This is the first of a series that I have not planned out, about an idea that I have had for some time, for how the Prequel Trilogy should have been formatted. This is something that I know that many people have their own ideas for, and I am curious to see what others think of my own ideas, as well as hopefully foster something positive with regard to the often hated and much maligned Star Wars prequels.
I should start by saying that I really like the prequels. In fact, I love those movies. I grew up watching the original trilogy and was absolutely beside myself when the prequels were announced and watched each film as they came out, ignoring as much as I could, the general public’s reaction to the films. I should also say that I have a very high tolerance for movies of varying degrees of quality. If you continue reading my blog, you’ll see that in what I write about. Especially if you look at the contents of my DVD collection, or my flixster movies list.
But enough about me, let’s talk about reboots.
A lot of reboots are happening, and since 2005 it’s become a buzzword in the film world, replacing the word “remake,” though often meaning the same thing. I think that the distinction comes when there is more than one film involved… sometimes. Batman Begins seemed to kick-start the big push to go back over a film or film series from the past and ground it more in reality, or to simply do it with modern technology. At the time of this writing, Spider-Man is the latest to get the reboot treatment, and likely the fastest turnaround that I have seen.
Star Trek went alternate universe, bringing things back to ground zero, and there are many more remakes in the pipeline at different stages of development. From The NeverEnding Story and The Karate Kid, to Flight of the Navigator and Superman.
The one series that I think many of us would like to have rebooted, but no one is saying it (as far as I know) because it is not likely that it would happen any time soon, is Star Wars. In particular: the Prequels. The original trilogy is fine, leave it as is. But there is a good reason why a reboot to the prequels makes sense: it was filmed so long before the prequels that a different cast worked the first time out, and it could work again.
What would a rebooted prequel trilogy look like? Well, it might be stepping on the toes of the Clone Wars animated series a lot, but here is what I would do.
Take the political arc of Palpatine’s rise to power and condense it into one half of the storyline of Episode I. This arc seemed to happen over the course of Episodes I-III, and would be better served, I think, by being a more hard-hitting political race for power. Spend the other half of the film building up the character of Anakin. His love for his mother, his training and comradery with Obi-Wan, and the planting of ideas with Palpatine. Show the Jedi being put into positions of leadership among the clone ranks, and all of that. Basically, take what happened in Episode I, Episode II and the first half of Episode III and condense it into the vital parts, with some changes to make it more plausible.
The next part would include the second half of Episode III, to either start with, or to spread out over the film. Starting with the activation of Order 66, the film is brilliant, and everything that the prequels should have been from the start. But I also recognize that it wouldn’t have been as powerful an ending without the journey to get there, so it does have to build up to that.
The third film would include a more substantial beginning to the Rebellion. I would include how the rebel spies learned of the Death Star. Not only that, but detail how they pulled the off the Death Star Plan heist that set A New Hope into motion. It would be fascinating to look at the beginnings of the rebel alliance while trying to establish a base of operation. It would also feature Darth Vader’s Jedi hunt, and Yoda’s landing on Dagobah.
These are just some initial thoughts that I’m writing while falling asleep, so they might be pretty disjointed. But what do you think? What would you like to see in a prequel trilogy reboot?
In entries to come, we’ll talk about potential directors, casting, and more.
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Having watched Inception and the most recent Star Trek movie, remaking the Star Wars prequels keeping George Lucas far away from the writing room could be awesome.
Much more in the tone of the Empire Strikes Back
I would make it less of a coincidence. Get rid of characters like Yoda, Chewy and the Fetts. Make main characters like Anakin and Obi-Wan have more depth and heart with less corny lines. Also, make it feel more like Star Wars. Similar planets and ships and such. Also, less politics and more action. Less plot holes as well. Make Yoda Obi-Wan’s master. Make Anakin give his lightsaber to Luke, ect. Get rid of the Phantom Menace and have the Clone Wars last the whole trilogy. Anakin’s origin and such can be shown in flashbacks. Last but not least…GET BETTER ACTORS!
