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• Piloted from within the armored shell or from an exposed standing position through the hatch.
  
• 6hp Tecumseh gasoline engine, top speed 40 mph.
  
• Includes head/tail and turn signal lights, trim and underbody lighting.
  
• 400 watt premium sound with PA system, plush interior, and external camera.

"The Producers collaborators Mel Brooks (news) and Thomas Meehan have signed on to write a pilot for a new animated television series based on their 1987 comedy film "Spaceballs."

BFC Berliner Film Companie will partner with Brooksfilms and MGM Domestic Television Distribution on the new series for an hour-long pilot and 13 half-hour episodes, according to an MGM release.

"We are thrilled to be working with a comic genius like Mel Brooks on what we're sure will be the highly successful translation of his classic film comedy to the medium of animation for TV," said BFC chief Rainer Soehnlein. "We look forward to our collaboration with him and with MGM, and to bringing 'Spaceballs' to a new audience."

Brooks and Meehan, who co-penned the original screenplay, are set to write the pilot then supervise writing on the rest of the series. Brooks will also voice the two main characters, President Scroob and Yogurt for the cartoon.

The comedic duo - who also teamed on the 1983 comedy "To Be or Not to Be" - are preparing for the forthcoming release of the screen version of their Broadway musical The Producers. Meehan (who also penned Hairspray and Annie previously told Playbill.com that they are also at work on a stage musical version of the Brooks film "Young Frankenstein."

"Spaceballs," which lampoons many popular sci-fi films, followed hero Lone Star (played by Bill Pullman) and his sidekick Barfolemew (John Candy (news)) on their quest to stop the evil plan of Lord Dark Helmet (Rick Moranis) and Planet Spaceball's President Scroob (Brooks) and save Princess Vespa (Daphne Zuniga) and the Planet Druidia."

source: Yahoo! News

Using an entirely new game engine created by the Las Vegas-based developer Petroglyph, the game will feature beautifully rendered land and space battles set on memorable planets such as Hoth, Tatooine and Dagobah as well as never-before-seen environments taken directly from the Star Wars films and expanded universe novels. In the game, players can choose to join either the Rebel Alliance or the Galactic Empire, building and setting up tactical forces that can be unleashed on the enemy in real-time 3D. All of the gameplay and action within Star Wars: Empire at War is a persistent, meaning that strategic and tactical elements from previous events will have a permanent effect on the galaxy.

As players build, manage and progress their space and ground-based units, troops and vehicles, memorable Star Wars hero characters will begin playing a role in key situations. In addition to the single player campaign mode, the game will include a two-player Empire vs. Rebellion mode and up to eight player online skirmish modes. For more assets and information on Star Wars: Empire at War, please visit www.lucasarts.com.

Star Wars: Empire at War is scheduled for a release in Fall 2005. Click on any of the thumbnails above to view a larger image.

  

"I decided to approach it from an emotional angle rather than an action-heavy one," says Lane. "I felt I could better capture the heart of the material that way. It was hard, because it's such a dense, visual script and there's so much to it."

A lot can happen in four 22-page comics; a lot more can happen in a two-hour-plus feature film. Lane's script had to bridge the two artforms in a way that preserved the heart of the story, but also worked to the strengths of the comics medium.

"I think it helps that I'm an editor in my day job," says Lane. "I put on my editor's hat when I read the Episode III script. I tried to find logically where it could be broken up into four issues. Within that context, I went through it with a mental red pen and struck those scenes that wouldn't translate well into the comics medium. You have to be pretty strict in a way. I didn't want to get too emotionally attached to the material until I had what was left for each issue, and then I was absolutely emotionally attached to that."

The end result was a four-part script that emphasizes the dramatic arcs of the film. There is still action, but all the specific beats of the action scenes are condensed to their core by artist Doug Wheatley. "When you see Doug's artwork, it's amazing. It's jawdropping," explains Lane.

"Take the scene of Obi-Wan fighting Grievous -- that's greatly reduced in the comic, but Doug has kept the dramatic heart of it by putting the action in these really incredible, fluid panels. I've tried to keep the emotional aspect by paring it down to its essence: this is Obi-Wan trying to eliminate a deadly opponent, and he believes that once he does, it will bring about the end of the war," says Lane.

The one scene Lane could not wait to see adapted by Wheatley depicts Obi-Wan and Yoda discovering the devastation brought about by Darth Vader, the newest Dark Lord of the Sith. "Obi-Wan knows that his Padawan is responsible for this," says Lane. "It's like a parent knowing that his child has become truant but not knowing the extent of the damage until it was too late. I tried to factor that in, Obi-Wan knowing his child was responsible for all this in the blink of an eye, and as a Master, he is responsible for his Padawan. It was done really lovely in the movie script, so I took that and amplified that for the comic."

Lane has yet to see that scene depicted in artwork. "I'm torn between wanting to wait for it in the final book, yet wanting to see it now because it's my favorite. I've held off from seeing it because there's a part of me that wants to wait and be as surprised as the readers are when the actual physical comic is done," he says.

"But maybe I'll cheat and peek."

LucasArts has taken its time ensuring RC delivers, pushing back the release date on numerous occasions in favor of extended development and testing times. The build in this demo should be indicative of the final game, one that is sure to find its way into many of your gaming collections.

The demo begins aboard a Trade Federation core ship where you have been separated from the other three members of Delta Squad. Your mission is to rendezvous with the squad and proceed to the bridge. As an elevator opens, you are thrust right into a squadron of fleeing Battle Droids who quickly spot you and waste no time opening fire.

Star Wars: Clone Wars is directed by pop cartoon legend Genndy Tartakovsky, and features brilliant art direction by Paul Rudish. The episodes tell the story of the Clone Wars in a vivid style that's fresh, yet feels every bit a part of the galaxy far, far away.

Not only are the cartoons visually striking, they take the viewer through the Clone Wars, which take place between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. Volume II, which will air on the Cartoon Network starting March 21, tells the story leading right up to Episode III, to the events that are described in the opening crawl. Watching Clone Wars Volume II at Celebration III is the perfect warm-up for the big screen debut of Revenge of the Sith May 19.

Fans will see all five 12-minute episodes of Volume II, followed by a taste of Volume I (Chapters 1-20). Volume I is scheduled to premiere on DVD March 22.

The third episode in the series focuses on Anakin Skywalker's transformation from a promising Jedi Knight into notorious arch-villain Darth Vader.

But producer Rick McCallum has reassured Lucas, by reminding him he's appalling at predicting how his movies will perform.

TF.N has posted The Making of Star Wars Episode III Revenge of the Sith jacket, which you can check out by clicking on the image above.

If you just want to read the text, you can check it out by clicking here.

The developments at his day job have been promising, too. The "Star Wars" prequels and "The Incredibles" have generated a new, young audience for him. He beams at the notion of children pointing at him on the street while whispering to their parents.

Even a forthcoming onscreen demise will be cloaked in honor. Jackson says Mace Windu will be granted a suitable exit for a Jedi knight in the forthcoming "Star Wars: Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith," which opens in May.

After Jackson made public his concerns about the death scene, George Lucas assured the actor that he would go out in a blaze of glory, and the director made good on his promise.