Folks, I'm sorry. I'm posting this up, and I'm sure I will be eaten a new waste exit for writing about this "wildly specualative and non-confirmed rumour-mongering rallying up the geeks non-news" But ya know... I really could care less. I'm going with it whether you naysayers like it or not. Why? Because I'm trying to see what out of all this stuff may be true.

Today I got people writing me out the wazoo about Episode 2. WHY? I mean aren't we all excited enough about Episode 1? But hey, the news and rumor patrol is in overload today. I'll start with the more likely and go to the out right speculative stuff down at the bottom.

Ok, the following comes from VERY RELIABLE PEOPLE... as in MULTIPLE SOURCES and has been CHECKED UP ON BY OTHER SOURCES. I would say this is the most reliable piece. And according to HOUDINI --- that spy I told you, you never ever hear from, it is FACT. So take this cracker and add a single granule of sodium chloride and swallow.

I have it on good authority that JONATHAN HALES has been hired to write Episode 2. He was a writer on THE YOUNG INDY show...

Like I said, the above has been checked out. The next stuff is more in line with speculation. But follow through if ya like....

I've been hearing from lots a people that Steven Spielberg is gonna direct Episode 2, and that's why he moved Memoirs of a Geisha back 4 months. Yeah, like 4 months was enough time to shoot and put together EPISODE 2. Welll along comes this stuff about Spielberg moving GEISHA back till 2001.... 2001..... 2001 .....2001 ....2001... Well... gosh... that would give him enough time to shoot.... Episode 2 and the next Indiana Jones film. Of course that is pure hokem till the man, the legend steps up to the microphony and says, "I hereby declare my most excellent self directing EPISODE 2 and/or INDY 4" Now, I can here fanboy slapping of midriff flesh with their eyes tightly clenched, but it may come true. "A DREAM IS A WISH YOUR HEART MAKES!!!"

I was watching CNN's Showbiz today Oct. 21st. In one of the stories, there was a report that Steven Spielberg was have told the studio he is doing "Memoirs" that he would not be able to do it until 2001 due to other projects that he is working on. What is the news on this?

Remington Steele

Oh, and then there's this .... ahem... scoop about the film filming...

Last Week Ewan Macgregor turned up in London with a neatly kemped beard very much like Obi Wan's from A New Hope. He said he'd just got back off holiday in Australia.

I knew they'd been location scouting in Australia for Episode 2, but then today I got a call from a contact at The Sunday Times who interviewed Rick McCallum three weeks ago and is to interview him again in one week's time.

The script for Episode 2 is finished. So finished in fact that they started shooting Episode 2 in Australia a couple of weeks ago. That crap about re-building the set in Tunisia for Mos Espa and that 40% out of focus crap was just that - crap. It was a front for Episode 2 stuff.

Stuff at Leavesden has really quietened down, but it's been purposefully taking all the limelight while Lucas goes off and shoots Episode 2 elsewhere. Did I say Lucas? Don't get excited, I can get no confirmation at all that Lucas is directing Episode 2. He's said all along he didn't want to.

What's more, I have a friend involved with a movie shooting here in England early next year that stars Samuel L. Jackson. They've just had a spanner thrown in the works by him because he's had written into his contract that has the right to delay shooting to go shoot one more big budget movie before he flies over. Word is it's in Australia.

So all I ask is... Who the hell do you know in Australia?!

HARRY NOTE: Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeey GARTH!!!!! LINCOLN!!!!! THIS IS YOUR BACKYARD

You can call me The Transformed Man

And as if to lend credence to the above, I got this from Australia.

Hey Harry with this episode 2 stuff I live in Australia and there has been quite a bit of stuff going on in the Fox studios also today I read that Lucas is going to be in Sydney for quite a while 'holidaying'.....yeah sure, also he's here long enough to present an award in the local film industry awards, sorry it isnt much but i thought you could get one of your spies onto it

Zaius

Most recently I got this about the AUSTRALIA shooting, so it ain't happening yet.... that we can tell...

Just thought I should let you know, Ep 2 is not currently shooting in Australia, how do I know? I'm (deleted) and next week I'll be flying up to Sydney to listen to George give the Keynote speech at SPAA, a local conference for producers.

As far as I know, he and Rick Mac are finalising the deal with the Government, re; tax breaks etc, but they haven't started rolling yet. At this point there isn't a local crew guy and or chick that's even booked as far as I know, so either it's the most secert shoot in history (it's a big country but a small industry so no way) or it's still some months off.