Welcome to the official landing page of the unofficial Star Wars: What the Prequels Should Have Been project. #RebootthePrequels
The Star Wars prequels should have been amazing. I’ve rewritten them so they are.
What you can expect from the Reboot Trilogy (RT):
- The fun and adventure of the Original Trilogy (OT).
- Some ideas and concepts from Lucas’ Prequel Trilogy (PT), but none of the silliness and bloating.
- Basically nothing from the Expanded Universe (EU). Only what we’ve seen on film counts as canon.
- This will be a standard screenplay, not a Click Your Poison book.
- A prequel trilogy worthy of Star Wars.
Many others have re-imagined the PT, (Belated Media and Red Letter Media’s YouTube videos, and the Q2 fan-edited “Fall of the Jedi” prequel trilogy. Go Google those three). They did a great job re-constructing the films, but with one, obvious limitation: I have a blank page. I can cross off what I choose, add something completely new, and forge a stand-alone product in the form of a screenplay.
When you read the script for Episode I: A New Menace, you’ll find a whole new movie laid out before you.
Episode I: A New Menace
Available to read now:
A New Menace by James Schannep
A few of the major changes (SPOILERS):
- The title has a double meaning. It’s a new take on The Phantom Menace, yes, but there’s also a completely new menace added to the trilogy. See the next bullet.
- Rather than a quasi-racist-stereotype Asian alien Trade Federation, the main villains at the start of the film will be Maul and the Mandalorians. Remember Boba Fett? Now imagine a whole clan of mercenaries with that armor and attitude. Now we’ve got a galactic threat to be reckoned with.
- No Jar-Jar. In fact, no Gungans. All of the nonsense will be cut, and instead the focus will be character relationships, action, and plotting (in that order).
- Anakin will be introduced to us as a young man, not a boy. He’s going to be more of a Han Solo character, to balance out the puerile Obi-wan.
- Maul will live on beyond Episode I.
Episode II: Attack of the Empire
Available to read now:
Attack of the Empire by James Schannep
- This script picks up roughly 18 months to 2 years after Episode I, as opposed to the better part of a decade between the first two movies in Lucas’s prequels.
- It’s Clone Wars (plural) and not Clone War (singular). There are many battles on many different systems over the course of many, many years.
- The Mandalorians are slowly forming the role we assumed they had all along: Bounty Hunters.
- Maul remains a threat.
- From the title, you can probably guess that the machinations of the Empire get rolling much more quickly.
Episode III: Return of the Sith
Available to read now:
Return of the Sith by James Schannep
- After all the changes in Episode I and II, this new Episode III will be almost unrecognizable from Lucas’s prequels.
- Instead, it will feel much more in-line with the world and feel of Episode IV.
- The Rebel Alliance, Star Destroyers, Stormtroopers, Darth Vader, and the Emperor, oh my! We get them all here.
- All the reveals (Anakin=Vader, twin siblings, Yoda) are all kept in-tact.
- Instead, you get many other twists and turns that will make you re-think about what you know from the classic trilogy
- Enriched meaning for places like Dantooine and Alderaan so their loss is more keenly felt in Episode IV.
Author’s note 2 November 2017: “Hope you enjoyed! That’s it. I’m done. I have ‘solved’ the prequels in my own mind, and hopefully yours. Let me know either in the comments on my website, or on social media, and thanks for reading!
Author James Schannep 
I read on my Kindle, which does not play well with PDFs. Could you make this available in a Kindle-compatible format?
Thanks for reaching out. I’ll have to look into it. Unfortunately, it’s not a simple file upload as Kindle doesn’t like the indentations of screenplay format.
Well, I guess I’ll be the first to give you feedback about A New Menace. Here we go:
I have to say that I liked it a lot. A great start of the saga is told, and better led than the original Ep.I. Everything fits better, you show Alderaan, which was a big mistake in Lucas’s prequels not showing it (well, at the end of Ep.III only to show Bail, Bail’s wife and Leia), better and more elaborate antagonists than the Neimoidians in Lucas version and Maul is as he should have been and survives at the end of the Episode. The relationship between Obi-Wan and Anakin is best carried, and a very important thing, the Clone Wars are already started which mean we can see more of them, not as in Lucas’s prequels, that we see only the beginning and the end.
