Star Wars, the official site for the most anticipated film series of the decade, launched last Tuesday in a shroud of secrecy: not a single press release, not a single launch announcement. According to the press departments of LucasFilms and site producer Organic Online, there are no marketing plans for the future either.
LucasFilms has been tight-lipped about the site from the start, a move that goes against the vogue for flashy "official film site" launches and URLs plastered across trailers. Employees at Organic were "sworn to secrecy" about their involvement when they began work on the site last August.
This edict reflects LucasFilms' hush-hush approach to the upcoming Star Wars releases: The company won't share upcoming prequel scripts within Hollywood circles, and insiders say that previous site developers were let go after divulging their involvement to the press.
The site itself is a small production, containing coloring book pictures, a quiz, and minimal information about the re-releases and upcoming prequels. Says LucasFilms spokeswoman Jeanne Cole, "It's there, people will find it. That's how the Web works."
