Yes – I just have to do it – write a blog about a movie that doesn’t exist!
The challenge of writing about something that is widely denied by its own fanbase presents a unique opportunity to explore the dynamics of hope, anticipation, and collective disillusionment. This is a task that blends creativity with a deep understanding of fan culture

The Denial of Its Existence

As is well known, true fans deny the existence of this movie! To them, admitting that this film exists is almost sacrilegious. They would rather admit that they watch The Star Wars Holiday Special every year on November 17th than admit that this movie from 1999 exists. This piece of pop culture has been so thoroughly rejected that it has become a sort of taboo topic among the fandom. Still, this (non-)movie is celebrating its 25th anniversary today, and I feel compelled to write something about it.
It’s a peculiar situation: How do you write about something that doesn’t exist?
Quite “simply” – you write about how the hope, anticipation, and expectations for this “movie” built up over a period of 16 years.
I don’t need to mention that they were finally disappointed to the same extreme.

1983: The End of an Era

Let’s start with the end – the end of Return of the Jedi.
After this movie and above all its huge success, everyone was sure that the next part would come in three years at the latest. The conclusion of this epic trilogy left fans hungry for more. However, communication channels were not as good and fast back then as they are today (no internet; difficult to get hold of international trade press), so no one was aware of George Lucas’s statement that he would not be making any more films. The absence of immediate news created a fertile ground for rumors and speculations. So there was great hope ….

1985: A Spark of Hope

About two years after the Battle of Endor, this hope was extremely fueled. Kenner launched a new range of Star Wars toys under the label The Power of the Force.
These toys weren’t just playthings; they were symbols of a promise. The way the look and feel of the logo was designed, everyone was absolutely sure: THIS could only be the title of the new movie! The anticipation was palpable. Fans believed that the resurgence of Star Wars merchandise indicated that a new film was on the horizon. Unfortunately, these expectations were not fulfilled ….

1993: A Quiet Decade

For almost 10 years it was quiet around Star Wars, very quiet. Even the 10th anniversary of A New Hope went pretty much unnoticed and wasn’t mentioned anywhere, at least in the sources I had available at the time. It was as if the galaxy far, far away had faded into obscurity.
Personally, I was more interested in the new Star Trek series back then – at that time, people were happy about everything nerd/geeky you could get on free TV and in the movies – it was the time before the internet and long before Netflix & Co.
My interest in Star Wars was only reawakened in 1993 by the novels of the Thrawn trilogy by Timothy Zahn. These novels rekindled my love for the saga and introduced a new generation to its wonders.
BTW: I’m still convinced that this story would have made the better Ep. VII-IX.
Also at that time, the hope that there could soon be new films emerged again ….

1996: Shadows of the Empire

The “Star Wars movie” without a movie: Shadows of the Empire.
This multimedia project was as close to a new film as fans could get. Novels, comics, soundtracks, computer games, figures, toys, … all the merchandising you would expect from a Star Wars film was launched for Shadows of the Empire. Everything – just not a movie.
It was an ambitious endeavor that expanded the Star Wars universe in unprecedented ways, yet the absence of an actual film left a lingering sense of incompleteness.

1997: Special Edition Hopes

Finally there were “new” Star Wars films in the cinemas: The Star Wars Trilogy Special Edition.
It was actually just the three “old” films digitally remastered and with new scenes, but it once again strengthened the hope that there would (finally) be new films soon. These re-releases reintroduced the magic of Star Wars to both old fans and a new generation, reigniting the collective excitement. Shortly after the special edition was in cinemas, it was actually announced that there would finally be a new film trilogy! And the fans (still) rejoiced. This announcement felt like a dream come true.

1999: The First Trailer

At the beginning of 1999, the first trailer for the first of the new Star Wars films was released.
This was a momentous event in itself. Rumor has it that many people bought tickets for a movie just to see the trailer and then left before the main movie. Those who already had Internet access at the time were able to watch the trailer via the Apple QuickTime portal. Unfortunately, due to the limited bandwidth (33.6 kbit/s) only in 180p resolution and after more than 30 minutes of buffering. But people were more enthusiastic about these 2 ½ minutes. No wonder they were the first really new moving Star Wars images in over 16 years. And they made sure that people could hardly wait for the release of the new movie. The excitement was building …

May 19, 1999: The Midnight Premiere

And so most people, just like me, went with extremely great anticipation and very high expectations to the midnight premiere which we had been eagerly awaited for 16 years. The air was thick with excitement. Fans dressed up, debated theories, and shared their hopes for what was to come. It was a momentous occasion, a shared experience that brought together a community of passionate enthusiasts …

Flash …

Everything that happened afterward has been erased from the collective memory of the fan community to protect the real Star Wars franchise (1977-1983).
The reality of the movie did not match the buildup of anticipation. That’s why this movie doesn’t exist! It’s as if the fanbase collectively decided to erase the disappointment from their consciousness to preserve the sanctity of the original trilogy.

A Final Word of Caution

And should anyone ever claim the opposite …
Be prepared to face the vehement denial of those who refuse to acknowledge the existence of this film. For them, the Star Wars saga ended in 1983, and any suggestion otherwise is met with resistance. This protective amnesia is a testament to the power of fandom and the lengths to which fans will go to safeguard their cherished memories …