Cancelled Series Star Wars: Underworld Was So Expensive, It Would've 'Blown Up' the Star Wars Universe

Rick McCallum, producer of the Star Wars prequels, recently revealed the staggering cost behind the cancelled Star Wars: Underworld series: a jaw-dropping $40 million per episode. This exorbitant budget, driven by the ambitious scale of each episode surpassing that of the films themselves, ultimately sealed its fate. "The problem was that each episode was bigger than the films," McCallum explained on the Young Indy Chronicles podcast. "So the lowest I could get it down to with the tech that existed then was $40 million an episode." He described the project's cancellation as "one of the great disappointments of our lives."

With sixty "third draft" scripts completed, showcasing a "sexy, violent, dark, challenging, complicated, and wonderful" Star Wars universe penned by top-tier writers, the budget proved insurmountable. Even at the early 2000s, the potential cost of $2.4 billion (60 scripts x $40 million/episode) was a monumental sum, even for George Lucas. McCallum noted that the series' scope would have fundamentally reshaped the Star Wars universe, potentially influencing Disney's later acquisition of the franchise. Disney's subsequent acquisition of Lucasfilm and Lucas' departure effectively ended any chance of revival.

While McCallum remained tight-lipped on specific plot details, fan speculation centers on bridging the gap between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope. Previous statements indicated an entirely new cast, a significant expansion of the Star Wars universe, and a target audience of adults, a departure from the franchise's typical younger demographic.

First unveiled at Star Wars Celebration in 2005, and with test footage surfacing in 2020, Star Wars: Underworld remains a tantalizing "what if?" scenario. The sheer cost, however, suggests it's unlikely to ever see the light of day.