I think they should remake the 1st three movies as they are now dated , I think with the right director ( Not George Lucas ) and intelligently used CGI it would be amazing .
@David Mortimer
Totally Agree with you david.
I can only speak for myself, but I was a little disappointed with the prequel. But then, what can a fan do, it’s LUCAS. He was FINALLY making new films, so when I saw Episode One, it was “WOW, THIS GREAT” and then, as I watched several times, I said “wait, wasn’t Anakin much older? I would’ve had Padme meet Anakin. but he would be working in some shop alongside Uncle Owen, covering the story that Owen didn’t want Anakin following Obi Wan on some idealistic crusade. Set the movies the way they were originally were set to be, with these titles- RETURN OF THE SITH, FALL OF THE OLD REPUBLIC and RISE OF THE EMPIRE. I agree with David Mortimer- ALL six movies rebooted using CGI, not STAR WARS- THE CLOBE WARS anime, but the type seen in FINAL FANTASY- THE SPIRITS WITHIN and ANIMATRIX- FLIGHT OF THE OSIRIS.
I think that this idea is on the right track. The first episode should show how the clone wars get started, and Palpatines rise to power. Anakin should be about 16 years old and already a jedi apprentice who feels his master is holding him back! My idea would be to have Anakin and his master go on a dangerous mission with Obiwan and his apprentice, and have Anakin and Obiwan be the only two survivors! Obiwan takes Anakin as his apprentice but is warned by the council to take caution with him! I would also want to get more charachter development between Obiwan and Owen Lars. You get a huge sense in episode 4 that there was a spat between them, and I think that needs to be shown!
Episode 2 should be all about how the empire is formed and how Palpatine turns Anakin to the darkside! It should start similar to episode 3, having a lot to do with the final battles of the clone wars. Padme should be keeping her pregnancy secret from Anakin, and she only reveals it to Obiwan just before Anakin turns to the Darkside! One more thing, when the empire forms and the jedi basically become fugitives, I think that is when Anakin should change his name to Darth Vader, and Obiwan to Ben! When Darth Vader turns to the darkside, he needs to turn on evryone except the emperor of course, but that includes Padme!
Episode 3 should strictly about the emperor and Darth Vader hunting down the jedi, and Vader’s fight with Ben, which Ben Defeats Vader having all but killed him, but putting him in the mask we’re all familiar with. In this one I also want to meet Leia, and Luke as young children! Mostly focus on Leia and show how she gets to run in the Imperial senate. This should also show the relationship between Leia and her mother before she dies of a cancer like disease! I would only meet Luke at the end of the movie when Ben returns to Tattoine to go back into solitude! Finish the movie with Luke looking out onto the horizon! It might also be cool to meet Han Solo as a teenager in this movie!
I would title these prequals as follows:
Episode 1, The New Republic War
Episode 2, Rise of the Empire
Episode 3, Wrath of the Darkside
All 3 would take place 5 years apart from each other. Let me know what you think!
That’s a very interesting treatment. I would do them somewhat similarly, but have some different ideas for how I would do them from here. Especially considering a statement that I’d heard someone say at a comic-con. Spoiling who Darth Vader is before the reveal to Luke. I think, if I’d done the prequels, I’d never have Anakin’s last name be known, or it would be something like “Starkiller.”
I think not knowing his last name is a better idea then giving him a different last name all together, scince he is referred to as Anakin Skywalker in Return of the Jedi! I think he definitly needs to change his name to Darth Vader before he turns to the darkside! Many things can be done a certain way as long as they line up properly with the original series!
Yeah, exactly. Another idea I just had would be to have there be either another Skywalker boy in the family, or have another Skywalker that is unrelated. Make that Skywalker into a hotshot pilot alongside another Antilles.
Now that’s a cool idea! It almost seems like you would need more than 3 prequels to get enough story plots for everything that ties the original series together! Even with my ideas there is still a 15 year gap between “Wrath of the Darkside” and “A New Hope”. I think you can get away with a 15 year gap, but it still leaves me wondering what big events could’ve happened in that period? 5 prequels would probably fill in the gaps well enough!
