Lucasfilm & Australian Actor Availability • May 2005

[Insert Username]

May 23 2005

According to themercuy.news.com.au & Australia's Sunday Herald:


Australia's Sunday Herald Sun is reporting that Matt Newton is being eyed for a role in Lucasfilm's new live-action "Star Wars" TV series that will span 100 episodes.

The newspaper says Newton was originally Lucas' second choice to play Anakin Skywalker in the three prequels, but Lucas settled on Hayden Christensen for the role.

Lucasfilm has apparently done an "availability check" on Newton for the planned spin-off TV series to be filmed in Sydney. Newton is the son of legendary Australian TV entertainer Bert "Moonface" Newton.

[Ternian]

I thought it was Jesse Spencer who was second choice...hmm.

Good find IU!

[alexander de large]

What about young han solo? Many fans want to see him. But I think he is playing a new character. Found the news on: moviehole.net. They say they checked if Matt is if free for the upcoming 100 episode "Star Wars" TV series.

100 episodes

That will be at least 2300 minutes Star Wars if not more. I hope they get good writers!

[Ayatollah Krispies]

I hope they get good writers

Lucas will probably hire every writer from the Young Indiana Jones series that hasn't actually gone on to be successful elsewhere.

[dolo]

I have no idea who matt newton is

[Insert Username]

Nobody knew Mark Hammil or Hayden Christensen before they were cast either

And my guess is that the series will focus on the formation of the Rebellion against the Empire, considering it was dropped entirely from the film. Newton might be a Jedi who survived the purge or someone else in a position to motivate people against the Emperor's tyranny? He has a bit of an Obi-Wan look about him.

[Magnus]

HE came in second to Hayden? Christ....Gurland really is pathetic.

He reminds me of Badger from the Firefly series.

[KitFisto]

73 hours and 20 minutes to be exact of Star Wars that is.

[Exmortem]

if only sheep watched it that would be decent ratings by itself.

[VT-16]

From the Q&A with Lucas in C III, it sounded like they would plan things out well in advance, even if it was on a season by season basis. Him answering the question of "Will there be TV series in the KOTOR-era", made me think that they might pursue smaller series with a clear beginning, middle and end, and simply move around in the eras.

[VRWConspirator]

It takes a lot of dedication on the part of fans to keep a show on the air. It is not like going to the movies on your schedule. Any network knows that the series will probably be a hit when it first airs, but the success of a long-running TV series requires people to schedule their lives around it.

[Exmortem]

actually vad0r has a tivo built into the suit. but he didn't use it much, he prefered the laserdisks.

[Mike_Droideka]

Is there more than one Matt Newtown?

[VT-16]

800 years? It seems the earlier report of '80 years' lacked one zero.

[face]

i think it should focus on a battle worn General Jar Jar Binks who has been mechanically altered after getting several limbs lightsabered off and passing his GED and learning proper english.

That'd be raw as hell.

[robo_obi]

Matthew Newton is the son of Australian TV legend Bert Newton, and he is dating Brooke Satchwell who played Jesse Spencer's on-screen girlfriend in the Aussie soap Neighbours.

I think that's right