Roll Credits: Star Wars Reboot Complete!

As of this very minute, all three scripts in my “Reboot the Prequels” Trilogy are completed and ready to read. All free of charge, as a labor of love.

Check out my “What the Prequels Should Have Been” page now.

If you love (or perhaps “loved”) Star Wars, but never felt right about the prequels, you’re in the right place. [Obviously, if you enjoyed Lucas’s prequels, you’re not. You have your movies, go enjoy them!] What I’ve done here, is provided Star Wars fans with a prequel trilogy that “feels” more like the originals.

I began this project as a writing exercise, a sort of “Oh, yeah? Can you do better?” to prove that the prequels were not beyond repair.

And I’ve done it.

I really have. I’m incredibly proud of these three scripts and in my mind, now they are the Star Wars prequels.

Give it a go. Reading a screenplay is like having a movie unfold in your mind. Put on a John Williams station on Pandora or YouTube and let these scripts come to life in your imagination.

Then let me know what you think.

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A Star Wars Manifesto

As today is Star Wars day (May the Fourth Be With You!), I’m releasing part one of a passion project that’s been consuming me these past few months.

Many of you may have heard me mention my Reboot the Prequels project, but I wanted to take a minute to declare my intent. For those unfamiliar, I decided to rewrite The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith into a story-focused narrative that unfolds Anakin’s descent to the Dark Side in a compelling way.

Why would I do such a thing?

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Allow me to explain. Photo credit: Jo Sabin.

Undoubtedly, some of you reading this think I’m wasting my time. But I’m not. And not just in the John Lennon, “Time you enjoy wasting, was not wasted,” sense.

Here’s why:

  1. I’m certain this writing exercise has made me a better writer. It’s kind of incredible, when you step back and think about it, that we have one trilogy that is universally loved and another that is all but universally reviled set within the same franchise. But what is it that makes them so different? The wooden performances in front of a greenscreen, for sure, but it’s much more than that. It’s the story. I broke down what worked for one and what failed in the other and I’m a stronger author for doing so.
  2. Writing is cathartic. The best way to discover how you feel about a subject (and why) is to write about it. It was truly healing to be able to put my gripes to bed, even in something as seemingly inconsequential as a movie franchise. But now I’ve said my piece. I have an answer, one which I can give emphatically, to the proverbial, “Yeah, well, could you do any better?”
  3. I got to write a Star Wars movie! Sure, I didn’t get paid six figures and get to walk the red carpet (though, if you’re reading this Disney, let’s do lunch), but I undoubtedly wrote the movie. And I loved every minute of it. This is the most I’ve ever felt like an “artist.” Having created a thing for no other reason than for the pure joy of doing so. It’s the same aspect of self-publishing that I find so freeing. We are living in an era where the only thing stopping you from creating and distributing a story is the will to do so.
  4. I get to share my love and my lessons.

That’s where you come in, #4. And May the Fourth Be With You.

The screenplay for A New Menace (That’s what I’ve called my Episode I. Get it?) clocks in at 103 pages, with another dozen of story lessons and explanations at the end. If you’ve never read a screenplay, that should take you 103 minutes or less to read. You can read this first script right now on my Reboot the Prequels page. Then you can tell me if I nailed it or failed it. Share it with your friends. Let these screenplays be the movies we all deserved to see.

Your author,

May 4th, 2017


Thanks for reading! What do YOU think? Waste of time or time well spent?

Leave me a comment below, and don’t forget to share and subscribe!

Lessons: Return of the Jedi

The original trilogy (OT) is now complete! Read the other two entries here:

As I go on, I’m getting more and more excited about how to crack the prequel trilogy (PT) into a successful reboot. Talking with Brian (my go-to fellow Star Wars fanatic who’s helping me crack the story), we think we may have just figured out a gigantic story beat: How to give a compelling PT storyline without ruining the major reveals from the OT.

That is to say, the biggest reveal of all time. We’re going to keep that secret!

