Bring it on? John Harlow, writing for The Times of London, reports that the success of "Avatar" and its less-in-your-face style of 3-D is inspiring Hollywood executives to eye their archives for films of the fantastic that might be represented with a new dimension:

Hollywood is preparing to re-release some past hits, including "Star Wars" and "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, in 3-D following the record-breaking success of "Avatar."

Studio executives are drawing up schedules of popular films that will be “retro-fitted” with 3-D technology after the science fiction blockbuster, directed by James Cameron, last week became the second highest grossing movie of all time.

A 3-D version of "Avatar" has driven ticket sales to more than $1.14 billion in just three weeks; only "Titanic," Cameron’s 1997 epic, has made more money at the box office.

Rival studios had been waiting to see if Avatar took the 3-D experience — albeit using special glasses — beyond the popularity of animated tales such "Monsters vs. Aliens." Experts now predict that 3-D will become the new multiplex standard within five years. This will be as dramatic a shift as when the “talkies” killed off silent movies in the early 20th century.

It's a lengthy piece, you can read the rest here. There's not much surprising here, really, but it is intriguing to track the unfolding story of "Avatar" and its influence on the direction of Hollywood.

-- Geoff Boucher

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Photo: Keanu Reeves as Neo in "The Matrix Revolutions." Credit: Jasin Boland / Warner Bros.

The wizard of Skywalker Ranch dropped by "The Daily Show" and made short jokes about the host, explained the appeal of "The Clone Wars," and said in his early days he assumed that "Star Wars" would be a single film that would be just a passing chapter in his career. "It's not at all what I expected my life to be...I expected to turn into something great. But, you know, you take what you can get." He also said that when he's alone he, uh, likes to dress up like Jar Jar Binks.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
George Lucas
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Crisis

-- Geoff Boucher

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Do not underestimate the power of a photo op...

Today the New York Stock Exchange was the scene of a stir, thanks to a visit by the dreaded Dark Lord of the Sith -- no, no, not Bernie Madoff, we're talking about Darth Vader, the evil, black-clad wizard of the George Lucas universe. No one loves "Star Wars" more than me, but is this really the best way for Wall Street to rehabilitate its image? And how many jokes will we hear on the talk shows tonight?

There was some good news, though; I hear that the makers of asthma medicine saw their stock prices soar as the raspy villain marched out.

-- Geoff Boucher

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Almost 30 years after the release of "Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back," the trilogy that put George Lucas on the map is proving to be a cash cow for Seth MacFarlane and his "Family Guy" spoofs.

The sequel to the first "Family Guy" parody comes out on Blu-ray and DVD on Dec. 22. We caught up with MacFarlane on the red carpet of a house party he was throwing on Saturday celebrating the debut of "Family Guy: Something, Something, Something Dark Side."

The first hour-long movisode, "Blue Harvest," kicked off the show's sixth season in 2007. "The first one did so well in demand that the second just seemed like a logical thing to do," MacFarlane said.

A third based on "Return of the Jedi" will be out next year, MacFarlane said. Buzz around the Web, which cites a statement by the "Family Guy creator" earlier this year, indicates that the show may already be written and will be titled either "The Great Muppet Caper" or "We Have a Bad Feeling About This."

So, we finally get to see the buxom cartoon Lois in a gold bikini? "That's in the next one; that's in Jedi," MacFarlane said.

Don't expect MacFarlane to extend his charades into the newer entries in the "Star Wars" franchise.

"I'm not as well-versed on the newer movies as much as I am on the old ones," he said. "I was a kid when the old ones came out, so they hold a special place in my heart."

Future spoofs may venture into the other sci-fi and adventures franchises that themed MacFarlane's childhood.

"Indiana Jones, Back to the Future, Star Trek," he riffed, citing potential spoofs. "The difference is that Lucas gave us the rights. Lucas agreed to let us do this, and that's a rare thing. Most legal departments are much more overprotective."

Fox didn't immediately return comment regarding any financial terms of the agreement with Lucas.

And for those who don't know, Lucas also made "Indiana Jones." Don't be surprised to see an overweight Peter Griffin sporting a whip and iconic hat some time soon.

