Given the hoopla arond Disney's announcement of a new trilogy of "Star Wars" films, it's no surprise that fans are digging into the vast archives of tidbits George Lucas and co. have given to press about the series over the past thirty-plus years. While Lucas himself has been cagey with the press — both confirming and denying that there are more stories to tell in that universe over the years — around the release of "Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi" in 1983, Mark Hamill was under the impression that there were going to be three trilogies.
Thanks to the magic of the internet, an interview he did with Maria Shriver (that hair!) just two days before 'Jedi' hit theaters finds him somewhat confirming that Lucas was already planning a new trilogy of movies, that would be made/released around 2004. Well, with the prequel series "Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace" coming out first in 1999, obviously Hamill wasn't involved, but it seems the story for "Star Wars: Episode VII" has always been banging around.
He tells Shriver (somewhat cagily), that Luke Skywalker would return, however, it would be on "another plane of existence" or "not the same character." He declines to say anymore for fear of revealing "sensitive material," but he does add that C-3PO and R2-D2 would be the only characters featured across all three trilogies.
So, whether or not that story has stayed the same or not remains to be seen, but it certainly adds some weight to the news that Lucas met with Hamill and Carrie Fisher to let them know about the upcoming trilogy before it was announced to the press. Thoughts? Watch the interview and let us know below. [io9]