Ryan's Journals
This is the dawning of a new era. I will spend my days between now and the first day tickets go on sale standing in line, waiting with quiet dignity and anticipation. The wait is almost over now. Very soon I will take a late night trip to Toys R Us to go on a spending spree, and soon after I will be able to listen to the soundtrack on my portable CD player as I sit outside the theatre. It will be an amazing May. And June, July and August. Let's face it, it's already an amazing year. As a mark of respect, I will not begin reporting any new rumors I hear about Episode Two (Balance Of The Force??) until mid-summer. It would not be fair to The Phantom Menace-- this time belongs to it, and it would be wrong to spend time worrying about the second film until we have fully absorbed the power of the first one. I will still be gathering information from my sources, but will return in July or August to continue bringing you the latest SW news about the yet-to-be-released films in the SW series... Ryan
  (NOTE: The "Ice Lollies" are Apple flavored, but the inside was filled with Cherry flavoring, a detail which gives one the impression that the Droids' insides are red. I wonder if this detail will be consistant with the film!) Boy oh boy, it's getting close it's getting close and I AM GETTING EXCITED. EXCITED. I'm sorry that I haven't been able to provide any new rumors lately, but I've gotten a few confirmations regarding some of the rumors previously reported here: The TRINKIES have been CUT from the final version of EPISODE ONE. No big surprise there, since early reports were that they were not as impressive as Lucas & Co. had hoped. No word on whether they will make their planned appearance in E2 or not. Likewise, ANAKIN'S BIRTHDAY PARTY sequence has been axed, in favor of a lengthier version of the POD RACE. It seems like a shame to lose this whimsical part of the film, but let's hope that POD RACE is a spectacular! Anyway, there are only a few weeks until the whole thing becomes a reality, and I start my three-week wait outside of my local multiplex! I can't wait! I can't wait! I CAN'T WAIT! I LOVE STAR WARS!!!!
"It's a big big time at Skywalker Ranch. Seems that the title is set in stone now, but it has been a long and winding road. Up until late December, "PHANTOM MENACE" was going to be a dummy title, and Lucas had every intention of changing it in the spring. HOWEVER-- no one had counted on the title taking off like it did, and by the end of '98, the media was full of references to 'PHANTOM MENACE.' Lucas began to grow fond of the title, and in the end it was down to him. A note to collectors: any internal documents or mock-ups with the 'Balance Of The Force' title are bound to become prime collectibles, as Lucasfilm has ordered most of them to be destroyed! Keep your eyes peeled at eBay.com!!! Quadro99
I'm sorry that I haven't been able to update the
site for a while, but I've been working double shifts at work to earn some
extra money for the coming months. I plan to see Star Wars at least
once every day that it is in general release, and I would like to see it
in as many cities as possible. It's an expensive proposition, so
I'm planning to quit my job for a few months to devote myself to experiencing
the new film. Unfortunately, I will not be able to leave until early
May, when I will immediately go down to the local Multiplex to begin waiting
in line for THE PHANTOM MENACE!!! 1999 is the best year EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BALANCE OF THE FORCE!!!! Well, I hate to say I told you so, but... Did anyone really think that PHANTOM MENACE was going to be the real title? I mean, just think about it-- A NEW HOPE, THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, RETURN OF THE JEDI...... THE PHANTOM MENACE????? It just doesn't seem to fit. I've heard all the rationalizations about it being reminiscent of old Saturday Morning serials and Flash Gordan, but come on!!! It's the kind of title that might work for Episode Two, but the first installment needs a title with a little more dignity. Even something simple like "The Beginning" would be weightier than THE PHANTOM MENACE. I think that they've made a wise choice to go
with BALANCE
OF THE FORCE, personally.
It's the first time that "The Force" is mentioned in a STAR WARS title,
and it's certainly a relevant theme, given what Mace Windu says in the
trailer. It also refers to Anakin Skywalker indirectly (He is the
one who might bring 'balance to the force'), the same way that Episode
Four refers to young Luke.
Jedi
Ryan
 It
was a very merry Christmas this year, and I managed to create a whole army
of Battle Droids that is now proudly displayed in my front room!
Along with the traditional viewing of "The Star Wars Holiday Special" (good
fun, and an amazing cartoon), I spent Christmas day viewing the entire
trilogy. This year, I watched the Special Editions first, and then
the THX remastered "Original" editions. I have to say upfront that
I am not one of these people who disses the Special Editions--they're great--but
there is a certain purity to the original versions that can never be replaced.
I spent New Year's Eve with Quadro (our first
face-to-face meeting!), and we talked about TMAFIH until the wee hours
of the morning. What a great way to ring in the new year!!