-- Mark Milian
twitter.com/markmilian

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UPDATE: A previous version of this post said Indiana Jones wore a green hat. We think Mark needs to adjust his TV before he watches "Tample od Doom" on DVD a again.

Photo credit: TJ Milian

I watched this video below and all I could think about was an Ewok in a red suit dancing in Agent Cooper's dream.

"I had next-door-to-zero interest" is my new fave new phrase.

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(READ PART ONE RIGHT HERE and PART TWO RIGHT HERE)

Stressed about finding the perfect gift for that special muggle, Trekkie, Twi-hard, Jedi or Bat-fan in your life? Relax and read on: You've come to the perfect place at the perfect time, because this is the 2009 Hero Complex Holiday Gift Guide — just think of us as a sort of retail Yoda guiding you through the complicated swamps of holiday shopping. "Buy or buy not. There is no browse."

"Live Long and Prosper" business card holder: I hear people say Spock is back. But did he ever really leave? "Star Trek" was the best fanboy film of 2009, and Spock was so important to the story he was played by two actors. Zachary Quinto acquitted himself nicely in the role of the half-human, half-Vulcan, and, more than that, he was smart enough to seek out the counsel and friendship of the great Leonard Nimoy. I can't wait for the sequel. If someone on your Christmas list is the same way, here's a great stocking stuffer that is both sleek and practical and priced nicely at $12.99. It's got a nice sheen and a durable clasp and, for those Trekkies who travel on business, it all adds up to a gift that is entirely logical.

Stay Puft Marshmallow Man bank: Want to save up your pennies to buy a proton pack? Well here's the perfect way. It's a vinyl, 8-inch bank that re-creates the grinning visage of the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man from "Ghostbusters." This is the 25th anniversary of the paranormal comedy classic, and one of its most memorable images is the big fella stomping through Manhattan right before he becomes the world's biggest s'more. Old Stay Puft always looked like a mash-up of the Pillsbury Dough Boy and Michelin Man, but there was something about his grin that made him unique. The banks is made by Diamond Select and costs $20. It's also available at various other spots around the Web.

Nautilus replica from eFX: If money is no object, there is no better new fanboy gift than this maritime marvel. Harper Goff's startling design for Captain Nemo's submersible warship stole the show 55 years ago when Disney released "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea," and its unforgettable profile became an prescient example of steam-punk and retro-tech. (To get a sense of how very special the design was, check out our recent guest essay from Berkeley Breathed paying homage to the sub and the film.) And now you can build an entire home office around a meticulously rendered 4-foot model that has interior views of the wheelhouse and salon, LED lights and a custom display. You can claim the Nautilus as your own for $1,799 (or, if you order before Dec. 10, there's a $100 discount). There will only be 500 made and sold. 

"Clone Wars" remote-controlled flying vehicle: This is going to be a big hit this holiday season. This is a foam-bodied flying toy tied into the Cartoon Network animated series that is essential viewing for young boys across America. There are two models, the Jedi Starfighter and the Republic Gunship, and (for little guys or big guys) it's a hoot to finally have a viable, reasonably priced flying toy that hails from the George Lucas universe that redefined the toy aisles of the world three decades ago. There's a really good in-depth review of these two airships over at Kids Tech Review that gets into some of the nagging problems (charging time is the big one), but I can tell you that, all things considered, the Force is with this holiday gift. Various merchants have it, usually for about $44.

"Battlestar Galactica: The Complete Series": Was "Battlestar Galactica" the best written sci-fi show ever? Yep. I dearly love "Star Trek," "Star Trek: The Next Generation," "The X-Files" and all the other obvious contenders for that honor, but in my opinion this series on Syfy (née Sci Fi) has no genre peer in the sophistication and ambition of its storytelling. The cast was outstanding as well, led by Mary McDonnell, Edward James Olmos, James Callis, Tricia Helfer and Katee Sackhoff, and, thanks to this era of home video, the show's audience and legacy will only grow in the years to come. Which brings us to this handsome collection, which hit stores last summer. A robust 67 hours (!) on 20 discs, it's not just a gift, it's a relationship. It even comes with a cool Cylon toy. (Just so you know, there have been some consumer complaints about the packaging, but I myself found the entire product to be a dandy with plenty of gee-whiz appeal.)  The Blu-ray version lists for $350, the DVD counterpart is $280, but there are deals to be found. The best thing I can say about "Battlestar"? If you haven't seen it yet, I envy you because of the revelatory experience that awaits you.

