You may ask "What is that, and why should I be excited?"
Allow me to explain:
Back in 2003, Bioware developed a Star Wars video game called Knights of the Old Republic. It's set some four thousand years before a simple farm boy from Tatooine blew up the Death Star. The game was a role-playing action adventure designed to put you in the center of the story. You're able to customize your character's appearance, give them a name of your choosing, and it also allowed you to dictate how you responded to any number of situations. YOU are the star of the game and your fate is in your own hands. It was a massive hit spawning sequels, comics, novels, and introduced the much-beloved character of Revan to the Star Wars canon (well, before Disney obliterated all that...but that's a topic best saved for another time...).
Over the years, intrepid fans of the original Knights of the Old Republic game (abbreviated to KOTOR) figured out how to crack into the game's programming and further customize it, crafting new characters and new landscapes--all still using the game's engine.
That's where Kevin Smets comes in. Kevin's a professional video editor and filmmaker--and also a huge fan of KOTOR. A number of years ago, he began "filming" a series of movies based on the game. Meaning, he recorded his playthrough, dubbed in his own voice as the main character's--that he named Logan Starr--added new music, and customized it to the point that it tells the story Kevin was interested in telling, sometimes veering away from the game's storyline. I saw his movies and I was totally smitten by the creativity and ingenuity that he utilized in putting together this "fan film".
But then! Then I heard that he had partnered with some phenomenally talented computer whiz kids to create BRAND NEW movies based on Logan Starr's backstory. Things never seen in the original game--or any game. This is all new content, built from scratch, using the original game's engine. It looks like KOTOR, it "feels" like KOTOR, but this is no game. It's pretty incredible that they were able to do this. And this movie? It is called Star Wars: Revan: Rogue Jedi.
This is the first part of a trilogy of new films, chronicling the backstory of Kevin's character Logan Starr. It will have all-new storylines, characters, locations, voice actors, new sound design, effects, etc. I have no doubt it will be a sight to see when it is finished. I have been in talks with Kevin for a while now, and he knows of my love for Star Wars and his particular take on KOTOR (as well as my writing background), and he has graciously invited me to come on board his team and help bring the Revan Trilogy to your computer screen. Kevin is handling the lion's share of the writing chores, as this is his baby, but he's also a busy guy and has recognized he can't do it all on his own. I'm more than happy to help shoulder the burden, because I believe in the project that much.
While this is totally unofficial, it's still an opportunity to write Star Wars, a dream of mine for so long now. I am grateful for the chance and can't wait for you guys to see the final product. In the meantime, you've got plenty of time to get caught up on the other Logan Starr movies. There are a total of seven so far. The first trilogy centers on Logan Starr, while the second quartet focuses on Logan's friend and apprentice, Meetra Surik. Her journey is chronicled in the movies of YouTube user Darth Ycey.
Hit this link to check out the first Logan Starr adventure, and tune in here for future updates as they come in!
