Oops. It looks like Star Trek: Discovery has been released already, and that means I sat on my own Maybe Pitch for a Trek series for way too long. Now, I still haven't seen Discovery yet, so I wanted to take this last opportunity to post my series pitch here before I officially enter the world of "too late".
I've been a Star Trek fan for decades and have probably made dozens of characters and concepts for an imaginary series both in my own head and with friends (remind me to tell you about the USS Wasp some day). When the new series was announced, I got to thinking about it myself and put together some ideas for how I'd lead a Trek TV revival.
When I first heard of Discovery, I was surprised to realize they weren't spinning off from the recently-rebooted feature films. But then I realized I personally didn't much care for what had been done over the course of those movies and, if it were up to me, I'd ignore them too. In fact, if I had to pick any version to continue from, it'd be from the point of my new favorite series, Star Trek: Enterprise. No, seriously. I don't know why this show got so much flack, but it got in the way of me taking the time to watch it until just recently, and now I'm totally hooked. There's something about how the closer timeline makes the show more relateable and of how it reins in the technology that had become so magically overwhelming over the course of a couple hundred years of tech lore. But I also really appreciate how it focused on humanity and our own steps into the stars as the original series did, rather than a broad spectrum of aliens and genetic super-humans.
So my Maybe Trek series will follow on from Enterprise and sort of bridge the gap between that timeline and the Original Series, and it will tentatively be called...
Star Trek: Frontiers
After four years of war with the Romulans, and the founding of the interplanetary organization knows as the Federation of Planets, elements within Starfleet are looking to pick up the torch of space exploration that was sidelined during the conflict. This faction has taken the time to refit one of their battle cruisers for long-term scientific study, and sent it off into the big black to see what's out there.
USS Constitution (NCC 311)
Visually, the ship itself is based on the planned but unused refit show leads had intended for Enterprise during its never-to-be 5th season. It took the basic shape of the NX-01 saucer and nacelles and added a lower body section, getting us one step closer to the Original Series ship.
For our purposes, we'll say the Constitution and other ships of its class were in construction as a proposed next phase deep space vessel when the Romulan War began. Construction quickly changed to adding more combat elements to these ships and off they went. Now, I may be futzing with canon here, but after successfully serving in the war for four years, the Connie gained recognition as the flagship from which the peace accords were transmitted. Its place in history was established, and its former captain, now admiral, wanted to take advantage of its fame by making it the lead of the new exploration mission. Not everyone who has heard of it will see it as a symbol of peace, though, and the new captain will have his hands full living down the ship's war past.
It's plenty sturdy, as most warships should be, but some of its weapons systems have been gutted to make way for additional sensors and science labs.
The Crew
Capt. Mick Polama - Commanding Officer
Robbie Magasiva
Nobody's more surprised about his promotion than Polama himself. There were no great battles he won, no ship maneuvers named after him. Rather, his first command was of a frigate assigned to harry the Romulan's supply lines far from the spotlight. Admiral Barry, however, looked at all he'd achieved with minimal fleet oversight and realized this was the kind of captain the Constitution would need.
Polama's command style could best be described as "stay flexible", which doesn't jibe well with his first officer's more by-the-book approach. He's also hesitant to take on hostile postures. For example, he may hold off on raising shields when encountering a new vessel and insists landing parties take the type 1 "palm" phaser rather than the larger pistol model unless something specifically warrants the extra show of power.
One of my first goals when "assembling" the crew was to look at Earth cultures that weren't as well represented. Off the top of my head, I couldn't think of a single Polynesian character in any of the previous shows and realized the Constitution had to have one. When I came across Magasiva and saw his stage presence, I knew I had a commanding officer on hand. Fun fact: Robbie's little brother, Pua Magasiva, was the Red Ranger in Power Rangers: Ninja Storm. I foresee some guest appearances in the future.
Cmdr. Sarah Asher - Navigator
Mamie Gummer
One of the ship changes from the NX class to this new class (which I should probably name some time) is the addition of a navigator station. The idea is that by incorporating the tactical station into the helm controls, a ship could be more effective in combat. A duty navigator was added to take some of the piloting duties off the now much busier helmsman. The station also takes on the duties of managing ship's shields (an outgrowth of the navigation deflectors) as well as scanning (because the 'gator would have to know what was out there in order to plot a course, right?)
Asher was Capt. Barry's 2nd in command and had expected to 'fleet up' into the command chair when he left. That Barry picked somebody else to lead was a bit of a shock. Truth is, while she's an amazing Starfleet officer and an inspiring leader, she lacks the initiative Barry felt was critical to the mission's success "out there." He did offer her the option of leaving Constitution for her own command closer to Earth, but she opted to stay on Connie, even if it means an extended absence from her husband back on Earth.
I knew from the start I wanted my 2nd in command to contrast with the captain, but not so much that they come to blows. I think the fun will be in seeing how their two styles mix well together rather than seeing how combustible they are. I also decided to use her to introduce some of the elements of the 'career officer' and how that can affect families, and gave her a husband back home.
As for casting, I may be aiming a bit high in actor choices here, but as long as you're fancasting something, you might as well put Meryl Streep's daughter in it, right?