— Geoff Boucher

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE, PART TWO

(READ PART ONE RIGHT HERE and PART THREE RIGHT HERE)

Stressed about finding the perfect gift for that special Muggle, Trekkie, Twi-Hard, Jedi or Bat-fan in your life? Relax and read on: You've come to the perfect place at the perfect time, because this is the 2009 Hero Complex Holiday Gift Guide -- just think of us as a sort of retail Yoda guiding you through the complicated swamps of holiday shopping. "Buy or buy not. There is no browse..."

"Star Wars" Garden Jawa: Do you know someone that has a gopher problem and a fixation of the George Lucas universe? Well, of course you do -- who doesn't? Just last month, the Garden Jawa ($35) went on sale exclusively at Star Wars Shop. Not even a cranky Bantha could resist this little guy, who is close to a foot tall and comes ready for the garden -- he's got tools tucked into his bandoleer and a garden hose clutched in one gloved hand while the other flashes a thumbs-up symbol that seems to say, "Howdy-ho neighbor, may the Force be with you!" For a new product, he's sure covered a lot of famous ground already; he also seems built for the long haul since he is molded out of all-weather resin.

Tim Burton's Oyster Boy light-up Journal: There's a towering pile of super-cool items from the gifted oddballs up at Dark Horse Deluxe in Oregon, and I had a tough time deciding which to include in the gift guide. In the end I went with one of the Tim Burton partner creations, the Oyster Boy light-up journal ($15), which is such a melancholy and unexpected gift that it will bring a brief flicker of a smile to the face of that pale friend of yours who loves rainy days, black clothes, the Cure and every Burton movie featuring a cemetery or castle scene. This 128-page hardcover journal just hit shelves in May but the character first appeared in Burton's 1997 book "The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy & Other Stories" (yes, being old-school and relatively esoteric makes it even better). The cover shows Oyster Boy wearing his human mask and trick-or-treating beneath a starry sky -- and the stars light-up with sparkling lights embedded in the cover. You should check out the other Burton merch from Dark Horse, too.

"Star Trek" DVD: What's the best movie of the year? Well, we could debate that all day but I can tell you that, without a doubt, my favorite movie of the year was "Star Trek,' which brought the long-under-performing film franchise to maximum warp, perhaps for the first time ever. The DVD and Blu-ray releases live up to the film, too, and dollar-for-dollar, they may be the season's best gift for sci-fi fans. The extras on the two-disc version are strong, too; J.J. Abrams is one of the best in Hollywood when it comes to an erudite but accessible director's commentary that is neither self-aggrandizing nor snore-inducing. The gag reel is actually funny. The nine deleted scenes on the Blu-ray, meanwhile, are actually pretty intriguing and show that the film could have gone into some substantially different sections of the story. The birth of Spock, trimmed from the start of the film, is worth wacthing for sure, as are the grim sequences with Klingons -- although they do kind of remind me of Spartans from some interstellar version of "300." And, oh yes, I love that critic's blurb on the box. It's available as a single DVD ($29.99), a two-disc DVD ($39.99) and a three-disc Blu-ray set ($39.99). Available just about everywhere.

Scene It? "Twilight" for the Nintendo Wii:

OK, here's the one gift on this list that I wouldn't want for myself but, hey, a gift guide is about giving, not getting, right? "The Twilight Saga" is in a full-force in American pop culture right now and if you have a Twi-Hard on your holiday shopping list, this might be the perfect fit. Scene It? is, for the uninitiated, a very successful brand of trivia games that incorporate video clips in the game play, but this is the very first edition in the Scene it? series to be available for the Wii game platform. The Konami release just hit stores on Nov. 24 and costs $50, although there are better prices to be found out there. It is rated T for teen due to mild blood, mild violence, some suggestive themes and a drug reference, but there's nothing here that's not in the first film.

