'REVENGE' OF THE EWAKS!

Their appearance deliberately kept a secret for the most part prior to the release of Return of the Jedi, as Yoda had been for The Empire Strikes Back in 1980, some images of the Ewok (first called Ewaks) creatures of the forest moon of Endor, via conceptual designs by Joe Johnston, did make it to specific trusted sources in licensing and advance publicity planning beyond the confines of Lucasfilm, as seen here with these very rare production still duplicates of the furry warriors. We assume that this was when the film was in its post January 1983 locked-in title phase, though some transparancy holders with the titular Revenge of the Jedi were used that still bore that original title.

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THE LOST 'REVENGE' LOCATION: THE TATOOINE HOVEL!

Luke and Artoo make the most of a local Tatooine hovel in order to plan (alongside Lando and Chewie) Han Solo's ultimate rescue from Jabba the Hutt, in this intriguing production design by the late Norman Reynolds, from circa mid-1981, for Revenge of the Jedi. It would be a scene that would be changed by the time Lawrence Kasdan and George Lucas's script was finalised by the end of that year, replaced with a small cave environment where Luke would receive telepath communication from Darth Vader whilst completing his new lightsaber.

'REVENGE' OF THE HAIRSTYLE!

Right from the get-go, Princess Leia Organa's 'buns' hairdo would be an iconic aspect of the Rebel heroine's character in 1977. The subsequent sequels would also see Carrie Fisher's alter-ego on screen sport a variety of further intriguing hair styles, including a tribute to Nordic female history in The Empire Strikes Back. Sadly, this lovely design idea above, created for Revenge of the Jedi during 1981 pre-production, sadly never made it to the screen. Perhaps this classy, regal look would have been for the aborted Rebels gathering sequence to have been set on the grasslands world of Sicemon?

Revisiting Marilee Heyer's Beautiful Leia Concept Art for 'Return of the Jedi' - Star Wars News Net

CLASSIC ART: THE DEFIANT SKYWALKER!

The simple yet emotionally complex battle between good and evil, father and son, rages on in these intriguing poster conceptual art ideas by Tom Jung for Revenge of the Jedi's climactic and iconic finale lightsaber duel between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader.

CLASSIC ART: OUT ON THE PLAINS OF SICEMON!

We're used to seeing this world environment in its incarnation as Lothal for STAR WARS REBELS, but before that this grass plains world of Sicemon was originally home to the Rebel Alliance before its attack on the second Death Star, for REVENGE OF THE JEDI. during early conception in 1980, whilst the story was still being flux formulation by Lucas.

As we all know by now, unused classic art and concepts are always looked over anew for future SW productions, especially linked to Joe Johnston and Ralph McQuarrie.

CLASSIC ART: THE CREATURES OF ENDOR!

From 1981, when RETURN was REVENGE OF THE JEDI, an interesting shot of an early Ewok (or Ewak as it was first known) riding one of the second originally planned races of Endor- the long stilted leg creatures the Yuzzum, very near to being seen on screen but ultimately abandoned, before reconceptualized to a shorter, singular creature, for the Jabba's Palace monster menagerie by January 1982. We presume the art is by either Joe Johnston or Phil Tippett.

Image: via PROP STORE website auctions.

CLASSIC ART: BEAST OF FRIENDLY BURDEN!

One of the intriguing creature concept paintings linked to the unused grass world of Sicemon, originally planned for REVENGE OF THE JEDI: a creature that the Rebels on that world use as a means of transportation. This one is presumably carrying our main heroes to an important gathering.

A 'REVENGE' WITHOUT THE EMPEROR?

Early concept art for the Emperor for REVENGE.

With the passing of time, SW fans and critics have acknowledged the incredible acting contributions and legacy brought to the Classic and Prequel sagas by Ian McDiarmid, with his portrayal of the truly evil, Dark Side lightning-bringing Emperor. But in the original story ideas being developed for REVENGE OF THE JEDI during mid-to-late 1980, this character's involvement wasn't locked down. Back then, Darth Vader was still clearly going to be the uber villain of the middle trilogy's final film, and not necessarily killed off, either.

Recalled Producer Gary Kurtz in a nineties interview: "Well, (first of all), the Emperor wasn't even supposed to have come into it, except in reference, as in EMPIRE, until the last episode of the series, the ninth one. Having the Emperor show up, in effect, emasculates Darth Vader as your chief villain."

From other previous sources, as well as further info from Kurtz, this originally conceived "ninth" film would have been about the final battle waged against a retreated Empire by the "other" (referred to in EMPIRE), and whom wasn't originally Leia, though still a female member of the Skywalker family- a character returned from a far-off realm to help our surviving older heroes.

THE IMPERIAL CITY OF 'REVENGE'

Art by Ralph McQuarrie.

RETURN OF THE JEDI's climax heavily concentrated its planetary storytelling on the forest moon of Endor and the second Death Star, but in the original 1981 drafts of REVENGE OF THE JEDI, a lot of drama and action would also have been set on the Imperial City, later named Coruscant, of which George Lucas (apparently albeit reluctantly) also used the Expanded Universe's devised planet name for the Prequel Trilogy.

An Imperial Shuttle flies the skies. Art by Joe Johnston.

As well as Joe Johnston, Ralph McQuarrie was heavily involved in early concept work, recalling to STARLOG magazine in October 1983: "The biggest thing left out of RETURN OF THE JEDI was the planet for the Imperials. We worked on this Imperial City a long time, but its never used in the film. George decided to just have everything taking place in space. It's elaborate and quite pretty. But I don't want to reveal what it looks like because George might use it in the future." 

Some of McQuarrie's images would later find a home as part of 1996's much-loved EPISODES V and VI bridge in Shadows of the Empire, and the concept art for the Imperial City would indeed be revisited by Lucas for the Prequels.