WI: British Star Wars?

[Zyobot]

Since its inception in 1977 with the release of A New Hope, the Star Wars universe has exploded in popularity. A now-iconic depiction of good versus evil and liberty versus authority, it has also been regarded as a uniquely American phenomenon for its protagonists' fight for freedom against a tyrannical, iron-fisted empire.

So, how might a reimagined British take on this beloved science-fantasy franchise look in a different TL?

Thank you in advance,
Zyobot

[lordroel]

Apr 30, 2019 13:23:11 GMT Zyobot said:

Since its inception in 1977 with the release of A New Hope, the Star Wars universe has exploded in popularity. A now-iconic depiction of good versus evil and liberty versus authority, it has also been regarded as a uniquely American phenomenon for its protagonists' fight for freedom against a tyrannical, iron-fisted empire.

So, how might a reimagined British take on this beloved science-fantasy franchise look in a different TL?

Thank you in advance,
Zyobot

You mean if a British director made the movies.

[Zyobot]

Apr 30, 2019 15:01:53 GMT lordroel said:

Apr 30, 2019 13:23:11 GMT Zyobot said:

Since its inception in 1977 with the release of A New Hope, the Star Wars universe has exploded in popularity. A now-iconic depiction of good versus evil and liberty versus authority, it has also been regarded as a uniquely American phenomenon for its protagonists' fight for freedom against a tyrannical, iron-fisted empire.

So, how might a reimagined British take on this beloved science-fantasy franchise look in a different TL?

Thank you in advance,
Zyobot

You mean if a British director made the movies.

Well that, and the whole franchise comes to be established and built up in Great Britain rather than the United States as is true IOTL. Essentially, the question is what similarities, differences and implications a UK-made equivalent of Star Wars would bring to the table compared to the real thing.

[lordroel]

Apr 30, 2019 15:15:37 GMT Zyobot said:

Apr 30, 2019 15:01:53 GMT lordroel said:

You mean if a British director made the movies.

Well that, and the whole franchise comes to be established and built up in Great Britain rather than the United States as is true IOTL. Essentially, the question is what similarities, differences and implications a UK-made equivalent of Star Wars would bring to the table compared to the real thing.

See the Jedi being made into Knights maybe, the Republic already being a Kingdom ore Empire before the Clone Wars which might be in this series a very big version of the English Civil War but then on intergalactic scale.

[Zyobot]

Apr 30, 2019 15:18:09 GMT lordroel said:

Apr 30, 2019 15:15:37 GMT Zyobot said:

Well that, and the whole franchise comes to be established and built up in Great Britain rather than the United States as is true IOTL. Essentially, the question is what similarities, differences and implications a UK-made equivalent of Star Wars would bring to the table compared to the real thing.

See the Jedi being made into Knights maybe, the Republic already being a Kingdom ore Empire before the Clone Wars which might be in this series a very big version of the English Civil War but then on intergalactic scale.

Well, that's assuming that the latter two even come into being with Star Wars being British since its inception. Even then, I don't know that a Galactic Republic equivalent would necessarily be a monarchy (though it'd probably be more overtly imperialistic than OTL's iteration).

[stevep]

   Weren't the Jedi very much like medieval knights, or at least the idealised image?

   You might well have 'republic' being like a constitutional monarchy, with the OTL empire replacing it being either very autocratic as OTL or possibly having elements if a darker version of Cromwell's commonwealth. I hope they would avoid however Luke and Leia being members of the previous royal family, with Leia becoming the new queen although that might fit in well with the feelings so soon after the celebration of the silver jubilee.

   One factor that might also be different, depending on the character of TTL's Lucas and whether his views change with developments in the real world, is that while in the US the Reagan era was one of renewed opportunism in the US, Britain you the depression [both economic and social] of the Thatcher era. As such you might see a more downbeat 3rd film especially. Still the dark empire being overthrown and human rights restored but somewhat more attention to the costs of war and the difficulties of establishing and maintaining a fair and justice system of government. Also, especially since WWII British films have tended to be more down to earth than US ones so that could be a factor as well.

[Deleted]

Star Wars films are as American as James Bond films are British (i.e. not very much)

[lordroel]

May 4, 2019 13:04:52 GMT @vonhitchofen said:

Star Wars films are as American as James Bond films are British (i.e. not very much)

I think if there is a British Star Wars it would end up like Red Dwarf.

[Deleted]

May 4, 2019 13:07:55 GMT lordroel said:

I think if there is a British Star Wars it would end up like Red Dwarf.

Or Blakes's 7



Yes, I know there's only six of them.

[lordroel]

May 4, 2019 13:41:11 GMT @vonhitchofen said:

May 4, 2019 13:07:55 GMT lordroel said:

I think if there is a British Star Wars it would end up like Red Dwarf.

Or Blakes's 7



Yes, I know there's only six of them.

Well somebody has to take the picture, this you have 7 of them.