Our evil Einar, spy from the Emerald Isle, sent some exerpts from a November issue of Dreamwatch about the Star Wars Prequels. Strangely enough alot of this info sounds as though it was lifted from a certain web page I know of. Hmmmmm. The article does contain some SPOILERS so DO NOT READ IF YOU ARE SENSITIVE TO THIS TYPE OF INFO, OK?
At 10.15pm on September 26, director George Lucas declared 'That's a wrap before raising a toast to 'the best cast and crew ever assembled' and celebrating with an exclusive cast and crew party. Although Lucas has now started to assemble the film in America, Lucasfilm is keen to stress that the film's final form is far from determined.
'Lucas has always emphasised the power of the editing room to shape a film but in the case of Episode 1 that power will be especially strong.'' Lucas intends to carry creative flexibility to an unusual degree with episode 1', the company continues revealing that the shooting schedule includes plans to reassemble the production crew in 1998 for shoots of additional elements and possibly entire scenes if the evolving story suggests new directions. Everything from character names to plot points remain subject to later change.
In order to accommodate any necessary reshoots, England's Leavesden Studios has agreed to maintain indefinitely the film's elaborate sets.
Among the last scenes shot were those set during an invasion of the planet Coruscant.
Natalie Portman plays Luke and Leia's mother,Queen Padme Naberrie Amidala of the Naboo. Figures within Padme's court include Eirthe, Rabe, Sio Bibble, Darth Sideous, Sache and Captain Panaka, a role offered to 'This Life' star, Ramon Tikaram, but rejected upon the terms of a conditional haircut.
One of the new characters is Jar Jar Binks, a reptilian swamp creature played by Ahmed Best a member of the alternative dance group, Stomp. Sebulba is entirely computer generated while child actor Dhruv Chanchani plays Anakin's friend, Kister. Tatooine Junk Shop owner and Mos Espa pod race attendee, Watto, is played by former ewok Warwick Davis.
Superman 2's Terence Stamp was present at Leavesden for two days filming a part he describes as 'President of the Universe of something' and which translates as the head of the Old Republic.'It was quite a good part' Stamp opined,'fitting my status as head citizen of the global village'. However the British actor said he was jealous of Ewan McGregor, Liam Neeson and Natalie Portman, Because 'it would have been fun to be there for the whole shoot.'
Samuel L. Jackson has also been given a relatively minor role as a Jedi Knight, but was reportedly overjoyed for the opportunity to deliver STAR WARS legendary phrase, 'May the force be with you.'
EINAR struck again with this excerpt from Ewan McGregor in U magazine:
U: Can you tell me who else is cast?
Ewan: Yeah. Liam Neeson is in it. Natalie Portman. Um, who else is there? A guy, Ahmed Best, who's playing a guy called Jo-Jo. We're the four leads, I suppose you'd say. And of course there's loads and loads of other good actors in it. It's cool, because we're using a lot of British actors because we're filming it here. I must ask (Lucas) why he decides to film them here.
