In the latest episode of Whatever Happened To?, we look at one of the biggest casualties of Disney’s Lucasfilm acquisition, the animated comedy series Star Wars Detours…
In 2009, Star Wars creator George Lucas announced to fans that a new animated series was in development – one that would take the franchise in a completely new direction… had it ever seen the light of day.
Created by Seth Green and Matthew Senreich of Robot Chicken, Star Wars Detours was an animated comedy sketch show set between the events of Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, and featuring the likes of Anthony Daniels as C-3PO, Billy Dee Williams as Lando Calrissian and Ahmed Best as Jar Jar Binks, as well as Green as Obi-Wan Kenobi and Family Guy’s Seth MacFarlane as The Emperor.
Just as it had done with Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Lucasfilm decided to produce Star Wars Detours in house before shopping the series to interested outlets, and the show was unveiled at Star Wars Celebration VI in 2012 with a near-four minute trailer and an official synopsis which read:
Star Wars Detours is an animated comedy that explores what daily life is like in a galaxy far, far away. There are no Empires striking back or attacking clones here. Instead, Star Wars Detours focuses on the universe’s regular folks and their everyday problems… which, to be fair, do frequently involve famous bounty hunters, crazed Ewoks, and even a Dark Lord of the Sith. Welcome to Star Wars: Detours: the other side of the stars, between the wars.
Unfortunately for Star Wars Detours, just a few short months later The Walt Disney Company stumped up $4 billion to acquire Lucasfilm from George Lucas, bringing the Star Wars saga under the control of the House of Mouse. As such, it was soon out with the EU and in with the new, as Disney decided to abandon George Lucas’ plans for the Sequel Trilogy, axe Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and “postpone” (read: “shelve”) Detours with a full two seasons of episodes already complete.
For the full story on Star Wars Detours, check out the latest episode of Whatever Happened To? in the video below, as EJ breaks down this fascinating curiosity which remains – at present – George Lucas’ final contribution to the saga he launched back in 1977…
What are your thoughts on Star Wars Detours? Are you disappointed that we never got to see the series, or did we likely dodge a blaster bolt? Be sure to let us know in the video comments or on our social channels @FlickeringMyth, and click either of the images below for previous episodes of Whatever Happened To?…
Originally published February 5, 2021. Updated May 24, 2022.
