Club Jade

The Phantom Menace will kick off the saga on Spike tonight at 8pm (or maybe 7pm – check your local listings.) It runs for three hours, but you can at least watch most of it before Battlestar Galactica starts at 10pm. (TPM will also rerun tomorrow at 5pm, just before Attack of Clones.)

Today, LucasArts announced the latest release date for The Force Unleashed: September 16th in the US, September 17 in Southeast Asia and Australia, and September 19 in Europe. We’ll also get peeks at the game during the airing of the Saga on Spike. Beneath the cut is the schedule from the press release. (more…)

The Force-Cast got the word from Spike’s Terry Minogue. Apparently he also hints that Spike might also be the first to air The Clone Wars movie, but does that seem a little silly to anyone else? I would think those rights would be somehow tied to the Cartoon Network deal, seeing as they’re airing the actual series. Those of you with enough patience to listen to podcasts can see if they say anything more.

Spike promotion puts lightsabers on the streets of New York. Or, well, wrapped fluorescent bulbs anyway. Clever idea, but unlike Urbanite I can’t see anyone bothering to steal them. At least, not anyone with half a brain.

Spike TV has been advertising Star Wars for a few weeks now, and now we have some definite times for the movie showings… The Phantom Menace will start Friday, April 4 at 8pm, with Attack of the Clones following on Saturday at the same time, and Revenge of the Sith Sunday. A New Hope starts Friday, April 11, with Empire Strikes Back on Saturday and Return of the Jedi on Sunday. All six will be shown in HD where available.

They paid a record fee ($65-70 million) for the rights to run the whole saga back in 2005.

UPDATE: Spike’s advertising, including billboards, on StarWars.com.

Spike TV paid $65 to $70 million for a six-year exclusive deal to run all six Star Wars movies, as well as enforcing the sterotype that girls don’t like Star Wars.

Not that I won’t watch the movies on Spike. It’s just… annoying.

ETA: TFN has the full Variety article.