Hey there everybody, Harry here with some interesting tidbits about everyone's favorite new question...

What's going on with STAR WARS EPISODE TWO?

Well, I've been doing some active spy recruitment out in the land of ILM. I decided during these last 4 or 5 months to kinda lay low on the STAR WARS rumors, because... quite frankly we knew everything. Tidbits about whether or not Dave's pod from 2001 or a gaggle of E.T.s in the mix just didn't interest me. We had the film covered. Why continue till every minute detail was laid bare?

So instead... during this delicate time period, I decided to hunt for the big deal... Episode 2. I mean, gosh, it's only a few years away, and I knew that the one thing this new Star Wars would do to all of us was.... MAKE US HUNGRIER FOR MORE STAR WARS!!!

So, I'm going to be introducing you to a couple of new spies that I've been working with on this story, and ya know... I think you'll come to enjoy them quite a bit.

First up is Captain Nemo. I first met Captain Nemo at a flea market out in the Cupertino area (remember when I went to visit PIXAR and see the premiere for A BUG'S LIFE?) He was selling a turtle shell banjo that I fell quite in love with.

Our friendship grew, and from time to time he's shared a few marvels from his Mysterious ILM.

May 19th, in the pre-dawn hours (12:01am) at the Mann's Chinese. The back alley doors open, and a few men walk into the theater and are led up into the private upper balcony area. Captain Nemo has identified these men as being:

Tom Sherak.... dude at 20th Century Fox.

George Lucas.... grand wizard of the latest opus from a galaxy far far away.

and...

Leonardo DiCaprio.... Yes.... Leonardo DiCaprio

I mention this just to.... let you know that Leo was with George and Tom... This will be fleshed out later in the info I got from Darth Swank.

But to continue with Captain Nemo, he says that from his secret base at the Mysterious ILM that design work is going on with Episode 2. Here are a few tidbits from the walls of ILM...

First up is Obi Wan Kenobi's character. Currently there are multiple character designs featuring OB1, but there is one characteristic that connects them all. In the next film, Ewan will be sporting the beard... Yes, the beard. I guess this is meant to depict an age change as well as drawing his character closer to the Alec Guinness indelible look from A NEW HOPE. No word on the Jedi garb for the next film. At one point there was talk of quite a bit of dark hued leather, but right now... it's still in flux.

Also, everybody's fave, Threepio? Well, he will begin to get... un-naked. From the waist up he'll have his shell put on, but the boy won't be having any drawers on. (At least at this stage of design)

However, most of the major character work is being held up pending casting. And the work that is moving forward is with characters that they know what actors are in place.

As for the 'Darth Maul' rumors... The stuff from the video game with the half man with the robotic hover under part that levitates about... So far Captain Nemo just kinda laughs at this stuff, but he did let me know that there are New Sith Lord designs being done.

In fact they are currently doing alot of Sith design work! It's all in the really rough advanced stages where Lucas is running around approving say one in twelve designs, but it is being done.

What type of stuff?

Well, word has it that they are toying with the idea of an entire Sith Council, their council chambers, etc. Sounds a bit like the ol Legion Of Doom to me, but hey, if Lucas and crew can come up with the designs... Cool.

Also, you know the ol Sith Interceptor? You know how it's cool? How it kinda looks like a precursor to the ol faithful TIE fighters? Well, in the next film we will be seeing the evolution of the Sith Interceptor into more.... Empire-y looking material.

That's all that ol Captain Nemo would tell me this time out, but I can tell you that Nemo is somebody I trust. Why? Well... I've developed a close friendship with him over the course of the last year, and he's finally decided to start... spilling some beans.

Meanwhile, on another side of the Mysterious ILM.... in a dark evil mysterious Cave laying somewhere deep within the recesses of a ranch somewhere in the Marin county area.

Today, yes... Today (Thursday the 20th of May) 3 people were walking around together. Quite chummy and two of the folks, as Darth Swank tells it, were none other than Rick McCallum and George Lucas. And they were talking a young man around showing them the Skywalker Pad, and this here whippersnapper was none other than Leonardo DiCaprio.

Now... ya know... It's come up in the past that Leo was mentioned as playing Anakin in the upcoming films. He's the right age... He's tall... He's a damn good actor. In fact, I once heard a tale of how Ben Burtt asked Lucas if he'd thought of casting Leonardo as Anakin, and George said, "I don't hire stars, I make them." Well, that's how the 'story' goes anyways... But ya know...

Years ago when we were hearing the first tids on Natalie Portman and Ewan MacGregor... well, folks generally dismissed them as being from left field and the stuff of fanboy masturbation fantasies... But... I've had... MULTIPLE confirmations of Leo and George sightings.

I would not go with this unless I felt pretty damn sure of this. I don't know if Leo is signed... I rather doubt it, but I'm willing to bet that Leo is in negotiations for the part... at least.

Now word has had it that in some places, Leo's face was booed when THE BEACH trailer came up at Mann's Chinese, but personally I feel this is a reaction, not to the quality of Leonardo's acting ability or popularity, but rather the animosity that Star Wars fans seem to harbor towards TITANIC. Simply because TITANIC made so much money, and STAR WARS 'technically' has less. But you know what? Are we Star Wars fans so insecure that we can't handle another film's success?

If so... Personally I find that rather pathetic. And certainly to take it out on another actor... well... I find it rather petty. Leonardo DiCaprio is a wonderful actor, just because he happened upon gargantuan success shouldn't be a reason to hold it against him. WHAT'S EATING GILBERT GRAPE, THE BASKETBALL DIARIES, ROMEO AND JULIET and TITANIC... ya know... He's a really good actor.

Is he Anakin? I don't know. He's got the age, height and charisma to carry a part. I believe he'd have excellent chemistry between both Ewan and Natalie Portman. This next film IS supposed to be a romance, right?

Why is Leonardo hanging out at Skywalker Ranch and around George Lucas? I don't know, but I can't wait to hear the announcement!