I attended Star Wars Celebration VI in Orlando this weekend (I'll be mixing the worlds of entertainment and travel a lot through 2013, including covering the premier of The Hobbit in New Zealand). This was my first Star Wars convention and it gave all the attendees a bountiful supply of information on Lucasfilm’s upcoming film and tv projects.
First and foremost was the Season 5 premier
of the 3D-animated television series, Clone Wars, which takes place between
Episodes II and III of the film franchise.
The premier showed the last two episodes of
Season IV, followed by the first of Season V, thus competing a three-episode
story arc of the return of Darth Maul, who it turns out didn’t really die at
the end of The Phantom Menace. The character, now voiced by Sam Witwer (Being
Human), has brought intensified interest in the series from fans. Warning,
SPOILER ALERT in the next paragraph:
Actor Sam Witwer, voicing a character in a 'radio drama'
created for the convention, titled 'Smuggler's Gambit.'
In Season V, Episode 1, we find Darth Maul
and ‘brother’ Savage Opress haphazardly raising an army of pirates to take on
Obi-wan Kenobi and the Jedi Order. Opress however doesn’t like Maul’s assertion
of dominance and tests Maul, who puts Opress in his place and, as actor Sam
Witwer explained, Maul would henceforth refer to Opress as ‘apprentice’ rather
than ‘brother.’ In an early scene we see an appearance by a Kenner-style ‘Blue
Snaggletooth’ character. Director David Filoni said that fans of the original
action figure line will be happy to find other Kenner-style characters making
appearances this season. The fighting in this episode was far more intense than
in previous seasons, and the stakes much higher. Late in the episode Opress head-butts
and kills a well-known jedi before Kenobi cuts off the left arm of Opress. Maul
too loses a mechanical foot before the two barely escape. Filoni indicated it
would be later in the season before we see Maul and Opress again. Likewise, he
noted that while the night sisters have been diminished, they would return in
force later on.
Following the premier was an extended new trailer
for the season, featuring a Mandalorian civil war enflamed by Maul and Opress.
Darth Sideous himself arrives to take on Maul and Opress in a light saber duel,
reminding them that ‘there can only be two, and you [Maul] are no longer my
apprentice.’ We see a darker Anakin, driven by jealousy and anger. Assage
Ventress returns masked, though her new role unclear now that she has left the
Sith. There were vague hints regarding the anticipated demise of Anakin’s
Padawan Ahsoka. Indeed, Matt Lanter, Ashley Eckstein, and Dave Filoni all
indicated that the two had voiced top-secret scenes between Anakin and Ahsoka
regarding her fate, which the other actors were not privy. Whether she is
killed by Ventress (which could tie up the much-anticipated fate of both
characters), or Maul, or Count Duku (which would go a long way in explaining
Anakin’s new brutality in Revenge of the Sith), is yet to be revealed... or maybe she merely goes into hiding like Yoda?... not likely.
In other trailers we see Darth Maul wearing
special red Mandalorian armour, as well as fighting green-skinned Falleen of
the Black Sun (think Prince Xizor from Shadows of the Empire). This all happens
in the midst of growing anti-Jedi sentiment within the republic. We see a
battle on the planet Onderon and a female rebel leader, Steela, who features
prominently in previews. Could she fill the niche left by a likely demise of
Ahsoka?
Ian McDairmid, in his first US convention appearance.
Actor Ian Abercrombie, who voices Palpatine in Clone Wars, passed away earlier this year. When asked if Ian McDairmid would replace him, Dave Filoni declined to answer out of respect for Abercrombie, however he said that Abercrombie had voiced most of Season 5 already and that he would announce the replacement closer to the time new scenes are recorded.
Coincidentally (or perhaps not), McDairmid
was asked by a fan if he would be voicing Palpatine in the hotly anticipated
Star Wars live-action tv series tentatively titled ‘Underworld.’ McDairmid’s
reply:
“What do you think?” he laughed, concluding
“I would hate it if I was alive and someone else got the part.” This may
suggest he is also open to resuming the part for the 3D animate Clone Wars.
Though whether there will be a Sixth Season has not been announced.
However, McDairmid confirmed that ‘Star
Wars Underworld’ had been shelved for the time being, do to overwhelming costs
and time needed to produce the level of computer effects desired by George
Lucas. According to sources connected with the series, as many as 50 scripts
had already been written for the series, some casting had begun, and concept
art had been approved by George Lucas.
In a separate screening announced for
families, Lucasfilm showed a 3-episode story arc from Season 5 of Clone Wars, titled
‘Young Jedi,’ and cut as a short movie. It followed the training of a group of new
padawans, including building their first light sabers, and eventually taking on
the dreaded General Grievous.
Clone Wars Season 5 premiers September 29 on the Cartoon Network.
A new 3D animated, slap-stick comedy series
entitled Star Wars: Detours was also announced by Seth Green and the team
behind ‘Robot Chicken’ at the convention. The series features characters from
the movies in whimsical forms and settings, reminding me of a cross between
family guy, the Muppets and… Robot Chicken.
George Lucas himself made a surprise
appearance at a morning panel with Dave Filoni. He talked about what appeared
to be yet another Star Wars tv series in development and aimed at young
children, which was neither Young Jedi, nor Star Wars: Detours. What exactly
this series is remains to be seen.
The convention concluded with the
announcement of the release of Episode II and Episode III in 3D for September
and October 2013.
Photos copyright 2012 Adam Bray. Videos are the property of Lucasfilm via YouTube.