Archive news: April/May 1999 June/July 1999 August/September 1999 October/November December 2000 January February March April May June
July 30 AFTER months of speculation Tobey Maguire is set to play Spiderman in the forthcoming movie, it's been revealed. Despite rumours that Ewan McGregor may get the part, Variety claims Macguire, star of The Cider House Rules, is in talks to sign $4million deal, which may include sequels.
SAMUEL Jackson, not renowned for keeping quiet about things, has been busy talking about Episode II. This time it was to an Australian paper, the Daily Telegraph, and he hinted he may be back for Episode III. He's left Sydney for the time being but should be back later to finish some scenes.
And on the Episode II front, the legendary Christopher Lee was today due to arrive in Australia to prepare for shooting his scenes.
July 29 THE Star Wars Homing Beacon has landed again, this time with a string of quotes from the people working on Episode II.
Among the more memorable were Anthony Daniels: "It’s like being in a giant vat of minestrone and only the chef knows what’s in it," Julie D’Antoni, visual effects plate coordinator said: "Like going to one of those bars in the middle of Kentucky and getting on one of those electronic bull horses and just trying to hold on for dear life."
And Mr Lucas himself chimed in with: " It’s like the traveling on the Titanic - it’s incredibly exciting and romantic and we won’t know whether or not it will sink until the film comes out. You’re going along as the captain of the ship saying everything is fine and wonderful and not to worry, but you know as the captain of the ship that there are many icebergs and treacherous obstacles you have to cleverly weave your way through, without upsetting or disturbing the passengers."
July 27 MORE new Star Wars computer games are on the way. The official site today announced a fresh roleplaying game from Wizards of the Coast. Players will be able to explore the galaxy in the prequel, classic, and New Jedi Order era. And the good news is they'll be out in a few months time.
In additoin LucasArt and BioWare Corp have teamed up to create a Star Wars roleplaying game for PC and video game systems. Due out in 2002, it will be an original story in the Tales of the Jedi era, set 4,000 years before the rise of the Empire.
JUly 26 SORRY for the delay in things, but I'm back refreshed from my hols now, so normal service should be resumed. On the Star Wars front the forthcoming Darth Maul comic series will reveal the Sith apprentice's intricately tattooed pectorals for the first time.
The man who designed Maul, Iain McCaig, said: ""I had heard from Continuity Editor Allan Kausch that Dark Horse was going to be doing a Darth Maul comic, and there was much rejoicing, because I would get so many letters from fans asking, 'Would you please bring him back! Even half of him!' The comic, at last, will be a place for him to live on,"
The official site added: "Although Maul's body art is revealed, the full story behind it will probably forever remain a mystery.
The Darth Maul comic series, by Ron Marz, Jan Duursema, Rick Magyar and Drew Struzan, begins in September from Dark Horse Comics. Go here for the excellent pics.
AS far as the convention goes we've had dozens of entries for our poster competition, it's still not too late to have a go, click here for details. We'll post as many as we can up here soon for you to have a look at too.
TODAY'S snapshot is from a native of Tatooine, the eerie looking Tusken Raider
IN other news Sci-fi.com reports that Francis Ford Coppola's American Zoetrope company will produce screenwriter-director Hal Hartley's fantasy movie Monster for United Artists. Shooting should start in September in Iceland and New York.
Monster tells the story of a young journalist who goes to Iceland to find her missing fiance and strikes up an unlikely friendship with a mythical monster.
July 15 THINGS may go a little quiet here for a few days as off on a well-deserved rest. But I'll be back soon with more guests for the convention and more sci-fi news here.
LIGHTSABRE.co.uk got in touch to tell us of an interview they had with prolific Star Wars author Kevin J Anderson. Kevin reveals he did much of his Star Wars work in Death Valley, California, where he dictates much of his work into a tape recorder.
He adds: "Hiking through the real "Tatooine" certainly helps me to think up details of color and smells and landforms as I dictate a story. In my second SW novel, Dark Apprentice, the opening scene takes place on the polar ice caps of Coruscant; I wrote that scene while I was trudging through heavy snow in the Sierra Nevada mountains, watching the cold steam curl out of my mouth, hearing the crunch of ice underneath my feet."
He also has a word for some newsgroup users, who he says has driven many authors away with their vitriol. He's also frank when it comes to other views, saying The Phantom Menace was the worst SW film so far and that he's not a fan of Jar Jar. For the full longer interview go here.
THE most-awaited sci-fi film of the year is out. The X-Men is out now and getting rave reviews everywhere. Starring Star Trek's Patrick Stewart and Star Wars' Ray Park, the movie looks set to be one of the biggest films of the year.
