Tony Gilroy Shares Thoughts on Mangold’s Upcoming Star Wars Film: “They’re Going Way Back”

A new Star Wars movie is in the works, and it’s going way back in time, much farther than any film before. Director James Mangold is working on a project reportedly called Jedi Prime, which will explore the very origins of the Jedi Order and the Force itself. The story is set about 25,000 years before the original Star Wars saga, so fans won’t see any familiar characters from previous movies.

Lucasfilm first revealed this film at Star Wars Celebration Europe in April 2023. They said it will kick off a new era in the Star Wars timeline called Dawn of the Jedi. Mangold mentioned that his inspiration for the movie comes from classic biblical epics. He even compared it to The Ten Commandments, calling the film a “Cecil B. DeMille-style biblical epic.”

Mangold began developing this movie while directing Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. At the same time, he was also working on another film, Swamp Thing for DC. Mangold said back then he wasn’t sure which project would be finished first because he was also busy with a Bob Dylan biopic called A Complete Unknown.

In April 2024, it was announced that Beau Willimon, a writer from the hit Star Wars series Andor, joined Mangold to co-write the script. Willimon is known for some of Andor’s best stories, like the tense Narkina 5 prison arc. With him involved, it looks like Jedi Prime will offer more than just action—it should have strong characters and deep storytelling.

Tony Gilroy, the creator of Andor, spoke about this movie in an interview with Empire magazine. He pointed out how the story’s ancient setting gives the filmmakers a lot of freedom. Since the story takes place so long before the Skywalker saga, it won’t be tied down to existing Star Wars events. Gilroy said, “They’re going way back. That’s kind of interesting, because it’s free.”

This freedom means the movie can create new stories and worlds without worrying about fitting into the usual Star Wars timeline. It’s a fresh chance to tell something original and different in this galaxy far, far away.

The title Jedi Prime was mentioned by producer Simon Emanuel in a May 2024 interview. While the name hasn’t been officially confirmed, it seems like what the team is calling it for now.

No release date has been announced yet, but with this team and the bold new setting, Jedi Prime looks like it will be a very different kind of Star Wars movie. It could start an exciting new chapter in the franchise’s future.

If you have thoughts about this new Star Wars film, feel free to share them in the comments!