The Expanse: Leviathan Wakes (Postponed)

Please read this update for more information in the state of this edit https://originaltrilogy.com/topic/The-Expanse-Leviathan-Wakes-Preview-Version-Avaliable/id/69195/page/1#1363707

This fanedit intends to create a movie based on the Leviathan Wakes book plot from The Expanse TV Show.

[1.1] PROJECT INFO AND EXPLANATION
The Expanse: Leviathan Wakes is the first movie in a series of The Expanse movies, that are based on the plots of the book series of the same name. The source will be from Season 1 and Season 2 (E01 - E05). The first book’s plot is set out weirdly and extends from S01E01 to S02E05 and I will try to edit as much of Caliban’s War’ plot out of this first movie.

I will be more faithful to the books than the T.V. show when possible as I believe some choices made in the show (i.e. the fighting amongst the Roci’s Crew and Amos/Holden not liking each other which suddenly dropped in S02). I’m aiming for a 5 hour run time, and will include an interval, but will always be trying to get a 3 hour cut.

Like with most other TV-to-Movie fanedits the main purpose of this fanedit is for people who weren’t caught up in the show, most likely because of it’s slow first few episodes, but also for people wanting to rewatch the show.

I also will make a ‘S02E05 Catchup’ which is a version of what I’ve done of Caliban War (Book 2) tocatch up the viewer of the events I’ve omitted in the from S01E01-S0E05 that are relevant to the story, so that viewers can start watching from S02E06

[1.2] PROJECT STATISTICS
CURRENT RUNTIME: 5:18:14 (Pass 3)
‘S02E05 Catchup’ RUNTIME: 00:38:59
FOCUS: Jim Holden, Josephus Miller, Roci Crew, Chrisjen Avasarala, supporting characters where relevant.
As of right now I have made three passes of the full movie. The first pass runtime was 6 hours & 13 mins. The second pass was a runtime of 5 hours & 34 mins. I just finished my third pass and I feel like I have the story sorted.

I’ve focused the Roci’s Crew and Miller for first ~20 mins before getting into the story. My aim was to get the Canterbury destroyed by the 30 minute mark and I’ve successfully done that. Avasarala is introduced after Holden has put out the message that ‘Mars destoryed the Cant’, going straight to Errinwright’s office with Admiral Souther. The story continues as usual, cutting out sub-plots that aren’t needed, with a massive build up at ~90mins (Donnager) then slowly building up to middle-act/middle-climax at ~240 mins (Julie is found). The last ~120 mins finishes off the story with two big climaxes (Throth Station and Eros).

[1.3] STORY
(ATM this is more ramblings of what I remember I’ve done, there is way to many to count)

• Less/No fighting amongst the Roci’s Crew
• Amos/Holden not liking each other is removed
• Unnecessary subplots are removed or diminished (The S01E02 episode comes to mind, but alot more have been removed than that.)
• Millers investigation plot is straightened out to try and make more sense
• Havlock dies… (like he should have)
• The Butcher of Anderson Station’s plot is kept but is diminished, but may change it to just talk about it I feel it isn’t needed
• No weird ‘put your hands up’ when the Roci Crew go down to the Blue Lagoon’s Lobby
• Removed subplot of Holden logging the distress call
• Avasarala’s plot is put back into the shadows a bit. Her plot in this movie stops when she finds out the who in the government is working with Protogen. This will be re-incorporated into the starting of Caliban’s War.
• Draper’s plot is removed and will be re-incorporated into the starting of Caliban’s War.
• The Spy’s plot is removed and will be re-incorporated into the starting of Caliban’s War.
• Julie’s episode is greatly reduced.
• The two sub-stories about Diago are removed, may make a short about them.
• The interrogation of Cortázar is removed and will be re-incorporated into the starting of Caliban’s War.
• The interrogation on the Donnager is mostly removed.
• Most parts where Holden is not with the Roci Crew are removed, only leaving what is necessary.
• Soooooooo… much more…

Havlock dies… (like he should have)

This might be difficult if you’re doing the whole series. Unless they didn’t bring him back for season 4 and gave his role to a different/new character, I’m not sure.