Read a review from the Daily Radar here.
A NEW Homing Beacon has been sent out by the official site. There's some new news, in that Watto will definitely be returning to Episode II, as will his voice Andy Secombe. The newsletter said: "In Episode I, Watto was left the victim of his own gambling vice, having lost everything to Qui-Gon Jinn in the Jedi's cleverly crafted bet. Now, moviegoers will revisit Watto on Tatooine a decade later, to see what has become of the junk-dealer."
Frank Oz is also confirmed to play Yoda, Penilla August will be back to play Shmi Skywalker and Silas Carson is returning to be Jedi Master Ki-Adi-Mundi.
July 14 THE first official image from Episode II has been released. The photo, which shows a speeding Jedi-like character, has been released by the official site.
July 13 JIMMY Smits is the latest cast member to be added for Episode II. The former NYPD star will play Senator Bail Organa of Alderaan.
The official site quoted casting director Robin Gurland as saying: "I'd thought of Jimmy for the role before George Lucas had even confirmed the character's appearance. Then completely independently, his agents let me know that he would love to be involved in a Star Wars project. It worked out great."
A FRESH Star Trek TV series should be screened next year, producers have revealed. Yahoo reported that writer and producer Brannon Braga said he and Trek veteran Rick Berman were in "`the early conceptual stages"' of forming a concept.
``We want it to be 'Star Trek' at its core, but we also want it to ... change the concept to a radical degree,'' Braga said. Braga is executive producer of UPN's ``Star Trek: Voyager,'' which begins its final season in the autumn. He will work on the new show under a three-year deal worth an estimated high-seven figures.
FRANCE, one of the last countries to get The Phantom Menace, is one of the first to read a new interview with Hayden Christensen, who will be playing Anakin in Episode II.
Also in the magazine is an interview with Michel Jouin, the artist behind Return of the Jedi's 1983 French movie poster, and there's a historic meeting between the classic trilogy's conceptual designer Ralph McQuarrie, and the prequel trilogy design director Doug Chiang.
GOOD news from Doug Chiang too, he told the official Star Wars site the new film would be "darker in tone and style".
He added:" We will be playing with some interesting textures and lighting set-ups to heighten this darker mood. Beyond that, I cannot reveal any more." Which should satisfy many fans who felt Episode I was too light.
INTERESTING classic moment today as well, where screenplay writer Lawrence Kasdan talks about Lucas' ideas on the Force, and his own. He said: "In my opinion, what emerges about the Force are its similarities to Zen and to basic Christian thought. But in our meeting we didn't talk about specific religions. Instead, George explained to us what he felt the Force was all about."
July 11 LIAM Neeson has broken his pelvis after a motorbike accident in America. Yahoo reported that Neeson, 48, was driving his 1989 Harley Davidson motorcycle on Tuesday when he struck a deer which ran off but later died from its injuries.
The Phantom Menace star broke his pelvis and suffered multiple cuts to his legs. He was taken to Sharon Hospital in Sharon, Connecticut and later transferred to Lenox Hill hospital in New York.
Neeson's publicist told the sheriff's department that Northern Ireland-born Neeson was in good condition and resting comfortably.
TFN claims that Savage Garden singer Darren Hayes is definitely not in Episode II, and was never likely to be. Hayes was on MTV in the UK last week and mentioned his summer tour with his band, but nothing about any movie.
TWO new Dark Horse comics are coming out in October. One will tell how Darth Maul takes on the Black Sun when the gangsters get a little too close to Darth Sidious. The second is the first part in a four-part series called Infinity's End. There Jedi Quinlan Vos has to find the secret behind the disappearance of an entire world, which takes him to Dathomir, a world of rancor beasts and Force-wielding witches. For more go here.
July 10 AFTER weeks of speculation Christopher Lee is in Star Wars Episode II, it has been confirmed. The official site today said Lee, the star of numerous Hammer Horror movies, would be a "charismatic separtist" in the movie.
Lee himself said he was looking forward to taking part in ther "mythical sage" and added: "It will be more than another part. It will be another 'arrow in my quiver.' I'm looking forward to it enormously."
Lee, who
has been acting for 53 years, is in his late 70s and has a successful singing career as
well as his dozens of films. Click here for the full
announcement.
THERE'S also an interview with stunt boss Nick Gillard on how he was looking forward to getting back to a Star Wars movie, a classic moment telling how Luke is like a Greek hero and a snapshot of an early Otoh Gunga painting.
