Bingo Master Dooku is sent to investigate the invasion of the Gungan homeworld by a droid army (instigated possibly by another future Separatist member state other than the Trade Feds) which ends in defeat and surrender."
The one main obstacle to this would be footage. Not only that but is Dooku to be a central figure in this edit? It's too bad Saruman doesnt look more like Dooku.
Bingo Amidala is on Coruscant when she hears of a similar attack planned on Naboo which she can not prove she pushes for a vote for a new Chancellor (with some prompting from Palpatine and a re-dubbed delegate Binks).
By making her a senator you would be avoiding all the hubub over the elected queen.
Bingo She sets off to prevent the same thing happening to her planet.
Cool. I'm imagining youre putting the footage of "my fate will be no different than that of our people senator" into this timeline. Is that right?
Bingo Qui-Gon senses the Sith have returned as does Dooku via a hololink but the Council refuse to believe it (Chosen One prophecy optional).
So existing JC scenes with holo-Dooku. Okay, but the footage would have to be available. Does anyone know how to do a digital haircut?
Bingo Does the sound like an improved arrangement?
One of the things you've done is move the second act to the first and gotten all the political stuff out of the way. As for improvement, that depends on how it plays together.
Bingo Could it be done?
I dont see why not.
Bingo What would be the key obstacles?
Footage of Chris Lee for an expanded Dooku character plain and simple.
Bingo Any thoughts on how it could be improved?
As with many of these things, it depends on how it flows together. The one concern i would have is the idea that Amidala hears about an invasion of her planet. I think it would be better for her to experience it and pull the audience in with her.
Maybe you put Jar Jar and the gungans living underwater on Kamino and save them for AOTC?
Or what if the underwater journey was the only way to get into Theed after the TF has occupied it? Maybe it takes place in the third act, not the first. It would certainly speed things up in the first act.
Maybe the speeder footage is swapped and that's put into the film at the first as how the jedi and the Queen get into the hangar to escape? They have to fight their way too it?
Of course some little Annie digital removal would be in order for these scenes but okay.
Then you put the underwater stuff at the beginning of the third act(the road back) as the way the heroes get into an occupied Theed. Now what would be missing is Amidala.