DESIRING HAYDEN.NET PRESS ARCHIVE

Let’s clear a few things up before we begin. First of all, the title of this piece has nothing to do with the director of Aliens. Nor is it a sequel to the Evil Dead’s Necronomicon. We are, of course, talking about the 14th century Italian classic by Giovanni Boccaccio, The Decameron (or “Il Decameron” if you want to be all Italian about it), which is being made into an English language film starring Hayden Christensen and Mischa Barton.
Barton’s involvement has been public for some time, but it’s only today that Hayden was confirmed. Well, actually, Barton told us at the BAFTAs on Saturday night, but we didn’t quite get around to telling you about it. The OC starlet said, “I’m about to be starting one this summer called the Decameron. It’s filming in Italy with Hayden Christensen. I’m really excited.” Well, you heard it here first, ladies and gentlemen.
The book follows ten young noblemen and women, who have retired to a country villa to escape the plague ravaging Florence. This being before the days of Monopoly and Risk, they amuse themselves by telling each other stories – ten each, for a total of one hundred tales. The stories vary from the bawdy via farce to the plain filthy – but of course, this being literature and very old literature at that, it doesn’t count.
It’s basically the Italian Canterbury Tales (the Calabrian Tales, if you will), but the producers are designing it to appeal to a young audience, promising pop music and costumes by Italian designer Roberto Cavalli – which suggests that the corsets and wimples are out the window in favour of, er, corsets and jeans. We’re also going to go out on a limb and guess that they cut out about ninety of the 100 stories in favour of a subplot involving car chases and lightsabers.

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Hayden Christensen has signed on to play the male lead in “The Decameron,” Dino De Laurentiis’ upcoming adaptation of the 14th century Italian classic by Giovanni Boccaccio.

Christensen will play the role of Lorenzo, starring opposite “The O.C.’s” Mischa Barton, who in December signed on as Pampinea, the project’s leading lady (HR 12/9).
Headed for an April shoot in Rome and Tuscany, “The Decameron” is being directed and adapted by Britain’s David Leland, whose helming credits include “Band of Brothers.”

“Il Decameron” is a ribald collection of 100 stories told by a group of unmarried nobles — seven women and three men — as they wait out the Florentine plague in the nearby countryside. Each tells one story per day. Pier Paolo Pasolini directed an Italian-language version of the film in 1971.

The De Laurentiis film is being designed to appeal to a younger audience and will include popular music as well as costumes from the Italian fashion designer Roberto Cavalli. De Laurentiis and his wife and partner, Martha De Laurentiis, are producing, with Paris-based producer and financier Tarak Ben Ammar co-producing.

Christensen next will be seen in “Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith.” His credits include “Shattered Glass,” “Life as a House” and “The Virgin Suicides.” He is represented by CAA and manager Dan Spilo of Evolution Entertainment.

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Hayden Christensen has inked a deal to star in Dino De Laurentiis’ upcoming adaptation of the 14th century Italian classic The Decameron, by Giovanni Boccaccio.
The O.C.’s Mischa Barton has already come aboard to play Pampinea. Christensen will play Lorenzo in the adaptation of the risqué collection of 100 stories told by a group of unmarried nobles — seven women and three men — as they wait out the Florentine plague in the nearby countryside. Each tells one story per day.
The film is being directed and adapted by Britain’s David Leland (Band of Brothers). Filming will begin in Rome and Tuscany in April. De Laurentiis and his wife and partner, Martha De Laurentiis, are producing, with Tarak Ben Ammar co-producing. Italian fashion designer Roberto Cavalli will do the costumes.
Christensen’s credits include Shattered Glass, Life as a House and The Virgin Suicides. He’ll next will be seen in Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith

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After 30 years, six movies, hundreds of dead stormtroopers and an unfathomable number of zeros tacked on to the end of his bank-account balance, George Lucas is finally ready to put “Star Wars” to bed. At Sunday’s Vanity Fair Oscar party, the 60-year-old science-fiction legend insisted that he couldn’t be happier.

