During a panel at SpaceCon 2026, McDiarmid revealed that Lucas had discussed with him a live-action series that was supposed to show Palpatine's political rise. According to the actor, the creator of the universe wanted to show "the Emperor's progression, somewhat similar to Hitler's path."
McDiarmid also said that the plot planned an assassination attempt on Palpatine, which, of course, was not supposed to succeed. Moreover, Lucas allegedly offered the actor to direct one of the episodes himself.
The project's concept significantly differed from most "Star Wars" projects of that time, focusing on political aspects and a darker tone.
The story shows that Lucas had considered a more mature and ambitious television development of the "Star Wars" universe long before the emergence of modern franchise series.