James Mangold to write and direct 'Star Wars' "Boba Fett" Movie
The first question we should be asking ourselves: Do we have any desire to see a Boba Fett standalone?
Apparently Disney and Lucasfilm think we do and based on a new report, it sounds like the studio has every intention of making this Boba Fett movie a reality. My only question is, why?
On the plus side, if they are going to give this film the proper treatment it really doesn’t deserve, it all starts with hiring a competent writing and directing team. And according to The Hollywood Reporter, filmmaker James Mangold (Logan, 3:10 to Yuma) has been tapped to co-write and direct the next Star Wars standalone about the galaxy’s rogue bounty hunter.
Insiders report Mangold will co-write the script along with X-Men scribe Simon Kinberg. It was Kinberg who was attached to write the script when Josh Trank was pegged to direct the Boba Fett film back in 2015. Initial timelines for a future standalone placed Boba Fett somewhere between either A New Hope and Empire Strikes Back, or between Empire and Return of the Jedi.
Interestingly, news of a Boba Fett film comes during the release of Solo: A Star Wars Story along with unofficial reports confirming Lucasfilm’s Obi-Wan standalone is expected to shoot April 2019. And yes, we have not forgotten Han and the Jedi Master’s history with Boba Fett; dating back to Attack of the Clones (Child Boba and Obi-Wan) and of course Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.
So let’s take a pulse. Do you have any interest in seeing a James Mangold-helmed Boba Fett film, let alone a full length feature Boba Fett story? With a slate of new IP coming from Rian Johnson, David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, and Jon Favreau, I’m wondering - a. - if Disney and Lucasfilm have an aversion for hiring talented female filmmakers? And - b. - why Boba Fett was selected out the bunch of [meaningless] Star Wars’ characters. Sure he could play a role in the next Solo installment or even in the Obi-Wan standalone, but 120 mins devoted to this character feels like lip service to a bunch of old school fans enthralled with Boba’s get up. Possibly the same fans calling for a Greedo standalone.
