"Star Wars: Underworld Cancellation Due to High Costs"

I’m not going to sugarcoat it: the revelation about the cancelled series *Star Wars: Underworld* is a tough pill to swallow for fans. According to producer Rick McCallum, the ambitious project would have cost a staggering $40 million per episode. This hefty price tag ultimately led to its demise due to budget constraints.

In an insightful interview on the *Young Indy Chronicles* podcast, McCallum explained, "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 lamented that the inability to bring this project to life remains "one of the great disappointments of our lives."

With 60 "third draft" scripts already written, *Star Wars: Underworld* promised to explore the Star Wars universe in "sexy, violent, dark, challenging, complicated, and wonderful" ways. These scripts were crafted by "the most wonderful writers in the world," showcasing the potential depth and richness of the series. However, the cost to produce these episodes—60 scripts times $40 million each—would have pushed the total budget well over $1 billion, an amount even George Lucas couldn't muster in the early 2000s.

McCallum added, "[It] would’ve blown up the whole Star Wars universe and Disney would’ve definitely never offered George to buy the franchise." The series was officially cancelled once Disney acquired Lucasfilm and Lucas stepped down.

While McCallum did not disclose specific plot details during the interview, fans have speculated that *Star Wars: Underworld* would have depicted events between *Revenge of the Sith* and *A New Hope*. The producer had previously shared that the series would introduce a new cast of characters, significantly expand the Star Wars universe, and target an adult audience rather than teens and children.

*Star Wars: Underworld* was first announced at Star Wars Celebration in 2005, and test footage surfaced in 2020. Unfortunately, it appears that this ambitious project will remain just a tantalizing "what if" in the vast Star Wars saga.