SOONER or later it will be in England, but TFN revealed Harrison Ford will be on The Late Show with David Letterman on July 24. It seems he'll be promoting his new film, the thriller/horror feature "What Lies Beneath."
HAVE a look at Space.com at the moment, as it has a new Star Wars quiz there to try your hand at. There's some good questions, such as what did Sir Alec Guinness think of the Jedi Order?
TFN has some new pics of Ewan McGregor sporting an Obi-Wan style beard. Fans of Ewan will know he regularly has a beard, but not often as tidy as this one! Click here for more.
SOME of the Star Wars fan sites have been highly praised by the main site. StarWars.com has been judging sites recently and has come up with some decent looking winners. The Clone Wars is full of speculation as to what might be coming up while the best comedy site goes to The Xtreme Files.
There's are also a new classic moment, telling how Jim Henson was nearly Yoda and a snapshot of a Jedi and a Sith going at it.
July 7 FIGHTING techniques for Episode II are discussed in the San Fransisco Chronicle, according to Jedi.net.
The piece talks about the dance-like way in which the new fights will be filmed, and include an acrobat and ballet dancer. The story added that choreographer Michael Smuin was invited to the Australian set by George Lucas and now he has just returned from there.
``At a certain point, I pulled out the sword master and put the acrobat in to do a wild flip over his opponent, then I took him out and put in the ballet dancer," said Smuin.
Daily Radar talks about some of the Star Wars films not to make it to the big screen. A reader asked about an Ewok movie he thought he'd heard of. There's actually been several TV films, there's The Ewok Adventure, Ewok: The Battle for Endor as well as children's shows Ewoks and Droids, all done with the blessing of LucasFilm and all totally forgettable.
And then who can forget, despite having tried hard to do so, Star Wars: A Christmas Special, a truly terrible hour or so of life with the Wookies. Although it starred Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford it remains the most embarrassing moment in Star Wars history. If you look hard you may be able to find a copy on e-bay or elsewhere on the net.
TFN has come up with a new way to read its pages. Soon portable computer users will be able to read the latest Star Wars news if they have a free account with Avantgo.
In the site's latest newsletter is
also reveals a new cartoon series by Kevin Yancey, called Shay Tilnaer and the Key to
Ti'Lanok. Set between A New Hope and TESB it follows a Twi'Lek named Shay Tilnaer on her
bid to retrieve the
fabled Key of Ti'Lahok. She tries to complete her missions while fleeing an Imperial Task
Force. See it here.
MORE casting news from the official site
today, and news of who will play Aunt Beru in Episode II.
The new names to remember are Bonnie Piesse, Alethea McGrath, Matt Doran and Susie Porter. Best known for playing Donna in the TV show High Flyers, Bonnie Piesse will play the role of Beru. Veteran actress Alethea McGrath will be a Jedi academic. Alethea has vast stage, television and film experience.
Matt Doran, who played Damian in Home and Away, will be an "unsavoury troublemaker" in Episode II and Susie Porter will be a waitress.
July 6 LOOKS like the rumours we highlighted a while ago could be true - TFN reports that The Radio Times has said Christopher Lee is in Episode II. It also claims to know what type of role he's playing, but nothing's been confirmed officially yet, so it looks we'll still have to wait.
SHONA McLaren has told how her life has become a living nightmare - because of Daleks. Shona, of Scotland, has developed a phobia over Dr Who's deadliest enemy. Several national papers today revealed how Shona dreads the word "exterminate", the sound of the theme tune sends her cowering behind the sofa and how she has sought medical help for her problem.
So one place Shona probably won't be is the Clacton Sci-fi Convention in September, as we've got a real life one coming down!
SIMON Jeffery, the new president of LucasArts Entertainment, has been talking about his job and what the firm is getting up to. On the latest games, he said: "We have many, many projects in the pipeline right now. Some are nearing completion (such as Escape from Monkey Island, Obi Wan, Battle for Naboo and Starfighter.) Others are a year or more away (such as Star Wars Online), and still more are in the early stages of development.
"These, I cannot talk about - other than to say that we will be more open with our communication going forward, and will be making some pretty cool announcements over the next few months." The full article can be found here.
PATRICK Stewart has confirmed he will return as Captain Jean-Luc Picard for the tenth Star Trek film. Stewart, dismissing reports he wouldn't appear, told Space.com "The story's being developed and my character is in the story. A director has not been selected. We're really at the very earliest stages of creating a possible story for this film, and perhaps in a couple of months ... I will have more to say."
