ST Oscar Isaac: JJ Abrams planned on Poe dying in original script

http://www.gq.com/story/star-wars-the-force-awakens-character-death

Interesting... I wonder what his role will be in Episodes 8 and 9 now that he has defied his original fate

 

Instead they killed Han Solo. So someone still died in the movie.

 

That was definitely planned though

 

Kind of disappointing. Means his character is not that important.

Would explain why his screen time was so limited.

 

Well, Han Solo was originally going to be an older alien... he turned out to be quite important in later episodes in a way he probably wouldn't have if they kept their original idea of him...

Or how Palpatine was originally supposed to be a weak man controlled by his advisers

Or how Luke was going to be a girl



My point... Poe's future will probably be important, but it's free

 

Yea, I was hoping for more Poe. I do want more of him, maybe more of him and Finn too.

 

It means his character was originally not that important. Doesn't mean anything now.

 

So he was supposed to die in the TIE crash. Makes sense given the way his reappearance was done. Still I'm glad.

 

And the opposite of this, just to illustrate how little an early character idea or story device can matter to the final product: Obi-Wan was supposed to survive ANH and train Luke in the next movies. However it was decided he had nothing to do after 3rd act and Lucas killed him off. This made the creation of Yoda necessary as Luke still needed a teacher (or more importantly, there needed to be a character that could really flesh out the nature and philosophy of the force for the audience).

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I'm glad Poe survived and look forward to his return. Just hope he's given more to do.

 

Well Guiness didn't want to do it anymore so convinced Lucas that it was Lucas's idea that it was better that Kenobi die. I think the change effected Biggs/Garrick Hogan's career/character because Biggs was supposed to have a much bigger part and his death is what was supposed to impact Luke.

But when they decided to kill Kenobi then Biggs death would just too much and weaken the impact of either death so they cut all of Bigg's important scenes.

 

Guiness was actually unhappy with the change at first. It was Lucas that who had to convince him it was what the story needed.

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You sure. I always read that Guiness hated Star Wars. Did the first one for financial security but wanted to get out of doing any more.

 

There's a bit of a conflict on this with Lucas saying one thing and Guiness saying another:

"In the DVD commentary of the original Star Wars, Lucas says that Guinness was not happy with the script re-write in which Obi-Wan is killed. However, Guinness said in a 1999 interview that it was actually his idea to kill off Obi-Wan, persuading Lucas that it would make him a stronger character, and that Lucas agreed to the idea. Guinness stated in the interview, "What I didn't tell Lucas was that I just couldn't go on speaking those bloody awful, banal lines. I'd had enough of the mumbo jumbo." He went on to say that he "shrivelled up" every time Star Wars was mentioned to him"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alec_Guinness

 

I tend to believe the Guiness version of things. I always heard that he hated Star Wars and could not understand peoples infatuation with it. I even heard he would refuse to sign Obi-Wan pictures that fans mailed to him.

 

Guiness misrepresented his position. He was embarrassed by Star Wars and by how it overshadowed his other work. I am pretty sure there are Guiness diary and letter quotes from around that time that back up Lucas's side of the story.

 

Well he was a huge star. David Lean's Bridge on River Qwai, Dr. Zhivago, Lawrence of Arabia. And he didn't want people to remember him just as the old guy in Star Wars but that's what was happening when Star Wars blew up. Especially to a whole younger generation.

A similar thing happened with George Pepard on the A-Team. He was a huge star in Blue Max and Breakfast at Tiffany's and he expected to be treated as such but everyone was idolizing Mr. T and he couldn't understand it and was bothered by the lack of respect which caused friction with Mr. T.

 

Hard to say. They could have both been telling the truth if Guiness used a Jedi Mind trick to make Lucas think that he was the one who decided to kill off Obi Wan. Given that Guiness was a crafty, veteran actor and star this seems more likely that he made Lucas do what he wanted him to do while making Lucas think it was his idea. That's slick.

 

To throw in something on the thread topic. Perhaps Poe's character is a case of the actor being so good that he changed the directors mind. Poe was fantastic and I am really glad we will get to see more of him in Episode 8 and 9. So kudos to JJ for changing his mind.

 

He's an amazing actor. Best actor in the film by far. So was disappointed that his role was so minimal compared to what he can do.

 

Isaac's performance is definitely a candidate for "He was too good to kill off." However, I would rather he not be shoehorned into the plot where he doesn't fit, or be used just for the hell of it the next time they need an X-wing battle. I might even prefer a Black Squadron anthology film where Isaac got to be the lead, and have him killed off heroically at the end, with all the proper honors given to a great pilot and charismatic leader.

 

This is more surprising to me than anything that actually happened onscreen in TFA.

What a stupid, stupid idea it was to kill of Poe, played by the incredible Oscar Issacs. I hope that Poe's role has been hugely readjusted and becomes part of a trio alongside Rey and Finn.

 

I think the fan reaction to Poe is so positive that they almost have to give him a bigger part in VIII/IX.

 

I like Poe, more Poe!

At the very least he can be this trilogy's Wedge with maybe more of a direct relationship with the characters.

 

I'm glad they made that call. Honestly, after only briefly meeting him, I was upset when he apparently died in the crash on Jakku. I totally cheered with Finn when he was shown alive later. Even if he doesn't have a huge role, I can totally see him being the Wedge of this trilogy - the unsung hero that you can always count on.