“It’ll be nice to get things finished,” Lucas said while standing on the red carpet (see “The Oscars Party: An Inside Look”). As “Episode III: Revenge of the Sith” prepares to hyperdrive into theaters on May 19, the mind behind the franchise that boasts four of the 25 highest-grossing domestic movies of all time is putting the finishing touches on the installment he claims will be the last in the series (see “George Lucas Declares ‘Star Wars’ Over After ‘Revenge Of The Sith’ “).

“The film is finished, basically,” reported Lucas. “We just finished the music last week, and I’m going to mix it next week. In a month, it will be pretty much finished.”

Last month, Vanity Fair magazine promoted Lucas’ upcoming release via an Annie Leibovitz photo spread that featured the writer/director/producer posing with stars and characters from all six films. These days, any question about Jar Jar, Midi-Chlorians or Greedo shooting first might mark the last time he has to address such geek-boy concerns. Lucas insists that he hasn’t had to face those tearful final moments yet, but expects them to come along soon enough.

“I’m just chugging along like I normally am,” he said. “We’re getting very close now, but we’re still working away like crazy. It’s hard to stand up, breathe and realize it’s all coming to an end.”

Working in the present to put the past behind him, Lucas is keeping his energy level up by looking toward the future. “I’m going to produce a film called ‘Red Tails,’ about black fighter pilots during World War II,” he said. “I’m going to produce a couple TV shows, then I’ll think about when I’ll direct again.”

Oh, yes, there is one other project on the man’s calendar: something involving an archeologist adventurer with a predilection for whips and fedora hats. “We’re working on scripts,” Lucas says of a fourth “Indiana Jones” adventure, “but we’re not going to do it until we get a script we’re happy with.”

Interviewed earlier this month on the set of his upcoming “War of the Worlds” (see “Set Visit: ‘War Of The Worlds’ “), Steven Spielberg claimed he had been prepared to pursue the long-awaited “Indy” sequel before “Worlds,” but was forced to change his plans when Lucas put the project on hold. “We go through the whole development process all the time,” Spielberg said, “and sometimes you’re really intent to make a picture, like I was with ‘Indy 4,’ in which case my producer didn’t like the script as much as I did. My intention was to make ‘Indy 4′ a year-and-a-half ago — it didn’t work out, and now I’m hoping to make it a year-and-a-half from now, maybe less.”

Lucas, while eager to reunite with Spielberg and star Harrison Ford, said that the group will continue to wait as long as it takes to shoot a film worthy of the name “Indiana Jones.” But he’s vague when asked for the plot points that the script he’s got in mind will contain: “A movie that moves forward, is entertaining, and has an interesting story to tell.”

Check out everything we’ve got on “Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.

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NEW YORK – Darth Vader is coming to “The O.C.”
Released
The trailer for “Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith” will premiere during the March 10 episode of the Fox show.

The final installment of the “Star Wars” saga will open in theaters on May 19. The new trailer will be released in movie theaters beginning March 11.
“Revenge of the Sith” is the third prequel to the original “Star Wars” trilogy. It continues the chronicle of young Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen), who eventually turns to the dark side and becomes Darth Vader.

As an avid superhero fan, Seth Cohen, the main character of “The O.C.” played by Adam Brody, would likely relish the event.

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Before Hayden Christensen becomes the most reviled Jedi knight in a galaxy far, far away, he’ll head to Sin City for a warmer reception.
The 23-year-old actor will be honored as the Male Star of Tomorrow at ShoWest 2005′s closing-night ceremonies on Thursday, March 17 in Las Vegas, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
“Although he started his career only recently, Hayden has already shown an incredible range of talent and emotion on the big screen,” says ShoWest co-managing director Mitch Neuhauser. “He grows with each new performance and always proves that he is a cinematic force to be reckoned with.”
ShoWest 2005 — which will kick off on March 14 at Bally’s and Paris Las Vegas — is the largest annual convention for the motion picture industry.
Christensen’s film credits include “Life As a House,” “Shattered Glass” and “Attack of the Clones.” He next reprises his role as Anakin Skywalker, the future Darth Vader, in the final “Star Wars” film, “Revenge of the Sith,” which will hit theaters nationwide on May 19.
He’s also signed on opposite Mischa Barton to film the big-screen adaptation of Giovanni Boccaccio’s “The Decameron” in Italy beginning in April.