Marvel ArtWorks: The classic artwork of Jack Kirby seemed too powerful, too kinetic and too, well, cosmic, to fit on the pages of Marvel Comics in the glory days of the 1960s and now, thanks to the folks at Every Picture Tells a Story, some of the late artist's iconic images are getting the massive, archival display they deserve. Every Picture Tells a Story is a gallery in Santa Monica and they have secured a license with Marvel to turn key covers into museum-quality pieces of art. The first 10 limited-edition prints were released this year and they look amazing. New releases each year will present signature covers from different eras of Marvel's history; this first batch of canvas prints included the Hulk by Dale Keown, Iron Man by Joe Quesada and the Silver Surfer by Gabriele Dell'Otto. The cream of the crop, though, are two cover by Kirby: "Captain America' No. 100 and "Fantastic Four" No. 49. Only 70 of each were made (which is fitting -- this is the 70th anniversary of Marvel) and they are going fast -- they were also signed by Stan Lee, adding another layer of collectibility. The Kirby glycee prints are $850 each, prices for the other covers vary, but you can find them at at the gallery's website. 

CHECK BACK THIS WEEK FOR PART THREE OF THE GIFT GUIDE

-- Geoff Boucher

READ PART ONE or READ 2008 GIFT GUIDE

May the Farce be with you. ... Thanks to Oric for the link.

-- Geoff Boucher

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"STAR WARS: IN CONCERT," L.A. LIVE NOKIA THEATRE, OCT. 7-8

Anthony Daniels is one of the most famous voices of the "Star Wars" franchise thanks to his zesty portrayal of the persnickety droid C-3PO. Now the British actor is also becoming a face of the franchise as the narrator of "Star Wars: In Concert," which is touring arenas with more than 100 musicians, elaborate lighting and special effects, film props and, of course, the signature music of John Williams.

The tour just kicked off in Anaheim and this week it arrives in downtown L.A. at the Nokia Theatre. (You can find tour dates and ticket info here.) Hero Complex contributor Liesl Bradner caught up to Daniels; her interview is below. --Geoff Boucher　

LB: What would the "Star Wars" movies would be like without John Williams' music?

AD: I saw chunks of it in 1976 when I was dubbing my voice without sound. It wasn’t until George [Lucas] added a Stravinsky track that the scene came alive and suddenly you had a feeling about that particular scene. It echoed the loneliness and bleak setting of remote desert. Music is the absolute direct mouthpiece to your feelings and soul. It makes you feel something. It manipulates your feelings very quickly. I believe John Williams’ music in this case is within itself as much its own character as any of the other characters in "Star Wars."

LB: Do you play any instruments?

AD: Sadly no. But I do appreciate the music. It's so multilayered and every time I listen I notice how a new instrument struck me, like the trombone or piano.

LB: If "Star Wars" hadn't come along, what do you think you'd be doing right now?

AD: It came out of nowhere. And I didn’t want the job at first. I wanted only to be on stage, a serious actor. But some force came over me and changed my mind. Here I am 33 years later. I never, ever dreamed I’d be on stage in front of 14,000 people. All I ever wanted to do was act.

LB: Are you disappointed the franchise never went forward past the death of Darth Vader in "Return of the Jedi"?

AD: Certainly not. I was very happy with the original film ending with the destruction of the death star.

LB: What was it like to wear the suit?

AD: I got better and better at putting it on and off. I could do it in five minutes. I’m glad those days are gone. I was in it for 33 years. Now I’m thrilled to be standing on a stage in a neat dress suit made of wool and silk.

LB: How do you feel knowing that the droids are the only characters who appear in all six films?

AD: Actually, I was the only [actor] to appear in all of them. R2-D2 became fully digital in the last two films. So there was a lot of green screen in those last two. It's more fun to have someone there. The droids are prophetic characters that got pushed around.

LB: What's your favorite among the films?

AD: The first [in 1977]. Because it had a simplicity and innocence. There were interesting characters and interesting situations and locations. A very direct and intelligent story.

LB: What would you say is the best part of the concert?

AD: That's tough to say. It's made up of parts. The sum is larger that the parts. The visual impact is palpable. The lighting, the scale of it, a three-story high LED with projected images. The arena was thrilled with the first note of music. It went straight into the "Star Wars" theme. From that moment on the audience was completely excited. Mouths were wide open.

LB: Does the symphony-type setting appeal to younger audiences?