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How, you may ask? All in good time…

For now, check out my notes from viewing Episode VI: Return of the Jedi in all their glorious stream-of-consciousness format:

-The opening crawl says that Luke doesn’t know about the new Death Star. That means this galaxy is huge.
-Maybe if there is a Jedi council, each member is on his/her own world, defending it. The core worlds. When they meet, it’s via hologram.
-Vader’s opening speech uses excellent foreshadowing. The Emperor is coming, a man we haven’t truly seen in two movies. And he “isn’t as forgiving” as a villain who just spent a whole movie choking people out. Awesome.
-Jabba is another who was mentioned in each movie. His palace is delightfully terrifying, yet fits with what we know of Tatooine
-Droids are treated almost like slaves on Tatooine. It’s odd, but makes us feel danger for the innocent characters.
-The rancor is so cool!
-Heroes hiding in uniforms is fun
-Luke choked out the pigmen guards with the force! No way!
-The guy who cries over the rancor is a nice touch
-Just seeing Luke’s new lightsaber is great
-But the “humorous” Boba Fett death is not.
-There is chaos on the sail barge scene, but it’s manage. And only a few minutes long…
-Could do something with those cool red Imperial guard. Show them off at the formation of the Empire so that it adds gravity to their impression on this film
-This movie did a Star Wars greatest hits before it was cool. Return to Tatooine, Dagobah, and a Death Star
-Obi Wan says Anakin was already a great pilot (and amazed at how the force flowed through him) when he took it upon himself to train him. None of this little kid shit.
-“Bury your feelings” re: Leia. Great foreshadowing!
-“Battle of Denab, many bothans died” – again, mention events that happen between movies
-Weird looking Imperial advisor dudes. Use for them?
-Lucas used most of Earth’s environments in these films: Desert, tundra, rainforest/swamp, and forest. It makes sense that in the prequels he used a city planet, plains, waterworld, and volcano. Use these and maybe mountain planet too.
-Man, I can’t help but think this would have been better as the Wookie world and not with Ewoks.
-Does Leia do anything in this movie after her role in freeing Han? Aside from getting her hair braided by teddy bears…
-The Emperor sees himself as the chessmaster, to his own detriment. “There’s a small rebel force…” “Yes, I know.”
-“I have foreseen it” would make a great bluff. Who could call you out?
-Luke only uses his powers when absolutely necessary. “Han, can you reach my lightsaber?”
-Leia remembers her “real mother”
-“It’s a Trap!” Traps are a great power-reversal in these movies.
-Interesting…The Ewok battle is pretty silly, but the only hero in the space battle is Lando.
-Even so, Ewoks die. This isn’t full Gungan.
-Hopelessness tempts the dark side
-Make battles more like Hoth and less like Endor
-Lightsaber throw can be quite effective
-Palpatine’s lightning. Anakin needs the breather because of his own exposure?
-Did they really throw the prequel “Nooooo” in there? Goddamn these special editions!
-“With my own eyes” so there is Vader vision
-CGI celebration scene…yuck
-Young Anakin force ghost…double yuck

That’s it for now. Up next, The Force Awakens!


Thanks for reading! What do YOU think? Was I too rough on the Ewoks? Not rough enough?

Leave me a comment below, and don’t forget to share and subscribe!

Lessons: Empire Strikes Back

Continuing yesterday’s A New Hope post, I’m proceeding with my breakdown of Star Wars for the impending writing exercise where I Reboot the Prequels.

I have to say, after viewing Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, with a critical mindset…this might just be the best sequel ever made.

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Stream-of-consciousness notes follow:

