George Lucas’ Scrapped ‘Star Wars’ Show Was So Massive, It Could Have Stopped Disney’s Takeover

Published 03/13/2025, 3:37 AM EDT

In a galaxy of entertainment titans, Star Wars reigns supreme, a celestial force that revolutionized cinema in 1977 and continues its cultural conquest today. George Lucas's space opera transcended its origins, weaving an expansive tapestry across prequels, sequels, and countless media incarnations. The franchise's tentacles have reached into every entertainment medium imaginable, creating an empire of storytelling that spans generations. Yet beneath this visible universe lies a shadow realm of abandoned concepts, creative ghosts that haunt the corridors of what might have been.

In the shadows of the galaxy, George Lucas dreamed big, so big that one unrealized Star Wars project might have reshaped the saga entirely, possibly even changing Disney’s role in its future.

The Star Wars series so ambitious, it could have kept disney at bay

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Star Wars: Underworld, George Lucas's daringly ambitious television brainchild, might have single-handedly prevented Disney's galactic acquisition. This shadowy series, armed with 60 completed scripts, would bridge the narrative chasm between Sith and Hope. Rick McCallum revealed these tales as dark, intricate narrative jewels, each demanding a royal ransom of $40 million to produce. Had this underground empire emerged, Disney's purchase might have evaporated like moisture on Tatooine, as the series would have transformed Star Wars into an entirely different beast.

Fate intervened when George Lucas relinquished his cosmic creation for $4.05 billion in 2012, citing advancing years and the herculean commitment another trilogy demanded. Despite initially envisioning himself guiding these new stellar journeys, personal horizons beckoned more strongly. While hoping to maintain some gravitational influence over the sequels, Disney charted its own course through the stars with Kathleen Kennedy at the helm. George Lucas later confessed the surrender was agonizing, yet acknowledged life's unpredictable hyperspace jumps.

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George Lucas’ project may have been scrapped, but just when it seems like Star Wars has reached its final frontier, a new saga emerges, bigger, bolder, and ready to redefine the galaxy. The force is far from finished.

Simon Kinberg’s Star Wars trilogy set to chart a bold new course

A new constellation forms in Disney's Star Wars universe as Simon Kinberg prepares to direct an eagerly anticipated trilogy. These celestial tales will unfold beyond the sequel era, advancing the saga's chronology into uncharted space. Though whispered corridors at Lucasfilm mark them as Episodes X-XII, public pronouncements remain cautiously vague, haunted by previous collapsed ventures. Kinberg, a veteran navigator from Star Wars: Rebels, has returned to craft these cosmic chronicles, with script development accelerating through hyperspace.

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Meanwhile, beloved space wanderers Din Djarin and his enigmatic green companion prepare to leap from streaming screens to theatrical grandeur in The Mandalorian & Grogu, targeting a May 2026 landing. This beskar-clad adventure will transport Disney+ sensations to cinema's grander canvas. Simultaneously, Deadpool maestro Shawn Levy forges a standalone narrative in post-sequel territory, potentially reuniting familiar faces from that temporal realm. Lucasfilm's creative forges burn bright, hammering multiple vessels ready to transport audiences back to that distant, magical galaxy.

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Would George Lucas’ Star Wars: Underworld have changed the galaxy forever? Let us know in the comments below.

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Shraddha

204 articles

Shraddha is a content chameleon with 3 years of experience, expertly juggling entertainment and non-entertainment writing, from scriptwriting to reporting. Having penned over 2,000 articles, she’s covered everything from Hollywood’s glitzy drama to the latest pop culture trends. With a knack for telling stories that keep readers hooked, Shraddha thrives on dissecting celebrity scandals and cultural moments.

Edited By: Aliza Siddiqui

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