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After recently announcing that Bernie Mac would be the comedy actor of the year, the ShoWest Convention 2005 has announced that Hayden Christensen, who will soon be seen in 20th Century Fox’s Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, will be honored as the Male Star of Tomorrow. Christensen will be feted during the convention’s closing-night ceremony on March 17.
Mitch Neuhauser, co-managing director of the event, noted, “Although he started his career only recently, Hayden has already shown an incredible range of talent and emotion on the big screen, from his nuanced performance in Life as a House to the subtleties of playing a real-life character in Shattered Glass to the epic adventurousness in Revenge of the Sith and Attack of the Clones. He grows with each new performance and always proves that he is a cinematic force to be reckoned with.”
Christensen got his start starring for Sofia Coppola in The Virgin Suicides and starring in a Screen Actors Guild Award-nominated performance in Life as a House, opposite Kevin Kline, before landing the coveted role as a pre-Darth Vader Anakin Skywalker in George Lucas’ Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones, the role which he will be reprising when Episode III is released on May 19. He’s next attached to star with Mischa Barton in David Leland’s The Decameron.
ShoWest, founded by the National Association of Theater Owners, will be held at the Bally’s and Paris resorts in Las Vegas from March 14-17. Other honorees this year include Catalina Sandino Moreno as international star of the year and Brad Bird as animated director of the year.

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Star Wars Episode III Revenge of the Sith revealed and a next-gen Wars promised
There might still be 75 days to go but there is already a crumpled and mildly pneumonic nerd in a patch-covered sleeping bag waiting outside Mann’s Chinese Theatre. You can even check on him and his vital signs via his webcam at fatgeekasleep.com.

But what the Princess Leia-obsessed lard-lad doesn’t know is that the game of the film is out 12 days before he will take his first bite of an industrial-sized chilli-dog. Not only that; two of the producers have already spilt the beans on the titular tied-in game.
The first surprise that The Collective’s producers Justin Lambros and Isa Stamos unleashed was the fact that the story mode of the game is played entirely as Obi-Wan, with Mace Windu and the rest of the Jedi Council only appearing in unlockable levels and in Versus mode.

Isa Stamos, despite risking a Vader-style neck pinch from George Lucas himself was happy to say more: “There are challenge levels that can be played with AI or in multiplayer and, best of all, the head-to-head two-player duels in which all of the Jedi duellists are available and can fight in several different arenas.”
All of these bonus levels and modes are the reward for earning and spending the experience points claimed in the main game. So if you want to learn better lightsaber combos or to show off more impressive Force powers, then you need to complete the story mode a few times to gain the power-ups.
Stopping you from completing the game time-and-again are the massed ranks of the droid and clone armies, and a few new designs and ranks of both have been specially created for the game.
But Isa promises that not everyone will be just cannon fodder: “There is also a wide variety of Jedi that the player characters will go up against at various points of the game for the intense lightsaber duels and, of course, General Grievous will be there to present quite a challenge.”

Sadly the General will be the only character with the actual voice of the film’s actor, as the rest of the sounds will come from the Clone Wars cartoon. However Hayden Christensen (Anakin) did perform the motion-capture for the fight scenes and the game will also feature lots of footage from the flick itself.
Finally, there was just enough time for Justin Lambros to taunt us with the promise of future Star Wars games, despite Episode III completing the movie trilogy.

“All I can say is that Star Wars is going to live on stronger than ever after the films and the games are going to be an even bigger part of that in the future,” he enthused. “I’m very excited about the future of Star Wars games and the possibilities of what we can do on the next-gen consoles. Trust me, plenty of thought and time has already been put into it.”

Star Wars Episode III Revenge of the Sith will be unleashed for PS2 and Xbox on 5 May.

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STAR WARS nutters brace yourself. Darth Vader himself, Hayden Christensen, will be in Sydney for an exclusive red carpet screening of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.

And no, nobody has played a Jedi mind trick on Confidential we’re well aware that the new Star Wars film, in which Christensen stars as the evil Vader (Anakin Skywalker) won’t be released until May.

