James Arnold Taylor, who voices Obi-wan, will be live with fans on the Entertainment Weekly site during the airing of ‘Friends and Enemies’ tonight.
The chat will begin at about 7:45pm ET.
In the news: VW keeps Star Wars, trades in kid for dog
Star Wars and the Super Bowl. Stuart Elliot on the New York Times’ Media Decoder blog has some details of this year’s Volkswagen Star Wars commercial. The kid isn’t returning (guess I need to change the name of our tag) but it does involve a dog named Bolt and a Beetle. The Star Wars bit? Looks like a cantina alien or two may show up. On that note, the Washington Post Style Blog has an interview with Jeff Elmassian, who helped created ‘The Bark Side’ teaser.
One MILLION. The director’s cut of Star Wars Uncut has already seen more than a million views on Youtube, says the BBC.
Gaming. Ben Fritz and Alex Pham take a look at The Old Republic for the L.A. Times‘ Hero Complex.
People (and puns.) Carrie Fisher subbed for Kathie Lee on Today this morning. Luke Perry happened to be the guest, and he revealed that Mark Hamill was the only celebrity he ever asked for a photo with.
At random. Behold the Indiana Jones engagement ring.
Did you miss George Lucas on Oprah last night?
Oprah.com has posted several clips up from last night’s episode of Oprah’s Last Chapter, including: On directing Star Wars and how he never got to see it with the rest of the world. (You might recognize that from the preview clip.) He also discusses Red Tails, his visionary process, his career, the George Lucas Educational Foundation, his relationship with Mellody Hobson and his near-death experience. There’s also a clip where Oprah sits down with Red Tails actors Cuba Gooding Jr. and Terrence Howard.
George Lucas on Oprah’s Next Chapter this Sunday
This Sunday at 9/8c, George Lucas will be appearing on Oprah’s Next Chapter on OWN. (There’s a channel finder on the page.)
The series features hour-long classic Oprah-style interviews with people she finds interesting. They usually feature behind-the-scenes glimpses of their home life, pretty straight-forward questions about things most people want to know (well, most non-geek people) and an interview with family. The teaser shows George’s girlfriend Mellody Hobson will be included.
It also looks to include a nice tour of Skywalker Ranch. And the OWN question for the week asks about places that inspire you. So hopefully it will be an extensive tour!
(And if you get the chance, the interview with Steven Tyler is really interesting.)
George Lucas talks Red Tails, ‘retirement’ in the NYT
George Lucas is the subject of a lengthy profile in the New York Times today, and gives them the full story on his ‘retirement.’
“I’m retiring,” Lucas said. “I’m moving away from the business, from the company, from all this kind of stuff.”
He was careful to leave himself an out clause for a fifth “Indiana Jones” film. But otherwise, “Red Tails” will be the last blockbuster Lucas makes. “Once this is finished, he’s done everything he’s ever wanted to do,” says Rick McCallum, who has been producing Lucas’s films for more than 20 years. “He will have completed his task as a man and a filmmaker.”
The profile focuses on Red Tails, of course, but also features a bit of frank talk on Star Wars. Of the special editions, prequels and backlash, and why we’re not going to see any more:
Lucas seized control of his movies from the studios only to discover that the fanboys could still give him script notes. “Why would I make any more,” Lucas says of the “Star Wars” movies, “when everybody yells at you all the time and says what a terrible person you are?”
It also covers the Indy 4 refrigerator, girlfriend Mellody Hobson, ‘personal’ films and all things “corny and wonderful.” It’s worth a read.
Video: Shatner refuses to let Star Feud go gently?
William Shatner responds to George Takei’s overtures of Star Peace: By demanding “retribution.” Vaguely. Maybe it’s all part of his new one-man show.
George’s idea of retirement: Make more movies?
“I hate to say it, but basically I’m retiring,” George Lucas said Monday during a dinner with higher-ups at Ebony, according to a New York Daily News blog post. But he goes on to say he wants to focus on making more movies – without having “to worry about entertaining people.” Which is pretty much what he’s been saying for years! Oh, George.
“This is the closest you’ll get to Episode 7.” George Lucas, Red Tails on The Daily Show
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George talks about Red Tails with Jon Stewart last night. Yes, there are Star Wars jokes, but also a serious discussion on getting ‘black films’ made in Hollywood.
Video: Harrison Ford watching the Indy films for the first time
What if Harrison Ford never actually saw the Indiana Jones films until now? That’s the premise of this video, which mashes up a video of Harrison Ford playing the adventure game Uncharted 3 (filmed for a Japanese commercial for the video game).
In the news: Phantom Menace 3D is news to Ewan
GQ breaks the news. It sure seems like Ewan McGregor will be everywhere this year, but apparently the guy’s been so busy that it seems the first he’s heard of The Phantom Menace 3D is from the folks at the magazine. “They’re actually going to rerelease it into the cinema?” he asked GQ. “Well, that’s interesting.” Yeah, can’t say we’d be wildly enthusiastic to find out that our (hypothetical) rat-tail would be in three dimensions either. In other straight-from-1999 news, the Pepsi tie-ins are back.
Hobson profiled. Chicago businesswoman and Good Morning America contributor Mellody Hobson, perhaps best known to us as George Lucas’ girlfriend, is the subject of a brief profile in Forbes. She and Lucas will be featured on the January 15th episode of Oprah’s Next Chapter.
Gaming. The Old Republic might be coming to Mac. Nice try, folks.
Lucasfilm. George Lucas has big plans for a new digital technology facility at Grady Ranch, but some folks in Marin County aren’t exactly welcoming it with open arms.