George Lucas’ unmade Star Wars television series, Star Wars: Underworld, could have drastically altered the franchise’s future, according to longtime Star Wars producer Rick McCallum. Speaking on the Young Indy Chronicles podcast, McCallum revealed that the ambitious series was scrapped due to its massive cost—$40 million per episode—and suggested that its existence might have prevented Disney’s $4.05 billion acquisition of Lucasfilm in 2012.
“We had over 60 third-draft scripts written by some of the best writers in the world,” McCallum said. “These were dark, sexy, violent, and incredibly challenging scripts.” The show was set between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope, bridging the gap between the prequels and original trilogy.
While McCallum did not share plot specifics, he claimed that Underworld “would’ve blown up the whole Star Wars universe.” The project ultimately stalled because its cutting-edge vision exceeded the technology and budget available at the time.
Following Disney’s acquisition of Lucasfilm, Kathleen Kennedy took over as president and later ushered in Star Wars television projects like The Mandalorian, Andor, and Skeleton Crew. Meanwhile, Lucas has expressed mixed feelings about selling the franchise, describing the decision as “very painful” but ultimately necessary to focus on his personal life.
Although Star Wars: Underworld never came to fruition, its ambitious scope and creative vision continue to intrigue fans, leaving many to wonder what could have been.
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