Nor has Star Wars’ creator George Lucas used The Force to miraculously allow Aussie audiences to see the film before the rest of the world.

Christensen will be in Sydney on March 21 to promote the legendary saga’s final instalment.

He will make an appearance for fans on the red carpet at Fox Studios before a short teaser-taster screening of footage from the new flick.

Confidential learned of Christensen’s Sydney visit yesterday as the official Revenge of the Sith movie poster, showing Darth Vader’s menacing black visage looming behind the cast, was released worldwide.

We’re guessing the footage to be screened won’t spoil the highly-anticipated epic light saber duel between Christensen’s character and Ewan McGregor’s Obi-Wan Kenobi.

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“Star Wars” creator George Lucas is receiving a “galactic-achievement award” next week at ShoWest, an annual convention of theater owners in Las Vegas.
The honor being presented March 17 comes two months before the debut of the final installment in Lucas’ sci-fi saga, “Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith,” chronicling the transformation of young hero Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) into the dark lord Darth Vader.
“This unique award celebrates the enduring popularity of the `Star Wars’ movies and the enormous impact and influence they have had on audiences and popular culture,” Mitch Neuhauser, co-manager of ShoWest, said Tuesday in announcing Lucas’ award.
“No other movie series has been so successful for so long, and no movie is more eagerly anticipated this year than `Revenge of the Sith.’”
Lucas, who turns 61 five days before “Revenge of the Sith” opens, has said that life after “Star Wars” for him will be heavy on the sort of smaller movies he started off making, such as his 1971 debut feature “THX 1138.”

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STAR WARS nutters brace yourself. Darth Vader himself, Hayden Christensen, will be in Sydney for an exclusive red carpet screening of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.

And no, nobody has played a Jedi mind trick on Confidential – we’re well aware that the new Star Wars film, in which Christensen stars as the evil Vader (Anakin Skywalker) won’t be released until May.
Nor has Star Wars’ creator George Lucas used The Force to miraculously allow Aussie audiences to see the film before the rest of the world.

Christensen will be in Sydney on March 21 to promote the legendary saga’s final instalment.

He will make an appearance for fans on the red carpet at Fox Studios before a short teaser-taster screening of footage from the new flick.

Confidential learned of Christensen’s Sydney visit yesterday as the official Revenge of the Sith movie poster, showing Darth Vader’s menacing black visage looming behind the cast, was released worldwide.

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We’re guessing the footage to be screened won’t spoil the highly-anticipated epic light saber duel between Christensen’s character and Ewan McGregor’s Obi-Wan Kenobi.

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The good news: no Jar Jar. The annoying, minstrel-show Gungan is nowhere to be seen in the newly released trailer for Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith. The bad news: the two-minute clip (which debuted Thursday night on TV during The O.C. and online at AOL’s Moviefone, and which hits the multiplex on Friday before screenings of Robots) pretty much spoils the entire plot of the final Star Wars movie. Yes, we knew all along that the film (which opens May 19) would trace Anakin Skywalker’s (Hayden Christensen) transformation into Darth Vader, but the trailer spills a lot of the details. Which EW.com will now spoil as well, if you read on.
The trailer opens with Chancellor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) telling Anakin that the dark side of the Force can provide him with powers that some consider ”unnatural,” powers he can’t learn from a Jedi. Palpatine and the Jedi Council both ask Anakin to keep tabs on each other, but Jedi Mace Windu (Samuel L. Jackson) frets that the assignment may be more than the young man can handle and tells him that he has not been elevated to the rank of master. ”Obi-Wan and the council don’t trust me,” Anakin whines to wife Amidala (Natalie Portman). As the trailer progresses, Palpatine hides his increasingly wizened face under the hood of his cloak, looking much like he does as the Emperor in Return of the Jedi. Anakin does the same; his eyes begin to take on a red glow. ”Twisted by the dark side, young Skywalker has become,” states Yoda (Frank Oz).
Windu and three other Jedi come to arrest Palpatine, who challenges them with a lightsaber. Later, Palpatine declares, ”Every single Jedi is an enemy of the Republic.” ”I feel so helpless,” moans C-3PO (Anthony Daniels). Amidala weeps. ”You were the chosen one!” shouts Obi-Wan (Ewan McGregor, now sporting the full beard worn by Alec Guinness as the old Obi-Wan in the original trilogy), as he confronts protégé Anakin over a pit of lava. A lightsaber duel ensues.
There are glimpses of space battles, land battles, and more lightsaber fights. There are also glimpses of some key characters: General Grievous, a robotic leader of the clone army; Bail Organa (Jimmy Smits), who’ll become the surrogate father to Anakin and Amidala’s daughter, the future Princess Leia; and old favorites R2-D2 (Kenny Baker) and Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew). Curiously, there’s no sign of the last movie’s villain, Count Dooku, played by Christopher Lee, though he’s listed prominently in the credits. Let’s hope he doesn’t get edited out the way Lee’s Saruman did from the final Lord of the Rings installment.
The trailer’s chilling final image at last shows us the familiar masked and helmeted visage of Darth Vader, seated next to a cloaked figure (probably Palpatine). There’s a whoosh of Vader’s machine-assisted breathing, and then a title card: ”The Saga Is Complete.” Well, almost; George Lucas has hinted in recent weeks that he’s developing a Star Wars TV series that will fill the gap between the end of this movie and the beginning of Episode IV (the original 1977 film). Guess there’s no escaping the power of the Force.

