The revelation from Star Wars prequels producer Rick McCallum about the cancelled series Star Wars: Underworld is truly disheartening for fans. McCallum disclosed that the series would have required an astonishing $40 million per episode to produce, a budget that ultimately led to its cancellation due to financial constraints.
In an interview on the Young Indy Chronicles podcast, McCallum elaborated, “The problem was that each episode was bigger than the films. So the lowest I could get it down to with the tech that existed then was $40 million an episode.” He further expressed that the inability to bring this project to life remains “one of the great disappointments of our lives.”
With 60 “third draft” scripts penned by some of the world’s most talented writers, Star Wars: Underworld was poised to explore the Star Wars universe in “sexy, violent, dark, challenging, complicated, and wonderful” ways. However, the staggering budget—potentially reaching into the billions—proved to be an insurmountable barrier. McCallum noted that even George Lucas couldn’t muster the necessary funds in the early 2000s.
McCallum also suggested that the series would have had a profound impact on the franchise, stating, “[It] would’ve blown up the whole Star Wars universe and Disney would’ve definitely never offered George to buy the franchise.” The project was ultimately shelved after Disney acquired Lucasfilm and Lucas stepped away from the helm.
While McCallum did not delve into specific plot details, fans have speculated that Star Wars: Underworld would have chronicled the events between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope. The series was intended to introduce a new cast of characters, significantly expand the Star Wars universe, and cater to an adult audience rather than focusing on teens and children.
Star Wars: Underworld was first unveiled at Star Wars Celebration in 2005, and test footage surfaced in 2020. Unfortunately, it appears that this ambitious project will remain unrealized.
