logo Sign In

Prelude to War (TPM & AOTC Combined) [NOW AVAILABLE WP 1.1]

Author
Time
 (Edited)

WORKPRINTS NOW AVAILABLE FOR EPISODE 1 and EPISODE 3 of my ReWritten Prequel Trilogy. PM for links.

STAR WARS: Episode 1 - PRELUDE TO WAR
This edit will be the first in my personal edits of the Rewritten Prequel Trilogy. Tentative titles and edits are as follows:

Episode 1: Prelude to War (TPM and AOTC Combined Edit)
Episode 2: Revenge of the Sith
Episode 3: Child of a Jedi (Obi-Wan Series Movie Edit)

This thread will be utilized for only Episode 1.

Some of the big picture ways that I accomplished this rewrite are as follows:

  • Start TPM on Tatooine, my edit starts with the last lap of the Pod Race, setup by the opening scroll.
  • Eliminate the trade federation army and Gungan battle at the end. Now it is just a trade dispute, a blockade, and an occupation of the city with minimal forces. I focus on Anakin, the rise of Palpatine, the palace battle, and space battle.
  • In AOTC, only one assassination attempt on Senator Amidala. Two was redundant and unnecessary. I did this in my episodic cut and I thought it worked well.
  • Personal cuts to eliminate the scenes, dialogue, or editing that has always irritated me.

EPISODE 1: PRELUDE TO WAR: OPENING SCROLL (rough draft):

Turmoil has engulfed the Galactic Republic and the greedy Trade Federation has formed a blockade over the planet of Naboo.

Jedi Master, Qui Gon Ginn, has been sent to escort Queen Padme Amidala, ruler of the Naboo, and her entourage to Coruscant, but their ship suffered major damage during the escape. Landing on the desert planet, Tatooine, they put their trust in a local slave and force sensitive boy, Anakin Skywalker, gambling on a pod race to pay for the repairs needed.

While the senate of the Republic endlessly debates these recent series of events, Ambassadors have been sent to resolve the trade dispute…

Runtime: 2 hrs 41 minutes (pending changes)

TPM Edits:

TRANSITION between TPM and AOTC at 46 Minutes in:
https://vimeo.com/731087064

AOTC Edits:

ABOUT THIS EDIT:

With the release of the Obi-Wan series and the likelihood that we will get a pretty decent movie cut from the 6 episodes, I started to rethink the prequels and wonder what possibilities this could present.

The New Prequels:

Episode 3: Obi-Wan Movie Edit
Episode 2: Revenge of the Sith
Episode 1: TPM and Attack of the Clones

Or

Episode 3: Rogue one (or Obi-Wan Season 2)
Episode 2: Obi-Wan Movie Edit
Episode 1: Revenge of the Sith
Clone Wars Series
Episode 0: TPM and AOTC

When a movie is made, it goes through many rewrites. The screenwriter will rewrite a script multiple times, and it has been said that there are two other re-writes that occur. During production and during the edit.

This fanedit is a significant rewrite of TPM and AOTC. Most of us have a pretty intimate relationship and working knowledge of these movies and major changes or cuts can pull us out of the film. But if we were viewing this edit for the very first time, does it work? I think so, and I think it works better than TPM and AOTC as standalone movies. I’ve never been able to enjoy them as standalone movies. Was I able to enjoy moments? Of course, and while the story is exceptional, they are poorly made movies with bad writing, bad dialogue, and surprisingly bad editing at times. For THIS Star Wars fan, this is the Episode One I always wanted.

Combined and unedited, TPM and AOTC, total 278 minutes. My workprint currently comes in at 161 minutes. I am sure that I have cut scenes that you like and didn’t cut scenes that you dislike. Scenes have been removed and or rearranged to accomplish a new narrative. This edit was made for myself, but because this community means so much to me, I wanted to share it. I hope you enjoy this version of the films as much as I do.

Author
Time
 (Edited)

Huh, that sounds interesting actually. I have seen one edit (The Jedi’s Apprentice by Cat’s Prime Cuts) that makes AOTC the Episode 1, using the end of TPM near the start. I’d be interested in seeing your ideas to combine them in action, if the workprint’s done enough to send around.

Author
Time

Episode 3: Obi-Wan Movie Edit
Episode 2: Revenge of the Sith
Episode 1: TPM and Attack of the Clones

I would like this idea more:

Episode I: TPM and AOTC
Episode II: 2003 Clone Wars
Episode III: Revenge of the Sith

«This is where the fun begins!»
(Anakin Skywalker)

Author
Time

If you’re starting Episode I mid-podrace then you could have the crawl establish that Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan specifically came to Tatooine to check in on reports of a force-sensitive child.

Author
Time

jrs81 said:

The New Prequels:

Episode 3: Obi-Wan Movie Edit
Episode 2: Revenge of the Sith
Episode 1: TPM and Attack of the Clones

Personally, I think this is the best approach.

Author
Time

leftshoe18 said:

If you’re starting Episode I mid-podrace then you could have the crawl establish that Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan specifically came to Tatooine to check in on reports of a force-sensitive child.

As my edit currently stands, Obi-Wan is not on this trip. This is a Qui-Gon solo mission. First time we see Obi-Wan will be when he is objecting to Qui-Gon going against the council. Establishes an interesting dynamic that Obi-Wan is more in line with the Council’s thinking, and flawed ways, than he is his own Masters. Also puts a different emotion on the scene when Qui-Gon asks to take on Anakin as Padawan. This give’s Obi-wan a bit of a different arc as he grows into a Master.

Author
Time

Depending on if there is as season 2 of Obiwan, I am thinking of either during TPm all together (opening crawl fixes a lot) or combining ATOC and ROS as Ep1

Author
Time

NotTheDri0ds said:

Huh, that sounds interesting actually. I have seen one edit (The Jedi’s Apprentice by Cat’s Prime Cuts) that makes AOTC the Episode 1, using the end of TPM near the start. I’d be interested in seeing your ideas to combine them in action, if the workprint’s done enough to send around.

I’ll have something ready this week to share. I’ll have to see if I can track down that edit and check it out.

Author
Time

Already an interesting idea on opening it. Always love the rare edit that kills off the Ambassadors at the start to demonstrate the Federation, or in this case Sidious’ cruelty. I look forward to seeing the full workprint when it’s done!

Author
Time

Workprint 1.0 Now available. PM for link.

Author
Time

Workprint 1.1 now available with additional color grading tweaks and small fixes. AOTC had some sync issues, this has been corrected.

Author
Time
 (Edited)

Added two key sequences from AOTC in the first post. In this edit, there is only one assassination attempt. Gone is the poisonous slugs and chase through Coruscant skylines.

The first scene is a new introduction to Teenage Anakin. Gone is the couch and scolding from Obi-Wan. The first time seeing teenage Anakin is in action in pursuit of the person responsible for the landing platform assasination attempt.

https://vimeo.com/731066079

This next sequence of scenes is the reason this entire edit works (In my opinion). Even though I have eliminated Padme’s apartment assassination attempt, The character building in Padme’s apartment while she is sleeping is essential to the relationship between Obi-Wan and Anakin, so I wanted to keep this. The first time we see Padme and Anakin together, the council has already ordered Anakin to escort her back to Naboo and Palpatine has already spoken to her. I’ve also included the analysis droid deleted scene to make this work.

https://vimeo.com/731068274