Glen's Star Wars Prequels

[Glen]

Originally Posted by theReturner

Where's the bit abbout your casting choices? I can't find it.

Basically my tentative casting is Heath Ledger as Anakin Skywalker, Ashley Judd as Padme Amidala, and Gary Oldman as Obi-Wan Kenobi. There's been some controversy over Ashley Judd - not that she's a bad choice, just that people seem to be feeling that there's someone else out there. I want the actress playing Amidala to be in between the ages of Heath Ledger (born 1979) and Gary Oldman (born 1958).

[Brady Kj]

Merry Prankster, I think you're found the perfect option. You can have a fight and then a crash, and the lava novelization can be ignored. Also, Annakin can have an awesome villainous line about winning right before he flies away.

Glen, Jennifer Gardner is pretty, but I don't see how she could be a better choice than Ashley Judd. She's very much the American girl next door.

[Glen]

Originally Posted by Brady Kj

Well, there is the love triangle with Gary Oldman.

Sorta - remember, it's more subtext and tension than an actual triangle.

Anyway, regarding Anakin's injuries, I'm fine either way. And the lava pit was just from the novels.

Good to know.

Also, regarding cameos, I agree that you should avoid them, but I'd like to see more of the races from the earlier films playing a prominent role.

Having races seen from the earlier films rather than characters or their relatives would be just fine.

Also, most of the clone army will still be clones of one person, right? Who will play them?

Actually, I've been thinking that there will be several series or models of clones, and for assassin and infiltrators they actually make clone copies of individuals.

Good question who should play them. Suggestions?

[Glen]

Originally Posted by MerryPrankster

An older man can still be interested in a much younger woman. The film "School for Scoundrels" featured (I think) Billy Bob Thornton and that guy from Napoleon Dynamite both chasing after a 20-something.

Of course, if you want viewers to sympathize with Obi-Wan rather than viewing him as some dirty old man, having Padme closer to his age would avoid that.

Yeah, I don't want it to come off as creepy, so closer in age is better.

[Glen]

Originally Posted by MerryPrankster

The only flaw I can think of with Anakin-as-Icarus rather than "a molten pit" is that this deprives you of a hand-to-hand fight between pre-disfigurement Vader and Obi-Wan a la "The Duel" in ROTS.

Which actually I would rather avoid. Having a confused and frightened Anakin running from Obi-Wan is one thing. Having a full-on, drag-out fight before he completes his tranformation into Darth Vader is something else again. I want his disfigurement to help sever his ties with his old life, and want to save his main battle with Obi-Wan when he is in full blown Vader mode!

Regardless of how obnoxious Episode III was "The Duel" was awesome.

It was one of the better bits, if a bit over the top.

Maybe Obi-Wan and Anakin fight and Anakin, losing the battle, flees and kills Jar Jar in the process of escaping?

As mentioned above I'd just rather not.

Then when Anakin faces him again as Vader and beats him this time, it shows just how powerful he's become using the Dark Side.

Actually, I have their fight more ambiguous as to who is the winner/more powerful.

[Glen]

Originally Posted by Brady Kj

Merry Prankster, I think you're found the perfect option. You can have a fight and then a crash, and the lava novelization can be ignored. Also, Annakin can have an awesome villainous line about winning right before he flies away.

See my comments just prior to this one. I don't think I would do that.

Glen, Jennifer Gardner is pretty, but I don't see how she could be a better choice than Ashley Judd. She's very much the American girl next door.

But she has played more action chick type role. But you are right, there isn't that much difference between the two in terms of American girl next door.

I guess there is a reason for that - I am trying to find attractive and good actresses who have at least a passing physical resemblance to Carrie Fisher, and she as a young actress really did look like the American girl next door!

[Brady Kj]

So, I think if you like Ashley Judd in the role, there's no sense in replacing her with Jennifer Garner.

[MAlexMatt]

Originally Posted by Glen

Which actually I would rather avoid. Having a confused and frightened Anakin running from Obi-Wan is one thing. Having a full-on, drag-out fight before he completes his tranformation into Darth Vader is something else again. I want his disfigurement to help sever his ties with his old life, and want to save his main battle with Obi-Wan when he is in full blown Vader mode!

I dunno, I kind of feel like that gives short shriff to the line from ANH where Vader says, "I am the master now".

[Glen]

Originally Posted by Brady Kj

So, I think if you like Ashley Judd in the role, there's no sense in replacing her with Jennifer Garner.

Fair enough - any opinions on some of the other possibles I mentioned?

[Glen]

Originally Posted by MAlexMatt

I dunno, I kind of feel like that gives short shriff to the line from ANH where Vader says, "I am the master now".

Why is that - they still have an epic lightsaber battle in MY Episode III, just as Vader fighting Kenobi - but it is less than a year after his break with Obi-Wan, so the student/master thing is still there.

[Count Dearborn]

What if Palpatine/Sidious did something, using the Dark Side to Padme that kicked in when she went into labor?

[MerryPrankster]

Originally Posted by Count Dearborn

What if Palpatine/Sidious did something, using the Dark Side to Padme that kicked in when she went into labor?

The Luke/Leia dialogue from "Return of the Jedi" indicates Leia remembers Padme, which would imply she survived the events of the third trilogy.

(Either that or Leia picked up something via the Force when she was born.)

Having an apparently pregnant Padme dead means Vader isn't going to be searching for his children and helps explain why nobody investigated a kid named Skywalker on Tatooine or why Bail Organa suddenly has a daughter, but the dialogue in ROTJ is the dialogue from ROTJ.

