The republic is crumbling, the forces of evil are massing and a legion of science-fiction fans are quivering in anticipation.
«
The final chapter of Star Wars, the world's most iconic film series, begins unfolding today when filming starts at Sydney's Fox Studios.
«
Nearly 1000 crew members will work on the $173 million production, which will star about 60 Australian actors and several hundred extras.
«
Cast and crew are bound by confidentiality agreements until the film, still known only as Episode III, reaches cinemas in 2005.
«
It will revolve around impetuous young Jedi warrior Anakin Skywalker being seduced by the dark side of the Force on his way to becoming the villainous Darth Vader.
«
The conniving Senator Palpatine takes an iron grip on the Galactic Senate on his path to becoming Emperor, and orders the destruction of the entire Jedi order.
«
Only two Jedi are believed to survive the subsequent cataclysm – Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi.
«
Lucas, who only finished writing the script a few days ago, has said the tone will be much darker than other films in the series.
«
"Let's face it, all the bad guys win in the end, all the good guys are dead except for a couple, so it doesn't have a happy ending," he said.
«
Lucas and principal actors Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman and Hayden Christensen have been in Sydney for several days. Australian actors confirmed to appear include Joel Edgerton, Jay Laga'aia, Genevieve O'Reilly, Bruce Spence, Kristy Wright and Warren Owens.
«
Characters from the original trilogy who will appear in the new movie include Yoda, droids R2D2 and C3PO, and hulking wookie Chewbacca.
«
All Australian shooting will be inside Fox Studios, although some "plate shots" – landscape backgrounds later combined with visual effects – have been taken in New Zealand, Italy and Switzerland.
«
A huge team of programmers and designers remain in the United States working on the computer-generated special effects.
«
Read the full story here
«
The final chapter of Star Wars, the world's most iconic film series, begins unfolding today when filming starts at Sydney's Fox Studios.
«
Nearly 1000 crew members will work on the $173 million production, which will star about 60 Australian actors and several hundred extras.
«
Cast and crew are bound by confidentiality agreements until the film, still known only as Episode III, reaches cinemas in 2005.
«
It will revolve around impetuous young Jedi warrior Anakin Skywalker being seduced by the dark side of the Force on his way to becoming the villainous Darth Vader.
«
The conniving Senator Palpatine takes an iron grip on the Galactic Senate on his path to becoming Emperor, and orders the destruction of the entire Jedi order.
«
Only two Jedi are believed to survive the subsequent cataclysm – Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi.
«
Lucas, who only finished writing the script a few days ago, has said the tone will be much darker than other films in the series.
«
"Let's face it, all the bad guys win in the end, all the good guys are dead except for a couple, so it doesn't have a happy ending," he said.
«
Lucas and principal actors Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman and Hayden Christensen have been in Sydney for several days. Australian actors confirmed to appear include Joel Edgerton, Jay Laga'aia, Genevieve O'Reilly, Bruce Spence, Kristy Wright and Warren Owens.
«
Characters from the original trilogy who will appear in the new movie include Yoda, droids R2D2 and C3PO, and hulking wookie Chewbacca.
«
All Australian shooting will be inside Fox Studios, although some "plate shots" – landscape backgrounds later combined with visual effects – have been taken in New Zealand, Italy and Switzerland.
«
A huge team of programmers and designers remain in the United States working on the computer-generated special effects.
«
Read the full story here