". Can you imagine the therapy sessions if Threepeio finds out? I can just imagine him stretched out on the couch next to the shrink...
"Darth Vader... My Father... Oh my!
I would guess that the photo shows Anakin as either a full qualified Jedi Knight, or his pre-maimed version of Darth Vader. Gone is the USMC hair cut and the Padawan's braid. No facial hair though, so I guess he never got to be a master. 😀
Wanker.
So Rick, tell us, Episode 3 takes place three years after Attack Of The Clones, right?
True.
And the film begins with a massive space battle which marks the final stages of the Clone Wars?
Absoloutely.
Cool. And Samuel L. Jackson's Mace Windu will have a saber fight with a Sith master?
(Surprised) Yes, he will.
The film will feature fewer real sets than Episodes 1 and 2?
No. that's completely wrong. We have more sets in this film - we have 62 sets - but that's only marginally more than we had on the previous two films. However, all the background will be CGI. And there will still be 2,100 effects shots.
Droids C-3PO and R2-D2 have their memories wiped?
(laughs) God, you're good. I don't know if I can answer that. Let's just say perhaps.
Blimey, you're keeping your cards close to your chest. Emperor Palpatine, Anakin and Oni-Wan Kenobi use Force powers during the course of the film?
It's way too early to tell at the moment.
Hmmm... the film will feature a new race of bad guys called Dark Warriors who will be played by Maoris?
No, that's not true. It's a good idea though, isn't it?
And Chewbacca might be involved in the conspiracy to keep the newborn Luke and Leia away frokm Anakin/Vader...
Whoever's telling you this shit is good!
Seriously, that interview with Rick was from Empire movie magazine. Interesting stuff. Included in it are a few snapshots. Peter Mayhew sitting in the makeup chair, being turned into Chewbacca for the first time in 21 years, Hayden Christiensen, complete with long and darker hair and moody expression, staring out at the camera (He's also about a foot wider! The guy must have hit some serious weights to beef up for his transformation into Darth Vader!) and the R2-D2 shell in a packing case. Seeing this finale to the saga, still not sue for release for another 19 months, draws you in. We already know how it'll end; Anakin turns on Obi-Wan and they fight ( a rehersal of this sensational sabre duel is mentioned in the article) with Anakin getting his arse kicked and coming out horribly injured; Anakin is encased in black armour complete with life sustaining machinery and becomes incarnated as the latest Sith lord, Darth Vader. (Which makes you wonder what happens to Darth Tyranus/Count Dooku; does Anakin kill him in his Sith coming-of-age party, or what? It would certainly be the sort of thing Palpatine would go for, he tries to entice Luke to the same thing by killing Vader 22 years hence.) Most of the Jedi, including Mace Windu, get slaughtered horribly (got a feeling that Vader will slot Windu, personally) and the Jedi Order and the Republic comes crashing down in pieces. Chancellor Palpatine declares himself Emperor and is finally revealed officially as Darth Sidious, the manipulator of both sides in the Clone Wars. The Empire rises, hope dies and all is swallowed into darkness. At leat, until 18 years or so have gone by and the young Luke Skywalker learns the ways of the Force and detonates the Death Star.
I'm not surprised to learn that the droids will have their memories wiped. I'd guessed that myself some months ago as it would be the only way to explain Threepeio not knowing the planet where he had lived for 11 years, or the moisture farm where he spent the best part of 10. Also not knowing that the second worst despot in the universe was his "father". Can you imagine the therapy sessions if Threepeio finds out? I can just imagine him stretched out on the couch next to the shrink...
"Darth Vader... My Father... Oh my!
I would guess that the photo shows Anakin as either a full qualified Jedi Knight, or his pre-maimed version of Darth Vader. Gone is the USMC hair cut and the Padawan's braid. No facial hair though, so I guess he never got to be a master. 😀
Wanker.