And now the only things I didn’t like:
– Anakin’s age and Anakin’s mechanical leg: For my taste I think I should be younger. Instead of being about 30 years old, I think he should be in his 20’s (the same age as Lara) or about 25 years old at most and that age (30s) at most in Episode III. As for the mechanical leg, I didn’t liked much, I would prefer that in this episode I still did not have any mechanical prosthesis or that instead of his leg was his right hand. I prefer that he would have some mechanical prosthesis obtained in a fight with Maul and then the rest in his duel with Obi-Wan.
– Some characters are too young and others too old: This point is related to Anakin’s age, which as I said that for my taste is too old, and some like for example Tarkin (20s) are too young, who I think at least should be in his 30s.
– Little physical description of the important characters in the script: This point deals specifically with this. I do not have very clear the appearance of the important characters. Do not get me wrong, I know how they are dressed, but as they are physically not much. For example Anakin, I know that he is dressed in a blue pilot suit, but physically, I do not know what color his hair is (blond, black, etc), his hair style (if his hair style is like Luke in Ep.IV) , you know that sort of thing. I know that in Lucas scripts the characters are not very physically described, but unlike Lucas’s prequels, yours cannot be seen by the cinema (unfortunately).
As you can see, the things I did not like are not from the story which I really like, it’s more about age issues and some decision.
Is there any possibility of changing some things like the ages and the mechanical leg? Or at least the issue of physical descriptions in the script?
Thanks I can’t wait to read Episode II: The Dark Lord Of the Sith.
Hi, James. Thanks for reading and taking the time to share your thoughts. I’m glad you enjoyed the script! I had a bit of feedback from friends, but you are indeed the first person to give me feedback on the project webpage. So, again, thanks!
Allow me to address some of your comments:
-Anakin’s (and Tarkin’s age). You’re absolutely right about Tarkin. That was an error on my part. I’m not sure what part of my brain dropped the ball; Vader is in no way older than Tarkin. The future commander of the Death Star should probably be in his 40s here, as he was in his 60s when Episode IV was filmed.
As for Anakin, you’ve convinced me. I probably went a bit too far away from him being a kid. Around 25 makes sense for the character and for the actor. This is a fan project, where feedback is quite welcome, and screenplays always undergo several layers of change before production, so I’m going to correct these two characters’ ages. Thank you for the suggestion.
-Anakin’s mechanical leg brace. This was a deliberate choice to show that Anakin has a history before this movie starts. He thought his time with the Republic was over. Maybe he has a grudge? If he’s a war veteran, he doesn’t seem to be well regarded (remember Palpatine’s first talk with Kenobi). It also shows that he’s somewhat reckless, and prone to injuring his body to get the job done. I understand that these are personal, subjective tastes, but for me it works.
-Lacking character description. This is the nature of the beast in a screenplay. Essentially, any hot or up-and-coming actors would be vying for the roles of Anakin and Lara. It’s the casting director’s job to find the person who embodies the role presented by the script. What they look like can vary wildly until casting. Further, it’s the costume designer and makeup artist’s job to give them “the look.” But let me ask you, based on the script, if you could cast any actors for the main roles, who would you pick?
PS – Episode II is coming very soon! I’m almost done tweaking the storyline and will be ready to post for feedback in a week or so.
What great news that in a week or so we can enjoy Episode II, I’m very excited!
As someone who has been raised with the prequels. The first movie that I saw of Star Wars was Episode I, then the Original Trilogy and then Episode II and III. So I can not conceive the prequels without the actors with whom I grew up watching them. Really perhaps the only characters that could see being interpreted by others would be the following:
– Anakin Skywalker: I could see it interpreted by Leonardo Dicaprio, since in his day rumored he do a test for the paper and perhaps his facial features are more similar to Sebastian Shaw in the Episode VI.
– Lara: Not knowing fully how Lara’s physically, there are really only two options for me: Natalie Portman (if she is brunette) and Billie Lourd (Carrie Fisher’s natural daughter) in case she was blonde, but also if she were brunette she would be all right.