The only thing with this idea is that you would probably need to write in a secondary jedi character to keep the jedi in the movies after Yoda and Obiwan are totaly written out after Episode 3! This character would be a background character in the first 3 episodes, and come out into the forefront for the next 2 as a leader of the Rebel Alliance! He would of course be killed by Vader in the last one, five years before “A New Hope!
Thanks! I think that the idea also can become complex enough to preserve the secret of who Luke’s father is. Especially if it’s Darth Vader that kills the other Skywalker. It could serve as the story that Obi-Wan tells Luke about who his father is. Everything would be backed up. If the film trilogy was written correctly, it would avoid being obvious in the set-up and the slight of hand that it would take to hide the fact that Luke and Leia are the son and daughter of Anakin and not the other Skywalker.
I could see what you’re saying about there being a lot of material there. I was also reminded of a rumor that I’d heard that Lucas had originally included a Jedi in the script that would vanish at the end of the prequels, about the same time that Obi-wan and Yoda went into hiding. That Jedi would then resurface as one of the hero characters from Episodes 7, 8 and 9.
The main problems that I see with the inability to complete the prequel story in only 3 films is that the numbering doesn’t allow for 5 movies to tell the story. I think it all needs to be told in only 3 films, but it could be longer films. I can see the concept that you have being something that would work fairly well.
That sounds great and all for a huge epic story with lots detail and back story but I don’t think they would make for very good Star Wars movies. I believe they would be way too complicated and if your goal is to stay true to the style of the original Star Wars you want an amazing story and lots of fun while keeping the movie at an acceptable length. In my opinion, Lucas’s prequels had the right idea in structure, and then ultimately failed in everything after. The prequels should be a trilogy with Anakin as the main character with the main storyline being his training as a Jedi and his fall to the dark side all while the Clone Wars and the Emperor’s creation of the Imperial Empire serve as major sub-stories. Do not get to close to the original trilogies and it would be a huge mistake to start putting in child or teenage versions of original trilogy characters. That would be comparable to Lucas putting Chewbacca in episode III. The trilogies need to be distinctly separate and be able to stand alone while at the same time being able to join together. Each trilogy should have its own unique characters with the only exceptions being Anakin/Vader, Obi-Wan, the Emperor, and probably Yoda. Basically just remember to keep in mind that we’re theoretically creating movies, not an entire Tolkien legendarium. Let others fill in the blanks with their own adventures in between your prequels and Lucas’s originals. Give them the opportunity to do what we’re doing now.
I can agree with Caleb to a point, but ultimatly I think that there is too far of a gap between episode 3 and 4, and some of these original trilogy characters need to be introduced. I don’t think that their roles should be too important, but give them an introduction to show that they will play large roles in the future! Leia would have a larger role than anyone else, but even hers would be limited to her having a place in the senate, and a relationship with her mother before she dies, so that when she talks about her mother in episode 6 it will actually make sense!
Lucas definitley started the prequels too far back, and in 3 movies he couldn’t tie everything together the way it should have been, and some of the tie in he had seemed phoned in at the last minute. More than anything else, I believe that fans of Star Wars wanted to see a badass Darth Vader that hunts down the jedi in the 3rd episode! Anakins reason for turning to the darkside was stupid in Revenge of the Sith, and he didn’t have much to do at all with hunting down the jedi other than killing younglings! Anakin needs to turn, because of his lust for power, and the emperor twisting his mind a bit to make Anakin think that the jedi are turning on him! Anakin was cocky, and thought was already the most powerfull, but the Emperor shows him otherwise! Anakin turning to the darkside to save Padme???????????? This is not the Darth Vader I’m looking for!
I agree that you can’t make 5 episodes, but maybe a tv series taking place between 3 and 4 would be a good idea? I think that my timeline is probably the best you could come up with for a prequel trilogy. The chances of these ever getting made however are pretty slim, which is too bad. Ever since I was about 7 years old I wanted to see a prequel trilogy! Never say never I guess!
