James Mangold’s upcoming deep-dive into the distant past of theStar Warsgalaxy could have had its title revealed by producer Simon Emanuel. In a new feature inSFX Magazine(via StarWarsLeaks), Emanuel mentioned the movie by a name that has not been shared in other discussions by Lucasfilm’s Kathleen Kennedy or Mangold himself, but the fleeting comment has stirred up a buzz that only happens with big franchises likeStar Wars.
After several years without a theatrical release, theStar Warssaga will hit the big screen again with a string of new movie projects, which will run alongside Disney+ shows to push the boundaries of the franchisebeyond the era of the Skywalkers. Along with a new sequel to the sequel trilogy, and two movies set within theMandalorianera, Mangold’s foray into theStar Warsuniverse will take place 25,000 years before the events ofA New Hope. This movie, which has previously been calledDawn of the Jedi, will focus on the origins of the Jedi Order.
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During his interview with SFX Magazine, Emanuel, who worked with Mangold on 2023’sIndiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, said of Mangold’sStar Warsmovie:
“James Mangold’s Jedi Prime is set thousands and thousands of years before [the original trilogy], and I’m really excited to see what happens there.”
CouldJedi Primebe the name of the new movie? It is more likely that this is a working title, given that the film is still in the development stages right now, but it is another interesting indicator of the focus of the new movie.
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This all changed last year, with returning CEO Bob Iger undoing the “quantity over quality” approach that was being applied to Disney’s biggest franchises, and Lucasfilm becoming focused once more on bringingcinematic experiences within the Star Wars universeto fruition. While some projects such as Patty Jenkins’Rogue Squadronseem to have been abandoned along the way – at least for now – there are others like Taika Waititi’s movie which are apparently still coming down the line to join Jon Favreau’sThe Mandalorian & Groguand Dave Filoni’s untitledMandalorianconcluding movie as the franchise attempts to reclaim a foothold in cinema real estate.
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When it comes to Mangold’s unprecedented shift in focus from anything even vaguely related to the existing timeline of the Star Wars franchise, the director has spoken previously about wanting to dosomething that stands apart from otherStar Warsmovies. In several interviews, Mangold noted that he wanted the “space” to be able to tell a story without the worry of having to include existing characters and storylines just to provide fan service to the often critical fandom.
TheStar WarsSaga so far can be found streaming on Disney+.
You can check out the trailer for the latestStar Warsoffering,The Acolyte, below.