Some previously unreported news:
We also talked about other Star Wars-related topics, and it was nice to finally meet one of my most trusted sources. This is going to be the biggest year for Star Wars ever!!! DECEMBER 18, 1998:
And all through the block Not a creature was stirring Not even an Ewok Our light sabers were hung
The Trinkies were nestled snug on the ocean floor
While out on the lawn there arose such a clatter
With a short bearded man, so calm and astute,
I watched it and watched it and watched it again
So I begged of St. Lucas, "Show me the whole film!"
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
"May The Force Be With You this Christmas
to all, and to all a good-night!"
DECEMBER 10,
1998:
On another topic, I've been receiving a lot of doubting e-mails regarding the Trinkies, Digital Doggy, and other top secret characters mentioned on the Rumors page. Some of them have been merely skeptical, others have been downright rude. Wait and see, once these movies come out, you'll be getting to know these characters as part of the legitimate Star Wars Universe! On a personal note, I've started playing "Christmas In The Stars" now that we are well into the holiday season-- has there ever been a better Christmas album? I don't think so. DECEMBER 1,
1998:
Face it, it's true--no other film in the brief
history of Cinema has been so eagerly anticipated for so long by
so many people all over the world. So there you have it-- Episode
One: TMAFIH!
Lucas is already hard at work on E2, and he's especially keen to let people know that Boba Fett will be in it. What he's not telling is that the Trinkies will be mysteriously absent from most of the film, hiding from the Empire until they re-appear in E3! I received a report from 'Sithlord' regarding JAR JAR BINKS, but it is a really big SPOILER, so highlight it if you want to read it: JAR JAR BINKS
meets an untimely end in E2. No details as to how he dies,
but it is a significant development in the plot, and in Anakin's ultimate
shift to the Dark Side...
NOVEMBER 22,
1998:
Some thoughts: we saw Jar Jar Binks and Darth Maul and even a younger Yoda, but as I predicted-- NO TRINKIES! Last time I heard from "Quadro" he said Lucas wasn't going to publicly admit they existed until next spring, and maybe not until the day of release! He has also shown me a more recent production still of a TRINKIE, but he first made me swear that I not post it, so I don't even have a copy of it. Rest assured, the TRINKIES are going to be major characters in the prequels! It was so amazing to see some new STAR WARS after all these years! It was so thrilling! I've had a really annoying year, personally, with a lot of stupid problems cropping up, but seeing this trailer has made it all worthwhile! I was so excited after seeing it the first time that I couldn't stop talking about it, even though THE WATERBOY had already started. I didn't care! I've waited for over a decade for this, and Adam Sandler releases like three films a year! I wanted to talk about STAR WARS!!! I advise anyone with a pulse to go to the movies
this weekend to see the STAR WARS TRAILER!!! YEAHHH!!!!!!
NOVEMBER 11, 1998
Quadro
98
Quadro '98
  
Ryan
Hey Ryan, Everyone's got the wrong end of the stick on the "Focus" controversy--that's not why Lucas is re-shooting some of the scenes. It seems that a few of the actors had been making up some of their own diologue, and changing a lot of Lucas's lines without telling him. Why this was not discovered until they screened a rough cut for the studio is not known, but it is bad enough that simply re-dubbing the diologue won't be enough-- they're re-filming a half-dozen scenes. Hopefully this time they'll stick to the script! RED
LEADER 3
ALSO: Since the trailer for Episode One: Hope For The Future wasn't attached to The X-Files Movie as previously rumored, all attention is focused on which big Fox movie will be lucky enough to have the inevitable first preview. My money is on Also, I've been getting some pretty terrible e-mails from so-called "fans", each of whom took me to task for a few of the inaccuracies listed on some of the Rumors pages. Oh well-- you can't please everyone! MAY 24, 1998: That's right, I've managed to obtain a still from the current phase of production of Episode One, and it's surprising-- A picture of one of THE TRINKIESTM!!! (SPOILER ALERT: If you want to be surprised by what THE TRINKIESTM look like, hold off!! I've heard that Lucasfilm are planning on keeping these little guys a big secret even up to opening day.)MAY
22, 1998: There is going to be
a trailer for Episode One:
Hope For The Future attached to
The X-Files Movie
this summer! I hear that we'll see some shots from the actual film, and
even a shot of Coruscant
that's all CGI, but it's even money that Lucas will be keeping THE
TRINKIESTM
and JAR JAR
BINKSTM
under wraps for the time being...
MAY 7, 1998: It is a quiet time to be a SW fan. Now that Lucas & Co. are focused on the editing and special effects work, the real magic will begin, and we can also expect that it will be awhile before the really meaty rumors start to leak out. Speaking to Quadro on the phone the other night, he said that security is even tighter now than during the initial filming stages, because now is when everything starts to really take shape. Here is what we have heard from this phase of the production:
MAY 6, 1998: This is the latest from Quadro, who is looking over a collection of pre-production sketches of Yoda: "YODA
is much more athletic-looking in these drawings, his sinewy muscles and
strong legs create a much more imposing figure than he did in EMPIRE and
JEDI. These are only preliminary sketches, so we can expect it is still
a work-in-progress, but I'd bet even money that the verdict on the "new"
Yoda will be unanimous: SEXY!!!"