Lt. Cmdr. Jagir Singh Anand - Chief Engineer
Waris Ahluwaria
Anand was Polama's engineer on his previous ship and he talked him into transferring with him to the Constitution. For most of the crew, the new captain is an unknown entity, but to Anand, he's an old friend.
There's not much to say about what a chief engineer does. He does the same things CHENG's have done on four other Star Trek ships. I would, however, like to see engineering be more of a hands-on, mechanical work environment. While everything by the Next Generation seemed to be fixed by pushing buttons on a screen, I much prefer the idea of engineers grabbing tools and poking at circuit boards and conduits.
The character of Anand initially just came from the idea of how neat a turban would look in a Starfleet uniform. You know, how they're allowed to keep symbols of their cultures even while serving in this greater body. When I did a little research about turbans, though, I fell down the rabbit hole of reading about Sikhism and realized this would be a great opportunity to touch on how faith and religion survives into a future of space travel and intelligent aliens. Ahluwaria was one of the first actors I came across in my reading and even remembered him from the movie 'Inside Man.' I guess he made an impression on me and I signed him up on the spot.
Lt. Cmdr. Devon Lucci - Ship's Surgeon
Kelly Mantle
Another new arrival to the ship. When the previous surgeon retired after the war, Barry started casting about for a replacement and decided an expert in xeno-medicine would be a valuable resource for a ship heading into uncharted space. Barry had met Lucci during the war, treating refugees and remembered his genius when the time came. As for Lucci himself, his home on the Earth colony of Alpha Eridani was one of the first targets destroyed by the Romulans at the start of the war. Although he lost almost everything, it's a credit to his humanity that he didn't develop an unreasoning hatred for the Romulans, but rather an enhanced compassion for the victims of the war.
Out the gate I knew that I wanted to broach the subject of gender identity and how future humans would handle it. There was a brief idea of a hermaphroditic crew member, but that seemed a cheat. To best represent a gender fluid population, the character would have to be truly gender fluid, not just racially/genetically designed that way. Lucci is almost completely androgynous, able to identify with either gender with equal ease. This actually enhances his bedside manner and his patients find understanding no matter what their own gender is. Obviously the hope here is to showcase a future where such differences are accepted rather than ignored or looked down on.
It's from Kelly Mantle himself that I first heard the term 'gender fluid' and realized nobody else should play the role of the androgynous doctor.
Lt. Kav - Helmsman
Ricky Kim
Even after the founding of the Federation of Planets, there's still a tendency for Starfleet ships to be crewed by a single species. Some argue that's through biological necessity of a common, survivable environment, but others still push for more integration among what are now supposed to be equal members.
Given the high profile mission of the Constitution, there was a big push to include some of this integration, and the ship's Andorian helmsman was the result of a lot of political jockeying on his home world. The 2nd son of a noble family, he was granted the position both as an honor for his family but also to keep him out of local politics and upsetting royal succession. He's almost boringly regal, with a greater sense of etiquette than other crew members. At the same time, he's from a war culture and doesn't hesitate to go onto a war footing at the first provocation. It's almost ironic that Capt. Polama often calls on him for his advice in first contact etiquette while at the same time has to often reign him in from starting a fight they don't want.
To be honest, I've had Rick Kim's headshot saved since an initial Trek draft involved a Korean crew member just for the sake of being able to showcase a future Korea where the North and South are united. That character didn't pan out, but Kim is still a fine actor and one I had no trouble painting blue when it came time to introduce and alien crewmember.
Lt. Lupe Acosta - Communications Officer
Natalie Morales
I kind of hate the idea of continuing the bias that only women can be communications officers, but I've been a fan of Morales since 'Middleman' and I think her sassy, sarcastic patter would be hilarious in the role of the comms officer. She would constantly be giving her cynical, unsolicited input on the aliens they just met, and it'd be even more frustrating for the captain when she's usually right.
Linguistics used to be a science division, but with the divorcing of the sciences during the Federation's war footing, it transferred to Operations. It does much the same job it always has, but with advances in Universal Translator software, the position has grown more technical in using and maintaining communications equipment over linguistics and cultural interpretation.
Like I said above, Morales needs to be in my bridge crew, and I would have invented a position if comms officer wasn't already so perfect for her.
Prof. Christa Holtzmann - Science Director
Gina Ravera
From the first inklings of the character, I'd intended for him or her to be German, but I'm not ashamed to say that the character of Prof. Holtzmann was also inspired by the cast of 'Hidden Figures'. I figured there was no harm in combining the two, so here she is.
Prof. Holtzmann heads a civilian attachment of specialists and graduate students brought on board the Connie to perform scientific studies in the absence of a dedicated Starfleet science department. As such, she's a bit outside the military chain of command. To be honest, she'd expected her team to just be stuck in a hold somewhere and forgotten about, but it wasn't long before the captain started coming to her for advice and even inviting her into mission briefings and away teams.
Gina Ravera has a couple decades acting experience on film and television. I've no doubt she can successfully blend the wonder of space exploration with the discipline of leading a science team. I guess my only real question is whether or not she can learn German. I'd like to think that she can.
Uniforms
"Canon" says the Star Trek: Enterprise coveralls were in use right up to the foundation of the Federation, but that's based on the hokey "holodeck novel" story from the show's finale and I'm willing to call that "artistic license". For Frontier, I'd like to see the coverall (which is awesome) evolve a step closer to the uniform worn on the original series, first by turning it into a jacket/pants option, and then adding a color-appropriate shirt underneath the jacket.
