James Mangold Reveals a Different Take on His ‘Star Wars’ Movie: “I’m not that interested in being handcuffed by so much lore.”
James Mangold isn’t afraid of tough projects. He’s tackled a wide range of films, from the Johnny Cash biopic Walk the Line to the intense Girl, Interrupted. But his next challenge might be the biggest yet: a new Star Wars movie.
Together with Beau Willimon, Mangold is diving into Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi. What makes this movie special is that it’s set 25,000 years before anything we’ve seen in the Star Wars universe. Mangold likes the idea of exploring a completely new era, free from the weight of existing Star Wars lore.
In a chat with MovieWeb, Mangold shared that the appeal lies in the freedom to create something fresh:
The Star Wars movie would be taking place 25,000 years before any known Star Wars movies takes place. It’s an area and a playground that I’ve always [wanted to explore] and that I was inspired by as a teenager. I’m not that interested in being handcuffed by so much lore at this point that it’s almost immovable, and you can’t please anybody.
That’s not easy in a franchise known for its repeating themes, or as George Lucas put it, ‘rhyming like poetry.’ Mangold believes that focusing on a different time period gives him the creative space he needs.
He added that he and Willimon are working on a script for the movie and that they are dedicated to providing us with something wholly original in terms of the story and script quality.
Mangold’s track record proves he’s not afraid to take risks. He’s directed some iconic films, including Logan and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. Whether they hit or miss at the box office, he aims to move people. As he put it:
Success is never guaranteed, but the reality is that the way to get most people to agree is to move them; to somehow find the humanity in a situation. Whether it’s a mega-franchise or a smaller dramatic movie, whatever they are, usually the movies you remember are the ones that move you.
The ones that leave you cold, even if they’re clever, even if they’re spectacular, even if they’re dazzling, somehow just become replaced by the next dazzling object a year later. 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.
Source: MovieWeb
There’s no telling when we’ll see Dawn of the Jedi, but one thing is clear: Mangold isn’t playing it safe. He’s betting on originality to leave a lasting impact.
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