AD: Most definitely. I met some people after the show and one was this 5-year-old boy dressed as Anakin, and I asked him what his favorite part of the show was and he said, "I liked the music -- I really liked the violin."  Plus, there is the exhibit with the props and costumes which is fun for them.

LB: What do you hope people will take away from this experience?

AD: A completely new look from a different direction from something audiences know very well. Hopefully it will evoke feelings about when they first saw "Star Wars." The story of faith, destiny, redemption and sin. People can revisit the movie and the music is synced live with images. John does a wonderful, rolling score of music that evokes classical styles and complements the movies. George asked him to write in this way. I hope that people will take away all sorts of elements of music and maybe they will venture to try Beethoven or Tchaikovsky or say, "Let's go to a concert where musicians pick up wood and string and brass and make music." The concert is a master class in showmanship and music.

-- Liesl Bradner

"STAR WARS IN CONCERT" TOUR DATES AND TICKET INFO

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Photo credits: Anthony Daniels photo courtesy of the actor's official website. "Star Wars" still (showing Daniels as C-3PO with Mark Hamill and Alec Guinness) and cast photo both rom Lucasfilm.

Whatever they paid John Williams for the music he created for "Star Wars," it wasn't enough. The sound of the great space opera is as singular and powerful as its alien visions, maybe even more so in some instances. John Horn is back writing for the Hero Complex, he sent over this look at the new traveling "Star Wars: In Concert" production. -- Geoff Boucher  

With the pop culture landscape cluttered with things like "Star Wars" Lego pajamas, a Princess Leia slave costume (just in time for Halloween) and the long-ago-banished “Star Wars Holiday Special,” is it any surprise that composer John Williams was a little nervous about a laser-filled "Star Wars" concert?

Williams has won five Oscars, a boatload of Grammys and, at 77, still stands atop Hollywood's movie score food chain -- he shares a screen credit on the new "Harry Potter" blockbuster. So when the producers of “Star Wars: In Concert” approached Williams several years ago with their plans for a live show that would wed Williams' symphonic compositions with "Star Wars" footage and rock 'n' roll arena staging, he hardly leaped at the chance.

"John was very reluctant in the beginning. He was very skeptical; he didn't want to do it," says Steve Cohen, the director of "Star Wars: In Concert." "His biggest concern was the quality of the performance."

It wasn't just that Williams wanted accomplished musicians playing his often-complex orchestrations. Lucasfilm, the company controlled by "Star Wars" creator George Lucas, also needed to be assured there wouldn't be dancing stormtroopers.

"We took a no-compromises position," says Howard Roffman, the president of Lucas Licensing. "John Williams and George Lucas shared exactly the same concern -- that the music had to be presented in the right way, with a great orchestra, and with great acoustics."

Four years later, it looks as if the conditions have been met.

After a two-performance tryout in London in April, "Star Wars: The Concert" is launching its national (and future worldwide) tour in Southern California this week. After performances at Anaheim's Honda Center on Thursday and Friday, the concert will be presented Oct. 7 and 8 at downtown's Nokia Theatre.

 

The roughly two-hour show represents an unusual combination -- for many "Star Wars" fans, perhaps the first time they'll be seeing a symphony orchestra. But don't expect contemplative silence between movements. Every instrument will be amplified (a lot), and in addition to the lasers, you'll see flames and smoke -- the staging is so elaborate, it takes 12 semi trucks to transport the show from city to city.

Belgium's Dirk Brossé will conduct an 86-piece orchestra (drawn from local musicians, the Boston Pops and the Philadelphia Chamber Orchestra) and an 60-voice choir performing a "Star Wars" montage that Williams assembled and, in some cases, re-orchestrated.

As the orchestra plays and the choir sings, a giant high-definition LED screen (measuring 60 feet wide and 35 feet tall) will show clips from all six movies, the footage matched to the music. The footage unfolds in rough chronological order but also is organized around musical themes -- a little romance here, the rise of the dark side there.

For the first time, audiences will be able to see a fully digital Yoda in "Star Wars: Episode 1 -- The Phantom Menace," as Lucas recently excised the poorly executed Yoda puppet that originally was part of the film. Anthony Daniels, who lent his voice to the golden protocol droid C-3PO in all "Star Wars" movies, narrates the proceedings.