A relaxed uniform would just have the colorful shirt, while a pants option would allow for the introduction of the miniskirt uniform. A quick search of the internet shows that something similar to what I wanted was already created, so I swiped the illustration. I'm sorry to say I don't know who created this or why, so apologies for the theft.
Show Bible
I'm not going to do a key episode breakdown or anything, but in general the show would follow the pattern of ST: Enterprise and the original series with the basic direction of going "out there" and seeing what's up. A recurring element would be not just discovering new civilizations, but overcoming a stigma of warfare that precedes the Federation vessel. Even cultures who haven't met humans yet have heard of the 4-year war against the Romulans, and there's a bit of fear about the species that fought that conquering race to a stand-still. Reparations might also be an issue, as the Constitution and her crew are called on to aid survivors of the war (on both sides).
There's room for some heavy-handed political stories about "exit strategies" and "peaceful occupations", but that's not the real goal here. It's mostly just a showcase for overcoming a reputation and recognizing that the strength to defend yourself should also include the strength to defend others as well.
HooBOY has it been a long time since I posted here. I actually have a few Maybe Studios film pitches that I've been puttering about with, but I never really got them to the point where I felt they were complete.
None of them, I should say, were an X-Men pitch. I'd thought Fox had that movie universe pretty well in hand, but when I read some unfounded rumors about a possible series reboot by Fox, I tossed my hat into the ring and put together some ideas.
If given control of the X-Men movie universe, my first goal would be to scale things back by quite a bit. Not only do I want to leave a lot of room for things to grow and escalate, but I want to start from a position of "us against them." A world where mutants are grossly outnumbered by the normal humans who hate and fear them, and, while capable of some amazing feats, have powers a bit below what some hate mongers would have you believe. These X-Men aren't a global force of mutants capable of knocking jets out of the sky or mind-controlling a government. These are mutants on the defensive, who need to work together to survive.
With this in mind, I've decided to stick with the original five X-Men of Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Angel, Beast and Iceman. Not out of any commitment to comic continuity, but because these characters lack the global reach of later teams and have singular powers that require training, ingenuity and teamwork to get the most out of.
So with this small group of relatively weak mutants in the bag, step 2 is establishing a world that both hates AND fears them. A lot of great stories have been told drawing parallels to racism and homophobia, but I want to focus on another social injustice: the effects of terrorism and how it impacts its victims as well as others whose only crime is sharing the same heritage. You can see it in the modern world with American citizens fearing Muslims (or even anyone who might look like a Muslim) because of the horrifying actions of a minority of Islamic extremists. By comparison, our movie universe has recently suffered some terrorist attacks from mutant supremacists, and anybody demonstrating a link to this group is immediately suspect if not hunted.
This, of course, requires a group of mutant terrorists, and I've decided on the Acolytes, a group of mutant supremacists who follow the teachings and guidance of the first mutant terrorist: Magneto. To avert expectations a bit, Magneto isn't actually the main villain of my story. He mostly exists as an off-screen, Bin Laden-type who we'll see mostly reflected in the actions of the Acolytes and how they refer to him and his ways. With five X-Men and an almost equal number of Acolytes, it's going to be a crowded movie, but the easiest way to avoid getting bogged down is to stick to the idea of teamwork being the key. There won't be any one-on-one battles here. At its smallest, the X-Men operate in fire teams of 2-3 members together.
So with the cast and concepts set, let's dive in...
Act I
The latest mutant terror attack occurs in a San Francisco BART station just as commuters are exiting their train and the station is packed. The Acolytes boldly proclaim their presence and begin massacring everybody inside, with the promise that these attacks will continue if the government doesn't free their leader, Magneto.
Meanwhile, across the continent, a new student is arriving at Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters in Westchester County, New York. Jean Grey and her parents meet the professor and the four other students at this exclusive academy. The tour is interrupted by the news of the attack in San Francisco, and the Greys voice their opinion that the world would be better without mutants or maybe if they just found some place by themselves.
Scott and the others get riled up, but Xavier defuses it and the Greys leave. Afterward, the professor reminds the students that they still have to make up for the interruption in their school schedule, and directs them all to the Danger Room. This is when Jean learns that all the other students are mutants just as she is, and they all get to demonstrate their powers in a no-holds-barred game of keep-away in the ever-changing traps of the Danger Room.
Act II pt 1
Next day's lessons aren't nearly as interesting, but academics soon gives way to a discussion on the mutant population and the reveal of Cerebro, Xavier's device that can detect the activation of mutant powers. Despite its limited range, this is how Xavier was able to locate the rest of the X-Men and invite them to his school. During the demonstration, Cerebro notes a group of mutants entering New York together. The Acolytes have arrived in Manhattan. Of course everyone wants to go intercept them, but Xavier prohibits this and simply calls the authorities. Despite Scott's surprising acquiescence to Xavier's decision, his secret plan is to sneak out in the early morning and scour the city for the Acolytes who will likely wait until the next business day when it's most crowded for their attack.
Of course, you can't keep secrets from a telepath, so Xavier intercepts them at the garage. However, an impassioned speech convinces the professor that this is a mutant issue that needs to be solved by mutants or else the rest of humanity will never learn to trust them. Xavier agrees, and the team heads to Manhattan to find the terrorists.
