Concept artist Adam Brockbank recently shared another tantalizing glimpse of a Star Wars Episode IX that could have been: a piece of early concept art for The Rise of Skywalker depicting Rey and Kylo Ren dueling in the old Lars homestead on Tatooine.
In the finished film, Rey and Kylo have their climactic duel among the ruins of the second Death Star, but it appears that at some point early on, their battle might have been meant to take place in another spot rich in Star Wars history. In an Instagram post of some early concept work, Brockbank shared his depiction of Rey and Kylo dueling in the Lars homestead on the desert world of Tatooine. The homestead is where Luke Skywalker is first introduced in A New Hope, and it's where he's last seen at the close of Revenge of the Sith. Left by Obi-Wan Kenobi in the care of his father's stepbrother Owen Lars and Owen's wife Beru, Luke grew up on the dusty planet knowing nothing of his powerful ancestry.
The angle Brockbank uses in this concept sketch, which the artist refers to as "Tangerine Dream," is drawn from practically the same perspective of viewers' first glimpse of the Lars homestead in A New Hope, a powerfully familiar image to lovers of the first Star Wars film. The Lars homestead is a touchstone of the Star Wars saga, connecting the prequels to the original trilogy, where the Lars family gave audiences their first look at everyday life in the Star Wars galaxy.
Brockbank has been working as a concept artist for 20 years. While he has a few Star Wars credits under his belt, not to mention Marvel's Captain America: The First Avenger, he is perhaps best known for his work on the Harry Potter films. Brockbank worked on all eight installments of the wizarding franchise.
Concept art, like the work Brockbank contributed to The Rise of Skywalker, its predecessor The Last Jedi and the intergalactic caper flick Solo: A Star Wars Story, doesn't always make it onto the screen. Any Star Wars fans familiar with the concept art Ralph McQuarrie did for the original trilogy knows just how much amazing concept work can go unused in the finished product.
While much of Brockbank's work is tied into some of the most contentious films in the Star Wars franchise, fans of the sequel trilogy and detractors alike can appreciate the work he's able to share, showcasing the world of possibilities that could have been in that galaxy far, far away.
Directed and co-written by J.J. Abrams, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker stars Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong'o, Domhnall Gleeson, Kelly Marie Tran, Joonas Suotamo, Billie Lourd, Keri Russell, Anthony Daniels, Mark Hamill, Billy Dee Williams and Carrie Fisher, with Naomi Ackie and Richard E. Grant. The film is now available on Digital HD, Blu-ray and 4K UHD and Disney+.
Source: Instagram