An upcoming “Star Wars” standalone movie will reportedly focus on one of the franchise’s most popular villains: Boba Fett.
James Mangold, director and co-writer of “Logan,” will direct the yet-untitled film for Disney, The Hollywood Reporter noted. He will co-write it with Simon Kinberg, the screenwriter behind several “X-Men” films. Kinberg, who was a producer on “Logan,” will also be a producer of the Boba Fett film.
Disney has not yet confirmed the report and there is no information on release dates, cast or when in the “Star Wars” timeline the film will take place. A movie based on Boba Fett has been in development on and off for a number of years, with several names reportedly attached to it, including “Chronicle” director Josh Trank.
The bounty hunter played a small but key role in the original trilogy, helping Darth Vader track down the protagonists in Cloud City in “The Empire Strikes Back.” There, Han Solo was frozen in carbonite for Boba Fett to deliver to Jabba the Hutt.
Boba Fett is (apparently) killed early in “Return of the Jedi,” but his distinctive armor made him a fan favorite despite his limited screen time. The character’s backstory was touched on in “Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones” as well as “The Clone Wars” animated series. Boba Fett has been featured in various “Star Wars” books and comics, much of which is no longer considered canon.
The Hollywood Reporter also reported that a long-rumored film about Obi-Wan Kenobi was in development with Stephen Daldry, director of “Billy Elliott,” in talks to direct.
Disney is rapidly creating a new canon.
In addition to the standalone Boba Fett and Obi-Wan films, “The Last Jedi” filmmaker Rian Johnson is working on three “Star Wars” movies featuring new characters and stories while “Iron Man” director Jon Favreau is writing and producing a live-action “Star Wars” series for Disney’s upcoming streaming service.
The newest film in the franchise, “Solo: A Star Wars Story,” opens this weekend. It’s the second standalone film set in the “Star Wars” galaxy, after 2016′s “Rogue One.”
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