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See, the Star Wars franchise really is going to hell. In an episode of 60 Minutes set to air this Sunday, director George Lucas says the content of Revenge of the Sith, the final chapter of his Star Wars saga, finds Anakin Skywalker journeying to a volcano-filled hell to make a pact with the devil.
With Anakin’s walk on the dark side, and the movie’s increased violence, Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith will be ”way too strong” for young children — and might be the first film in the franchise to earn a PG-13 rating, Lucas tells interviewer Leslie Stahl. ”[The film] is much more dark…more emotional,” he adds. ”I don’t think I would take a 5- or a 6-year-old to this.”
In addition to setting their schedules for 60 Minutes, Star Wars buffs won’t want to miss Thursday’s episode of The O.C.; the show will feature the premiere of the Revenge of the Sith trailer, which will also be available on Moviefone and StarWars.com at midnight.

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The sixth and final instalment in the Star Wars saga, Revenge of the Sith, is the most violent yet and could be slapped with a higher rating than PG. (Picture: Lucasfilm)
Director George Lucas said the epic, due out in May, will see Anakin Skywalker”make a pact with the devil. The film is much more dark…more emotional. It’s much more of a tragedy.”
Skywalker, played by Hayden Christensen, turns to the dark side and become the evil Darth Vader. Lucas: “I don’t think I would take a five or six-year-old to this. My feeling is that it will probably be a PG-13, so it will be the first ‘Star Wars’ that’s a PG-13.”
In the US, a PG-13 rating means parents are warned that some material in the film may be inappropriate for children under the age of 13.
All the previous Star Wars films carried PG ratings – the second-to-least restrictive classification that can be issued for a film by the Motion Picture Association of America.
US fans got to see the film’s trailer premiered last night during an episode of hit teen series The OC.

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George Lucas has told a US news show that his upcoming Stars Wars instalment is the darkest film in the entire series.
In an interview on CBS’s 60 Minutes, to be broadcast this weekend, the film-maker talks about the much anticipated transformation of Anakin Skywalker into the dark lord Darth Vader. “We’re going to watch him make a pact with the devil,” Lucas says of the sinister character, played by Hayden Christensen.
All five Star Wars films have carried PG ratings in the US – the equivalent of 12A in the UK – however Lucas expects Episode III – Revenge of the Sith to receive the higher PG-13 rating. This is due to the more violent and harrowing nature of the story, which features Anakin’s journey to a hellish, fiery planet as he moves over to the dreaded dark side.
All previous Star Wars releases have merited a U rating in the UK except the most recent addition, Attack of the Clones, which earned a PG. “I don’t think I would take a five or six-year-old to this,” Lucas says of Revenge of the Sith, adding: “The film is much more dark and emotional. It’s more of a tragedy.”
Revenge of the Sith opens in the UK, US and most countries around the world on May 19. Huge opening weekend queues are expected as Star Wars fans gear up to see what Lucas has suggested will be his last entry in the renowned series that launched back in 1977.
Ewan McGregor plays Obi-Wan Kenobi while other stars include Natalie Portman, Samuel L Jackson, Christopher Lee and Anthony Daniels.