[Glen]

Originally Posted by Count Dearborn

What if Palpatine/Sidious did something, using the Dark Side to Padme that kicked in when she went into labor?

Why? What is the need for this?

[Glen]

Originally Posted by MerryPrankster

The Luke/Leia dialogue from "Return of the Jedi" indicates Leia remembers Padme, which would imply she survived the events of the third trilogy.

Which is how it is in my version of the prequels. She lives for a few years after she gives birth.

(Either that or Leia picked up something via the Force when she was born.)

Having an apparently pregnant Padme dead means Vader isn't going to be searching for his children and helps explain why nobody investigated a kid named Skywalker on Tatooine or why Bail Organa suddenly has a daughter, but the dialogue in ROTJ is the dialogue from ROTJ.

Or, as in my case, having Anakin never know that Padme is pregnant and having him feel he can't go back to her disfigured.

[Glen]

Found an interview with Kasdan where he says he was much more into characterization than plot and would try to work around the things Lucas wanted. I think Episode I might still be good to bring on but may need another catalyst for plot changs.

[Glen]

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away....


STAR
WARS


Episode I
THE CLONE WARS

It is a time of continuing
strife for the Galactic
Republic. Cloning was
outlawed throughout
the Republic as an
abomination to the
Force at the urging
of the Jedi Council.

The breakaway Clone
Masters have fought a
series of wars against
the Republic. The Clone
Wars have now spread
to the planet of Utapau,
home of the Naboo and
Gungans.

The Chancellor of the
Republic has requested
the Jedi Council send a
JEDI KNIGHT to rescue
the Queen of Utapau,
Padme Amidala, and
has provided a fast
transport and pilot for
the mission....

[MAlexMatt]

Originally Posted by Glen

Why is that - they still have an epic lightsaber battle in MY Episode III, just as Vader fighting Kenobi - but it is less than a year after his break with Obi-Wan, so the student/master thing is still there.

I dunno, by the time he becomes Vader Obi-wan isn't his master anymore. An angry, desperate fight between a falling Anakin and Obi-wan feels more in tune with the Death Star fight than a cooler, more antagonistic fight between an already fallen Vader and Obi-wan.

[Glen]

Going back over some of the original Star Wars comments about Luke's family, they really do make it sound like Luke's Uncle knew Obi-Wan AND Anakin, especially at the beginning of their careers. However, in RoTJ, Obi-Wan says that Owen Lars is HIS brother! Yet we never hear that Luke is related to Obi Wan. How can we rationalize all this? There is a way, whether we wish to follow it or not is yet to be determined, but....

Obi-Wan is Owen Lars older brother. Owen Lars is married to Beru SKYWALKER, older sister to Anakin Skywalker. Therefore Beru is Luke's Aunt by blood, and Owen by marriage.

I have a clever scene in mind explaining how Anakin and Obi-Wan meet up for this mission and this be the first time that Obi-Wan realizes his power, while at the same time having Anakin follow him on some fool quest....

[Glen]

Originally Posted by MAlexMatt

I dunno, by the time he becomes Vader Obi-wan isn't his master anymore. An angry, desperate fight between a falling Anakin and Obi-wan feels more in tune with the Death Star fight than a cooler, more antagonistic fight between an already fallen Vader and Obi-wan.

Maybe, maybe....I will think about it, but I still prefer a chase to a duel pre-burn.

[Kome]

Originally Posted by Glen

Going back over some of the original Star Wars comments about Luke's family, they really do make it sound like Luke's Uncle knew Obi-Wan AND Anakin, especially at the beginning of their careers. However, in RoTJ, Obi-Wan says that Owen Lars is HIS brother! Yet we never hear that Luke is related to Obi Wan. How can we rationalize all this? There is a way, whether we wish to follow it or not is yet to be determined, but....

Obi-Wan is Owen Lars older brother. Owen Lars is married to Bera SKYWALKER, older sister to Anakin Skywalker. Therefore Bera is Luke's Aunt by blood, and Owen by marriage.

I have a clever scene in mind explaining how Anakin and Obi-Wan meet up for this mission and this be the first time that Obi-Wan realizes his power, while at the same time having Anakin follow him on some fool quest....

Thats an interesting take on it (the idea of Owen being Obi-wan's brother works a lot better than it was otl btw).

At the risk of more cameo saturation (sorry!), an idea would be to give Owen Lars a roll in the film. Perhaps introduce him in Episode 2 as another Republic fighter pilot, who reunites with his estranged brother Obi-wan during the liberation of Naboo and strikes up a friendship with fellow cocky flyboy Anakin. During the space battle segments he's Anakin's wingman and serves as someone for Anakin to chat and banter with (since Obi-wan cant fly). I see him as a stereotypical country boy, laidback and talkative, maybe a bit backwards due to his Tatoonie upbringing (contrasting with Obi-wan's Jedi upbrining) but jovial, happily talking about the activities Obi-wan missed out on back home, flying skyhoppers, racing speeders, hunting womp rats, basically the things Obi-wan missed out on in his childhood due to leaving. Compared to the more idealistic jedi, he'll easily admit he's only in the army until he could save up enough money to buy a farm, settle down back home (much to the ridicule and disbelief of a free spirit like Anakin) and marry a nice girl, then proceeds to ask Anakin if he's got a girl waiting for him, leading to an much awkwardness for Anakin and raised eyebrows by Obi-wan and Padme who join in on the ribbing.

After Anakin's betrayal and accident, Lars is much more jaded when Obi-wan meets him again at the end of episode 3, resentful of the Jedi and their 'damn idealistic anti-clone crusade'.

Well thats just an idea i got.

How'd you plan to introduce Bera in your idea?