HONDA has announced it is to start using a humanoid robot to promote its brand image by showing off its technological flair. The android, which looks like a cross between C-3PO and a moon-walking astronaut, will be att Honda's corporate headquarters building in central Tokyo this weekend, Space.com reports.
RAY Park's official site has updated with some new signed merchandise from the Darth Maul actor. Among the things on offer are aSpeeder and figure, the Tatooine Showdown, a10" Applause Maul and a 14" Mega Applause Maul.
TFN has a report apparantly from a spy inside Fox's studio in Australia. There's a few spoilers and general info on what's being built and where. Go here to read it.
And TFN also claims that Savage Garden singer Darren Hayes has landed a role in Episode II. It's thought to be a minor, non-speaking part as a bounty hunter.
BLUE Harvest was meant to be a horror film made in 1982. What it actually became was Return of the Jedi, as the official site reminded fans today with its classic moment. "Camera Slates, invoices, hotel reservations, call sheets, production reports, and crew hats and T-shirts all read Blue Harvest. So when a visitor would ask, 'what are you shooting' and we said 'Blue Harvest,' they went on their way", said producer Howard Kazanjian.
THERE'S also a good snapshot of the Naboo soldiers preparing to attack.
July 5 SOME official updates from the Star Wars site for the first time in a few days. In the Jedi Council designer Doug Chiang is asked if he's disappointed that some creations are never used He replied: "Not at all. We generally expect that 75 per cent of the work that we do will not be used. Sometimes we grow fond of certain designs and are a little disappointed when those designs aren't selected, but we are always reassured that only the best designs make it to the screen."
THERE'S also a classic moment, explaining Lando's dilemma, a snapshot of the destroyer droid and a talk with Rogue Planet author Greg Bear. In the interview Greg said why some sci-fi writers can't stand Star Wars: "Having to work to order for your main ticket (writing nothing but Star Wars novels) would be stifling, but getting a chance to dabble in George's universe one time only, with these characters, in this timeline, is like a vacation on an exotic island."
And he tells how his book helps bridge the gap between a young Anakin and Darth Vader. "The elements were there, they just needed to be fleshed out. It's regrettable that George Lucas didn't pick up Anakin's development a little farther along, but that left the opening for me, and I took it with glee. And obviously George has things planned for Episode II."
July 4 DON'T forget there's still time to enter our Farscape competition. There's three free videos of the show to be snapped up by answering a ridiculously easy question. Click here to take part.
July 2 FOLLOWING on from C-3PO and Darth Vader, a new Aurra Sing Masterpiece Edition book is to be released. The previous two came with models of the characters in a large folder-type book. Diamond Comics announced the book: "features more than 100 color photographs, previously unpublished conceptual sketches, exclusive interviews, and a comprehensive list of Bounty Hunter collectable merchandise."
It also comes with the first ever Aurra Sing figure which "captures the fierce independence of the female bounty hunter with a sleek head antenna, extra-long fingers, two holstered pistols, and a modified blaster rifle."
A YEAR after everyone else has seen it, Cuban cinema-goers have finally been given the chance to see The Phantom Menace. Reuters revealed that due to the USA's trade embargo with the country there were problems shipping the film over to the Caribbean country.
But George Lucas donated the movie without fees to the cash-strapped island so now the 1999 film can be shown across the island.
IF you couldn't get enough of your Wookie Cookies and Yoda Sodas then you're in luck. The second Star Wars cookbook has been released, reports TFN. Among the culinary delights this time around are Opee's Sea Crunch (for fish fillets with a real bite) to Darth Double Dogs (doubling as a light saber you can eat!).
July 1 AS part of the Clacton Sci-fi Convention, we've launched a new poster competition. Anyone under 16 can enter and have the chance of winning up to £50.
On top of that you'll be able to see your entry on here, and in the theatre on the day of the convention. Go here for more details.
THE latest homing beacon from the Star Wars site was sent out today. In it there's a talk with Jonathan Hales, who is working on the Episode II script with Lucas.
Hales said: " "My personal goal was to make it the best screenplay that ever was, so that it will be the best movie that ever was. You just do your very best,"
"I tried to forget, in a way, that it was Star Wars, in a sense that I didn’t want to think ‘Oh my God, there is a world out there waiting to see this stuff.’ I just tried to concentrate on it and what it was, and forget about that terrifying dimension that’s out there."
And of the film itself he added: "It will add political complexity, but it will also add an interesting and a fascinating love story."
Hales will go to Australia soon to discuss the script but he won't be there long. "I shall only be there for a couple of weeks, anyway. There’s nothing more useless than a writer on a soundstage," he said whimsically.