They find the Acolytes taking over the Chrysler Building and herding all the occupants together as hostages with the intent to bring the building down on all of them. The X-Men leap into action, but are forced to split up into smaller teams to handle the Acolytes and it's a stalemate. They're able to free the hostages, but when Cortez amps up Cyclops' eyeblasts beyond his ability to contain them, it's Scott himself who blows out a portion of the building. As the dust settles, most of the Acolytes and X-Men have gotten clear, but Scott and Senyaka are apprehended by the FBI.
Act II pt 2
While Scott and Senyaka are interrogated by the FBI, the X-Men plan a rescue. The professor has a better way, though. He and Jean go to the federal building in civilian clothes and convince them that he was called as an expert in genetic mutation to assist in the detention of the mutant prisoners. During the debate between the agents and mutants, it's revealed that the government is not just unwilling to meet the Acolyte's demand to free Magneto, but they're actually unable to. They don't have Magneto and don't know where he is. The second bomb-drop is the reveal that Xavier knows where he is and always has.
That's all the Acolytes needed to know, as they break into the building and attempt to get Xavier to tell them where Magneto is. His will is too strong for threats or torture, though, but Cortez is able to use Xavier's telepathy against him by boosting his powers beyond his control until he's broadcasting every thought to anyone nearby. The Acolytes escape in the confusion with the knowledge of where Magneto is, but the FBI now also knows and the race is on.
Act III
The X-Men get to Magneto's cabin in Maine to find the federal government has gotten there before them judging by the number of bodies lying at the feet of an angry Magneto. He accuses Xavier of breaking his promise and disrupting his seclusion. Xavier's attempts to convince him otherwise are interrupted by the arrival of the Acolytes. While Xavier argues there's still time for peace, Cortez tries to convince Magneto to return to the world and lead them. When Magneto decides he's too tired to continue, Cortez loses it and attacks Magneto himself, turning his own power against him. The X-Men leap to Magneto's rescue (irony!!) and a full-on melee ensues.
The X-Men are ready, though, and their training and teamwork are able to take down the Acolytes with their faltering convictions and shifting loyalties. In the end, Cortez is the last Acolyte standing and he shifts gears. He boosts Magneto's powers until he's a veritable magnetic bomb, wreaking havoc on the area and the X-Men. The only solution is to take out Magneto, and Cyclops reveals he has absolutely no problem at all doing that. One optic beam to the forehead and Magneto is down for the count. A sock to the jaw by Beast is all it takes to lay out Cortez.
Cast
Scott Summers / Cyclops
David Lambert
When I think of Cyclops, I think of a reserved, uptight leader of mutants, but I'm pretty sure he didn't start out that way. Over the course of the film, I'd like to see ol' Scott here have the most character growth as he realizes the responsibility of his powers and takes on the mantel of leadership, perhaps sacrificing some of his own happiness in the process. We'll see the birth of the love story between him and Jean, but it will only end in sadness for both as he distances himself away from others for fear of his uncontrollable power.
Scott was the first mutant taken in by Xavier and the inspiration behind the plan to find other young mutants struggling to control their mutant abilities and training them at his academy. A stubborn and opinionated young man, Scott gravitates to a leadership position in the team. His determination matches Jean's strong will and this shared quality is what will ultimately bring them together.
David Lambert already has years of acting experience under his belt. His recent resume includes a four-year run as the lead character in "The Fosters" where he's been nailing the "on the cusp of growing up" drama I'm looking for in my evolution of Scott Summers in this film.
His powers have been very well recreated in the X-Men movies, showing an almost gushing stream of uncontrolled power coming from his eyes. And while he struggles with having to constantly contain his power behind special glasses or a visor, that gear is just as much a shackle as he's unable to use his powers if he can't reach them. Even his visor has to be opened and closed manually.
Jean Grey / Marvel Girl
Kathryn Newton
Secretly a mutant while living with anti-mutant parents, Jean struggled with self-image issues and parental authority. I don't want to go so far as to say she attempted suicide, but that's something that could've been in her future had she not been invited to Xavier's. Finally able to accept herself for who she is, Jean is really coming out of her shell.
As the most recent arrival at the school, Jean is our point-of-view character, allowing the audience to learn about the school, the X-Men and mutants at the same time she does.
While the romance between Jean and Scott is one of the classics of Marvel Comics, I only want to see the beginning stages of that here. I don't want to reduce the only female on our team to just being the love interest, but a good love triangle between her, Scott and Warren is a great storytelling tool to highlight all their different personalities.
You might remember Newton from 'Paranormal Activity 4' or maybe as Claire Novak on 'Supernatural' or her current gig as rebellious teenager Abigail Carson on 'Big, Little Lies.' In none of these has she been the demure, quiet teenaged girl, and I think that same strength would suit Jean Grey very well.
For this beginning, at least, Jean's powers will be limited to just telekinesis. Xavier may hint at the potential for developing telepathy like his, she's mostly limited to just moving things around. And really it's just moving other things, she doesn't levitate herself, keeping her grounded and not stealing Angel's "I can fly" spotlight.
