Lucas admits Episode 1 failure

As fans - and the world's toy-makers and merchandisers - await the arrival of Star Wars: Episode ll - Attack of the Clones, a big question-mark hangs over the series of spectacular space adventures ... is the Force running out of steam?

Critics of Star Wars maker George Lucas reckon he may have lost the plot in favour of the money-making merchandise, may have concentrated too much on the funny characters - such as the ghastly and universally unpopular Jar Jar Binks from Episode l - The Phantom Menace - instead of the characterisations, the dialogue and the plotting.