Have you ever stumbled upon the tale of “Star Wars: Underworld”? It’s a narrative that doesn’t often circulate among Disney circles…

Following the completion of the prequel trilogy, George Lucas set his sights on television to usher in a new chapter of “Star Wars.” The vision was audacious and intriguing: a sprawling, high-budget, live-action series that would delve into the shadowy underbelly of Coruscant and other parts of the galaxy. A dedicated team crafted over 50 scripts for this ambitious project, yet it never progressed beyond the planning stages. The reason? In a word, finances. The concept’s grandeur was ahead of its time, and Lucas struggled to secure the necessary financial backing, nor could he devise a way to trim costs without sacrificing the cinematic essence of “Star Wars.”

Lucas first mentioned the series publicly in 2005. “These were dark,” Rick McCallum, a longtime collaborator, revealed during a 2025 episode of the Young Indy Chroniclers podcast. “They were sexy, they were violent, they were just absolutely wonderful, complex, challenging narratives — I mean, it would have redefined the Star Wars universe. Disney certainly wouldn’t have considered purchasing it from George.” McCallum noted that the project continued for five years, with HBO once showing interest in financing it.

Though “Underworld” never reached audiences, many of its concepts have gradually surfaced over the years. Characters like the beloved Saw Gerrera were originally conceived for the series, along with elements such as the Church of the Force featured in “Rogue One,” scenes in “Solo: A Star Wars Story,” and specific urban designs of Coruscant in later “Clone Wars” episodes.

“It’s something we’re very protective of at Lucasfilm because it represents a significant piece of work George accomplished before he essentially parted ways with Star Wars,” Dave Filoni shared with Vanity Fair in 2022. “We continually explore its potential because, even though it remains unproduced, the ideas within are what make it so invaluable. The concepts are authentic and true to Star Wars because they originated from George.”