Last Jedi’s Rian Johnson Directing The Mandalorian?
Rian Johnson might return to Star Wars through The Mandalorian.
This article is more than 2 years old
The first two seasons of the Disney+ hit series The Mandalorian saw various directors behind the camera, including some of the series’ prominent names, like its exec producer Dave Filoni. Now, Last Jedi‘s Rian Johnson might direct an episode of The Mandalorian.
In a story covered by ComingSoon.net, the director of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Rian Johnson, wants to return to the galaxy far, far away, having spoken to Dave Filoni, the executive producer of The Mandalorian, about getting involved. According to USA Today’s Sariah Wilson, the Last Jedi director is dying to direct an episode of The Mandalorian but is currently occupied with his other project, Knives Out 2, which is now in the pre-production phase. And his schedule isn’t clearing anytime soon, given the sizable budget Netflix bestowed upon Johnson for two sequels of the original Knives Out movie.
“I asked Rian if he’d ever consider doing an episode of The Mandalorian,” Wilson revealed on Twitter when she spoke to Rian Johnson. “He said he was dying to, but that for him it’s all about scheduling. He’s been writing [Knives Out 2] and now he’s going to go directly into filming it. So it would be a matter of finding time to break away and do it. He said he has spoken to Dave Filoni about it.”
Though revealed just now, Rian Johnson’s wanting to direct an episode of The Mandalorian isn’t exactly groundbreaking news. The two discussed Johnson’s involvement during the shooting of Season 1 of the series when Johnson visited the set. Filoni already admitted to Johnson’s significant impact on his first experiences as a director. Having him recruit Johnson for an episode of The Mandalorian would have this story come full circle in more ways than one. However, this still begs the question: would fans like to see Johnson directing the show, given the Last Jedi‘s mixed user-generated scores and divisive response?
None of this guarantees that Rian Johnson will indeed direct an episode, but where there’s smoke, there’s fire. With Season 3 of the series still in development, and Johnson’s engagement in the Knives Out sequel, it’s highly unlikely we’ll see him in a director’s chair on The Mandalorian. But one can never know. Johnson still has a Star Wars trilogy in the works, despite being a controversial figure in the franchise. Many praise his take on the story, while others criticized his supposed disregard for the franchise’s past. With that said, it’s tough to deny Johnson’s talent as a filmmaker.
On the other hand, Jon Favreau’s The Mandalorian is the first-ever live-action series in the Star Wars franchise and the most popular entry since the franchise fell in Disney’s hands. It follows the story of a titular character, a lone bounty hunter, who goes on a run after being hired to retrieve “The Child,” known among the fans as “Baby Yoda.” No, it’s not an actual baby Yoda; the series is set five years after Return of the Jedi, which saw Yoda die at the age of 900. The Mandalorian was met with positive reviews and won seven Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards, with three upcoming titles expanding upon its story: The Book of Boba Fett, Rangers of the New Republic, and Ahsoka.
It’s doubtful we’ll see Rian Johnson directing an episode of The Mandalorian, given his commitments to the Knives Out sequels, but we might see him heading one of the upcoming spin-offs. Despite labeled as controversial, the Last Jedi‘s director remains a prominent figure in the Star Wars franchise, and the Force is strong with that one. Who knows what can happen?
