May 19, 1999

Before the third trilogy. Before the Disney+ shows. The return of Star Wars was a huge deal in 1999. Episode I: The Phantom Menace was set to release on May 19, 1999 and everyone wanted to see it. When I worked at the movie theater (Shout out Showcase Orange!), managers and staff got to attend late-night screenings of movies. Back then, screenings were needed to make sure the film prints were attached properly and sometimes, you got to take family and friends.

For Episode I: The Phantom Menace, the screening was a hot ticket. My dad was my plus-one and he NEVER went to screenings. Kevin was one of my good friends back then. He was a huge Pearl Jam fan, a fellow movie theater employee, a great friend who loved movies just like me, especially writer-director Kevin Smith, but there was nothing he loved more than Star Wars.

He passed away 19 years ago this past summer and it sucked. Losing anyone sucks and I've lost a few, like most people have in their life.

Kevin wanted to be a filmmaker like me and when he passed, I wrote to get through it, but I never wrote something about him or for him. I dedicated a book to him, but it wasn't about him. Then I had the idea for the May 19, 1999 script and I knew this was the story. Synopsis below:

Three childhood friends and aspiring filmmakers — Kevin, Darren, and Reggie — struggle with broken promises, jealousy and the overwhelming desire to avoid talking to an original Star Wars trilogy purist, Lyle, who may or may not be dating his cousin. They are joined by film snob, Xavier, who doesn’t like Star Wars, but is in line for the event experience and a group of super-fans who refuse to hear any negativity about their beloved franchise.

It’s the night before May 19, 1999, and movie fans gather at their local cinema, standing in line, waiting to watching Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. A lot of things can and will happen. A girlfriend is found out she’s been faking her excitement about the movie, an epic Star Wars vs. Star Trek battle is fought, the classic fight between commercial and indie film lovers, friends have their friendship tested and much more!

This was written, intentionally, like a Kevin Smith film. Heavy dialogue. Pop Culture references. Long monologues about the beauty of cinema. It can be a play or it can be an indie film and I would love to have be produced as both. But I didn't write this to make a movie. I wrote this for my friend.