I like all these ideas! Here are some of my suggestions:
Anakin gets all his armor over time…
Two villains: palpatine as the “thinker” and Maul as the “do-er”…
Make Maul a bigger threat and develop his character more…
No Dooku or Greivous, just Maul…
Instead of Naboo, make everything Aldaraan…
Make Jedi more like spies than diplomats…
The republic uses Jedi as “freelancers” essentially…
Although Palpatine is the master, Maul is more of a partner than an apprentice…
ObiWan and QuiGon are friends in Ep1. Obiwan has already reached Jedi knight by that point…
Make ObiWan a slightly-cynical badass (kinda like han solo). Anakin’s path to the dark side will depress Obiwan and mature him into a much wiser sage-like person…
Ep1:
The Clone Wars have already begun and the CIS have just began attacking the
republic. Their new battle droids (cooler than the ones Lucas made) out-battle the
individual planets’ militias, causing the republic to consider a galactic clone army.
The film’s beginning follows two storylines, ObiWan being hired by the republic to find the perfect cloning specimen, and QuiGon goes to aid Tatooine’s battle against the CIS. When he arrives, the CIS have taken the citizens as slaves. Anakin (17 yrs old) and his mother are leaders of the resistance (very terminator-esque), and QuiGon helps them overthrow the CIS occupation and liberate Tatooine. QuiGon senses the force in Anakin, whom knows nothing of the jedi. They suceed in the liberation, but Shmi dies. QuiGon convinces him to return with him to Typhon (jedi council home), he agrees to go (homeage to Ep4 when Luke and ObiWan go to Aldaraan). The council is reluctant to accept Anakin as QuiGons apprentice because his time in slavery on Tatooine built up his rage, fueling the dark side within. Meanwhile, ObiWan travels to “planet x” to hire Mandalore (not a Fett) for the cloning process. To gain their trust, he must complete the Mandalorian’s trials. He does so and they travel to a republic cruiser to meet ” Chancellor X”. Onboard, the cloning process is greenlit, and Mandalore is to be escorted to Aldaraan for the project. A CIS strike force led by Darth Maul attack the cruiser and kill Chacellor X. ObiWan and Mandalore help various crew members escape and escape to Aldaraan. Leaving Mandalore, ObiWan travels to Typhon to inform the council of Maul and the possibility that the Sith have returned. He meets Anakin and is immediatly impressed by his power, yet cautious of its potential. On Coruscant, Senator Palpatine runs for election as new
chancellor. The CIS make a massive attack on Aldaraan, and the jedi recieve the Queen of Aldaraan’s distress signal. ObiWan and QuiGon go to aid, but Anakin sneaks off with them. Senator Palpatine (of Aldaraan) asks the militias of other planets to aid as well. They agree. Massive space battle against CIS. Mandalore and Anakin lead Aldaraan’s militia in space while the jedi go to rescue the Queen. The Queen’s daughter (padme) has been kidnapped aboard the CIS flagship so Anakin goes stealth to rescue her and escape. Maul shows up and mortally wounds QuiGon, ObiWan then injures Maul, whom escapes. The CIS flagship prepares to bomb Aldaraan from orbit. QuiGon gives ObiWan the last of his power so ObiWan can “EMP” the ship, crashing it into the ocean. Most of the space
militia is defeated, But are saved by the Mandalorian starfleet. Aldaraan is saved and the clone project begins. ObiWan get permission to train Anakin.
but Aldaraan is saved by the Mandalorian starfleet. ObiWan is granted permission to train Anakin and the clone army project begins.
Dave, I think you have some great ideas and these could make for very good prequels although there are a couple of flaws that I should point out!
I know you don’t like the idea of things taking place from senate meetings, but the senate, and the republic were both mentioned in the original trilogy. I am not saying that the senate should be how things are decided in these movies, in fact it could be interesting if the senate decides on one thing but Palpatine does the oposite to defy it. Even though we never see it happen in Episode 4, we find out that The Emperor disolves the Imperial senate, so we know that he has been wanting to get rid of it for years just never had enough power to do it. I would like to see Palpatine play the senate like a game of chess so that he can eventually destroy it!