So for me the cast of the movie (important characters) would be this:
Obi-Wan Kenobi – Ewan McGregor
Anakin Skywalker – Hayden Christensen/Leonardo DiCaprio
Lara – Natalie Portman/Billie Lourd
Palpatine – Ian McDiarmid
Bail Organa – Jimmy Smits
Tarkin – Ralph Fiennes
Maul: Ray Park
Great Tarkin pick! And yeah, I couldn’t see anyone other than Ewan McGregor or Ian McDiarmid in their roles. Billie Lourd is an interesting pick. I like the family element to it. And I would love nothing more than to see Hayden Christensen “redeem” his role as Anakin, but…he is over 30 😉 As are most leading men these days. DiCaprio is what, almost 50? Maybe I’ll put Anakin as 20s/30s to give a range….
I’m glad you liked my choice of cast. Obviously all this is hypothetical, when I chose this cast I chose, so that I could choose the age with which the actors would play their characters, that’s why I put Hayden Christensen and Leonardo DiCaprio, thinking that they would play Anakin in Episode I when they were in their 20’s, same with rest of the cast. 😉
I think I’m going to keep it at 20s/30s. This way Anakin can be the sweet spot of young, but not *too* young. He’s had some time to shape who he is. Experiences he carries with him. Remember, Harrison Ford was 35 in “A New Hope”!
Well, it seems that I will also be the first to give you feedback on your Episode II: Attack of the Empire:
For now is the best episode of your prequels, I really liked it. The plot is much better than the real Episode II, the characters have evolved quite well, Anakin’s fall to the dark side more credible and the surprises that this episode brings are very well carried out.
I have to say, that to understand this episode well I have had to re-read the script several times. Especially for Darth Vader’s secret and without reading the final notes of the script, I really would not have discovered it. It is true that there are certain clues: the TIE of Vader and more things, but really if it was your objective to avoid that it was known very fast, you have achieved it.
And now the only things I didn’t like:
-The titles of the episodes: It is true that this has nothing to do with the plot, but I put it to give you my opinion. Really the title of episode II I do not like too much, for my taste I would have preferred something like this: Fall of the Republic, Rise of the Empire, Dawn of the Empire, you know something like that, which indicates the fall of the Republic and the birth of the Empire. It is true that you try to give a connection between the original titles of the prequels and the original trilogy, but there are actually times that can be repetitive. To give an example the title of your episode III: Return of the Sith, is the same as the episode VI, but changing Jedi by Sith. I already know that you did the same thing in your episode I changing Hope for Menace, but in this case it was better and it was not so obvious.
-Anakin’s real name: That the real name of Anakin is not this one, but Darth Vader, is something that I did not like. I would have preferred that Anakin was his real name and that Darth Vader was the name he uses as a bounty hunter. Obviously this goes for tastes, like the mechanical leg of A New Menace, for you and for the plot would have liked so, and for me would prefer what I said before.
In fact I am reading some prequels that Darth Vader instead of being a Sith name or a false name, is a Jedi title. If you want to know more and even read them (he’s currently doing Episode III), I can pass you the link of the page, in fact, you could even put your prequels there, so people give you their opinion.
Thanks and I can’t wait to read Episode III: Return of the Sith.
Thanks for weighing in again, James. Very well thought out and presented. I’m glad you enjoyed the script so much!
As for your “didn’t-likes” I can appreciate both points, but as far as the episode titles go, this was just a little way to make my reboot stand out from others like it. Feel free to send me the link to the site where you read the other scripts and, yes, I’d love to get more opinions on this project! Thank you.
In regards to The Anakin/Vader secret (and the nature of his true name), I definitely went for a slow, less than obvious reveal. One of the goals of the script is that someone who has never seen Empire Strikes Back would not have the “I am your father” reveal ruined by seeing these prequels first. It was quite a juggling act, but I think I pulled it off. I also thought it was a fun twist to switch his true identity/name from what we’ve always thought it was.
