I’m not a huge Star Wars fan, but I greatly appreciate these movies. Besides the whole Jar Jar Binks (sp?) spoof, they have been awesome. But I have heard some disturbing rumors about Episode 2 that I hope to either confirm or put to rest. Is it true that 1) NSync was slated to make a cameo appearance but was scratched due to protests 2) Lucas’ children will be in the film? This second film looks awesome and I’m hoping these things aren’t true. Any Star Wars geeks care to enlighten me?
Yeah, Lucas was going to put NSUCK in Ep. 2, but so many SW fans complained that he cut the few seconds of film out. As for his kids being in it, I have no idea.
The former is, indeed, not a rumor (and it’s not even confirmed that the scenes with N’Sync have been cut, last I heard). Even if they weren’t, they were only in for a few seconds (and got killed) like any other extra.
As for his kids being in it… unsubstantiated rumor, as far as I’m concerned.
Rumor has it that Lucas’ daughter was in Ep. 1. She is Gardulla the Hutts bodyguard at the pod race scene.
I know for sure that one of slave children in Episode I was Lucas’s daughter. Watch closely during the working-on-the-racer scene. See the girl with the braces on her teeth? That’s his. As I recall, it’s mentioned in the DVD commentary track.
Episode II, thankfully, will not be called The N*Sync Menace, as fan reaction got them cut about 20 minutes after the announcement.
-Brianjedi
What’s wrong with having his kids as extras?
Nothin’, Guin. Nor is there anything wrong with putting N’Sync into Episode II (hey, Lucas put a bunch of other celebs in Episode I… in the podrace scene, you can spot Warwick Davis - from Willow - in the audience). I guess some people think that Lucas can’t have a bit of fun while making the prequels.
Those boys must have been in the scene where all the Jedi are in something like a stadium, backs together and rapidly losing.
They were going to be in the background, kind of like ET in the Episode 1.
Ah, but Warwick Davis was in ROTJ, as well. He was Wicket, an Ewok.
Besides, I don’t think he’s nearly as famous (or sucky) as N*SYNC.
The fans whined when N-Sync was in it, just like the whined during the Leo rumors.
WHY were they upset? What was the big deal? Does Hayden Christensen look any less like a boy-band member than the others?
Sometimes I feel sorry for Lucas-if he makes up his mind to go with a plot, and the fans don’t like it, they whine and moan and say it will suck.
THEN, when hears rumors and such about what the fans like, and he adds that, they say he’s pandering to the crowd.
Can’t we just let the guy make the damn movies and enjoy them for what they are-fun, escapist movies? The original Star Wars was very much influenced by a lot of old B movies. They’re supposed to be hoky and cheesy. That’s why they’re so good!
I never saw why there was a complaint. Wouldn’t people want to have seen N’Sync killed by battle droids?
<Deadpan>
No, it would probably be too traumatizing to the droids.
</Deadpan>
[sub]Giggle, giggle, SNERK, giggle, giggle, giggle[/sub]
Here is a relevant comic strip. 
I gotta agree. When I heard they were gonna be in Episode II, I was looking forward to seeing them get blown up.
Note that Lucas also put producer Gary Kurtz’s kids in the original Star Wars, as Jawas. So there’s precedent.
Greater directors than Lucas have stooped to nepotism; witness Stanley Kubrick casting his own daughter Vivian in 2001: A Space Odyssey as Dr. Haywood Floyd’s daughter, seen on the videophone asking for a “bush baby”.
I don’t have a problem with the kids as much as I do NSync. Kinda hard to defend that one in my opinion…
I feel the same way. His kids aren’t famous and casting them as extras will not affect the movie in the slightest. N’Sync, however, are very recognizable. Even if they are just extras, their fame will make the cameo very noticeable. I suspect it was an ill conceived planned tie in with Burger King. Get your Episode 2 kid’s meals with glow in the dark N’Sync collector’s glasses! While supplies last.
Actually, if no one had told me, I wouldn’t have noticed. Besides not knowing what they look like, I don’t even know their names!
Frankly, I’ll be too sad seeing Jedi getting killed to worry about some boy band. I like Jedi!