No Holding Breath For Live 'Star Wars' Series

Hey, everybody! There's good news regarding . . .

Well, "good" feels debatable. Um . . .

Unfortunately, there's bad news concerning . . .

"Bad?" Well, the last three movies were unintentional-comedy gold . . .

News! There's things to know and tell and speculate on concerning the live-action "Star Wars" series that George Lucas has been plotting to unleash on an unsuspected, unprepared world for years.

Yidio: We Take A Stand!

What seems like many moons of Endor ago, during an interview conducted far, far away with G4's "Attack Of The Show," the "Star Wars" creator, writer and director mentioned casually that he had even longer ago written about 50 hours worth of material for a live-action TV series carrying on the franchise's name. Of course when he first wrote that nearly three network seasons' worth of material, "Star Wars" probably hadn't yet been quite so soiled by poorly received prequels and re-releases with ill-advised digital touch-ups.

Though Lucas did say this past May that current production technology just doesn't make the series cost-effective right now - and Sweet Monkey Jesus, just what exactly on this caramel-center Earth does he have in mind here that digital 3D and HD components can't yet muster?! - details emerged within this past week about just where exactly this series will eventually be going. Those same details seemingly also confirm that it probably won't be premiering before the 2016 Summer Olympiad would preempt it.

A video released Monday by IGN featured Lucasfilm executive producer Rick McCallum claiming that the new series would probably be called "Star Wars: Underworld" and Entertainment Weekly followed up Tuesday with McCallum during a New York City after-party following the "Red Tails" premiere confirming that potential title. McCallum also told EW that the series would likely include familiar peripheral "Star Wars" faces and take place during the intervening 19 years or so between "Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith" and "Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope" but would not concern the Skywalker family.

"Expect a lot of smugglers, gangsters, bounty hunters, and a few Wall Street-type power brokers," McCallum said of the focus upon the Galaxy Far, Far Away's seedier elements.

Despite setting aside the Skywalker saga, continuity has been regulated several times from on high by Lucasfilms across several other media expanding upon the "Star Wars" saga through the years. EW points out that no less than Lucas himself ordered that rogue Jedi Quinlan Vos survive the "Star Wars: Republic" comic series; tie-in novels to be written by A.C. Crispin focusing upon Princess Leia were shelved completely; a proposed novel about cult-beloved bounty hunter Boba Fett to be written by Karen Traviss was likewise stopped dead.

All of that strategic continuity maneuvering - and whatever it may or may not mean to the potential live-action serial - aside, McCallum was also once more the bearer of bad news: making the series as intended just somehow isn't feasible. When EW asked if the show might be a conservatively estimated three or four years away, McCallum replied "Even longer."

"Because I think we don't have the technology yet to be able to do it for the level of money that it would have to be done," McCallum elaborated. "Plus, the world of television is imploding. No one knows whether you should make a network show or a cable show. I'm really excited about it though, and I hope George does do it. I really do."

In the name of The Force, what in the bluest of all possible blue Hells could Lucas possibly be seeking?!

Seriously, comment away. Guesses are more than welcome.