What I liked:
The banter – The exchanges that Anakin and Lara have in your script are extremely entertaining and remind me of the interactions that Han and Leia had. I’m not sure if Lara is supposed to be his love interest in your stories, but if that’s so, then you made both lovebirds active and work together which is also a plus! I think Anakin and Padme’s relationship needed some teamwork in order to buy their relationship. But also, they needed to be pitted or trapped in the same situation and in the same place. The trash compactor scene in A New Hope personifies this perfectly. All three main characters are in peril, trying to work together to save their lives, but nothing is working. The moments before death is when you truly get to see who someone is. And when they survive the near-death situation, you appreciate them and start to develop a bond with them. I saw some glimpses of that when Anakin and Lara were being chased by the mandaur and also when they arrived to the detention center, but I don’t think I got enough to fully care about the two.
Anakin Skywalker – Like my rewrite and everyone else’s, your Anakin is an adult. I think we’ve all come to an accordance that young Anakin sucks. I really liked his personality in your story. His flirtatious and skepticism of Lara’s Jedi ways was obviously inspired from Han Solo. But, as much as I liked it, I don’t want Anakin to be a copy of Han. In my rewrite, I based Anakin off of his depiction in Dave Filoni’s Clone Wars, Chris Pine’s portrayal of Captain Kirk, and Vader’s defining traits in the originals. Anakin can be based off of certain characters, but he should be unique because of his tragic downfall. Unlike Han Solo and Captain Kirk, Anakin turned evil.
Clones – I liked that you explored their creation more than what we saw from Attack of the Clones. And for the first time of looking at these rewrites, I’ve found someone who’s had the same idea as me. When you revealed that you replicated politicians, I grew envious because I was gonna do the same! But anyways, while I’d probably treat this idea as a minor subplot in my stories, I’m interested in seeing your take on it.
Maul – My favorite scene of yours with the Sith is when he walked through the palace and everyone around him choked and died. That’d be quite a visual on the big screen. I also liked his dialogue and his mind games with the other characters, but I don’t think it fits his character.
I’ll get to that in what I didn’t like.
I’m glad you enjoyed the relationships between the characters. I spent a lot of time developing those, because it was perhaps the biggest element lacking in the PT.
I’d agree that my Anakin is more Han-esque, though I wouldn’t call him a carbon copy (pun intended) of everyone’s favorite smuggler. Please bear in mind that this project is ultimately intended to be viewed as a trilogy, and there is a lot set up in Episode I that will come to bear fruit later on.
Clones. Yes! If we’re going to have Clone Wars, it needs to be more than just…clones…in a war.
Maul. If you don’t think it fit his character, I take that as a compliment. Maul in the PT was a bit two-dimensional, so I’m glad I didn’t fit *that* character. The Maul in A New Menace is a new Maul completely. Unlike the Lara/Padme switch, I didn’t bother to change his name and description.
What I didn’t like:
The plot – The inclusion of the Mandalorians is where things get a little confusing. I’ve watched the Clone Wars series and my only experience with the Mandalorians comes from that show. Your Mandalorians reminded me of Death Watch in the Clone Wars. The first confusion is in your title crawl. You state that the Mandos are able to help other planets and sell weapons to them for a price. But, during these wars, their weapons are banned from the Republic?? Why? I thought you said they’re trying to help. If the Republic, as you clarified in this story, relies on other systems to serve as their “military”, why wouldn’t they accept the Mandalorians help since they have an enormous, organized army. I don’t get why the Republic hates the Mandalorians in the first place. In fact, I think they needed the Mandos resources, weapons, and soldiers. Of course, when Palpatine says that they’ve created the clones and attacked Alderaan, it makes sense not to side with them. But, what was his gripe in the first place? And, how is the Republic gonna defend itself if they’re being pummeled by Mandos and Clones (TWO ARMIES!)
If you wanted there to be a plot twist with the Mandos and Maul’s partnership, then you should develop the audience’s trust for them. And when they legimately seem like they are friends to the Republic, do the twist.
Maul interested in Lara – Why did he kill her parents and clone them? Why does he want her? Perhaps, this is answered in your next episode, but I felt very confused by the villain’s motivations.
