Summary
A newStar Warsmovie could lose its director to one of James Gunn’s DCU movies, as a new rumor alleges the filmmaker will decide soon.
AtStar WarsCelebration 2023, Lucasfilm announced 3 new feature films set during different eras of the franchise. One of thosenewStar Warsmoviesis being written and directed by James Mangold, the acclaimed filmmaker behindLogan,and the recent Oscar-nominated Bob Dylan biographical drama,A Complete Unknown. Mangold’sStar Warsmovie is set roughly 25,000 years before the prequel trilogy during the ‘dawn of the Jedi’ period and explores the origins of the Force. At the same time, Mangold was attached to write and direct aSwamp Thingmovie that would be part of Gunn’s DC Universe. An insider now claims he will soon choose which of the two will be his next project.
Is James Mangold Close to Picking His Next Project?
On John Rocha and Jeff Sneider’sThe Hot Mic, the two discussed the reportedcontenders to direct the DCU Clayface moviewritten by Mike Flanagan. The storyline similarities between the DCU’s Clayface movie andSwamp Thingprompted Sneider to speculate that Gunn may have moved up the former project because he believes he may not be able to get Mangold to ‘take notes’ from him. Sneider said this is ironic, as he was told thatMangold is more passionate about theSwamp Thingmovie thanStar Wars: Dawn of the Jedi.While this doesn’t necessarily mean Mangold will exitDawn of the Jedi, Sneider saidMangold will decide whether or not to “press ahead” with theStar Warsmovie in the “next couple of weeks,“as it’s a multi-year commitment.
Some Reddit users were skeptical of Sneider’s claims, arguing Mangold has been working on theStar Wars: Dawn of the Jediscript for years and there hasn’t been a significant update onSwamp Thingin ages. However, most agreed that if Sneider’s claims are true and Mangold decides to exitStar Wars: Dawn of the Jedi, it would be a devastating blow to Lucasfilm. SinceStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalkerwas released in theaters in December 2019, Lucasfilm has had difficulty moving aStar Warsfilm from development to production. From Patty Jenkins’Rogue Squadronto Kevin Feige’s untitledStar Warsmovie, several feature films in the franchise have been scrapped, shelved, or given no significant update.Daisy Ridley’sNew Jedi Order Star Warsmovierecently landed a new writer, postponing the film’s production start for the foreseeable future.
Mangold’s exitingDawn of the Jediwould be disappointing because the director has a resume of acclaimed films and fans were excited to see his talent applied to theStar Warsfranchise. His work onLogandemonstrated his ability to breathe new life into an established franchise and eschew standard superhero tropes in favor of a character-driven story. Of course, it should be noted that Mangold could decide he wants to move forward withDawn of the Jedi, which was reportedly eyeing a 2025 production start. Even if Mangold chooses to move forward withSwamp Thing, he could return toStar Wars: Dawn of the Jedias his next project. It’s too early to tell, and if Sneider’s words ring true, fans will find out what Magold has planned soon.