These things do have to play a role! There has to be a Republic that turns into an Empire, or else it wont make sense when Obiwan talks of how the Jedi were the guardians of peace and justice in the old Republic! I really like your idea of Anakin being kind of like a John Connor figure on Tattoine, but in this kind of senario I wouldn’t use Quigon. Quigon could be a very close friend and mentor to Obiwan, but there shouldn’t be any relationship built between Anakin and Quigon. Mostly because the relationship between Anakin and Obiwan is more important, and since there is probably about an episode and a half to really show that it would just take up too much time in the movie. Plus , remember that you have to show Anakins relationship with Padme, and his familly too!
I also really don’t like the sith! It is not a term used in the original trilogy and I don’t think it belongs in the prequels. It was always refered to as the darkside of the force, and that was it! I think Lucas was trying to get creative when he came up with the sith for the prequels, but it needs to make sense with the original trilogy. I say just call them dark lords!
So many great ideas! Again, it is a shame that these movies will probably never be made!
Just a quick response, regarding the term Sith: Darth Vader was referred to as “Dark Lord of the Sith” for many years before the prequels were even written.
“The term “Sith” dates back to the rough draft of Star Wars, when the “Knights of Sith” battled the legendary “Jedi Bendu” warriors. Later drafts would rename the dark order the Legions of Lettow, before finally settling on a single warrior, Darth Vader, to be Dark Lord of the Sith.” (http://web.archive.org/web/20110629023811/http://www.starwars.com/databank/organization/thesith/index.html)
That is very interesting, but at the same time the way that the prequels use the work Sith so frequently just doesn’t seem right when the word is not mentioned at all in the original trilogy! I’m sure that it’s true that the word Sith did originate before the original movies, but it wasn’t used in the movies, so why should it be everywhere in the prequels. I think that the word can exist in the prequels, but needs to be used more like it’s an ancient term that doesn’t exist anymore! Maybe it could be said that the Sith have evolved into something more powerful, and can no longer be called the Sith!
My Ep. 2 ideas:
5 years after Ep. 1.
The republic now has a Clone Army, thanks to Mandalore’s DNA.
Republic clones battle CIS droids AND seperatist planet militias across the galaxy.
ObiWan is training Anakin, who is soon to take on the trials to become a Jedi Knight.
The cloning process has had negative health outcomes for Mandalore, who is dying.
ObiWan visits Mandalore frequently and tries to console him, he is the only Jedi Mandalore trusts, even though he also likes Anakin.
Secretly, Palpatine is sending Darth Maul to assassinate Seantors whom oppose his power as chancellor.
Although Jedi and clone troopers DO work together on various missions, they are not their “generals,” they are much more like spies/diplomats/commandos who serve the republic, but act seperatly of the clones.
Plot:
After the senator of Aldaraan is assassinated, the planet’s government threatens to leave the republic and join the CIS. ObiWan and Anakin are sent to investigate the murder and convince Aldaraan to not leave. ObiWan discovers Maul was behind the assassination, confirming his fear that Maul survived their encounter in Ep.1.
The cloning facility is moved from Aldaraan to a secret space facility, where Mandalore is kept in a prison-like environment.
^^This could all happen BEFORE the actual movie^^
A “black-ops” Mandalorian squad lands on Tython (sic?) and kidnaps ObiWan, who is meditating at a waterfall (lol idk). Meanwhile, Yoda and the Jedi Council are conducting Anakin’s trials, which consist of facing several challenges in a cavern on Tython. Anakin feels a disturbance in the force as ObiWan is kidnapped, becomes distracted, and fails the trial. With no trace left behind of ObiWan, Yoda and the elder members debate what could have happened. In the meantime, they send Anakin to Coruscant to prevent the assassination of Palpatine, who they believe Maul will kill next.
Princess Padme is reluctantly elected as the new senator of Aldaraan.
Anakin bonds with Palpatine on Coruscant, and is also reunited with Padme after 5 years. (Vague) love story occurs.