Palpatine – So, he’s not senator of a planet or leader of the Republic. He’s governor of a sector, like a Moff in the Empire. But, how come Obi-Wan has to ask him permission to save Bail? Is Palpatine his boss? I’m thinking that it’s like a police officer/police chief relationship. It’s a little confusing though, and it would help if you clarify what is Palpatine’s position and how much power he has. Also, why did you reveal Palpatine speaking to Maul? Do you want the surprise of him being the Dark Lord of the Sith ruined in your first episode already?
Lara – Now, I think your idea of Jedi being politicians or Queen is refreshing, but it seems to contradict what it means to be a Jedi. From the original trilogy alone, the Jedi are seen as ancient monks/wizards that hate the government. Of course, that goverment was tyrannical, but look at monks today, or most religious organizations. They do not have the governing power over a society, unless you’re Iran. But needless to say, religion and politics don’t go hand in hand because one is the law from a bill and the other is the law from a holy text. So, if Palpatine (a Jedi who’s a governor?) and Lara (a Jedi who’s a Queen?) are politicians, does that mean they will dictate their societies through the ways of the Jedi? What if you don’t believe in their doctrines or methods and want to live an atheist life or worship another religion? I don’t know; the Jedi sound pretty tyrannical to me. Regardless, I can’t see a wise old monk who believes in truth and justice being a lying, deceiving, and manipulative politician. From my perspective, Kenobi is the closest to a politician because he’s known for his negotiations during the actual prequels and Clone Wars series. Speaking of Kenobi…
“Captain” Obi-Wan Kenobi – I loved how you established his relationship with Bail, and for some reason I actually buy it. Maybe it’s your dialogue, but you really did a great job making them seem like long-time friends, which makes sense in the context of Leia’s hologram. What I didn’t like from Kenobi is his personality. For a Jedi, he seems to jump into things rather than thinking through the situation. I actually feel like Lara is wiser than him, and she’s his apprentice. I would’ve liked to see more words of wisdom from Kenobi and some moments where he needs to right the wrong of his student. Maybe Lara screws up and almost costs them their lives, and Kenobi sits down and has a teacher-to-student chat with her. Also, I think Kenobi should be encouraging Anakin to trust the Force at the end. Overall, I’d like to see little moments of Kenobi’s teachings and wisdom while still being a soldier, trying to complete the mission.
The main character – Who is it? I appreciate that you jumped into the action at the beginning, but there’s no point in this story where any character is established as the central one. When we meet Luke and Rey, we see what they do and where they live BEFORE they’re involved in the plot. This allows the audience to invest in that character and try to relate to them. What makes these parts key is that the other main characters aren’t with them at first. We get to see how the protagonist deals with their life on their own. You need that in this story. A part that shines a spotlight on a specific character before they jump into the plot. If you can include this, it would definitely strengthen your story. One of my favorite scenes in A New Hope is when Luke looks at the Twin Suns. It felt so magical and compelling, and it was that scene, along with him watching his Uncle and Aunt, where I started to care for him and felt inclined to accompany him on his journey.
I’ll address your gripes as best I can:
Mandalorians. Of all your notes, this one is my favorite. You’re right. It would make more sense for the Mandalorians to be seen as a necessary evil, if not a wary ally. That way when they’re revealed to be the cloners, it’s a bigger shoe that drops. When I next get around to rewrites, I’m going to look hard at this point. Thank you.
Maul’s interest in Lara. He has the same interest in her as he does with Bail. Did you miss the (spoiler) part where she is royalty as well? She’s the venn diagram of his mission and his passion. He clones leadership, which she falls under. And he hates the Jedi, which she is as well. And, when they meet, she’s the only person in the room who could be considered a threat.
Palpatine. I’m fine with not clarifying his position. Tarkin’s apparent rank over Vader was never clarified, but we accepted it. I also put Palpatine’s reveal in this movie because, 1) It’s not a huge reveal in the grand scheme. His name is Palpatine, longtime fans know him as the Emperor. This is only a reveal if you’ve never seen Star Wars, and I think it works in this movie because, 2) I have bigger reveals for my other films.
