Squirrels to the Nuts: A Star Wars What If

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    STAR WARS CREATOR GEORGE LUCAS RUSHED TO HOSPITAL
    Los Angeles Times
    July 7, 1981

    Yesterday evening George Lucas, best known as writer and director of Star Wars, was involved in a serious car accident. No one else was involved. When paramedics arrived on the scene he was in critical condition and rushed to the hospital. Since then medical staff have reported Lucas to be in stable but serious condition. Few details about the accident are currently available. According to ABC News, Lucas drove off the rode and struck a tree. Although the cause has not been determined, the LA Police have already ruled out drunk driving. Lucas's wife Marcia is known to be by his side, but she's refused to speak with any press.
     
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    latest

    (Just a hint at what's to come.)
    ​
    Who the hell are you?
    I'm VVVVVV (pronounced "vee"), a longtime lurker (my lurker status predates this account) whose been toying with timeline ideas to post on this board pretty much since I discovered it. Recently inspired by American Magic: A Different History of Disney from @OldNavy1988, I decided it was finally time to try my hand at a timeline.

    What the hell is this?
    This is Squirrels to the Nuts: A Star Wars What If. The title doesn't have any deeper meaning, I just like it (primarily because of the play on the A Star Wars Story subtitle of the new anthology films (look at me, tooting my own horn)). If you haven't already guessed, the timeline will follow the aftermath of the sudden death of George Lucas.

    When the hell will it end?
    Basically, when I run out of ideas, which currently go beyond the production and release of Return of the Jedi.
     

    lionhead

    Welcome to the land of the living!

    Interesting idea. All i know is that the director for Return of the Jedi had been chosen and the screenplay was already written by 1981? Significant changes might occur, like Han Solo dying...

    Good luck!
     

    OldNavy1988

    Hello!

    It's nice to hear that I've inspired another pop culture TL.

    In any event, I'm interested to see how this one plays out.
     
    Update #1
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    GEORGE LUCAS PASSES AWAY, WIFE MARCIA LUCAS SPEAKS TO PRESS
    Los Angeles Times
    July 9, 1981

    George Lucas, responsible for films such as American Graffiti, Star Wars, and the recently released Raiders of the Lost Ark, has passed away at age 37. Rushed to the hospital after a major car accident (The LA Police Department determined that Lucas was speeding and lost control of his vehicle, causing him to run off the road and collide into a tree; no drugs or foul play involved.), Lucas underwent emergency surgery and was stabilized. After hospital staff made it clear to Lucas's wife Marcia that there was little else they could do for him, she made the decision to cut off life support. Mrs. Lucas refused to speak to press at the hospital, but later released this statement:

    "I already miss George terribly, as I know everyone does. While this tragedy means we've lost George's genius and any future films, we are fortunate to know we shall always have the films he's already made, a lasting gift like none other. As we all move forward, I hope everyone remembers and cherishes those gifts. I want to publicly thank Steven [Spielberg] for being a great friend and standing by George's side with me, the fans who've been nothing but supportive, and the press for allowing me privacy in this tragic time."

    Mrs. Lucas is the sole inheritor of George Lucas's companies and properties, but it remains to be seen if she'll take charge of Lucasfilm herself or fill that role by bringing in someone else. Her statement led some to believe that the third film in the Star Wars trilogy was being canceled, but staff at Lucasfilm have confirmed that the film is still in development.

    Rumors that the couple were prepared to adopt a child have been denied by sources close to the family.
     
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    I know this update tread the same ground as the opening post, I just wanted to get it out there. Up next: The Hunt to Fill the Directorial Chair. Who do you guys think will be the director of Revenge of the Jedi?
     

    zert

    Looking forward as more changes are revealed.

    Could there be a chance that Spielberg might have a hand on the 3rd movie?
     
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    marathag said:
    So no _Radioland Murders_ in this TL
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    Nope.

