Mangold On Creative Freedom & “Star Wars”

Lucasfilm
Out promoting “A Complete Unknown,” filmmaker James Mangold has once again briefly spoken about his currently in the works “Star Wars” movie – a project that will serve as the ultimate prequel to the franchise.

Taking place some 25,000 years before the events of the original trilogy, ‘Dawn of the Jedi’ is expected to deal with the first users of The Force and the very origins of the Jedi order. “House of Cards” creator Beau Willimon is co-writing the script with Mangold.

A mosaic in 2017’s “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” indicated the founding of the Jedi Order took place on the planet Ahch-To (where Luke Skywalker went into hiding until Rey found him), but otherwise Mangold is relatively free to create what lore he wants.

Speaking with MovieWeb, Mangold says that by taking place in a past so distant – it allows him quite a bit of creative freedom:

“To me, the really important aspects are the freedom to make something new. Beau and I, in relation to Star Wars, have been working on a script, and we’ll see what happens […] Do we find a way on the page to say something original?

The Star Wars movie would be taking place 25,000 years before any known Star Wars movies takes place. It’s an area and a playground that I’ve always [wanted to explore] and that I was inspired by as a teenager. I’m not that interested in being handcuffed by so much lore at this point that it’s almost immovable, and you can’t please anybody.”

Just when Mangold will get to work on the film is a topic of much speculation right now. The first “Star Wars” film to hit cinemas this decade will be in May 2026 when “The Mandalorian & Grogu” arrives. There are multiple “Star Wars” films in development from a range of filmmakers.