This report comes from the Official Star Wars Site!
Answered by: John Knoll

Jedi Yug has provided a very thorough summary of the discussion with producer Rick McCallum that took place on Wednesday evening on the Star Wars forums. Rick revealed some interesting details about Episode III.

- Ian McDiarmid has a more substantial role in Episode III for obvious reasons. Rick says that Palpatine is fantastic in this film.
- All the production team required George Lucas to make a cameo in Episode III. But he doesn't want.
- Episode III have the emotional depth of Empire Strikes Back and since there are several new planets, it is one of the most ambitious film on the visual level.
- Episode III finishes on a sad note but we know that the history is not finishes. After all, Anakin is the chosen one.
- Officially, Rick cannot say if Tarkin appears in Episode III. But he doesn't say not.
- Three major combat with the lightsabers were filmed. At the time of the discussion, George films an underwater scene with Obi-Wan which fights against droids.
- Rick mentions that George constantly made changes on the scenario.
- Rick said three words pronounced by Darth Vader in film. "I'm not afraid..."
- All the wounds of Anakin will be explained in film except one (probably the scar on the face as mentioned in a Set Diary.)
- the production has two days of advances at present.
- Episode III will answer the questions which we have but it could create some new ones.
- the battle at the beginning of the film is a space battle. There will be however other battles on ground.
- Some sequences of the Anakin/Obi-Wan combat were filmed.
- Hayden Christensen finishes filming on September 19.
- We will not see Kamino in Episode III.
- Peter Mayhew will film the scenes of Chewbacca in March 2004.
- Dooku will not use 2 sabres in Episode III as in the filmed scenes of Attack of the Clones. However, there is a person who has two of them... and it is a dangerous person.
- Several Jedis will die in the movie.
- We will see the scene which explains how Anakin takes the name of Darth Vader as well as the reason for which he takes this name.
- Rick cannot say if there is a scene which is held in a volcano. It cannot reveal which is the character of the Wide Universe.
- Rick says that the Anakin/ObiWan combat is intense. In fact it is not the effects who make that the combat is intense but the treason.
- Joel Edgerton (Owen in AotC) will film his scenes for Episode III during sometime next year. Beru will be also present.
- We will see Palpatine/Sidious in an incredible demonstration of the power of the dark side.
- Rick mentions that the fans will feel sad, shocked and betrayed by the actions of Anakin.
- John Williams will begin the music of ep3 in November 2004.
- the last 10 minutes of film are really for the fans.
- a major character of Episode III is a clone  (it is not Boba Fett).
- the script contains 129 pages. 80 pages of the script were filmed.
- the rumour of the title Birth of the Empire is completely false.
- Jar Jar doesn't die in ep3.
- A the end of the film, Leia and Luke have less than one month.
- We will see again Yoda fighting on the big screen.

"Wow!! There is a lot of good stuff here, right :-D!!! May the force be with you :-)"  There sure is! Thanks a lot for the outstanding report Jedi Yug! If any of you fans have any news, be sure to send it in.

Craig Burt, one of our Featured Artist sent in his latest painting and it sure is a good one! Thanks Craig! Be sure to see the rest of Craig Burt's Paintings and also Craig Burt's Cartoons! Also, you can find other great work at the Featured Artists section.

Rick McCallum is scheduled to be online on Wednesday, August 13, at 5 p.m. US Pacific time (or 8 p.m US Eastern, or 10 am, Thursday, August 14, Sydney time). These chats are held in the Online Chats and Schedule Forum, accessible only by Hyperspace members.

This report comes from the Official Star Wars Site!
Answered by: Steve Sansweet

This report comes from the Official Star Wars Site!
Answered by: Dan Gregoire

Aragorn sent in a report that talks about how and why we might see the Mon Calamari in Episode III.

"I've been reading more of the Official Fact File, and discovered something of interest about Mon Calamari. It also explains Admiral Ackbar is with the Rebellion. Also, you mentioned that there is an unnamed Mon Cal in Episode III, and this might be why:"

"When the first Imperial ships had arrived in his system, Ackbar was already a great leader, presiding over Mon Calamari's floating Coral City. His people made their customary overtures of peace and friendship, but the Emperor saw the planet merely as a world to be exploited. Palpatine ordered an attack on three of Mon Calamari's cities, plundered its technology and enslaved most of its populace.

"Proud people, the Mon Calamari will to resist was merely strengthened by these outrages. They eventually drove the Imperials away, but not before many of the planet's leaders had been captured. One of the first to be enslaved, Ackbar went into service as a fleet officer. He was later presented to the infamous Imperial governor Grand Moff Tarkin, from whom he learned much about the workings of the Empire.

"As Tarkin's servant, Ackbar seemed co-operative and diligent, but secretly learnt all he could about his tormentors; studying their military doctrines and tactics, biding his time until he could escape and turn his knowledge against them. Ackbar's opportunity came when, on a trip accompying Tarkin to his rendezvous with the first Death Star, the governor's vessel was attacked by rebel forceas. Ackbar duly escaped, and pledging to join the Rebellion, he returned to Mon Calamari to enlist the support of his people"

"As you can see, this explains why Ackbar is in the Rebellion. It explains, too, that Mon Calamari, if indeed it is in Ep III, will be attacked by the Emperor. This, of course, entails meeting other Mon Cals."

"Just as an afterthought: Caamas, destroyed at the time of Ep III, is near Alderaan. Hmm ..."

Thanks for the great report Aragorn! This information could definitely provide some insight as to why the are Mon Calamari in   Episode III. We may not see them in this specific capacity, but maybe as part of the senate.