    SD Plissken said:
    Hopefully David Lynch as director, Gary Kurtz as producer, Han Solo heroically dying, Leia is not Luke's sister and no Ewoks.
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    Perhaps. Although the thing that initially drew me to this timeline was how Revenge of the Jedi turned out, I've got to say all the stuff that comes after is much more interesting.

    zert said:
    Looking forward as more changes are revealed.

    Could there be a chance that Spielberg might have a hand on the 3rd movie?
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    There certainly is a chance. Seems to me his schedule is clear.
     
    Update #2
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    THE HUNT TO FILL THE DIRECTORIAL CHAIR...
    Excerpt from The Making of Revenge of the Jedi

    ...was, perhaps unsurprisingly, quite a short one. The first person Marcia offered the chair to was her friend Steven Spielberg. He stayed with her during George's brief stay in the hospital before his death; she asked Spielberg to direct the next Star Wars film at George's funeral. (Rumored for many years, eventually Marcia herself would confirm it. Although Spielberg acknowledged being offered the chair, he would deny the specific timing offered by others.) He told her he would think about it, and a week later he told her no, that it would be too emotional for him, but he would be happy to serve as producer and bring on his partners at Amblin Entertainment as executive producers. She accepted.

    So the three producers, those being Marcia Lucas, Gary Kurtz, and now Steven Spielberg, got together and came up with a list of potential directors: David Cronenberg, Ridley Scott, David Lynch, Michael Cricton, and Nicholas Meyer; the latter two being removed from consideration quite soon after the list was put together. At Marcia's urging David Lynch was the first, and thus only, director from the list offered. He immediately accepted. He explains in his own words:

    "Well, unknown to the public then, George and I had a meeting the day of his awful car accident. He was looking for someone to direct Revenge of the Jedi, and he had seen The Elephant Man and really enjoyed it, so he asked me if I'd like to be the director. I think I told him he should direct it. But then the car accident happened, and a few days later he died. I took it as a sign from the universe, so when I got a call from Lucasfilm, of course I accepted."

    In the following months, he, the producers, and Lawrence Kasdan, writer of The Empire Strikes Back and Raiders of the Lost Ark, met and hammered out the story for Revenge of the Jedi. Kasdan would take the transcripts from their conversations and write the script, with Lynch doing an uncredited rewrite for the shooting script.

    With pre-production already going full speed, filming was set to start in the spring of 1982.
     
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    • zert

    I like what is happening so far. I would enjoy more interacting with the Emperor and maybe exploring in this RotJ more of the background of Vader and and his growing connection to Luke. I am not sure if it could work, but maybe have him be the one to defeat the Emperor just before the Emperor is about to strike down Vader.

    Also more of the bond between Leia and Han. If Han does die protecting Leia, let him do it in a blaze of glory.
     
    Count of Crisco

    Count of Crisco

    I would also wonder if perhaps the whole Luke and Leia being twins thing could be done away with. I also wonder how that would change the dynamic of the story vis a vis Han and Luke.
     

    GTStinger

    Rather than 'Another Death Star!!!', it would be neat to focus on rebuilding the Jedi order while avoiding Vader's attempts to find the new academy.

    Start the move with Yoda bestowing the title of Master on Luke. Then spend more time than RotJ developing the Luke / Vader relationship and eventual redemption of Anakin.
     

    lukedalton

    Well let's hope that's not a new Dune; frankly i see the production very very troubled as Lynch has is own peculiar style and will probably clash with what enstablished already, not considering his own strong personality...on the other hand no Ewok as we know it.
     
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    Would love to get a dialogue started. I can confirm the basics everyone wants: Luke and Leia aren't related, no second Death Star, and no ewoks. Right now the main driving force in my very rough outline is the rebellion, led by Leia, is making an attempt to take the imperial capital. I like the idea of a film following the burgeoning Jedi Academy but I think that would take a lot of the momentum out of the trilogy.
     
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