Warren Worthington III / Angel
Luke Benward
You know how much you hate that hearthrob guy who busts out the guitar at all the parties and serenades all the swooning ladies? Well, give him a net worth of $3 million and see how much more unlikable he becomes. And for good measure, tack on some majestic wings that let him fly around. That's Warren. He comes from big money and was looking forward to taking over the family business when he was older. When he started developing his wings, though, his father was aghast and immediately carted Warren out of the public eye.
Power-wise, he's actually the weakest of the team, something he's aware of but masks with his devil-may-care attitude. Ironically, despite being more than a little self-centered, Warren actually develops into one of the better team players, if only out of necessity. His nonchalant airs also hide some daddy issues stemming from the way his father packed him off as his wings developed. These issues mirror Jean's own parental problems and is what draws the two of them together into the other leg of our love triangle.
The last time I saw Luke Benward, he was a little kid in the Disney TV film 'Minutemen,' and he was great in that. Since then he's only matured and honestly is about as far as possible from the rich douche-boy I'm imagining Angel to be. Still, I'm certain he can nail it, especially as we lead into scenes where he drops his cover and opens up to Jean.
Angel's wings don't have to be scientifically accurate, and while the temptation might be to give him huge, majestic wings, I want to make sure they're small enough to feasibly be harnessed flat against his back and hidden under some bulky clothes.
Hank McCoy / Beast
Will Poulter
Coming to Xavier's was the best thing that ever happened to Hank. While his physicality drove him into school sports, he never felt challenged by them and resented how they kept him away from his real love, academics. At Xavier's, he's found a place that challenges him on both fronts and he's taking full advantage.
I know you've seen Poulter before, just as I know it was likely as some sort of bully or bad guy. Maybe it's that bit of "animal" you see in his features that often puts him on the wrong side of the fight, but here that's his ticket to the good team. He got to play a bit of the nerd in "We're the Millers," and here I'm hoping for a good mix of the two personas.
Apologies to Poulter, but there's a certain beastial cast to his features that I think would sell the character, but I wonder how much we could enhance his body by making it broader or enlarging his hands and feet. If they can make a scrawny Chris Evans, I'm sure they can reverse the process on Poulter's extremities. While the rest can be his stance and posture to represent his mutant musculature, some oversized hands and feet (with splayed toes for grabbing things not quite to the level of "First Class" monkey feet) would cap the effect.
Bobby Drake / Iceman
Tyrel Jackson
Unlike the rest of his teammates, Bobby never suffered from his mutation. He wasn't physically different like Warren or Hank, he didn't endanger people like Scott, and he was never ostracized like Jean. Learning to control his powers isn't making him better able to fit in, it just makes him more awesome. Of all the X-Men, he's the one who most loves being a mutant, and has a bit of a wake-up call the first time he faces anti-mutant racism on the streets.
Okay, maybe I just watch a lot of Disney shows, but when it comes time to find young actors, I don't know if there's a better source. 'Lab Rats' was a favorite of both mine and my kids', and I knew I'd have to keep an eye out for a place to fancast Jackson in something. Some might call it racebending for the sake of diversity, but Jackson is an acting machine and easily captures Bobby's fun-loving, youthful personality.
I never bought into Iceman's powers as presented in the X-Men movies. He just seemed to emit a cold beam and it would turn into some kind of ice structure. I'm not saying that's impossible in a world of super-powered mutants, but it feels lazy. I actually prefer the way Frozone's ice powers were presented in 'The Incredibles'. Almost like he was hurling frost and letting it pile up into his ice slides and walls. Similarly, his ice form should be less like a crystaline ice body and closer to a layer of frost that accumulates when he uses his powers.
Charles Xavier / Professor X
Tom Mison
Certainly not the first mutant on Earth, but definitely one of the first to research the up-till-now isolated incidences of human mutation. Before losing the use of his legs, Xavier traveled the world meeting with and studying mutants. Some felt isolated and afraid, others felt empowered to take what they felt they deserved. Few felt that they should be working to improve humanity as a whole.
The discovery of Scott Summers, a young mutant with a dangerous and uncontrollable power, inspired Xavier to start a school for others like him. The idea was not to just teach them how to control their powers, but to instill in them a sort of citizenship to the world and more positive representations of mutants among humans. He never intended for his students to become soldiers, though. That's a turn that comes out of necessity and something he fights against for as long as he can.
Unfortunately I couldn't find any pictures of a bald Tom Mison to give the full effect here, but just look at that intensity! This man is reading your mind right now, and it's just a blog page! If you want to see Mison in action, he's currently crushing it as Ichabod Crane in 'Sleepy Hollow'. Now imagine that same determination and gravitas as the headmaster of a school.
Like most things, Xavier's telepathy is going to be scaled back a bit from what we've seen in the movies and comics so far. He can't control minds, per say, and erasing memories is only achieved through a long and detailed process. He is very good at rooting out information, though, and is able to teach all the courses he does at the school simply by virtue of having "learned" from some of the greatest minds alive today.
Fabian Cortez
Miguel Angel Silvestre
Say what you will about Cortez, but he actually believes in his cause. Inspired by the promises of a mutant paradise by Magneto's first global attacks, he's assembled the Acolytes to free Magneto and help him build this promised land, even if it's on the bones of humankind.
