The latest Star Wars film, Solo, has people lining up this weekend- but that’s not the most exciting Star Wars news today. Ask any Star Wars fan who they want to see get their own film and 9 times out of 10 you’ll get the same answer: Boba Fett. Today it seems like these fans might actually get their wish.
James Mangold has reportedly accepted the role of writer and director for the standalone film. Mangold has an impressive record that includes movies like 3:10 to Yuma, Walk the Line, and Girl, Interrupted. More recently, Mangold leant his talent to the critical and commercial blockbuster that was Logan.
The report confirms that many standalone movies are in the works, Boba Fett and Obi-Wan Kenobi included.
A Boba Fett standalone has A LOT of possibilities. There are dozens of questions that need to be answered at this point, but the one chief among them is when is this movie taking place? Will this follow the trend of the other standalone Star Wars movies and be a prequel? Will Mangold want to have the freedom to tell his own story, and have Boba Fett survive his supposed death in the Sarlacc pit? (Sorry, 25-year-old spoiler alert)
In the Star Wars EU(Expanded Universe), Boba Fett macgyvered his way out of the Sarlacc Pit and went back to being the best bounty hunter in the galaxy. These comics and novels are no longer canon unfortunately. Disney erased decades of lore, the decision had its pros and cons for sure, but a definite con was erasing cool things like this.
Depending on how much freedom Mangold has been given, it’s entirely possible this retconned storyline is brought back to life.
Logan was an amazing movie full of emotion and scenes that stay with you long after the credits have rolled. If anyone can inject some critical acclaim into the Star Wars franchise- it’s James Mangold.
