Star Wars fans have been treated to a plethora of good news after Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy surprised the audience at London’s Star Wars Celebration with the announcement of several upcoming projects.
First up, James Mangold and Dave Filoni are set to helm two Star Wars projects, while another film revolving around Daisy Ridley’s Rey will be spearheaded by Oscar-winning director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy.
Star Wars: Dawn Of The Jedi Is Going To Be A “Biblical Epic”
Speaking with Variety, James Mangold shared his plans for the Star Wars movie he is preparing for, which reportedly treads back to the dawn of the Jedi:
“It’s a chance to tell the entire story of its own, the birth of the force. When I first talked to Kathy Kennedy about it, I just said, ‘I just see this opening to make kind of a ‘Ben-Hur’ or ‘The 10 Commandments’ about the birth of the force.’”
He also noted the key questions that would be answered in the upcoming film, suggesting the guidelines Mangold will try to follow upon helming the project.
“The force has become a kind of religious legend that spans through all these movies. But where did it come from? How is it found? Who found it? Who was the first Jedi? And that’s what I’m writing right now.”
Addressing the title of the film, Dawn of the Jedi, Mangold said he alluded it to a “Biblical epic” and wanted to explore this genre of movie within the Star Wars franchise. He also described it as “the dawning of the force.”
Mangold worked on the 2017 Logan starring Hugh Jackman, and recently, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny with Harrison Ford. On the other hand, Filoni’s project will focus on the New Republic and will pave the way for a crossover between The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, and Ahsoka. Obaid-Chinoy’s project will take place 15 years after the events in 2019’s Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, and will “tell the story of rebuilding the new Jedi Order.”
James Mangold Also Confirms Working On DC’s Swamp Thing
It seems like a hectic year for James Mangold as he will also be writing Swamp Thing under DC Studios’ James Gunn and Peter Safran’s supervision. He confirmed to Collider during the Star Wars Celebration that he is officially drafting the script:
“The truth is, I’m writing both right now, and who knows what’s going to happen and what’s gonna blossom first or second? So there’s your thing, I’m doing Swamp Thing, there’s your scoop. It’s not a rumour, it’s happening. I put it online.”
Gunn officially announced Swamp Thing in January as part of the planned overhaul of the DC Universe. The movie will serve as the “dark origins” of the titular character, also known as Dr. Alex Olsen, a scientist who accidentally burned himself with chemicals and, in an attempt to save his life, leaped straight into the swamp and merged himself with it in a supernatural fashion.
Now that James Mangold has officially confirmed working on two big franchises, fans only need to sit back and keep their eyes peeled for more updates.
Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi is slated for a December 2025 release.