While you can't downplay his charisma, part of his control over the Acolytes comes from a level of addiction to his power-boosting abilities. And because his abilities are useless without other mutants to affect, he's gotten very good at working with others.
Silvestre has a long history on Spanish stage and television, but if you really want to see what he can do, check out his lead role in 'Sense8' or his recurring role on 'Narcos'. There's no doubt he can portray Cortez' conviction, menace and, ultimately, sense of betrayal.
Like Xavier, Cortez' power doesn't have a visible effect other than the way it impacts the mutant he's touching. At best there might be a "vein" effect where he touches them, but otherwise it's all in the performance.
Pietro Maximoff / Quicksilver
Austin Butler
Maximoff bought his way into the Acolytes by virtue of claiming to be Magneto's son. Not everyone in the group believes him, but Cortez certainly supports it. He's a little disgruntled in that he hasn't been chosen to lead the Acolytes, but he's easily mollified by Cortez. Beyond that, he's petulant and self-entitled to a dangerous degree.
Up until now, I've tried to avoid casting anybody who's already been in a superhero show if only just as a personal challenge. I'm breaking that rule with Butler partially because he's a good fit for the character of Quicksilver, but also because his role in 'Arrow' was pretty minor and I feel I can be excused on this one. In any case, that role receives top marks in "cocky" and "entitled", and was pretty much an audition for this one.
This is the third casting of Quicksilver in the past decade, but I couldn't not include him thanks to the interactions he brings with his claims of being Magneto's son. Using him as a villainous douchebag will also help differentiate him from Evan Peters and Aaron Taylor-Johnson.
His speed will naturally be a bit slower than the too-fast-to-see speeds shown in the earlier films, figuring that even a 200mph race car can still be seen by the naked eye. It's not until Cortez boosts his speed that he becomes practically invisible.
Amelia Voght
Anna Torv
Voght is undoubtedly the smartest member of the Acolytes and the least invested in the group's goals. Having met Magneto in Europe at the same time Xavier did, Voght had a chance to join with Charles' dream, but instead felt Magneto's vision was the harsh reality. She's not power hungry like Cortez, or self-important like Quicksilver, rather, she's pragmatic and believes it's not possible for humans and mutants to live as equals.
When she meets up again with Xavier, she's the one making the arguments against his dream. Cortez follows Magneto's vision out of faith and can't be reasoned out of it. Voght, meanwhile, has made the decision to follow Magneto, and can present her arguments to anyone who challenges her.
Voght's power to turn into smoke makes her one of the more elusive Acolytes and the hardest to pin down. She can choke the life from you and there's nothing you can do about it. She can also infiltrate anywhere, and there's a strong argument that Cortez couldn't achieve what he has without her.
Anna Torv is an acting machine. You've likely seen her on 'Fringe' or 'Secret City'. Plus, look at that picture of her. Doesn't it look like she's seen some shit? That's a woman who's made some hard choices.
Suvik Senyaka
Raza Jaffrey
During his childhood, Senyaka was on the receiving end of the Sri Lancan caste system. When his powers developed, it was easy to convince him that he was now of the superior caste, and took to Magneto's message with great conviction. That his power is so deadly to others is of no consequence, he fervently believes it's his right to use them, and is a remorseless killer of normal humans who all belong to a lower caste than he does.
Raza Jaffrey is an English actor who has been turning in some awesome work in 'Homeland'. Meanwhile, he also has dedicated himself to promoting his Indian heritage, including dance, and I suspect that will help bring an interesting physicality to the mutant who steals the vitality of others.
In the comics, Senyaka has "psychic whips" that he can use to drain energy from his victims at a distance. I'm skeptical that that can be portrayed convincingly and have no problem giving him an energy draining touch that increases his own strength and agility. Perhaps when he's souped up by Cortez we can see a late-game appearance by his energy whips (or even have his own veins or tendons whip out under the power boost...eww).
Eric and Harlan Kleinstock
Michael Mizanin
And then there's the Kleinstock brothers. Little more than thugs and bullies, these muscle-bound twins are good at following orders, especially when they enjoy the orders they get.
To be honest, they won't get much story on screen. We can suggest that they're the result of the abuse they received as children from the third brother, or showcase how they only respect someone who they think they can't beat, but at the end of the film, those will just be character moments rather than character arcs.
Professional wrestler Michael "The Miz" Mizanin is looking to follow in the steps of such success stories as Roddy Piper and Dwayne Johnson, and I'm ready to give him his big break. Without a character evolution, the Kleinstocks will succeed or fail based on the little moments imparted by the actor portraying them, and, say what you will about the Miz, but he's not without his charms.
Power-wise, the Kleinstocks are going to see some significant changes from how they're portrayed in the comics. There's really a lot going on with them, and I decided to strip it down to the most interesting visual they offer. I've cut the third brother and his plasma energy blasting, and stuck with the idea of the twins just fuzing themselves together into a massive, 4-armed monstrosity. To be honest, I've never been able to figure out how they stick together in the comics, with one brother's stomach coming out of the other's spine (?) so here we'll make it a back-to-back fusion, with one pair of legs, four arms, and two heads facing opposite directions. Visually grotesque AND hard to take in a fight.