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Release Date: May 19, 2005
Starring: Hayden Christensen, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Samuel L. Jackson, Jimmy Smits
Directed by: George Lucas
Anakin, go toward the light! Darn, there’s no way of hyperspacing around it: This final episode is a chronicle of a fall foretold. The young Jedi Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) will succumb to the dark side, and a lightsaber duel with his mentor, Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor), will leave him in need of cybernetic enhancements and a black mask and cape. (At a Comic-Con convention last July, Christensen called the experience of donning Darth Vader’s helmet “orgasmic.”) Questions that have been festering for 28 years will be answered, such as why does Princess Leia wear her hair like cinnamon buns? (Her mom, Senator Amidala, played by Natalie Portman, dons the style in Episode III.) And how many Wookiees does it take to screw in a lightbulb? (We’ll visit the furry creatures’ tropical home planet, Kashyyyk.) Here’s what we know: While Anakin and Obi-Wan are defending the Republic during the Clone Wars, the dark side’s General Grievous, a half-creature–half-robot, leads an invasion against Coruscant, where Amidala and the Jedi High Council reside. And as the evil Empire consolidates its power, Amidala will give birth to twins. Here’s what we don’t yet know: what will cause Anakin to snap. Could it be the death of Amidala? We await the final title scrolling this May.

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The Star Wars: Episode III marketing machine is about to go into hyperactivity, with just a little more than two months left before the movie’s much anticipated release on May 19, 2005. As with all other Star Wars movies, long lines at the ticketing counter are expected.
However, parents may not want to take kids to the movie, says director George Lucas.
The film, which opens in May, “is much more dark …more emotional.” Lucas said in an interview with 60 Minutes. “It’s much more of a tragedy.”
TURNING TO THE DARK SIDE: Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars: Episode II. In Revenge of the Sith, Anakin turns to the Dark Side and becomes the evil Darth Vader. Episode III is “not for kids,” says director George Lucas. (AFP/AFP/Getty Images)
He said that the last prequel Revenge of the Sith will be the darkest and most violent in the series, as young Jedi Knight hopeful Anakin Skywalker (played by Hayden Christensen) turns to the dark side, becoming the evil Sith Lord Darth Vader who terrorizes the universe and the New Republic in Episodes IV, V and VI.
On a hellish, volcano-ridden, lava-spewing planet called Mustafar, Skywalker makes a “pact with the devil,” says Lucas.
Star Wars is unique in that its three “prequels” – Episode I, The Phantom Menace (released in 1999) and Episode II, Attack of the Clones (2002) were released nearly a quarter century after the original three Star Wars movies were released in a period spanning 1977 to 1983.
Meanwhile, the much-anticipated trailer was first run this week on Thursday, March 10th on FOX during an episode of The O.C. . It was also premiered at this weekend’s debut of the animated film, Robots.

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By now, diehard “Star Wars” fans have already seen the full-length “Episode III — Revenge of the Sith” trailer, courtesy of a cross promotion with FOX’s “The O.C.”
As promised, the final installment of the space opera is darker and more intense, as evidenced by the numerous clashes in the preview, which played at the end of the “O.C.’s” Thursday, March 10 episode.
The highly anticipated “Episode III” is set two years into the Clone Wars, when Chancellor Palpatine, with the help of his clone
army and Sith Warriors, prepares to rid the galaxy of the Jedis in order to declare himself Emperor of the Galactic Empire.
The film sets up the mysterious circumstances in which 1977′s “Episode IV” begins, namely: Anakin Skywalker’s (Hayden Christensen) capitulation to the dark side to become Darth Vader and the birth — and subsequent separation — of twins Leia Organa and Luke Skywalker.
The trailer features battle after battle, most notably the conflict between Anakin and Obi-Wan — which has earned the moniker “The Duel.” The two are shown swiping at each other while swinging on ropes over a lake of fire and employing The Force.
But wait. There’s more. Other combative encounters include: Obi-Wan engaging in fisticuffs with General Grievous, Palpatine threatening Mace Windu and a gang of Jedi, Yoda and Darth Sidious (Palpatine again) wielding lightsabers in the Senate chambers, and Anakin battling Count Dooku and a host of other foolish mortals who cross his path.

