'STAR WARS' WHERE IT'S NEVER GONE: TO IMAX.

Byline: Brent Hopkins Staff Writer

Yoda's diminutive frame will soon tower eight stories tall. Imax Corp. announced Monday that it will show the summer blockbuster ``Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones'' on its massive screens this fall.

Though Lucasfilm Ltd. and 20th Century Fox already raked in more than $300 million on the latest installment of the George Lucas space epic, the giant-screen format, debuting Nov. 1, presents an entirely new opportunity for the filmmakers.

``Apollo 13,'' reworked by director Ron Howard for large format release, will hit theaters next week, and the huge screens already show non-Imax prints of blockbuster hits. ``Attack of the Clones'' bucks the trend by being the first high-profile film to go to the large format so quickly.

``It's a brilliant move on their part,'' said Robert Bucksbaum, president of box office watcher ReelSource. ``The large screen format is a real experience unto itself. The difference is amazing. People are looking for event movies, and that's one when they have it on the best sound system and biggest screen possible. It really makes a difference.''

Given the unproven ground ahead for ``Attack of the Clones,'' Lucasfilm Vice President Jim Ward declined to speculate on how much additional revenue the re-release would bring. Bringing it back prior to the Nov. 12 video and DVD release date, he said, gives the company a chance to keep it fresh in fans' minds with a new twist. Given the plot's tepid response from critics, this allows Lucasfilm and Fox a chance to highlight its technical side.

``Yes, it's out there again, and people will pay to see it, but that's not the main idea,'' Ward said. ``We've got so many fans out there, this is a way to reward them in a different way. ... Think of Yoda kicking Count Dooku's butt on that huge screen. This is perfect for it.''

While Imax sees the run of ``Apollo 13'' lasting several years, playing both at regular venues and in science centers, ``Attack of the Clones'' will last six to eight weeks on fewer than 100 screens.

``With 'Attack,' it's a continued validation of converting the Hollywood blockbusters to the large format'' said Brad Wechsel, co-chief executive officer of Imax Corp. ``We know the 'Star Wars' franchise is eminently commercial, and it will play very well.''

Bucksbaum predicted that Lucasfilm will insert added footage for the re- release, as it's done with each of the franchise's past installments, as an added incentive to lure in story-obsessed fans.

``If they announce that they'll bring back the five minutes of Jar Jar Binks that they scrapped ... well, maybe not that,'' he said with a chuckle. ``But five minutes of anything else will help them a lot.''

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A scene from ``Attack of the Clones'' is set for Imax screens.