Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker has been well known for going through a number of changes during its production, especially during the conceptual phase. Now, information has come to light about a scrapped scene that could’ve involved Dame Judi Dench.
A new report from TheDirect.com states that Lucasfilm had envisioned Dench to play the original builder of the Millenium Falcon. She would’ve appeared during a pivotal scene with Rey and BB-8, although the actual plot details are mostly unknown.
This scene went so far in production that it even got its own concept art, as shared by artist Phil Saunders on his ArtStation page. Saunders shared some details about the scene, as well as a bit of the context around it:
"In an earlier version of the script, Rey would’ve sought out the original designer of the Millenium Falcon to find a piece of hardware that could stop the First Order armada. Dame Judi Dench was on the wishlist for the role, and she would’ve been great. Rey finds her on yet another desert planet of course, and her home would have been carved into the top of a spectacular mesa."
TheDirect.com also provides some context around the scene that can be found in The Art of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, an accompanying book containing hundreds of pieces of concept art from the film. It was noted in the book that Dench’s potential scene was from an original version of the script that was drafted well before filming began. The book also states that Dench’s character was someone that Rey knew from her childhood on Jakku.
Eventually, it appears that the character would eventually be executed by Kylo Ren, who then ends up battling Rey in a lightsaber duel. Obviously, none of this made its way into the final film, so it is hard to say for sure what version of the script featured Dench’s character.
Having a world-renowned actress like Judi Dench in The Rise of Skywalker would’ve definitely been a unique surprise for moviegoers, as well as adding another big name to the film’s ensemble cast. Alas, it appears that this was not to be, and the original builder of the Millenium Falcon will remain lost to the stars. With a boatload of Star Wars content coming in the next few years, though, perhaps this character could appear in some other context.
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