Topping off these chaotic images is Master Yoda’s observation (in his signature inverse grammar): “Twisted by the Dark Side young Skywalker becomes.”

With this much carnage, even George Lucas is cautious about the film’s suitability for younger audiences.
“I don’t think I would take a 5- or a 6-year-old to this. It’s way too strong,” Lucas says on the Sunday, March 13 edition of CBS’ “60 Minutes.” “My feeling is that it will probably be a PG-13, so it will be the first ‘Star Wars’ that’s a PG-13.”

Anyone frustrated by the trailer’s sluggish speed online can check out the real thing attached to prints of the CG-animated
“Robots,” currently in theaters. “Revenge of the Sith” aims for world domination beginning Thursday, May 19.

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You’re a “Star Wars” fan who can’t wait to see Hayden Christensen become Darth Vader in “Revenge of the Sith” (May 19). But wouldn’t you rather undergo that transformation? Here are the latest Vader masks—just shell out the $$, and give in to your Dark Side.
Darth Vader ‘Episode III’ Helmet, $899. From Master Replicas. It’s made of fiberglass and lined with foam, suede and leather. The Dark Side: Out in October, it’s taken from the studio mold, so it won’t fit if your head’s bigger than Hayden’s. Is that possible?

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C-3PO star Anthony Daniels not only had the opening line in the first movie in 1977 but reveals he’s landed the final line too.
C-3PO actor Anthony Daniels not only starred in all six of the Star Wars films, but he will also have the honour of saying the first and last lines of the epic sci-fi adventure.

Back in 1977, Anthony said the first ever lines in Star Wars (since retitled Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope).

As the gold protocol droid he is seen with another silver robot andR2-D2 in a space ship which is carrying Princess Leia and is under attack by Darth Vader.

C-3PO said: ‘Did you hear that?They shut down the main reactor.We’ll be destroyed for sure.This is madness.’

Now, nearly 30 years later, Anthony will utter the last words in the third prequel and final film, Stars Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, which is out on May 19.

He won’t give the lines away, but director George Lucas has made sure the three prequels – - Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith – tie in completely with the original three – A New Hope,The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.

Anthony, 59, said: ‘I have the last line of the movie and I had the first line of the first movie, so there’s a kind of neatness.

‘It’s in the same set which they had to rebuild.They had to take photographs of the original film as they didn’t have plans of the set any more.

‘We shot the third prequel in Australia, but the original movie was made in Ealing.

‘It was weird.The scenes were nearly 30 years apart and on opposite sides of the world, but as I walked through the door it was like I was back. It was a real Doctor Who time travel experience.’

Anthony has become an unofficial spokesperson for Star Wars, flying around the world to open exhibitions and promote the film.

While the other stars of the films have become superstars (Harrison Ford) or were already big-name stars, like Samuel L Jackson – Anthony can claim the distinction of being in all six films. Star Wars officials claim Kenny Baker, as R2-D2, also achieved that feat, but Anthony insists he is in fact the only one. He said: ‘It’s just me.Kenny isn’t in the last film – the robot is radio controlled by operator Don Bies.’

And although Anthony admits he’s sometimes felt his career has been overshadowed by the camp gold robot, as he turns 60 next year he has realised that being the prissy C-3PO hasn’t been such a chore after all.

He said: ‘There was a stage when I thought I should remove myself from it.

‘But then why should I? I like the character and I want to safeguard him. I get paid for it, too, so it’s no bad thing.’

Back in the Seventies, Anthony was a serious actor who had made hundreds ofTV dramas for the BBC as part of their Drama Repertory Company.He had also worked for the National Theatre of Great Britain as The Young Vic.

He was playing Guildenstern in Rosencrantz &Guildenstern Are Dead when he got the call to meet Lucas about a science fiction movie.

Anthony wasn’t a science fiction fan and the only sci-fi movie he’d seen was 2001: A Space Odyssey, which he’d hated so much he walked out and demanded his money back.