APRIL 30, 1998: Boy, it sure is great to have access to all this great STAR WARS info! Thanks to everybody who keeps sending me news (even the couple of real pranksters who send me joke news-- you guys really keep me on my toes!!) I suppose the big thing that's on everyone's mind is actually about Episode Two: WHO will play Anakin after Jake Lloyd? One hot tip I received was that it would be Christian Bale, but I've also heard that it might be Gary Oldman or John Malkovich. Personally, my preference would be for Oldman, he's British and really intense. I think he would make the Dark Side really scary. APRIL 28, 1998: Back from a great 2 week vacation which included a trip to the borders of Lucas's Skywalker Ranch in California!!! Granted, I wasn't able to get onto the actual property so I didn't really get near anything, but maybe once Lucasfilm gives me some sort of "press pass", I can have a tour (I've been writing letters, but no response yet-- they're probably waiting for the big publicity drive in '99). I picked up all of the STAR WARS BUDDIES plush dolls that are out in stores now, and got a few doubles for the wife and kids. (My kids loved them, but my wife just rolled her eyes when I gave her the Max Rebo doll, so I took it back from her and told her she could have it when she apologized to me). I've got TONS
of e-mails from some sources to wade through now that I'm back, so there
will be more STAR WARS NEWS in the days and weeks to come!!!
APRIL 9, 1998: I received another pack of info from Quadro, and he has a fairly reliable source at Leavesden Studios who let slip that Episode One will have a sequence which explains the origin of the Dark Side Energy Bolts (those are the blue sparks that the Emporer shoots at Luke in Jedi). We were both really excited, because that is one of the mysteries that Quadro and I have argued about for years--where do those bolts come from, and why is the Emporer the only one who has them? The Leavesden worker was apparently really nervous that he had let that detail slip out accidentally, he was afraid he'd get in trouble, maybe even lose his job, so we can assume it was a pretty important detail! Way to go, Quadro!!! The other info is, sad to say, just too hot to handle--I almost wish I didn't know it myself. But there is apparently a possibility that the Volcano sequence in Episode Three is being rethought. This is nothing definite, but those of us who for years have imagined Darth Vadar being "created" by his fall into the Volcano, the notion that this might not actually happen in the films is close to devastating. Don't mess with the mythology, please!!! The Volcano scene has just got to be in the film! Please!!! That's all
I have to say for now, I'm going away on Wednesday to a Comic Book convention,
and then to visit a few friends of mine, so there won't be as many updates
for a little while. Come back in late April and I should have Loads
of news by then!!! May the Force Be With You!!!
MARCH 30, 1998: Well, we're almost into April, and you know what that means: Only 13 months till Episode One!!! That's right, May of 1998 is when we can all start counting down from a year, and I for one am going to be throwing a party in celebration of the one-year countdown! Me and a few longtime SW friends are going to get together for a barbeque (minus the wife and kids this time), and watch some rare Star Wars vids (the Xmas special, maybe Battle For Endor) and maybe even share a bit of our own Star Wars fiction. (My friend Les has written a few Han Solo adventures that knock the socks off the "official" paperback series!) As for new Star Wars rumors, I have a report that the characters of Watto and Jar Jar Binks are two to look out for in the new films. Talked on the phone to "Quadro" last night (he actually gave me a lot of info that I'm reluctant to post just yet-- I like Star Wars news as much as the next guy, but I don't want to spoil the films' surprise before they hit the theaters!), and he says that these two are destined to become real fan favorites (or "favourites", as he would say--he's English!!) MARCH 24, 1998: I just received an update from "Quadro", one of my top sources in the UK, who says that he's seen some rough footage (pre-special effects) from Episode One, and that it has a lot of physical comedy! Here's his full report: In many ways, I felt like I was watching "American Graffitti" or "The Radioland Murders" rather than a Star Wars movie! I know that I'm only judging on the basis of a few minutes of film, a lot of it featuring stand-ins, but there seemed to be an awful lot of falling down and playing tricks on people. The scene that I saw clips from was from Anakin's birthday party, there was some sort of short creature that was trying to steal Anakin's new lightsaber while he's not looking, and the little guy gets a shock. Seems like a minor moment to me, a bit of comedy, as the (Trinkie? they didn't say, but I think he was one) gets a shock and flails around in dizziness. You can't be sure, because I know that Lucas is doing a lot of things to throw us off, and new dialogue will most certainly be dubbed in later, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if the Trinkies turned out to be the Ewoks of the new trilogy. I have a theory that Lucas is going to start out light with this first film, and get progressively darker. I should be getting some more clips from my inside connection in the next few weeks. "Quadro
