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COLLIDER: I am really curious to know how muchSkeleton Crewevolved from your original pitch for the series.
JON WATTS: Our original pitch was very, very simple and open-ended.
Image by Jefferson Chacon
So I would say, as a jumping-off point, we did do exactly that.
We just filled in some of the blanks a little bit more.
CHRISTOPHER FORD: At the beginning, it was open.
Image via Disney+
WATTS: Especially with [Jon] Favreau and [Dave] Filoni coming on board as producers.
That was their area of expertise, as well, so it all slotted in nicely.
Jod’s Character Evolved Once Jude Law Was Cast in ‘Skeleton Crew’
It definitely does.
Image via Lucasfilm
He’s officially knocked out Cade Skywalker out of the running for a top spot.
How did that character develop?
I just think he’s so fascinating.
Four kids make a mysterious discovery on their home planet that leads them to get lost in a strange and dangerous galaxy.
I love the concept of a Force user who wasn’t strictly, purely a Jedi.
Ford, it’s possible for you to speak to that.
In rewrites, it became more specific.
At first, we just wanted it to be a foil to the kids.
Here’s this cynical, worldly, rascally con man guy to play against their innocence.
You don’t have to be quite as binary in the characterization.
He can find all that nuance and layers and really give it depth.
WATTS: It’s been great watching.
FORD: But people still went along on that ride, I think.
I was worried that they would get mad at us [about Jod].
But Judes performance is what makes that work.
Characters dontalwaysneed to be redeemed.
I think he’s redeemed when he chooses not to murder everyone in the end.
WATTS: That’s a choice.
Hes kind of stuck with that image now in my mind.
FORD: That kind of comes with just piracy in general.
I think that we were less looking at Hook as we were looking at Long John Silver.
That was my next question, because of Captain Silvo.
Can you answer that question?
FORD: I think we can answer that.
That’s what I was hoping, because that opens the world up to so much more potential.
‘Skeleton Crew’s Finest Moments Are Open For Interpretation
Exactly!
Have there been any Easter eggs that you brought to the series that fanshaven’tfound yet?
Because I know you’re all looking at Reddit.
FORD: Those are the deepest cuts.
WATTS: Those are the deepest cuts.
So they’re right, and we’re wrong.
Am I right to assume that Jod looking out the window is aFight Clubreference?
just don’t take that from me.
FORD: That’s a perfect example.
I don’t think we consciously thought that, but yeah.
It’s just the perfect movie moment.
FORD: It’s cinema!
WATTS: The less you say about it, the better, because it becomes so open to interpretation.
That’s what I love about open-ended moments.
That leads me to my next question, which is the series ended in a very open-ended way.
WATTS: It’s also veryEmpire of the Sun.
We were doing a lot of Spielberg references throughout the series.
What happens to Jod?
There’s so much potential there for more storytelling.
WATTS: That’s what we were counting on.
Hopefully, we can get a Season 2!
WATTS: We’d love that.
There were a couple of specific questions about little details.
We can do great things.
But maybe they are.
FORD: The idea ofbecause theyre secludedwhat it originally meant, could have evolved over time.
WATTS: Yeah, because its different on At Achrann.
Because you very pointedly didn’t let us see his face.
FORD: It certainlyseemslike he’s one of the skeletons on the ship.
WATTS: Want to leave it at that?
FORD: I think we could leave it at that.
FORD: He’d be very old.
Speaking of species, what species is Neel?
FORD: Well, that’s why you gotta shell out for that visual dictionary.
That’s where all the hottest scoops are revealed.
There’s a word we wrote…
WATTS: Should we just say for the Collider interview?
Should we just say what it is?
FORD: It just feels so weird.
WATTS: I’m trying for a scoop here, Maggie.
I don’t want to get anybody in trouble.
FORD: I’m still afraid to make a Star Wars thing.
You’ve made it.
It’s officially out there!
WATTS: Dont want to anger the keeper of the Holocron.
Is that Pablo [Hidalgo] these days?
FORD: Have Pablo and Leland [Chee], right?
Will We Get ‘Skeleton Crew’ Bloopers or Deleted Scenes?
So I know Disney has been doing really fantastic steelbook releases for some of their series.
Has there been any conversation yet?
And will the art for that look like the gorgeous storybook credits?
FORD: That would be really cool.
WATTS: We haven’t talked about that yet.
But that would be cool.
We also just got Steve Purcell, who didSam & Maxand all that.
He did a fun custom poster for us, as well.
I love any of the fan art.
People have done some amazing Neels in many mediums.
FORD: Yeah, people have made their own Neel stuffies and stuff.
I love all the cosplays with Neel that I’ve seen.
I love that Neel and bubble baths are just a mood for everyone.
WATTS: Thats the first thing he does when he gets back home!
Are there any deleted scenes that fans can see or bloopers down the line?
WATTS: Did we ever cut together a blooper reel?
There are certainly some deleted scenes.
Nothing that wildly changes the story.
There would be some pretty fantastic bloopers.
I mean, the kids are kids, so there’s some really good stuff.
FORD: They have this archive of awesome behind-the-scenes stuff.
I’m not sure what the plan is with it, but it exists.
But its like Jon says, the deleted scenes don’t change anything.
That wasn’t really worth it.
We’re starting to lose that, though.
Kids these days don’t know the movie-making magic of deleted scenes and DVD openings.
WATTS: It would be funny to show some scenes with Robert [Timothy Smith].
FORD: Oh, yes!
That would be really cool.
It’s a great idea.
It’s a lot of fun stuff.
FORD: He breaks the magic.
It’s like it’s possible for you to never show the puppeteer.
Can you talk about the decision to keep it so distinctly separate?
It’s no longer this secret, secluded planet.
In my last 30 seconds, I’ll tell you my funnySkeleton Crewstory.
WATTS: [Laughs] Were all from At Attin!
We’re all from At Attin!
We decided to come up with a story where we were Padawans on the run.
Our Jedi Master was Jude Law becauseThe Holidayhad just come out, and we were obsessed with Jude Law.
WATTS: That’s so cool!
I even have a photo of our ship, which was a black ship with flames on it.
FORD: [Laughs] Thats what a kid would do!
WATTS: That makes me so happy.
I was a pirate with a blue lightsaber.
WATTS: That is awesome!
FORD: That makes me feel like we did it right.
FORD: Thats crazy.
Its been so fun.
WATTS: They came up with Jude Law, too?
FORD: But he always felt like he was in Star Wars already in that way.