Kenobi. Obi-Wan needs to be flawed. In the movies, he’s the only example we know of where a Jedi fails his apprentice. And, unless he’s doing nothing more than playing holo-chess all those years alone on Tatooine, he shouldn’t be all-wise yet. He gets nearly two decades to change! When Kenobi and Vader finally meet in Episode IV, it should be a different, wiser Kenobi that Anakin is not prepared to face.
The nature of the Jedi. In the OT, you have three Jedi (Obi-Wan, Yoda, and Luke), two of the three end up with General as their title, and are hiding only because they’re being hunted by the two dark or fallen Jedi (“Sith” was not a term in the OT). I always saw the Force/Jedi as something who you are, like religion, and not a job. It’s a calling, not a vocation. You can be a Jedi and a pilot or Governor or Queen.
Main characters. I chose not to follow the Hero’s Journey outline. Every Star Wars, save for the first, is an ensemble piece. Since we know some of these characters already, I wanted to jump in. This is not the Hero’s Journey, it’s destined by its nature to be a tragedy. If Episode IV needs to be “A New Hope” then Episodes I-III needs to be where all hope is lost.
Anyways, that’s most of what I got to say. I’m tired and I’ve taken over this comment section quite a bit. As I said before, I’m working on my own rewrite of the prequels, and after 4 or so years, I’m still on episode one. But I’m confident about the current draft I’m working on, and I’d like to share it with others when I’m done. If you’re interested, I can share it with you once I’m finished. I’m currently at the end of my second act and transitioning into the third. I’m not sure how long it’ll take me though. Once again, thank you for sharing this James. I understand the work it took to write your stories. Trust me… I don’t get enough sleep or food because I’m obsessed with my rewrite. I’ll try reading your other stories when I have the time.
Feel free to take over my comments! That’s what this page is for. Thank you for reading, and for giving your thoughts. I hope you’ll give Episode II a shot too, because that’s where I really stretch out and do start having fun.
PS – Yes, let me know when you’re done. I’d be happy to return the favor.
Hey James! I appreciate you taking your time and effort creating your own Star Wars stories. I myself have wanted to rewrite the prequels for many years, and I’m still currently trying to write them. Don’t worry I’m not going to pull off a Tarkin on your achievement 😉 I hate looking at other writer’s screenplays or ideas because I’ve become too selfish for mine and also I thought their rewrites sucked. But, I reluctantly do it to see how well they’ve been received, their approach on the project, and whether it’s truly worth sacrificing the time to do it. I happened to stumble across your website when I was extremely bored, trying to surf Google for other’s rewrites. I was on Google Images and clicked on this cool image of Maul lurking in the shadows with the words A New Menace above his hand. I admit that it peaked my curiosity. But, I also sighed and thought, “Ugh…, what am I doing? This could be bad…”
So, I did read through your screenplay of A New Menace, and it’s the only one of yours that I’ve read. This will also be my first time critiquing someone else’s work on these rewrites, so don’t take it personally if I come across offended because I love Star Wars just as much or more than you do, and it means so many things to me.
Hi, Chris. Thanks for stopping by, reading, and taking the time to comment.
I totally get it. Huge time commitment, all as an act of love. I wrote my prequels essentially so I could “move on.” And, I’m used to notes, and try to keep a thick skin, so no worries there. I’ll try to reply to each of your posts above.
I’m glad you liked my comments, James. The site is called Original Trilogy, maybe you already know it or maybe not, but if you want I would recommend putting your prequels there too. I’m already registered, my username is S-Snake88. As far as the prequels I’m reading are those of the user named CWBorne.
At the moment, his prequels are made in treatment format, once the treatment of Episode III ends, he will begin to make the respective scripts for each episode. If you are thinking of waiting for the scripts, I do not recommend it, because for that there is still some time left. 😉
As for the links, I send you three:
– The first contains the treatments of Episode I and II.
– The second contains where the treatment of Episode III will be. Currently there is only one update, but due to personal issues he is making a small break, but he has already said that he will return soon.
