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Saga What if Episodes 1-3 were made before 4-7?

Discussion in 'Star Wars Saga In-Depth' started by Poe loves Rey, Apr 11, 2016.

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If the SW saga began in 1977 with Episode 1, what would be the most succesful film of the saga?

  1. Episode 1

    20.0%
  2. Episode 2: Attack of the Clones

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  3. Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith

    40.0%
  4. Episode 4

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  5. The Empire Strikes Back

    20.0%
  6. Return of the Jedi

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  7. The Force Awakens

    20.0%
  1. Poe loves Rey

    Poe loves Rey Jedi Knight star 2

    Registered:
    Dec 6, 2015
    For the sake of this discussion, here is how the hypothetical will be:

    In the 1970s, George Lucas decides to make a movie called Star Wars about a boy named Anakin who joins the Jedi Order, set for release in May 1977. The chapter is called The Phantom Menace because of the scheming Sen. Palpatine, but George hesitates to name the movie by its episode number and title because he fears it may not be successful enough to warrant the making of the further episodes he has planned. So it will just be Star Wars, and the opening crawl will not have episode name and number. If it's successful enough, he plans to release episode 2 in 1980, then ep3 in 1983. He would also like to add eps 4-6 about 16 years later, starting in 1999.

    He casts Carrie Fisher as 18 year old Queen Padme Amidala.

    Mark Hamill as Obi-Wan Kenobi

    Harrison Ford as Qui-Gon Jin

    Peter Cushing as Sheev Palpatine

    Billy Dee Williams as Mace Windu

    Jimmie Walker as Jar Jar Binks. (Actor in costume, no CGI)

    Adam Rich as Anakin Skywalker


    So, I ask you all these questions:

    How successful is Star Wars this way (70s TPM version)?

    Do episodes 2-7 get made?

    Does The Clone Wars get made in the early 80s?

    If this movie is successful enough to trigger the sequels, how do the sequels do at the box office?

    How would the SW series affect pop culture in this alternate reality?

    Also, if you want to hypothetically cast SW sequels, try to use as many actual SW cast members. E.g. Natalie Portman as Leia, Hayden as Luke, Ewan as Han. Etc.

    Let's hear how this alternate universe would pan out if George started with episode 1.
     
  2. ObiWanKnowsMe

    ObiWanKnowsMe Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Sep 7, 2015
    1. I assume it would be... A New Hope has the opening sequence of the large and dominant Empire chasing after the small and underfunded Rebellion. The Phantom Menace has the opening sequence of two space-wizards playing with glowsticks, cutting down robots with guns, and escaping the Trade Federation Ship. A New Hope did have Darth Vader's intimidating entrance which made people go "Whoa, this guy is scary" but Maul would be just as scary in the 70's, if not scarier. Instead of just two guys tapping swords on the Death Star, you would have two guys with swords tapping Maul's double-red glowstick on Naboo which would still be lousy due to the effects of the 70's but it would be cooler looking. Then of course, you have the big explosion of the Trade Federation ship and a planet saved. Big celebration at the end as well. The Phantom Menace 70's version would make a profound impact on pop culture just as much as A New Hope did. (If the special effects of 1970 couldn't find a way to make a double-bladed saber then maybe Vader or Palpatine would possess one in Episode 4/5/6?)

    2. Yes. Everyone would want to see more of the space dogfights and lightsaber action. Audiences would be intrigued to see how Obi-Wan trained Anakin. They would look forward to seeing how Anakin has progressed. They would also want to see if the Republic defeats the Separatists and if the Jedi can get rid of the Sith.

    3. Yes.

    4. They do just as well as the originals did.

    5. It would be an effect just like the originals' effect was.

    TPM has so many similarities to A New Hope(it's a good thing since it doesn't copy ANH's plot). After 1983, when everyone has seen Episode 3, everyone would want more Episodes to see what Vader and Emperor Palpatine do now that they're in control. They would want to see how Vader's children do. People would want to see the story come full-circle and hope that the Jedi & the Republic eliminate the Sith & the Empire....And then we would get to see A New Hope in 1999 with all of the CGI and special effects that Episodes1-2-3 didn't have.

    And about your poll, what do you mean by most successful? As in the impact it had or financially? TPM would have the most successful impact on pop culture but A New Hope & The Force Awakens would both perform the best in the box office, I assume.
     
  3. BattleDroid1138

    BattleDroid1138 Jedi Grand Master star 3

    Registered:
    Jan 6, 2000
    A few casting opinions if I may:

    Michael Jackson as Jar Jar
    Ian McDiarmid as Palpatine (Peter Cushing as Dooku)
    Alec Guinness as Qui-Gon
    Harrison Ford as Obi-Wan (Mark Hamill as Anakin in Episodes 2 and beyond)
     
  4. beedubaya

    beedubaya Jedi Knight star 2

    Registered:
    Jul 15, 2014
    The prequels that we got were designed as backstory for 4-6. Lucas expected audiences to have seen 4-6 prior to seeing 1-3, so they were made with that in mind. If the prequels were made first, the tone of the story would be different as people wouldn't know the outcome. I am sure many of the things people criticized, such as Jar Jar, would have been toned down if the movie was made in 1977. When making the OT, Lucas didn't have the complete freedom he had when making the prequels so if he had a bad idea, there was pushback. Instead of rebels vs Empire, people would have been infatuated with Republic vs Separatist and Jedi vs Sith. The big reveal in Episode 3 that Palpatine was the Sith Lord would have been a shocker as would the reveal that he was playing both sides. A lot of people would have taken issues with the trilogy ending on such a depressing note, with the bad guys winning and taking over the galaxy.
     
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