So I’m actually doing it. I’m actually sharing my Star Wars prequel rewrite. I’ve debated with myself about doing this. I’ve taken lots of inspiration from other folks’ rewrites, ones posted here and elsewhere; I didn’t think I had a take significantly unique to share. But I figured I’d do it anyway, damn the torpedoes.

This rewrite won’t be in the form of a trilogy. I feel there’s too much story to comfortably fit inside three episodes. George Lucas briefly toyed with the idea of a 12-episode saga, with five episodes covering the prequel era:

So my rewrite’s gonna take the form of a pentalogy. Episode I will be the prelude, loosely based on TPM & the rough/first drafts of ANH, with Ben Lars (Obi-Wan Kenobi) as the main character; Episode II-IV will be the Tragedy of Darth Vader; Episode V will be the interlude bridging the Tragedy of Darth Vader and the Adventures of Luke Skywalker, set during the Great Jedi Purge.

There are four objectives I plan on keeping to:

Preserve the surprises of the OT. Yoda won’t appear in person; Obi-Wan will have a second apprentice named Darth Vader; it won’t be revealed that Luke has a twin sister; etc.
Preserve continuity with the pre-1999 Expanded Universe. Ben and Owen Lars are brothers; the Clone Wars were, in part, fought with the Republic/Jedi on one side and clones/Mandalorians on the other; Palpatine isn’t a Sith; the Jedi are allowed to have romantic partners and children; etc.
Incorporate George Lucas’ early ideas from story conferences/interviews. Alderaan was the capital of an entire populated system; the Force is an energy field anyone with enough discipline can learn to tap into; etc.
Use Mike Ruso’s ground rules for an alternate prequel trilogy as guidelines.