August 15, 2008

TFK Explores the Star Wars Universe with Director George Lucas

Star Wars: The Clone Wars hits theaters today, August 15

By TFK Kid Reporter Sade Kammen

George Lucas' new Star Wars movie, The Clone Wars, is an exciting addition to the ongoing battle between the good Jedi and the evil Sith. However, The Clone Wars didn't start out as a film. Originally, Lucas and his team of animators set out to make a television show. But when he saw the storyline and early animation, he realized that it was good enough for the big screen as well.

COURTESY DAN KAMMEN TFK Kid Reporter Sade Kammen chats with director George Lucas in a one-on-one interview.

In the Beginning...

The idea for a Clones close-up came to Lucas while he was making his 2005 live-action movie, Revenge of the Sith. He wanted to also explore the impact of the war on the thousands of planets and cultures that make up the Star Wars universe. These new adventures begin with The Clone Wars movie, followed by the debut of the television series on The Cartoon Network this fall.

There have been six Star Wars movies. The most recent films, three released in 1999, 2002 and 2005, respectively, focused on Jedi Anakin Skywalker and his fall to the Dark Side. Anakin's fate was sealed in the Revenge of the Sith, the last in the trilogy. Lucas skipped over the Clone Wars story because it did not focus on Anakin. Now that Anakin's story has been told, Lucas is able to go back and finish what he left out between the second and third movies.

Return of the Jedi and Friends

Lucas told TFK that he enjoyed making The Clone Wars because he "got to deal with Jabba the Hutt's family, and clones as people." This movie also gave him a chance to get more into Jedi other than Yoda, Anakin and Obi-Wan Kenobi.

I sat down with George Lucas at his ranch in San Francisco, California, last week at an advance press screening of Star Wars: The Clone Wars. He gave TFK an inside look at the film.

(c) LUCASFILM LTD. & (TM) From left: Anakin Skywalker stands by his new Padawan, Ahsoka Tano; his second in command, Clone Commander Rex; and Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi.

TFK:

How did you come up with the idea to make The Clone Wars?

GEORGE LUCAS:

I never intended to do a feature film. It was only after I looked at some of the footage that I said, 'This looks brilliant! Let's do a film about the introduction of Ahsoka (Tano),' who becomes Anakin (Skywalker)'s Padawan (or student).

TFK:

Why did you give Anakin a Padawan?

LUCAS:

I wanted him to have a Padawan because when we leave him in the second movie, he's kind of immature and not comfortable with Obi-Wan.

TFK:

What is the biggest change for Anakin?

LUCAS:

(Between the second and third movies), Anakin and Obi-Wan become friends and partners. They become a team. Anakin also becomes more mature because he becomes a teacher. Being a mentor, parent or teacher makes (people) settle down and be more responsible.

TFK:

Although Asajj Ventress is evil, I found her fascinating and compelling. There isn't much information about her, can you share some of her background with us?

LUCAS:

We're evolving her character right now. We actually just worked out a connection between (the Siths) Darth Maul and Ventress. There's a video game being developed about the movie that goes into more detail about her life and what her society is like.

TFK:

Which Star Wars' character do you think is most like you?

LUCAS:

I'd have to say Luke (Skywalker), because that's what I based him on.

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