"The second film will focus on Anakin as a teenager. His pals, Compu Kitty and Digital Doggy, go out in search of adventure and fun, and at first are frightened when they meet Micro Chimp, but in the end they all learn to be friends. There is a battle, and the Poppers (a new race of creatures from another star system) come along to help fight against the dark side."

A lot has changed since then.  It will still focus on Anakin's teenage years, but instead of "adventure and fun" with his pals, the emphasis will be on ROMANCE.  Specifically, his relationship with the Queen, and the film will end with their wedding ceremony, and a perilous cliff-hanger (a la EMPIRE STRIKES BACK).  The Trinkies will make a belated appearance, and will fight a losing battle, aiding the Jedi Knights, against the dreaded Mandalorians (the return of Boba Fett!!!).  Jar Jar Binks will be back, and will undergo a drastic and shocking transformation.  Expect lots more Obi-Wan, and a healthy dose of Mace Windu and Yoda.

EPISODE III 
The final film in the trilogy is where Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin have a fight, and Kenobi pushes Anakin into a volcano where he becomes Darth Vadar.  In the end, there is a final battle. No word yet on what kind of new creatures will play a role in the third film, or if the Jawas or Ewoks will make appearances.  Lucas has said that this will be the darkest of the trilogy, so we should expect lots of action and tragedy, and very little slapstick comedy.
 
 
EPISODE I 
Now that The Phantom Menace is out, we can safely check the accuracy of some of the rumors that I've reported over the past two years.  Here goes: 

FALSE  The first film will center on young Anakin's birthday, when the Trinkies present him with a Lightsaber.  (Unfortunately, this sequence was cut from the script during pre-production, although brief references to the Trinkies remained in the first draft of the shooting script.  It is believed that they will now appear in Episode Two) 

TRUE  It is also rumored that a few Other Characters will be called Watto, Jar Jar Binks, and Sweepey Naboo.  ("Sweepey Naboo" turned out to be place (Naboo) rather than a character, but this was still a very early rumor, in February of 1998) 
  
TRUE  Brief appearance by Jabba The Hut. 
  
THE TITLE 
FALSE  Although Lucasfilm has officially announced that Episode One will be called "The Phantom Menace", I'm not buying it.  Like "Blue Harvest" and "Revenge of the Jedi", this is just another in the grand tradition of red herrings.  We can reasonably expect an announcement of the REAL title during the spring of '99.  (Unfortunately, we got this one wrong, as Lucas ultimately decided to stick with the title.  However, some of their alternate choices were fascinating...) 
         
                     Some rumored titles: 

• The Phantom In Us
• Anakin's Birthday
• Hope of the Jedis
• The Balance Of The Force
• Volcano!
• The Return of Vadar
• Star Was
• Trinkies Go Home
• Anakin's Star War
• Fall Of The Jedi
• The Clone Wars
• Return Of The Phantom
• Dark Side Energy Bolts
• Birth of the Empire
• The Emporer Strikes Back
• Return of the Force
• Hope for the Future
• Droid Attack!
• Rise Of The Empire
• With A Little Luke
• Star Wars 4
• A Long Time Ago...
• Force For The Future
• Balance Of The Jedi

Although the EPISODE TWO AND THREE rumors have yet to be confirmed, I think you will find that I have acheived an accuracy rate of 60 percent on Episode One, in spite of a few very mistaken leads over the course of two years!  I hope that you will continue to return to this site over the next few years, to find out all the latest news about the continuing Star Wars saga...