"Star Wars: Underworld Cancellation Due to Sky-High Costs"

It's no secret that the cancellation of Star Wars: Underworld has left a significant mark on fans and creators alike. Rick McCallum, the producer behind the Star Wars prequels, recently shed light on the financial hurdles that ultimately led to the series' demise. In a revealing interview on the Young Indy Chronicles podcast, McCallum disclosed that the cost to produce each episode was a staggering $40 million. "The problem was that each episode was bigger than the films," McCallum explained. "So the lowest I could get it down to with the tech that existed then was $40 million an episode." The inability to bring this ambitious project to life remains "one of the great disappointments of our lives," he added.

The series, which had 60 "third draft" scripts penned by some of the world's most talented writers, promised to explore the Star Wars universe in "sexy, violent, dark, challenging, complicated, and wonderful" ways. With a potential budget exceeding $1 billion, even George Lucas couldn't muster the funds needed in the early 2000s. McCallum noted that the series "would've blown up the whole Star Wars universe and Disney would've definitely never offered George to buy the franchise." Ultimately, Star Wars: Underworld was officially canceled once Disney took over Lucasfilm and Lucas stepped away from the helm.

While McCallum did not delve into specific plot points during the interview, the fanbase has long speculated that the series would bridge the narrative gap between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope. Previously, the producer hinted that the show would introduce an entirely new cast of characters, significantly expand the Star Wars universe, and cater to an adult audience, setting it apart from the franchise's typical teen and child-friendly content.

Star Wars: Underworld was first unveiled at Star Wars Celebration in 2005, and test footage surfaced in 2020. However, since then, the project has remained dormant. It appears that the dream of seeing this ambitious series come to life may remain just that—a dream.