Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destinydirector, James Mangold, is next on the docket to make his ownStar Warsfilm, but he has ensured it won’t be familiar territory. Two words in particular will have no place in his upcoming movie when it finally reaches the masses.
Setting the story thousands of years before the saga films, the feature will reportedly be about the start of the Jedi Order. But even though there will be force-sensitive characters in the mix, it will be long before such terminology was ever created. While speaking to Josh Horowitz on theHappy, Sad, Confusedpodcast, the host asked if the words “Jedi” or “Midi-chlorians” would appear.
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“I don’t wanna make any guarantees one way or another, but it will be before Jedi, meaning you might be experiencing something that might become Jedi,” Mangold answered. “Despite the fact that other people make movies other ways, I don’t tend to think people brand themselves before they’ve actually found themselves. So you don’t come up with a name for your organization.”
Mangold went on to explain that thecult of the Jedi Orderwouldn’t be calling themselves that yet or have any idea of how the force worked. No one would be able to have the vocabulary for those types of things. This is the realm that the director seems most interested in. He acknowledged his appreciation for what George Lucas had done, but he wanted to tell a story with emotional stakes. Putting his film so far in the past also meant he wouldn’t be too concerned with sticky continuity errors.
For Mangold, this is the sweet spot. Any fan of his films will recognize he makes a point to go off the beaten path. Instead of making popcorn films palatable to the greater collective, his stories typically veer towards more mature content. As evidenced bythe success ofAndor, this is the time for these types of stories. Focusing on characters and emotionally resonant stories is what he does best. And when it comes to fruition, it is certain to be unlike any otherStar Warsfeature film fans have seen.
In the past, Mangold has set himself apart by thinking outside the box. Before he immersed himself intoStar WarsandIndiana Jones, he delved deep into the world ofX-Men. And he wasn’t out to make a campy ensemble film, either. 2017’sLoganwas – at the time – Hugh Jackman’s swan song. After caring for his daughter Laura who was a bit too much like himself, Logan sacrificed himself for her and effectively ended the Wolverine mythos. Itwas an emotionally resonant story about fatherhood and redemption, akin to Westerns of the like. Mangold’s movie became heralded asthe best rankedX-Menfilm, putting him on a course to helm aStar Warsproject. But just like his work in other franchises, Mangold would differentiate himself.
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