– And the third contains a post about questions and answers about their prequels and those of others to give some information, you can also do it if you want, in the post explains what questions there are. Obviously it contains some spoilers, for example the fall of its Anakin to the dark side or the appearance of certain character and later he decided that it did not appear, etc.
I highly recommend them, James. For my taste, he is doing a great job. I guess you’ll think the same thing when you read his prequels. So you know if you like, give him feedback (if you want of course). You can also read them and give him feedback if you want, Chris. 😉
And finally here are the links:
– http://originaltrilogy.com/topic/CWBornes-Prequel-Treatment-Omnibus-Thread-Current-Work-Revisions-Edits/id/14170
– http://originaltrilogy.com/topic/Star-Wars-Episode-III-Broken-Forces/id/55500
– http://originaltrilogy.com/topic/Prequel-Rewriters-Questions-to-think-about/id/11512/page/1
James, thanks for the links, I’ll definitely have to check these out. At the moment, I’m swamped with trying to get my Episode III released, as well as working on my next Click Your Poison novel.
I don’t want to drop in and throw my scripts up without time to fully check out the site and view others’ works, but if you would like to let people know about my scripts and my site, you have my blessing!
As I said, I’ll definitely head over there at some point, just not sure when. Thanks again!
Without reading all the previous comments, hoping not to shape my own thoughts, at a raw first read I have to say I loved it! You’ve done it again. I can honestly say I hope more people give it a try. I took lots of notes and can’t wait to discuss.
You’re very talented, James. I must admit, I dug the first one so much that I was a little worried I might lose some of my interest in the second. I had the opposite experience. The plot twists and development of the characters was SOOOOO good. Your foreshadowing is not obvious, but just enough of a suggestion, that I LITERALLY said “awwwww” out loud. As if to say, I’m proud of myself for catching it, not a “duh” of course that is what happened, you already told us!
I think your plot is masterful and well thought out. Which I must say is a feat all it’s own. Not just anyone can take a story as well known as STAR WARS and rewrite it without duplication and redundancy riddled throughout, but you did!
I have a few irks, but hopefully you can settle my mind on them at a later time. Well done, James. This was in fact a masterpiece. This STAR WARS fan approves. I anxiously wait for the third installation.
Kristi, wow, thank you for the kind words! This was definitely done as a bit of fun, but also to challenge me as a writer. I’m quite proud of how these scripts turned out. And thanks for the reminder–I need to get Episode III out soon!
I came across this site quite by accident this morning, and I’m really been enjoying these, well done 🙂 I’m in the notes for Episode II right now, and I’m sure it’s too late to point it out, but Anakin leaving the hospital “in pursuit of Bail” seemed a bit too on the nose — wouldn’t he expect Obi-Wan to put two and two together and maybe try to stop him? I thought “in pursuit of a drink” might have worked better, but that’s really the only thing that’s stopped me in my tracks so far. On to Episode III for me 🙂
Hey, Dice. Thanks for checking out the scripts! Never too late for feedback 😉
I’ll take a look at that beat, thanks. Hope to hear your final thoughts once you finish the trilogy!
Hey man, this is Chris from the comments above from two years ago. Nope, I did not forget you lol. Obviously, a lot has changed about me since then, especially after graduating from a two-year film school now. But I’m mostly back to let you know that after all this time… I’ve finally completed my Episode I rewrite of the prequels.
And it’s something I never thought I’d be able to complete. I pretty much abandoned it for a long while and any topic related to it. But this past month, I resumed my interest and finally finished the story I was trying to tell.
If you’re still at all interested in reading it, I can send you a link and/or PDF of the entire project. It has been written more or less in a novel form. But, it’s not as descriptive as a novel; I tried to keep the writing’s flow more akin to a screenplay.
Either way, now that I got my version out of the way. I’ll continue reading your other episodes, along with several others that I wanted to read. I know you’ve probably moved on from these ideas, but I hope you’re still able to revisit these concepts.
Sorry for such a long wait. But I am a man of my word… just not a man of time 😉
Welcome back, Chris! And congrats on finishing your film school.
Feel free to send your story via my contact page, and as always, I look forward to your insightful comments once you’ve finished with episodes II & III.