Max Eisenhardt / Magneto
Iain Glen
Some great writers and actors have done some deep work on the character of Magneto and his origins in a Nazi concentration camp, but I'm going to break from that. Not only do I not want to compete with those amazing performances, but I feel the time gap between WWII and now makes tying them together difficult at best. So our Magneto will be a new character. Max Eisenhardt is an alternate name he's used in the comics, and it'll do here to represent a break from earlier portrayals.
As one of the first mutants to appear on Earth, Eisenhardt witnessed many of the bigotries and abuses heaped on the newly-appearing race. He took the name Magneto and carried out a number of attacks against humanity in the defense of mutantkind, eventually seeking mutant sovereignty by claiming a land exclusively for mutants. His invasion of San Marco was met with a US-lead coalition, assisted by mutation expert Charles Xavier, that ultimately drove Magneto off and into hiding. While the popular perception was that the US took him into custody at an unknown location, the truth is that Eisenhardt slipped away and went into seclusion. He'd tired of bearing the burden for all mutants, and now just wants to be left alone.
Most of you may recognize Iain Glen from Game of Thrones, but he really caught my eye as Bishop 2nd Class Octavian on Dr. Who. This man has dignity for days, and I want to see that same level of nobility hiding behind the man whose use of violence is, he believes, for the greatest cause of all.
Magneto's mutant powers are easy to visualize, basically just moving metal things with his mind, but with an added visual of some of the magnetic energy at play to differentiate it from Marvel Girl's telekinesis. His particular flavor of power also gives him some power over machines and electronics, and he's VERY experienced at using it to its greatest potential.
And THAT'S why it took me so long to finally get out an X-Men pitch. That's a huge cast and while I'd normally argue that everybody needs a personal story, I have to cede that not everybody gets a story on screen. Sorry, Miz.
Future Expansion
In the comics, some of the greatest X-Men stories have involved stepping out of the mutant situation and engaging with space aliens or exploring a dinosaur-laden lost world. As much as I like a good gonzo showing, I don't think you can introduce these elements within the limited number of stories we have to tell in a handful of feature films.
So even though I've heard criticisms about the current Fox films keeping themselves "too grounded" for the stories they're trying to duplicate, I too want to keep these stories in modern day Earth and not try to introduce anything like the Phoenix Force or High Evolutionary.
Of course, many of the best Earth-bound villains the X-Men have faced have already been used in the movies, so there's a certain amount of retreading that'll be done, but that's a risk of reboots anyways.
X-Men 2
A Mutant Registration Act has been proposed in the US Senate, leading some of the more violently outspoken mutants to form a Brotherhood of Mutants to act out against it. The X-Men find themselves defending the people who would have them branded and monitored. Ultimately the bill is passed, but the X-Men become the figureheads of a peaceful opposition, publicly refusing to reveal their identities or allow them to be registered by the government.
X-Men 3
A deadly, air-borne virus has begun afflicting mutants around the globe, and the X-Men race to locate Patient 0 and find a cure. A number of previously unknown mutants are outed when they fall victim to the plague, and fears begin ramping up on both sides as humanity realizes how many mutants there actually are hiding among them while at the same time mutants fear their race is finished as human scientists drag their feet to find a cure. The global nature of the quest for a cure allows for the introduction of more international mutants, including one Canadian mutant whose extraordinary healing factor is the key to a cure.
**Bonus Pitch**
Normally I only do a trilogy of films in these pitches, but the young age of the principal actors at the start of the series, with the 3rd episode's introduction of international X-Men allows us to carry on past a 3rd film with only a slight shifting of membership. So...
X-Men 4
The X-Men discover a secret society of deformed mutants called Morlocks hiding underneath New York City. These unfortunates are contrasted by the rich and powerful mutants of the Hellfire Club whose decadence leads to them frequently abducting Morlocks to fight for their amusement.
The payoff for sitting through my only slightly changed versions of 'Phantom Menace' and 'Attack of the Clones' is the heavy restructuring I get to do for my version of 'Revenge of the Sith.'
See, while I don't think it was wrong to have the third film be about Anakin's fall to the dark side, I was a little bummed that I didn't get to see any real Vader action. We're not talking full-on Darth Vader here, but Anakin enters Act III with the foundation of his future borgness, such as a familiar respirator and some armor plates. It's still recognizably Anakin, so we get the best of both worlds.
Setting the Stage: The Clone Wars
The deployment of a clone army has done exactly what Queen Amidala had predicted: turned Dooku's Separatist movement into a battlefront. The war has galvanized many systems, solidifying some as loyal Republican worlds while pushing just as many to secede and join the Separatists.
In the past few years, the Army of the Republic has grown thin. Not only are the clones dying or aging quicker than replacements can be grown, but their placement across the galaxy isn't the most strategic. It's almost as if they're being fortified in places based on some future design rather than the movement of the war.
Which leads us to...
The Plan
Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, in fact, HAS been deploying his troops in occupying actions more and more over the past few years of war. He can prolong the war as long as he needs to consolidate his power, but once he has his forces occupying strategic systems, he can end the war and finally bring order to the galaxy.
As an added bonus, he's become aware of Anakin's growing frustration and sees him as a viable candidate for swaying to the Dark Side. He's been without an apprentice since Darth Maul died about seven years back and figures he can pick up a new one before he wipes out the Jedi Order.
