From Logan to the recent Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, James Mangold is no stranger to tackling big stories in established franchises. Now, as his Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown, starring Timothée Chalamet, hits screens on its theatrical rollout, Mangold is turning his attention to a galaxy far, far away… and long, long ago.
“The Star Wars movie would be taking place 25,000 years before any known Star Wars movies take place,” Mangold revealed in an interview with MovieWeb. “It’s an area and a playground that I’ve always [wanted to explore] and that I was inspired by as a teenager.”
Mangold added that he’s aiming to avoid being “handcuffed” by the dense, “almost immovable” lore of the franchise. “You can’t please anybody.”
Currently titled Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi, the project is based on the 2012 comic book series Dawn of the Jedi, which begins 36,453 years before A New Hope and delves into the early days of the Je’daii, precursors to the Jedi, on the planet Tython. Written by John Ostrander and illustrated by Jan Duursema, the storyline introduces unique characters like Shae Koda, a brave and curious Je’daii of Dathomirian descent, and Xesh, a mysterious Force Hound whose arrival sets the events in motion. The series concluded in 2014 after its third arc, Force Wars,
While Mangold is collaborating with Emmy-nominated writer Beau Willimon (Andor, House of Cards) on the script, the project is still in the development phase, with no release date or filming schedule confirmed.
Mangold emphasised the importance of creating something fresh, even within the framework of a beloved franchise. “To me, the really important aspects are the freedom to make something new,” he told MovieWeb. “Again, it’s just a matter of, do we find a way on the page to say something original?”
The filmmaker said he also wants to focus on the emotional core he believes is vital to cinematic success. “It’s the feelings, it’s ‘the feels,’ right? That truly defines how we feel about these movies and whether we care to visit them again.”
It’s early days yet on this project, so it remains to be seen when and if it all comes together. For now, we can only speculate on what Mangold and co. could have planned for this galaxy.
