THE CLONE WARS: ENEMY BLITZKRIEG!

With no break from combat, Clone Captain Rex and his surviving comrades within the Teth Monastery come under devastating attack from newly arrived Separatist forces answering a call from the Sith assassin Asajj Ventress, in an explosive moment from the 2008 The Clone Wars Animated Movie, celebrating its 15th Anniversary longevity in 2023.

EPISODE IX: COMPLETING LEIA'S TRAINING...

Brother and sister Skywalkers match unique fighting moves and cement their powers in the Force, as Leia Organa soon goes on to make a life-changing decision linked to her Jedi destiny, in a terrific and moving flashback moment from The Rise of Skywalker.

Luke And Leia's Lightsaber Fight Flashback In Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker Got Trimmed

'SOLO': DOWN IN THE MUD!

 

It's the beginning of a beautiful friendship, but just not in the way you expected, as a mud covered showdown is created between the young Han Solo and the angry Chewbacca so as to escape their confinement on Mimban, in another memorable scene from Solo: A Star Wars Story.

EPISODE VIII: THE LUKE SKYWALKER LEGACY!

Another great piece of art to enjoy from the ever-popular Joe Corroney, and this time an epic showcase of the eternal icon Luke Skywalker, as played by Mark Hamill, as seen across the entire movie cycle of the Original and Sequel Trilogies up to The Last Jedi.

ROGUE ONE: TARGET: JEDHA!

Within the overview bridge of the Death Star space station, its key officers prepare to unleash deadly firepower against the planet Jedha's singular ancient city, in a test of destruction that would be a highlight sequence from Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

EPISODE VII: TIME FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER...

New characters who'd swiftly capture the hearts and imaginations of old and new Star Wars fans with their debut in 2015, the ever-popular Joe Corroney captures Rey, Finn, Poe Dameron, BB-8 and Kylo Ren's saga 'essences' in this great artwork linked to the excellent first teaser trailer to The Force Awakens.

'JEDI' AT 40: DELIVERING MASTER LUKE'S MESSAGE!

As an impatient Jabba the Hutt and his monstrous entourage looks towards them, Threepio has Artoo play the special message to the crime lord from Luke Skywalker - Jedi Knight and friend to Captain Solo. Jabba is surprised to see a Jedi Knight, but is ultimately not impressed with him, refusing to give up his favourite wall decoration in Solo's carbonite form. On a more shocking note, Threepio discovers that Master Luke has given him and Artoo away to Jabba as an offered gift of service!

Luke's hologram message was filmed at then end of shooting at Elstree Studios. For some reason, the footage was shown in flipped form-note Mark Hamill's reversed hair style.

Conceptual art by Joe Johnston for Luke's hologram message scene at Jabba's Palace.

The sequence as captured in the film's Marvel Comics adaptation - art by Al Williamson and Carlos Garzon.

A busy time between scenes on the palace throne room set at Elstree.

On a packed set full of technicians and industry related visitors, the message scene is filmed with multiple cameras - January, 1982.

Alec Mills handles the cinematography as several stills photographers take images from floor level.

'JEDI' AT 40: THE DROIDS MEET JABBA!

Now before the great Jabba the Hutt himself, our droid heroes present themselves within a throne room menagerie of grossly diverse and ruthless alien life forms, from bounty hunters to slavers and drug smugglers, all congregated in debauched celebration towards the great crime boss himself.

Ralph McQuarrie thumbnail art of the droids meeting Jabba.

Threepio bows to the almighty Jabba the Hutt!

Threepio confers with Oola (Femi Taylor) in either a posed publicity image or potential deleted scene moment?

Artoo prepares to send the message to Jabba.

Toby Lofthouse and John Birkinshaw make adjustments to Threepio on set.

'JEDI' AT 40: BRINGING JABBA'S PALACE TO (SCUM AND VILLAINOUS) LIFE!

An intriguing angle of one side of the palace throne room looking toward the alcove area holding Han Solo in Carbonite.

Because it is filled with puppets that need to be operated from underneath, Jabba’s Throne Room den of vice and villainy constructed at London's Elstree Studios Stage 8 is ultimately built about eight feet off the floor, a situation which actually works well within the reality of the film, since the Hutt's throne slides back to reveal a trap door to a pit containing his pet Rancor beast (for the scene, shot on February 1st, 1982, where Luke descends into it, Mark Hamill will wear a safety harness as he falls onto mattresses underneath the set). Theoretically, the puppeteers are standing/working in Jabba’s pit during filming (not to be confused with the separate Rancor pit cavern set eventually built separately on Stage 1, from March 1982), with the additional space giving them adequate room to work. 