Lucas was interested in him because he was good at mime, but Anthony rejected his initial advances.

His agent strong-armed him into meeting the director, however, and after seeing a painting of two metal figures in a moonscape on the director’s wall, asked to see the script. He was so impressed that he asked to play C-3PO. Since then he’s had roles in shows like Holby City and Prime Suspect, but he’s best known for being a gold robot.

But as C-3POhe has appeared on the Muppet Show, guested on Oprah and conducted the London Symphony Orchestra at the Albert Hall.

As well as the film, he’s also promoting animated series Star Wars: Clone Wars, to be shown on digital channel Toonami.

The Emmy-award winning series links Attack of the Clones with Revenge of the Sith, and Anthony voices C-3PO.

Anthony said: ‘Clone Wars feels like a Star Wars event. And for fans it’s a must as it links Episode II to Episode III.’

THIS week Anthony is off to Los Angeles before heading for Japan. In fact every day this year will be taken up by a Star Wars-related job.

Anthony said: ‘Star Wars always has a habit of clashing with anything else. I have to go back to LA this week, but was meant to be doing a thing for the BBC.

‘It’s dreadful it you want to do other things, but I’m proud to be a spokesperson and have a great time going around the world.’

Anthony didn’t cry as he uttered the last words of the final film, but admits he was tearful watching the last moments being scored by John Williams.

He said: ‘I found it upsetting as it was the culmination of this enormous story.

‘I suppose C-3PO is heading for retirement, although I do think nearly 30 years is quite enough.’

While Anthony knows the limitations of the first two films, he claims the third, particularly the second half, is ‘amazing’ because of the confrontation that revealed why Anakin Skywalker, played by Hayden Christensen, becomes Darth Vader.

He is also full of praise for Anakin and Obi–Wan Kenobi’s (Ewan McGregor) fight scene which seals Anakin’s fate.

Anthony said: ‘Their skill was almost like ballet dancers. It’s not speeded up. It was stunning.

‘It was exhilarating to see it on set and that was before the scenery was added, by computer for the most part.

‘People will be happier with this film because it goes back to the darkness which inhabited Empire Strikes Back, the psychological questioning of one’s soul and mind. It’s very sinister.’

While there have been rumours Lucas will make a sequel to the first original films with Episode VII, dusting down Han Solo and Princess Leia, Anthony knows it won’t happen.

He said: ‘He doesn’t have to make an Episode VII because Episode III rounds off the story astoundingly well.

‘It works for me and I’m not a sci-fi fan, but I like the way it comes together.’

The film’s storyline involves Anakin being brought over to the Dark Side by Palpatine/Darth Sidious (played by another Scot, Ian McDiarmid). But for C-3PO fans, the film will also be the first time we see him head to toe in gold, although this created its own problems.

Anthony said: ‘He is 100 per cent gold and shiny, which caused huge problems as they had to take away the reflections of the camera or the odd tea lady which you could see in C-3PO’s head or chest. So they had to go through the film touching up his paintwork.’

The robot suit also caused Anthony major problems when it came to his vision – and he fell several times during filming.The most serious left him dangling from a window sill – which gave Ewan a laugh.

Anthony said: ‘In the scene I open the door then walk out of shot. I wasn’t sure when I was out of camera range and tripped on some steps as I couldn’t see, and I nearly fell out of a window.

‘There I was holding on to this window frame 20 feet in the air. I’m clinging on for dear life and couldn’t speak.Then Don,came over, slipped and did a cartwheel.

‘Ewan asked: ‘You alright Tony?’, which I thought was lovely.

‘But then in the dubbing suite I’m putting on C-3PO’s lines and the camera is on Ewan and Natalie Portman(Queen Amidala) and they hear the crash, look off camera and burst out laughing.

‘I went up to him later and said: ‘I though you cared.’ But that was Ewan, we had so many laughs.

‘The penultimate shot of the film I was with him in a space ship and we were just having a laugh all the way through, making fun of George. He’s a national treasure, Scotland should be very proud.’

# Star Wars: Clone Wars starts on Toonami from Monday. Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith is out on May 19.

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