Didn’t know he came back, have only read the first book. Guess I’ll have to see if he’s in Season 4, but looking through the cast and crew of each Season 4 episode, Havelock isn’t on any of them. If he does I might just be able to cut that storyline, it would be a shame but would streamline the movie more.

It’s likely he won’t be back and his role is taken by a new character, or absorbed into an existing character, from what I’ve seen. But it isn’t certain yet. If he is in it, I’m not sure if you could cut him from S4 if his role is the same as it is in book 4.

Ah, when I mean I’ll cut that storyline I meant the S01 one, not the S04 one

Ah, okay.

Going through Pass 3 and thought peeps would like to see what I’ve done. You’ll want to start at ~42 seconds, I need to find a better way to render parts out.

Distress Call scene: https://vimeo.com/357512460
Password: scopuli

Just finished Pass 3. I took so long because I moved to some proper Bluray Sources and some parts I had to entirely re-edit (from memory all of S02, and E09-E10 of S01).

The total runtime is 5:18:14, which I am okay with, but I wish could be shorter. Funnily enough the S01 storyline stops about 3:15:00ish which would make for a great Season 1 movie time, but as I want to do Books I’m not willing to make a separate edit for this.

My plans from now is to watch through the edit and see what I want to change. Then I’ll make those changes and release a preview version (to get other peoples feedback). I’ll post on this board again when I’m ready for that (simply msg me in a private topic. You can do this now if you like and I’ll get back to you when I’m ready). Then finally I’ll release my (hopefully) final version.

Preview Version is now Avaliable!

Made a Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpvF21Md-bg

So, the edit is basically done, just need a technical watch (to make sure the editing is clean (or as clean as possible)) and there isn’t an errors. I’ll do a more formalised announcement of what’s next for me and this project once it’s out.

So, until it’s released I’ll try to have one or two clips uploaded of the final version each week… (Hopefully it’ll make me less lazy 😛)

First up, Donnager Part 1.
This is E03 when the rocci gang get’s captured by Mars. (sorry for the split second of Miller)
https://vimeo.com/432509033
Password: fanedit

The Expanse - Donnager Part 2
https://vimeo.com/432513367
Password: fanedit

Sorry for not posting for a while. I’ve been thinking alot about this project as I want to be done with it, but I’m not happy in it’s final form.
I am going to redo most of the edit, as my editing skills have increased since I started this project, from working on this fanedit, working on other fanedits and going to film school.

The Plan For Leviathan Wakes:
I plan to separate the edit into two parts. Part 1 will cover the first season. Part 2 will cover the ending of Leviathan Wakes and side plots that feed into Caliban’s War. Both parts should be around 2.5 to 3 hours, and it’ll help me show everything that needs to be shown for the story.

The Plan For Future Seasons and Fanedits:
I intend to do that same With Caliban’s War, with having a Part 1 and Part 2. Caliban’s War Part 1 will cover from the ending of Leviathan Wakes (trying to cut out as much of the transitional stuff as possible) till the end of Season 2. Caliban’s War Part 2 being Season 3 till Abaddon’s Gate story line starts (which I believe is S03E07). And Abaddon’s Gate should only have one movie as it’s roughly 7 hours in total, and I definitely can cut it down.

What’s Next:
Which goes back to what I’m going to do next. I call the Leviathan Wakes edit inactive as I’ve spent way to much time in this story and need a break. I would start with Caliban’s War next, but it’s so intertwined with Leviathan Wakes in the show I think it would be too hard to start from there.
So, I’ll be starting The Expanse: Abaddon’s Gate Fanedit sometime later this year, as I am busy as hell with Film School ATM.

If you really want to see, what I’m calling, the Leviathan Wakes Blueprint, I’m happy to send you a link in a PM. But I highly stress that it’s not in a perfect state, but it will generally show what I’m going to do in Leviathan Wakes Part 1 and Part 2.