Hi guys, I'm new here and I'm glad I found the site (Thanks Adywan).
If I could go back and re-do the PT, I would first get Lawrence Kasdan or a writer similar to him to do the scripts. George would still be an executive producer, but someone else would direct.
Next, a smaller cast. Obi-Wan, IN (of course), Yoda, IN. Artoo and 3PO, IN. Padme, IN, and she wouldn't be a queen or senator either and probably wouldn't come in until EPII. Shmi, IN. Palpatine, IN. Darth Maul, IN!9 year old Anakin, OUT. Anakin would be older so he would apprear as he did agewise at the end of Jedi, so that means we would start more than 32 years before ANH. No Qui-Gon, no Binks (although I do like him), no Jango, no young Boba, no Dooku, no Trade Federation.
I'm thinking Anakin is already a great pilot, and he has questions about the powers he has. Yoda IS Obi's master as was disclosed in ESB. The Force is still and energy field created by all living things. Palpatine is a Sith making moves behind the scenes to take control of the Republic. Darth Maul would be the main villain in all three episodes. Jedi are everywhere!
Since we already know what happens in the OT, we do not need to explain everything. All that needs explaining is how Anakin gets seduced by the dark side and Palpatine by the time we get to the end of EPIII. We don't even have to show him getting suited up as Vader.
We just need a set of circumstances that lead our good guys to link up. I'm still thinking of how Shmi fits into all of this as I liked her character. Maybe she is a direct relative of Uncle Owen?
Real sets and real locations just like in the OT. Creatures would be animatronic suits and prothetics unless it's a beast like the Tauntaun for example. Real environments and sets produce genuine performances. CG would be used only to enhance settings like Coruscant or Alderaan the same way glass matte painting did, and also in creating the starships but there wouldn't be any chrome or silvery ships; everything would still be boilerplate tech. No exhaust flames coming out of the engines like the Jedi starfighters in EPIII either!
Star Wars is supposed to be fun and adventurous but deep philosophically. It shouldn't have thick political overtones. It's the rise and fall, then finally the redemption of Anakin Skywalker. This is my 2 cents of ideas of how I'd re-do the PT. Get at me :)
Matt