"We tried to make a show that no one's experienced before," says Gregg Perloff, who is producing the program with Another Planet’s Spencer Churchill and Steve Welkom. "We wanted to put it together with a symphony mentality but in an arena with the scope of a rock 'n' roll concert."

The concert's targeted audience consists of three constituencies: "Star Wars" enthusiasts, older rock'n' roll fans looking for a new kind of live show, and, a distant third, classical music aficionados. "If you look at the numbers, there are a lot more people today consuming 'Star Wars' than consuming classical music," Lucas' Roffman says.

While it's certain those music devotees will be in the minority, the show's organizers are hopeful that the grown men who wear Darth Maul costumes to "Star Wars" conventions might somehow be smitten by an easy-to-digest taste of an adagio, glissando and rondo. "A lot of us are fans of symphonies but have never been to the symphony," Perloff says.

Director and designer Cohen, who recently put together Elton John and Billy Joel's "Face 2 Face" touring rock show, said he wasn't sure his combination of "Star Wars" music, film and staging would work until the show had its two-day preview in London.

"A concert is a solemn event in a lot of ways, so that was a risk," he says. But the audience -- which included Lucas -- responded favorably if not a bit subdued, Cohen says. "I'm hoping and praying that a lot of the audience reaction here will be a lot more vocal," Cohen says. Williams and Lucas were unavailable to comment, but both have endorsed the show. Lucas has licensed his "Star Wars" rights to Another Planet for the concert and maintains absolute approval and a cut of the ticket sales.

Lucas' Roffman says an integral part of the concert will be eight separate displays of "Star Wars" memorabilia, including costumes, props and Williams' sheet music, complete with handwritten notations. The never-before-shown selections, which will be exhibited in glass-enclosed cases placed inside the lobbies of the venues hosting the concerts, include costumes for Jedi masters Kit Fisto and Plo Koon and weapons and armor from the inhabitants of Coruscant and Tatooine. Two dozen videos, each running about eight minutes, will explain how movie sequences were made, from rough drawing to finished film.

But for all the digital trickery and futuristic hardware on display inside and outside of the auditoriums, "Star Wars: In Concert" is ultimately about the music and exposing a new audience to classical compositions.

"It's like getting kids to eat their broccoli," Daniels says of using "Star Wars" to expose classical music neophytes to what oboes, cellos and timpani sound like. "Put a little cheese on it, and they won't notice. People who come to this will realize that music does not just come off a silver disc or out of an iPod. I want people to see the work."

-- John Horn

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Photo credits: Lucasfilm.

Check out this story from the U.K.'s The Guardian (with links added by yours truly). What's next, you won't be able to bring battle-axes to the theater to see "The Hobbit"? I'm hoping this guy gets a fancy attorney, you know, one who speaks Klingon and carries eight-sided dice in his briefcase... -- Geoff Boucher

Tesco has been accused of religious discrimination after the company ordered the founder of a Jedi religion to remove his hood or leave a branch of the supermarket in north Wales.

Daniel Jones, founder of the religion inspired by the "Star Wars" films, says he was humiliated and victimised for his beliefs following the incident at a Tesco store in Bangor.

The 23-year-old, who founded the International Church of Jediism, which has 500,000 followers worldwide, was told the hood flouted store rules.

But the grocery empire struck back, claiming that the three best known Jedi Knights in the "Star Wars" movies – Yoda, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Luke Skywalker – all appeared in public without their hoods. Jones, from Holyhead, who is known by the Jedi name Morda Hehol, said his religion dictated that he should wear the hood in public places and is considering legal action against the chain.

"It states in our Jedi doctrination that I can wear headwear. It just covers the back of my head," he said. "You have a choice of wearing headwear in your home or at work but you have to wear a cover for your head when you are in public..."

THERE'S MORE, READ THE REST

Here's the Jedi faithful getting even more grief...

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Look it's...Obi-Wan Obama?

Use the Force, Mr. President.

President Barack Obama, light sabre in hand, hosted an event on the South Lawn of the White House on Wednesday with the White House Office on Olympic, Paralympic and Youth Sport, Chicago 2016 and United States Olympic Committee (USOC) to promote Chicago's bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics. (Michael Tercha/Chicago Tribune) You can read the related story here.