Blueprint for the set build from 1981.

Set maquettes featuring Jabba and Threepio.

Differing views of the throne room set construction.

The barbecue area behind Jabba.

A selection of food set decoration for Jabba in this continuity polaroid.

A droid working on one of Jabba's futuristic slot machines in the throne room.

EPISODE III: DROID TRI-FIGHTER COMBAT!

The epic war between Republic and Separatists continues in spectacular and explosive fashion, culminating with the epic and near-decisive Battle of Coruscant, which sees the greatest array of hero and enemy combatants at conflict in the once peaceful world's skies and planetary atmosphere. How many Republic pilots will be taken out by those lethal and advanced droid Tri-Fighters, ominously seen here in this great digital image composite for EPISODE III?

'ATTACK' AT 20: ANAKIN'S FATEFUL TRIAL BY COMBAT!

Dooku critically injures Anakin, severing his right arm in a shocking moment that also echoes Luke Skywalker's later limb loss against Darth Vader in The Empire Strikes Back.

Speedily blocking Count Dooku's attempt to kill Obi-Wan, Anakin shows his skills anew as a lightsaber duelist against such a formidable enemy. Sadly, Dooku proves too strong and critically injures the young hero. The scenario for our two now disabled and weakened heroes looks grim, but help of the most intriguing and diminutive kind is on the way...

Back in the duel, Anakin blocks Dooku's death blow to the injured Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Anakin makes a brief attack on Dooku with his and Obi-Wan's lightsabers.

Posed reference/publicity image of Hayden Christensen with two lightsabers.

Though down to just his own saber, Anakin fights on in the now darkened hangar but is soon defeated by his strong adversary.

Dooku Force sends the badly injured Anakin over towards the also fallen Obi-Wan.

'ATTACK' AT 20: IMPULSIVE DUELLING!

"You're gonna pay for all the Jedi you've killed today, Dooku!" - Anakin Skywalker

Anakin and Obi-Wan race to the hangar bay and discover Count Dooku making his final preparations to leave Geonosis. Though they should have taken on the formidable dark side enemy together, Anakin recklessly decides to take Dooku on himself and is soon taken out of combat temporarily by an immense bolt of Force lightning dispatched by his opponent. Though Obi-Wan proves an adept duellist, even he can't defeat Dooku at this time or reach stalemate, the former Jedi's combat experience and power soon leaving him seriously injured and facing imminent death from his enemy's blade...

The classy but deadly lightsaber of Count Dooku. Image: StarWars.com

Filmed towards the end of the original principal photography run of EPISODE II at the FOX Studios, Australia - late August, 2000, Christopher Lee would do as many shots possible of the duel without too much potentially painful movement, as well as close-ups where he was actively able to use his hands with the unique lightsaber blade specially created for the character. 

With height and build similar to Christopher Lee, expert duellist Kyle Rowling would play Dooku for the intense parts of the duel that were once more choreographed by Nick Gillard and rehearsed over an eight week period (notably alongside Hayden Christensen). Rowling would often have his head CGI replaced with a digital double of Christopher Lee during the film's ILM post production phase.

A superb wide shot of the hangar pre-duel.

“I can recall reading the script and saying to George, "If I play Anakin as on the page - the whiny teenage quality - there's going to be a backlash.'' And there was. But I thought the critics got it wrong. Sometimes they were blasting me for Anakin's flaws. Sometimes I had to remind myself that George must have seen something in me.” 

Hayden Christensen - unknown internet interview quote - 2005

Rushing in alone, Anakin is soon taken out for a time by a burst of Force lightning from Dooku.

Dooku attacks Obi-Wan with another Force bolt but the Jedi deflects it with his saber.

With Anakin incapacitated, Obi-Wan fights Dooku alone, but the Sith's lightsaber skills soon prove too experienced.

"The (lightsaber) fighting in EPISODE II was unsatisfactory, I think. I don't think the fight (Obi-Wan and Anakin versus Dooku) was nearly as good as it should have been and I certainly didn't have as big a crack of the whip as the first one." 

Ewan McGregor - FemaleFirst.Com internet interview - 2005

Obi-Wan continues to fight Dooku.

Behind the scenes duelling shot of Kyle Rowling fighting Ewan McGregor.

Sure enough, Dooku delivers two fast lightsaber cuts that sends the injured and saber-less Kenobi to the floor. Dooku swiftly prepares to cut him in half.

The Geonosis tower secret hangar interior set at the FOX Studios, Australia. 2000.

Geonosis Cut Scenes - The Lightsaber Duel