There’s good news and bad news from "Star Wars" creator George Lucas, reports the New York Post. The good news is that he’s got 50 hours written for a live-action TV series based on the "Star Wars" movies.
But don’t look for the series anytime soon.
It’s all about economics.
According to the story, Lucas says the TV "series is awaiting the development of ‘a different type of technology we can use so it’s economically feasible to shoot the shows.’ He did not say what the breakthrough would do, only that it was ‘just a very, very difficult process.’ TV has to be produced for one-tenth the cost of movies, he said, and the ability to make a credible TV show at such lower costs doesn’t exist yet."
What a pantload. I’m having flashbacks to the early days of the first film’s success when he kept adding to the number of films he wanted toake in the STAR WARS universe. I have no doubt that he’s got ideas for what he wants to do over two seasons but I have serious doubts that those scripts actually exist. C’mon, George, either make the series you’ve been saying you want to make or just shoot the project in the head and move on.
Dozens of shows have featured adequate special effects, and a lot of those were done on shoestring budgets (Xena, Hercules, Babylon 5, the reboot of Galactica, the original Star Trek, etc.). We don’t watch TV for spectacle — we watch for great stories and characters we want to follow.
Sadly, I think Mr. Lucas lost sight of story and character after finishing the original three films of the Star Wars cycle, and thinks we really only watch for the effects. Why else would he go back and ruin the original Star Wars by including often-intrusive new special effects and effects sequences.
Considering Lucas can amortize the cost of developing effects for the series over two or three seasons, and considering all his R&D expenses are covered by ILM’s current, his budget excuses ring hollow.
In fact, Lucas has the financial wherewithal do create an entire new way to finance and distribute serialized entertainment: a subscription model via iTunes and Amazon.
Charge a $35 subscription fee for the initial season. Sign up a million Star Wars fan (not an unreasonable number), and you’ve got half your financing in place. Presell a network window six months after episodes premiere for subscribers, and you’ve created a viable (and profitable) new business model.
All the pieces are in place for this system (iTunes downloads of OLD shows sell already for $2 to $3 each). It just takes an entrepreneurial studio or individual to gamble. Would a million fans of “Firefly” have signed up for a new season by paying $3 an episode? Almost certainly.
Cult shows don’t need networks anymore. They just need one producer willing to gamble that a niche audience is out there and able to support initial production.
Mr. Lucas, are you listening?