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Johnny Depp is a tough act to follow, so Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman Jay Rasulo brought in the heavy artillery today to announce plans to update the Star Tours attraction at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim and Disney's Hollywood Studios in Orlando, Fla.

Rasulo deadpanned that he had some "bad news" for the Disneyphiles attending the D23 Expo -- Star Tours would close in Oct 2010. On cue, Stormtroopers marched on stage as the martial sound of John Williams' "Imperial March" played. Darth Vader appeared on the giant screen overhead, and intoned, "The Emperor is most displeased with plans to close Star Tours."

Rasulo said Star Tours would reopen on 2011 as a 3-D simulation that, among other facets of the ride, recreates the pod-racing scene from "Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace."  The audience donned 3D glasses to watch a sequence, in which the space-age vehicles veer through canyons, across the flats and speed into the arena on Tatooine.  

"If that doesn't fire you up," Rasulo said. "You're in the wrong meeting."

At a news conference after the presentation, Rasulo said there would be physical changes to the ride -- although he offered few additional details. He said "Star Wars" creator George Lucas has been involved in every aspect of the attraction and the storytelling.

"Ever since we did our original Star Tours attraction with George, the relationship with Imagineering has been very, very close," Rasulo said. "We strive for authenticity in everything we do. This is a Lucas idea, this is Lucas storytelling, interpreted by Imagineering."

The first Star Tours attraction opened at Disneyland in January 1987, and is believed to have been the first to adapt flight-simulator technologies for a theme park show. In it, visitors board a Starspeeder 3000 piloted by an android, careen through a giant frozen comet and join an intergalactic dogfight between the Rebel Alliance and the evil Empire. Yoda was not in the sequence shown, but last year Frank Oz, the voice of the diminutive green Jedi, told the Hero Complex that he had recorded new dialogue for the ride upgrade.

--Dawn C. Chmielewski

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PHOTOS: Disney / Lucasfilm

Check out this clip from the new Star Tours, Guests aboard Starspeeders join in a high-speed pod race through the desert canyons of Tatooine:

 

Wow, look at that.

Left to right, Harrison Ford (Han Solo), David Prowse (Darth Vader), Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca) and, in foreground, Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia), Kenny Baker (R2-D2) and Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker).

I chatted with Mark Hamill yesterday for a Comic-Con International preview story I'm working on and he spoke about the period you see in the photo above. "Of course none of us knew what this thing was going to become, there was no way of knowing," said the actor who became part of our pop-culture collective memory with "Star Wars" in 1977. "I never imagined that here, more than 30 years later, we'd still be talking about this movie."

Hamill will be at Comic-Con this year (I'll tell you more about his latest projects on Monday) and Friday (July 24) is Star Wars Day at the convention (details to come on that as well). May the Force be with you...

— Geoff Boucher   

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CREDITS: "Star Wars" cast photo courtesy of LucasFilm. Darth Vader in the bathroom photo by Ian Pool.
 

Tom Selleck has certainly enjoyed a lot of success in his long career but I will always feel sorry for the guy. That's because he came this close to getting the role of Indiana Jones in "Raiders of the Lost Ark." According to Hollywood lore, Selleck was Steven Spielberg's early choice to wear the fedora but, due to the star's contractual obligations, the role eventually went to some guy named Harrison Ford.

Why am I bringing this up now? Well, I came across this fun mash-up of the "Magnum P.I." opening sequence and "Star Wars" and for some reason my first thought was Selleck's watching it and rolling his eyes. "Oh, great, this guy again, copping my mojo..."    

The makers of the mash-up did some painstaking work here to match up with the original opening sequence, as you can see in the side-by-side below...

   

-- Geoff Boucher

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I'm a big fan of lists, so is Jevon Phillips, a star contributor here at Hero Complex. Here's his take on a recent tally of the women of sci-fi....or is that sigh-fi? -- G.B.

As usual, there's a lot to dispute about anyone having a top so-and-so list, but Totalscifionline.com's 25 women who shook up sci-fi isn't too startling. "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "Battlestar Galactica" and "Star Trek" are the only franchises with multiple entries on the list (and rightfully so). Sigourney Weaver's Ellen Ripley of "Alien" fame was named First Lady of Sci-Fi.