98"
MARCH 16, 1998: No news today, but I thought I'd share this with you: This morning, at breakfast, I'm talking to my kid, Luke, and I'm telling him about how originally, the Ewok battle was supposed to be part of the FIRST Star Wars movie, but instead of Ewoks, it was on the Wookie Home Planet. And my wife, who was going out the door on her way to work, says: "Not too much Star Trek, Ryan, he'll be late for school." Well, I don't have to tell you that rubbed me the wrong way. So, I run out the door after her, and I'm all, "It's Star WARS, Amy! WARS! My god, I don't even LIKE Star TREK!" [This isn't entirely true, but she just made me so mad I had to hurt her as much as she'd hurt me. -ryan.] So--what does she do, does she APOLOGIZE? Like, "Sorry, Ryan, I know this is really, really important to you" or "I didn't mean to sound so dismissive"--NO! She just keeps going on about how "Jason's going to be late for school, it's already 8:15, Jason's gonna be late for school!" Talk about SELFISH! Anyway, guess who's in the doghouse now, big surprise... The point of all this is, it's just fascinating to me how much a person can change over the years. I remember when Amy and I saw Empire on our third date, and I remember how she said about how she really thought it was a lot of fun. Now I can't even get her to watch the Special Editions with me on Home Video. It makes me sad to think how self-centered she's become... MARCH 12, 1998: Filming has continued at Leavesden Studios, England! All right! Is anyone else getting excited? MARCH 11, 1998: I have now heard that the rumored-Underwater Battle in Episode One is at the Trinkies headquarters. So we can reasonably assume that the Trinkies are underwater creatures, maybe fish-like or something. This contradicts some of the information I've gotten up to now, but it's possible that they are also land creatures, because Anakin's Birthday Party is definitely land-based. MARCH 9, 1998: It is Rumored that C-3PO will drive his own specially designed automobile in Episode One, and will see his first meeting with R2-D2, when R2 accidentally causes 3PO to collide with a Bantha! (I have a picture of this, but it is just too good, I am going to save this secret for when it hits the big screen-- you WON'T be disappointed, I promise!) MARCH 6, 1998: Sorry, I've been on vacation with my family, visiting the Grand Canyon with my wife and two kids. (Last year, we went to Norway to visit the actual sites where they filmed the Hoth scenes in Empire, so this year, the wife said "No Star Wars!" and she meant it. I'm hoping to go back to Tunisia next year, but I'm expecting some resistence. This is going to be a real sore point in our marriage, I'm afraid, but it will be 1999, the year of Episode One's release, so there will be NO COMPROMISE on this issue, let me tell you! I've got quite a bit of news piling up here, the main one being that there is a Rumor that a certain big red dog will be making an appearance in Episode One or Two. I'm not going to say anymore than that, since I don't want to give everything away, but let's just say that I know a few Scholastics Book Club members who are going to be VERY happy.... Oh, and I've got an update on the my Script Leaks Page. I have it on good authority that this is the genuine article. Enjoy! FEB. 23, 1998: Sorry, the script I received on Friday turned out to be another fraud. I will not be reprinting any of it on this site, because I know the guy who wrote it, and I don't want to encourage him (PLEASE, PLEASE, no more fake scripts!! These things take time to read!) FEB. 20, 1998: A copy of the new Star Wars script has reached my desk, but I think it may not be a real one (a few technical errors, some misspellings, etc. lead me to think this one is yet another fraud). I'll check it out fully over the weekend and see if there's anything to indicate that it's the real thing... FEB. 16, 1998: Unconfirmed sources have indicated that some of the script and production sketch leaks that we've been receiving are fraudulent. On a more positive note, we have learned that there may be a scene in the first film where we learn the origin of Obi-Wan Kenobi's brown robe (HINT: it has something to do with the Trinkies!) FEB. 11, 1998: A tiny portion of an alleged early draft of Episode One has been leaked. We are skeptical about its authenticity, but read it for yourself and see what you think. FEB. 10, 1998: A possible production sketch from the new films has been leaked. We cannot verify its authenticity, but click here to see it. FEB 9, 1998: there is a RUMOR that the new films will have lots of new songs, and that each song will have its own special dance for fans to learn. FEB 6, 1998: it is rumored that in the first film, there will be an underwater battle in which the Trinkies will play a major role. some people have reportedly seen design sketches of the Trinkies and their home world, we don't know whether this is true or not, but we will keep searching for the truth on this one! FEB 3, 1998: The name of the new creatures in the first film is not the Twinkies (as some have reported) but the Trinkies, according to anonymous sources. Twinkies are a snack food made by Hostess Foods. FEB 1, 1998: The rumors that the R2D2 will talk in the new films turned out to be unfounded. Sorry about that. |
RUMORS
PHOTOS
SCRIPTS