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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteThe “original script” that leaked was not the screenplay for the released Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. It was a reported, unused Episode IX draft titled Duel of the Fates, attributed to Colin Trevorrow and Derek Connolly. Its story choices appeal to some fans, but calling it “so much better” goes beyond what an unfilmed screenplay can establish.
Which Episode IX script leaked?
In January 2020, entertainment outlets reported on a December 16, 2016 draft of Duel of the Fates, credited in coverage to Colin Trevorrow and Derek Connolly. Esquire noted that neither Disney nor Trevorrow had verified the screenplay. Slashfilm later said it had confirmed the leak and its details; The Ringer described the reporting chain and referenced a second-source confirmation reported by AV Club. Those are media claims, not public Lucasfilm authentication.
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The released movie was a different screenplay: Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, directed by J.J. Abrams and co-written by Abrams and Chris Terrio. Lucasfilm’s Episode IX announcement lists the film’s screenplay credit, and its official film page identifies the released title.
The reported draft date is significant. It predates Carrie Fisher’s death, so its version of General Leia could have been written for a larger role than production could use after Fisher died. That context helps explain why the two stories might diverge; it does not establish exactly how the draft would have changed during production.
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How did the reported draft differ from the released film?
Coverage describes a draft more centered on Kylo Ren, Rey, the First Order and the Resistance, without resurrecting Palpatine as the central villain. These are reported plot details from an unused draft, not scenes from a completed movie.
| Story element | Reported Duel of the Fates draft | Released The Rise of Skywalker |
|---|---|---|
| Main antagonist | Kylo Ren is reported as the principal antagonist; the story does not bring Palpatine back as its central villain. Esquire; Slashfilm | Palpatine returns as the central threat. Lucasfilm’s film page |
| Rey | Reported to have a different background from the released film’s reveal; the coverage describes a Jedi journey. Den of Geek | Rey is revealed to be Palpatine’s granddaughter. Lucasfilm’s film page |
| Kylo Ren | Luke’s Force ghost reportedly haunts him, and Kylo remains the main adversary. Esquire | The film’s conflict centers on Palpatine’s return and Kylo’s path as Ben Solo. Lucasfilm’s film page |
| Leia | The pre-Fisher-death draft reportedly gives Leia a larger role. Slashfilm | The finished film had to be made after Fisher’s death; the cited coverage discusses the resulting production constraint. Den of Geek |
| Resistance and supporting characters | Rose Tico and BB-8 reportedly take part in a heist; the story includes a Resistance battle and citizen uprising on Coruscant. Esquire | The released film follows a different Resistance plot, shaped around the search for a way to confront Palpatine. Lucasfilm’s film page |
There are broad structural echoes: both versions reportedly involve a search connected to the Sith, Rey’s Jedi journey and a large final battle. But those shared ingredients do not make the plots interchangeable. The reported draft’s focus on Kylo and Rey’s different background leads to a markedly different resolution than the released film’s Palpatine-centered story.
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- THE PHANTOM MENACE(PG),A NEW HOPE(PG),ATTACK OF THE CLONES(PG),THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK(PG),REVENGE OF THE SITH(PG-13)and RETURN OF THE JEDI(PG)
Why the draft appeals to some fans
The reported outline gives viewers alternatives to some of the released film’s most debated decisions. A story that keeps Kylo as the central threat avoids making Palpatine’s return the answer to the trilogy’s final conflict. A different origin for Rey changes the meaning of her identity and her claim to a place in the Jedi tradition. A larger Leia role could also have provided more of Fisher’s character in the conclusion, had circumstances allowed it.
The Resistance material offers another point of contrast. A heist involving Rose and BB-8 and a citizen uprising on Coruscant suggest more agency for characters and people outside the central Jedi-Sith confrontation. These details may sound appealing on the page, but an outline of what happens is not the same as seeing how a film would make those events compelling.
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What the “better” claim leaves out
A screenplay draft is a blueprint, not a finished movie. It cannot show how performances, editing, visual effects, pacing or production decisions would have worked. Den of Geek notes that the draft would likely have changed through development and production, while The Ringer points out that no one can know whether this blueprint would have produced a satisfying film.
Nor is the reported draft free of objections. Inverse criticizes its treatment of Kylo Ren and Leia’s emotional arc. Den of Geek questions the new Sith master and flags characters who are missing or diminished. These are critical judgments rather than settled facts, just as praise for the alternate story is a matter of taste. The released film’s weaknesses do not prove that the unused draft would have avoided its own.
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The comparison is also constrained by the different conditions around Leia. The reported draft was dated while Fisher was alive; the film was made after her death. Comparing their versions of Leia as though both had been produced under the same circumstances would erase a real difference in what the filmmakers could do.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to compare the two versions fairly
- Separate reported plot from evaluation. The holocron, Luke’s haunting of Kylo and Coruscant uprising are reported story details; whether they make a better film is an opinion.
- Compare character arcs, not just plot beats. Ask whether Kylo, Rey, Leia, Finn and Rose have satisfying choices and consequences in each version.
- Account for the production context. The reported draft predates Fisher’s death, while the released film had to account for it.
- Remember what is being compared. One side is a reported unused screenplay draft; the other is a completed theatrical film. There is no finished Duel of the Fates to judge against the released movie.
Where to see the released film
Lucasfilm announced home-video editions of The Rise of Skywalker on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD. Those releases contain the released film, not the reported Duel of the Fates screenplay. See Lucasfilm’s home-entertainment announcement. Lucasfilm also describes The Art of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker by Phil Szostak as an official behind-the-scenes art book; it is not a publication of the leaked draft.
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