Talk about a close call.
In an exclusive io9 preview clip promoting the release of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" on Blu-ray, Oscar Isaac revealed that Poe Dameron, who appears in the film's opening scene during his mission on Jakku, was killed in the original script for the film.
Isaac first teased this back in December during a GQ Interview, but now we know the full context. The Academy Award nominated actor pushed director JJ Abrams for a larger role in the "The Force Awakens" because he'd died very early on in so many of his recent movies.
"One of [Oscar's] issues in wanting to do this movie was that he'd made like four movies in which he died early on," says Abrams in the clip.
Eventually, Abrams and screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan altered the script so that Poe survives his deadly run-in with the First Order.
"A week or so later, JJ wrote me," Isaac explained. "[He said] 'We got it figured out, Poe's in the rest of the movie now.'"
In the final version of the film, Dameron eventually crosses paths with Finn (John Boyega) and the two escape from the First Order's base. While Isaac's character's fate is left open for much of the film, he eventually returns to join in the fight against the First Order.
The actor was very thrilled to be a larger part of the film. "Obviously for me [it] was incredibly exciting and fantastic – I get to live!"
Isaac's passion for the project comes through in the brief and we'll see the full version of his thoughts on the best fighter pilot in the galaxy when "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" arrives on Blu-ray April 5.
You can check out the clip from io9 below:
