"SYDNEY remains filmmaker George Lucas' favoured location to shoot his much-hyped Star Wars spin-off TV series.
The sci-fi TV series will likely be filmed at Sydney's FOX Studios.
"We're looking to shoot it in Australia," Lucas told a press conference at his Big Rock ranch, the site for his new animation studio, north of San Francisco.
If given the green light, the live action Star Wars offshoot will be one of the most expensive TV productions made in Australia and create hundreds of acting and crew jobs for the local industry.
There was speculation the as yet untitled series would begin shooting next year, but it may be pushed back to 2010.
Lucas has employed two Australian scriptwriters to pen the series and continues to work on "getting all of the technology worked out" to make the show.
The 63-year-old director, writer and producer, who revolutionised cinema with 1977's Star Wars, is no stranger to Sydney.
He made 2002's Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones and 2005's Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith at Fox Studios.
"It is going ahead," Lucas confirmed.
"We're in the process of writing screenplays right now.
"It's going to take a while because it's really hard to do."'