Fans of the Star Wars prequels may be in for some nostalgic goodness shortly. Filming details regarding one of the many upcoming projects in the franchise seem to indicate that at least one story might take place on the lush, regal planet of Naboo.
Some new rumors are swirling, claiming that Lucasfilm plans to film in a location previously used for shots set on Naboo in the Star Wars prequel trilogy. While much of fans' attention is drawn to the upcoming season of The Mandalorian, set to feature Katee Sackhoff's Bo-Katan in a more prominent role, there's always more on the horizon in a galaxy far, far away. In this case, it could be any number of projects, new or returning. But is it truly as cut and dry as it may seem?
The rumor comes from Making Star Wars, which alleges that some of their sources report plans to begin filming for an undisclosed project at Haver Castle, Kent, during the summer of 2023. As mentioned, this location was used for several Naboo scenes in Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace. Given the sheer amount of Star Wars shows currently in the works, it could be for almost any of them. But there's one in particular that seems likely.
The site speculates that the most probable candidate would be during the longer timeframe promised by Andor season 2. Several other filming rumors reinforce this theory. One suggests that Andor will be shooting in Valencia, Spain, this year, while the other regard some leaked set photos from Pinewood Studios that feature some familiar architecture. Both locations seem to fit the aesthetic of Naboo, lending credence to the idea. Naturally, this should all be taken with a grain of salt.
As the homeworld of Natalie Portman's Padmé Amidala, Naboo was heavily featured in The Phantom Menace while Padmé served as its queen. Episode II: Attack of the Clones also featured some scenes on Naboo, where the now Senator Amidala briefly returned, accompanied by Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen). This is enough to prove the planet's significance to the point where it wouldn't feel out of place making a return in a future project.
Padmé's debated ability to do better than Anakin aside, the world is strikingly beautiful and would make for a welcome return to the Star Wars series. But would Andor be the best place for this to happen? It's a show that has thrived on its general disconnect from Star Wars. So, too many callbacks like this could undermine what fans have grown to love about it. Whatever the case, it's difficult to deny the value of bringing back such a gorgeous planet.
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Source: Making Star Wars