Actor Giancarlo Esposito and show
creator Jon Favreau
For something that has always been so cinematic in its presentation, it took a hyperspace jump onto the small screen to breathe new life into the franchise and unite Star Wars fans once more. Now two seasons in and it is thanks to the showrunners’ understanding of the whole Star Wars universe for the rebirth of the galaxy far, far away. The show’s creator, Jon Favreau, and its executive producer, Dave Filoni, have written and produced the series under the premise that there is no good Star Wars, there is no bad Star Wars, there is only Star Wars. In doing so they have successfully blended the worlds of the original trilogy with everything that has come since, be that onscreen-canon or the Disney-retconned Star Wars Legends (the Expanded Universe as it was once called). To some ‘The Mandalorian’ feels more Star Wars than the recent movies because it recognizes that all Star Wars is authentic Star Wars. In short, whether you are a die-hard fan of the original trilogy or you have invested years in watching the animated shows, if you love the Disney polished sequels or have been ridiculed for enjoying the prequels (and liking Jar-Jar Binks), there is something for everyone to love in ‘The Mandalorian’. How the show looks on screen is pure vintage Star Wars too; all clanky retro-tech, rough looking towns, and outposts in the Outer Rim. It lacks the too obvious reliance on digital effects that the prequels did and does not have the cinematic blockbuster gloss of the sequel trilogy.
Of course, we cannot talk about ‘The Mandalorian’ without mentioning its cutest star: The Child, Baby Yoda or Grogu (let’s face it, he’ll always be Baby Yoda for the vast majority). Maybe it is those huge dewy eyes, how he is always up to mischief and eating things he shouldn’t (“Are these your babies Mrs. Frog Lady?” nom nom nom). While Mando is the lead character there is little doubt that the blue macaron pilfering/vomiting child is the scene-stealing star of the show.
George Lucas and actor Rosario Dawson
There is also the live action debut of fan favourite Ahsoka Tano in the season 2 episode ‘The Jedi’, whose seamless transition from animated series to our screens was a huge success. The news that she is getting her own live action series, with the excellent Rosario Dawson continuing in the titular role, was no surprise but that did not diminish the excitement caused among the fans. Another honourable mention must go to Katee Sackoff making her live action debut as Bo-Katan Kryze, reprising the role from ‘The Clone Wars’ where she provided the voice of the character. Now as the live action version of the character there are hopes that she will return in season 3 of ‘The Mandalorian’, perhaps we will see her at odds with Mando as he is the rightful holder of the Darksaber and, therefore, the de facto ruler of the Mandalorian people. Of course, the most exciting [for many] return to the screen was that of Boba Fett. Seen as a child-clone of Jango in the prequels and as an adult in the original trilogy, the relatively minor character already had a cult following amongst Star Wars fans. The casting of Temeura Morrison, who played Jango Fett in ‘Attack of the Clones’ and re-recorded Boba’s dialogue for the 2004 DVD release of the original trilogy, was pure genius, adding an undeniable sense of continuity to the character. It looks like the spinoff series ‘The Book of Boba Fett’ will be next in the story arriving in late 2021, with ‘The Mandalorian’ season 3 probably hitting our screens sometime in early 2022 (although that is yet to be officially announced).
So, what else is on the horizon for the franchise…
At the Disney Investor
Actors Carl Weathers, Pedro Pascal, and
Gina Carano Livestream in early December 2020, 9 of the 10 Star Wars shows coming to Disney+ were announced, including ‘The Mandalorian’ season 3, the 10th being the Boba Fett series announced as a post-credit scene at the end of season 2. ‘Ahsoka’, ‘The Book of Boba Fett’ and ‘Rangers of the New Republic’ are three shows that are direct spin-offs from ‘The Mandalorian’ and are set during the same timeline. The long-anticipated ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ will feature Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader as well as the popular Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi; it is set 10 years after ‘Revenge of the Sith’ and 9 years before ‘A New Hope’. Cassian Andor and his taciturn droid companion K-2SO return to the screen in ‘Andor’, a prequel series set 5 years before the events portrayed in ‘Rogue One’. The focus is not entirely on live action series either with ‘Star Wars: Visions’ being a series of short films made in an anime style by acclaimed Japanese filmmakers, and ‘The Bad Batch’ being based on a squad of faulty clones with extraordinary abilities that featured in ‘The Clone Wars’ animated series. Adding to the list are ‘The Acolyte’, set in the High Republic era 200 years before ‘The Phantom Menace’, and ‘Lando’, featuring my second favourite scoundrel Lando Calrissian (casting to be confirmed), completing the list. Add to all this the feature length movie ‘Rogue Squadron’ and an as yet untitled film currently being written, and due to be directed, by Taika Waititi (expect something unique there).
While some of these projects have been in the planning and production stages for a few years now, there can be little doubt that the runaway success of ‘The Mandalorian’ will keep Disney investing in the 43-year-old franchise for the foreseeable future.
This is the way.
Did the Mandalorian bring Star Wars back to life, or has it always been better than ever? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
WRITTEN BY: Saelanna
EDITED BY: Silek
