What else would you do with your edit?
There’s 3 major changes with several minor edits that could be added to enhance the change, but they are not completely necessary for the idea to work.
- Vader hires Boba to capture Luke
1a. Using ESB footage, create a newly constructed scene after the opening where Vader calls up Boba on his meditation chamber screen. Dialogue would be something like-
Vader: Skywalker will come for his friend, Captain Solo. I want him alive, bounty hunter.
Boba: As you wish.
That is the simplest version. Would be achieved by reusing existing dialogue, voice AI, or hiring voice actors. I would like to make 2 versions, one Boba voice that sounds like Morrison, and the other sounding like Wingreen’s original performance.
I would probably use existing footage of Boba for the shot of him on the view screen, but it would be cool if I could get into contact with someone who has a Boba costume to create new footage. But a part of me would want to just use existing footage rather than film new material. Not sure though.
1b. Again, using footage from ESB, show Boba in the Slave 1 cockpit, then a shot of his ship flying off screen. Will be altered to look distinct from the ESB shots.
1c. This would then transition to the wide establishing shot of R2 and 3PO walking to Jabba’s palace, but would add the Slave 1 flying in the distance and arriving at Jabba’s. The intention here is to have a physical object that ties one scene/location to the next, similar to the escape pod or the probe droid in the first 2 films.
1d. After Luke falls into the Rancor pit, Boba says to Jabba, “He’s no good to me dead” (or a variation of that line) and Jabba replies “The Jedi’s mine!”
There is a specific wide shot I have in mind for this moment, but it would be nice to create a new shot if possible. There’s a black and white two shot of Jabba and Boba that I would love to use, but I doubt colorization could totally match the rest of the scene. It’s possible, though. I actually think there may be a two shot of them in the scene already that I could potentially use as well.
Also worth noting that this is the one addition you could add to the film to establish that Boba is trying to capture Luke. And it would be a rather simple addition, just a reused line and maybe a new Jabba subtitle. From this you can deduce why Boba is there, who he is capturing him for, and why he doesn’t just blast Luke away from a distance during the sail barge assault. The rest is really superfluous, but overall adds more intrigue to the plot, characterization for Boba and Vader, and cohesiveness to the overall plot of the film.
- Have Boba be the one that “catches” Leia trying to rescue Han.
2a. Add the sound of Boba spurs off screen right before Han says, “What’s that?”
2b. When Leia looks up, cut to a new shot of Boba slowly raising his gun at Han and Leia.
This would require a new background plate that Nev has already made, and the shot of Boba would be a reversed shot of Boba lowering his blaster after the thermal detonator situation is resolved. Boba doesn’t have to say anything here, but you could have him say something like, “Going somewhere, Solo?” or “Not so fast, Princess.”
2c. When Jabba and the rest of his minions are revealed behind the curtain, give Jabba a new line that is something along the lines of, “Well done, bounty hunter!” or “You were right, bounty hunter!”
Again, this isn’t a necessary change at all, but it would add to Boba’s characterization.
- Enhance Boba’s “cool factor” during the sail barge assault.
So none of this necessary either, but obviously the way Boba goes out has been a common complaint with ROTJ, so some of these ideas would kind of push toward this concept that Boba is trying to capture Luke by any means necessary rather than simply kill him.
3a. Before Luke cuts Boba’s blaster, we see/hear the beginning of a stun shot start emanating from the barrel. This dissipates in a flash of light and fizzle sound after Luke slices the blaster.
3b. Add yellow energy effect to Boba’s lasso/rope. Again, cooler/more intimidating, but also feels like a better tool to capture a Jedi that carries a weapon that could just cut through a rope. This effect would be similar to what we see Sabine use in Rebels when Kanan and Fenn Rau teach her how to use the dark saber.
3c. Have Luke manage to deflect the turret shot that knocks down Boba and damages his jet pack.
This simply requires you to add a new blaster shot, but this allows you display Luke’s skill, rather than have him rely on the turret gunner being a terrible shot.
(This might be what is already happening in the scene, but it is hard to tell)
3d. Add sparks coming from Boba’s jet pack after he falls to the ground.
3e. Han says, “Boba Fett? Boba Fett? Where?” a little sooner, and we hear Chewie growl a reply.
This is supposed to imply Han hitting him is more intentional rather than accidental.
3f. Boba shoots Luke’s hand rather than a random henchman.
Again, this makes it so Boba doesn’t miss an easy shot. In fact, he makes a difficult shot meant to disable Luke rather than kill him. He just didn’t realize Luke had a robotic hand.
3g. Potentially cut shot of Luke’s bad kick and Boba flailing through the air in the background.
This is not only makes Boba a little goofy, but I think it might be better to not show Luke going back to business immediately after getting shot, but I’m not sure about this one.
3h. Remove/replace Boba’s scream.
3i. Replace the Sarlacc burp with muffled blaster shots.
3j. I’ve also considered making it so Boba’s shot actually causes Luke’s saber to malfunction during the rest of the battle. So potentially making the blade shake/quiver, and add sparks occasionally emerging from the hilt. This could add some tension to the rest of the battle where Luke is just fighting goons, but it also would be a way to potentially reuse the deleted scene of Luke building his lightsaber. In this version, Luke would repair his saber in a cave on Dagobah before leaving the planet. Meant to just be a brief ominous moment after Luke talks to Obi-Wan about having to potentially kill his father, and how Luke’s insight about Leia could be used to serve the Emperor. Again, not necessary at all. Just an idea though.
But I think that’s the gist of it.