ObiWan is taken to a Mandalorian flagship, where the captain tells him that Mandalore is located at a secret cloning facility (more like a prison), and that the Mandalorians will succeed and join the CIS unless ObiWan rescues Mandalore and returns him to his people. Knowing the Mandalorians could lead the CIS to victory, ObiWan reluctantly agrees.
Anakin and Padme get close on Curuscant.
While guarding Palpatine, Anakin is told by him that he is secretly a force-user who dislikes the Jedi code (isnt revealed as a straight-up Sith). Subliminally, he introduces Anakin to the Sith code.
ObiWan’s strike team, consisting of a few Mandalorians (including a young Boba Fett), a wookie and a “badass” protocal droid (like HK-47 form KOTOR), take a ship to slip by a Republic blockade of the prison space station.
At this point, the CIS launches a massive attack/invasion against Coruscant. Anakin leads the ground defense as the capital erupts with war.
The Jedi on Tython learn of the attack and leave to help, but it’ll take time to get there.
Obi-Wan’s strike team infiltrates the base and battle with several security attack droids and clone troopers. Although ObiWan doesn’t “kill” any troopers, his team most certainly does. The find Mandalore in terminal condition and rescue him. Not wanting Mandalore’s DNA to fall into enemy hands, a Republic captain (not a clone) shoots Mandalore, whom dies in ObiWan’s arms. ObiWan feels a great disturbance deep within the prison. The strike team discovers hundreds of Jedi imprisoned within the prison, and ObiWan realizes that the republic wants to get rid of the Jedi. Boba Fett tells the Mandalorian captain that Mandalore is dead. The Mandalorians quickly join the CIS, which nobody in the strike team wanted.
On Coruscant, the CIS are winning the battle. Almost all hope is lost, then the Jedi from Tython arrive. Yoda directs the ground battle as Anakin leaves the space fighter assault of the control ships. Ships are destroyed, all is well. Anakin learns aboard the ship that the CIS answers to Darth Maul. Due to his outstanding acheivements in battle, Yoda declares Anakin a Jedi knight.
With Tython empty, Darth Maul and a fleet of newly-loyal Mandalorians glass the planet, destroying the Jedi temple.
ObiWan’s team meet Yoda and Anakin back on Tython, horrified by the ruins. Using the force (idk how), they trace the fleet back to Korriban. ObiWan, Anakin, and the strike team goes to Korriban.
The Mandalorian fleet has occupied Korriban, defending it from all Republic forces. The strike team sneeks by and lands on the surface. They learn that Maul is traing an army of dark acolytes (who are the prisoners from the republic prison, brainwashed) and plans to betray Sidious to conquer the galaxy for himself. Clone armies come and battle the Mandalorians in orbit around the planet. Palpatine himself supervises the battle aboard the republic flagship.
Using….the force (idk lol), ObiWan and Anakin un-brainwash the acolytes. Clone troopers land and kill all the ex-acolytes in cold blood, instructed by Palpatine to do so. ObiWan’s pissed so he goes to the flagship.
Anakin and Boba Fett infiltrate Maul’s temple and make battle.
ObiWan realizes that Palpatine staged the whole war since he supplied Maul with the brainwashed Jedi. Palpatine/Sidious reveals his dark side abilities to him. They battle on the flagship, ObiWan disarms Palpatine but won’t kill him. Republic officers come in and see ObiWan holding a lightsaber to Palpatine. They attack ObiWan, who escapes.
On the planet, Maul cuts of Anakin’s arm and force-chokes him, semi-crushing his windpipe. He escapes as clones invade the temple. Boba Fett saves Anakin and takes him to a med center. Med officers lie to him that ObiWan tried to kill Palpatine. He grows darker as he’s given a robot arm and robotic thoracic parts. Padme comes and cares for him, then agrees to marry him.
ObiWan and his strike team, who are now his friends, hide out on Tatooine as Palpatine outlaws the use of jedi in Republic affairs and proceeds to place them in “concentration camps” (or some equivilent).
The End
Also, Yoda and the other “true” Jedi escape and are loyal to ObiWan.