Of course, there were parameters, which the site laid out like so:

We've limited ourselves to TV and film - SF and fantasy literature probably warrants a further list all of its own - and in those instances where multiple actresses have portrayed a character, we’ve written who we believe gave the most definitive performance in brackets. No doubt there are many characters you feel we’ve left off.

Yeah, yeah -- and the site does include a more in-depth examination of each choice. There will be debate over ones who didn't make it. I really like River Tam on "Firefly" -- but it was short-lived -- and the women of "Cleopatra 2525" and Carrie-Anne Moss as Trinity in "The Matrix" and ... well, let's stop there.  And there may be some on the list who deserve to be higher. Wonder Woman and Xena, 22 and 23? Hey, I like Leeloo and Claire bear, but not over those two icons.

Again, it can be debated (Lois Lane! "Bionic Woman!") until we're all breathless, but give the site credit for taking on the task. Here's their final list. Let the comments flow.

The 25 Women Who Shook Sci-Fi:

1) Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver, "Alien" series)

2) Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer")

3) Starbuck (Katee Sackhoff, "Battlestar Galactica")

4) Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson, "The X-Files")

5) Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton, "Terminator," "T2")

6) Princess Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher, "Star Wars" series)

7) Rose Tyler (Billie Piper, "Doctor Who")

8) Sam Carter (Amanda Tapping, "Stargate SG-1")

9) Nyota Uhura (Nichelle Nichols, "Star Trek")

10) Leeloo (Milla Jovovich, "The Fifth Element")

11) Claire Bennet (Hayden Panettiere, "Heroes")

12) Storm (Halle Berry, "X-Men")

13) Pris (Daryl Hannah, "Blade Runner")

14) Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer, "Batman Returns")

15) Barbarella (Jane Fonda, "Barbarella")

16) Sarah-Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen, "The Sarah-Jane Adventures" / "Doctor Who")

17) Mikaela Banes (Megan Fox, "Transformers")

18) Susan Ivanova (Claudia Christian, "Babylon 5")

19) Number Six (Tricia Helfer, "Battlestar Galactica")

20) Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew, "Star Trek: Voyager")

21) Willow Rosenberg (Alyson Hannigan, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer")

22) Wonder Woman (Lynda Carter, "Wonder Woman")

23) Xena (Lucy Lawless, Xena: "Warrior Princess")

24) Sydney Bristow (Jennifer Garner, "Alias")

25) Marina (Stingray)

-- Jevon Phillips

Photo credits: "Aliens" - 20th Century Fox. "Star Wars" - Lucasfilm Ltd. "X-Men" - 20th Century Fox.  "Xena Warrior Princess" - Reuters.

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Toronto photographer Ian Pool has a bit of fun with the Dark Lord of the Sith, above. It's part of a stylish series of artful spoof shots by Pool, who presents pop culture heroes and villains in revealing private moments -- such as Wonder Woman trading her magic lasso for a dominatrix's leather whip and the Hulk trying to control his temper while waiting for his pet pooch to do his business in the park. You can check out the whole gallery of images right here. (You can also see the talented Pool's work beyond fanboy motifs at his base website, which is right here.)

--Geoff Boucher

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Darth Vader photograph courtesy of Ian Pool. "Return of the Jedi" image courtesy of Lucasfilm. 

  

It was 26 years ago today that "Return of the Jedi" hit theaters. Sure, there were a few regrettable moments in it, not least among them the ludicrous notion that Ewoks carrying sticks and stones could somehow defeat a deployment of armed Imperial stormtroopers. I was a 13-year-old kid in a theater in South Florida and I remember thinking, Why have the Rebels been so worried about these guys if they can't even handle a tribe of midget teddy bears?

But there were also a lot of great things about the movie. Not least among them Leia's slave-girl outfit. Actress Carrie Fisher remembers wearing it as well; to celebrate the anniversary, here's a snippet of her hysterical roasting of George Lucas from an AFI tribute a few years ago.

      

 

--Geoff Boucher

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Wanna see the authentic "Dallas" opening sequence? You can find that here. 

-- Geoff Boucher

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