Can you stand it? We have to wait till May for Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, which chronicles the world of the young Anakin Skywalker (aka Darth Vader). It is a world that will be both familiar and new to Star Wars fans. Familiar are the dusty space cowboys, lightsabers, and dented droids. New are the battle droids - the armed and deadly troops of the Trade Federation.
Vehicles, spoons, clothing - every object has been carefully designed to reflect a melding of styles from different eras. These "design elements with a history," says concept designer Doug Chiang, provide "a background that connects with audiences."
Animated by ILM, the droids echo the stylized and angular forms of tribal African art, yet suggest the future through their mechanical joints.
"There is a danger in designing the future," says Chiang. "Things that are too fanciful date very quickly. The future needs a past."