-Fun worlds + using the local wildlife = magic
-Probe droids are efficient.
-Danger, always danger
-Chewie and R2 didn’t need subtitles, nor did they need to speak English. Keep that in mind.
-Significant events have transpired between movies. Characters and relationships have changed without us seeing it, but it works. This is how you achieve the gravity of growth.
-Conflict, conflict, conflict!
-Swears: hell, blast
-Seeing someone learn to use new force powers is exciting. Use this tool sparingly.
-Rebel personnel are everything, Empire personnel are expendable
-“Bounty hunter on ord mandell” and “ears off a gondark” –plenty is mentioned that we don’t see or even understand, yet it works
-Vader didn’t even need to be in the same room as the Admiral he force-choked! He did it during a teleconference! That’s huge!
-Vader is patient…except when it comes to incompetence
-Ion cannons can take out a Star Destroyer, but it doesn’t stop the invasion
-Things that are new to us are not new to the characters. Speeders, Walkers, etc
-TV screens for short range comm, hologram for longer
-Obi Wan had plans at the ready, Luke improvises. Use this characteristic for Anakin.
-Did the Special Edition really add a single AT-ST to the battle? Lame.
-Snowtrooper uniform is legit.
-Heroes barely win. Losses on both sides. Tense battles put our favorite people in jeopardy, not a lot of expendables
-Vader’s meditation pod is legitimately cool. But is it because he was “promoted” since the last movie? Perhaps he’s outside of the Imperial command structure. A Lord, not an officer. Was attached to the Death Star while on his own mission to recover the plans. Now he leads the mission to crush the rebellion/capture Luke.
-Yoda testing Luke while playing the fool is too cool. Don’t ruin this. There is a way to keep this surprise. Does Yoda need to be in the prequels? What if Obi Wan mentions his old master’s wisdom, but Anakin thinks Yoda is more of a teaching metaphor, and not someone who truly exists. We never see the green little dude. And certainly never see him fight with a lightsaber.
-“Who will Leia end up with?” is the original love triangle. Make your own romance as interesting.
-We don’t even see the Emperor until this movie, though he was mentioned. We don’t need to cram every character in every movie
-“Was I any different when you trained me?” This implies that young Obi Wan was temperamental
-“Adventure, etc. A Jedi craves not these things.”
-All hero dialogue is either an argument, humor, or both
-“Jedi use the force for knowledge and defense, never attack.”
-Why is there a domain of evil (cave) on Dagobah? Is that why Yoda is there? To balance out an evil place?
-Imperial officers don’t like bounty hunters, but Vader doesn’t care.
-“No disintegrations.” Have a scene with disintegrations!
-“No ship that small has a cloaking device!” So…big ships can cloak, eh? Interesting…
-The force will show visions of the past, the future, friends. Moments of strong connection.
-“No, there is another.” — Planting seeds of a reveal in the next movie, daaaaaaamn
-Seems like all the heroes in these movies start off hating each other.
-“I love you, I know” has to be the best line ever
-Vader wants order, that is his ultimate goal.
-Vader as Luke’s father is the best reveal of all time. Is there any way not to ruin that if someone sees the prequels first?
-Luke literally watches his lightsaber fall from the floating city…
-It’s a dark ending for the rebellion, but they state their plan for the future. There’s a way forward.

That’s it for now. Up next, Jedi!


Thanks for reading! What do YOU think? Is this really the best sequel of all-time?

Leave me a comment below, and don’t forget to share and subscribe!

May the 4th Be With You!

Writer/Director/Producer J.J Abrams (top center right) at the cast read-through of Star Wars Episode VII at Pinewood Studios with (clockwise from right) Harrison Ford, Daisy Ridley, Carrie Fisher, Peter Mayhew, Producer Bryan Burk, Lucasfilm President and Producer Kathleen Kennedy, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Mark Hamill, Andy Serkis, Oscar Isaac, John Boyega, Adam Driver and Writer Lawrence Kasdan. Copyright and Photo Credit: David James.

With this week’s cast announcement (pictured above) for Star Wars: Episode VII, and today being Star Wars Day, I thought it a fitting time for my own announcement from a galaxy far, far away… It’s been almost a decade now that I’ve been complaining about the Star Wars prequels. How they could have been great, should have been great. Well, now I’m going to put my powers to good and finally stop talking. I’m re-writing the prequels. I’m giving us, the fans, the Episodes I, II, and III we deserve. No Jar-Jar, no poop jokes, no politics and trade disputes, no Yoda lightsaber fights, no seeing our favorite characters as plucky children, no so-many-lightsabers-your-eyes-bleed fights. I’m not starting from scratch, I’m taking Lucas’ ideas and reforging them into What the Prequels Should Have Been. I’ve outlined Episodes I and II. Stay tuned for more details, and enjoy this small teaser. The Opening Crawl to Star Wars, Episode I: A New Menace: http://starwars.com/play/online-activities/crawl-creator/?cs=g6qakvkhua (click to view or to create your own floating text!)

A long time ago,
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 PS — Those eagerly awaiting CYP#3, don’t worry, SUPERPOWERED is still on it’s way!