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Act I
The Clone War isn't going great. The easily-replaced droid armies have been whittling away at the not-so-quickly grown clones. The war has reached Coruscant itself and a desperate battle takes place in the skies above. This is, however, an opportunity for the Republic to end the war as Count Dooku himself is commanding the fleet. If they can board his command ship and take him captive, they can still claim victory.
Kenobi leads a squad of clone commandos on a boarding ship while Anakin leads a fighter squadron to clear the way. They manage to board the ship (with Anakin joining them) and then confront Dooku. The battle is hectic as the two Jedi confront Dooku and Jango Fett. They appear to get the better of the two Separatist leaders despite Anakin's growing frustration at his lack of control over the force. But just as they take Dooku into custody, Fett recovers and kills the count. He covers his escape by sabotaging the ship.
Anakin manages to safely land what remains of the Separatist command ship, but feels guilty that his poor control over his potent abilities kept them from ending the war.
Act II part 1
Anakin meets with Palpatine to brief him on the war, but the conversation soon turns to discussion of alternate ways of learning the force. They're interrupted by Queen Amidala who arrives at the Chancellor's office with a complaint OF SOMETHING OR OTHER. Palpatine quickly defuses her complaint as she discovers Anakin is also there. The chancellor very pointedly announces he needs to take care of some business for about an hour, and leaves the two secret lovers alone. Unfortunately, the romance is broken by the revelation that Padme is pregnant, and Anakin's direct question about who the father is. She says her husband Bail Organa is the father, but the implication is that no matter who the father really is, it will be Organa...
Kenobi, meanwhile, meets with Organa himself and the rest of the war secretaries to discuss how the Battle of Coruscant changes the war. Dooku's death has elevated him to martyr status and the firebrand Jango Fett is using that to his advantage to continue the war. The path is clear: end Fett and they end the war. Organa expresses his distaste of the Supreme Chancellor's growing power and fears what will happen if the war ends and he doesn't immediately relinquish his emergency powers.
Finally, Yoda is shown on the war front at the planet Kashyyyk where the native Wookiees are mounting a defense with clone troopers against an impending Separatist attack. Yoda's wise eyes, though, see the clone trooper build-up and the assignment of a governing moff as something a bit more devious.
Act II part 2
Poring over the remains of the Separatist command ship, Anakin confides in Kenobi his desire to have a family. He doesn't tell him his thoughts are inspired by Padme's pregnancy, but he does long for a son of his own that he can one day pass his lightsabre down to. The discussion ends with the discovery of a feisty R2 unit (or the Separatist equivalent) which reveals navigational information suggesting the Separatists are based out of the volcanic planet Mustafar. He notifies Kenobi, and the two set off to stop Fett and the other heads of the rebellion.
As they lead their troops to Mustafar, Yoda watches the battle of Kashyyyk. The Wookiees fight bravely but take heavy casualties, but eventually they and the clones are able to drive off the droid army.
At the same time, Kenobi's forces create an opening for him and Anakin to get to Fett, and they engage him in a final battle. Fett is still a dangerous combatant, at one point disarming Anakin and knocking him into a blazing smelter (or whatever goes on on Mustafar). Kenobi is initially enraged, but quickly finds the inner-peace he needs to overcome Fett. Kenobi mournfully gathers up Anakin's fallen lightsabre and leaves, not aware that the horribly burned Anakin still clings to life.
On Kashyyyk, the moff assigned to the planet reports that the planet's infrastructure was heavily damaged during the battles. He places himself in charge of reconstruction efforts and orders his battalions to settle in. Yoda recognizes this as an occupation, and slinks off back to Coruscant.
After all this, Palpatine himself arrives on Mustafar and recovers Anakin. He "repairs" him with additional cybernetics while playing on his sense of betrayal that his former allies would so easily leave him to die, and the way his family was stolen from him by Organa and the Jedi Order.
Act III
With the war over, the Jedi confront Palpatine in the Senate and demand he relinquish power. He turns it around on them, saying this is the next step of their plan to dismantle the Republic that began when one of their own began the Separatist movement.
As proof, a half-repaired Anakin shows up to denounce his former order. Too late the assembled Jedi discover Palpatine is the Sith lord and they do battle in the Senate. Palpatine's forces, including clone troopers and the new Lord Vader, kill a couple Jedi while Yoda attempts to spirit Padme to safety. Vader tries to go after her, but Kenobi intercepts and the two duel in the Senate.
Eventually Kenobi flees rather than try to kill his friend, and Palpatine claims a great victory. He declares this day the first day of the new, powerful, and unopposed Galactic Empire, and any worlds in disagreement learn that they've been quietly occupied by clone troopers of the Imperial Army.
And that concludes my Star War Prequel trilogy. It didn't quite reshape all of the elements I would've wanted to, but I think it stayed true to Lucas' vision and intent, and that was a main goal. Along the way, though, I was able to tone down Yoda and Palpatine from being these great warriors I didn't think they should be, while playing up Jango Fett into the badass everyone's been looking for in a Mandolorian since Empire Strikes Back.
Capt. Mick Polama - Commanding Officer
Lt. Cmdr. Jagir Singh Anand - Chief Engineer
Lt. Cmdr. Devon Lucci - Ship's Surgeon
Lt. Kav - Helmsman
Lt. Lupe Acosta - Communications Officer
