Shit Just Got Real: Taika Waititi Will Direct On THE MANDALORIAN

Plus: actual female directors! On STAR WARS, for once!

By Oct. 04, 2018

Hot on the heels of its announcement yesterday, Lucasfilm today announced that production has begun on producer Jon Favreau's live-action Star Wars TV show The Mandalorian. It's real, it's happening, and it apparently looks like the official, confirmed, genuine Lucasfilm production image above.

The studio didn't provide any further story details beyond what emerged yesterday - it's set between the Empire and the First Order, and follows a "lone gunfighter" in the galaxy's Outer Rim - but it did provide some other information that got us more excited than any plot details could. Directing episodes for the series are the following people:

  • Dave Filoni (creator of The Clone Wars, Rebels, and Resistance), who will direct the pilot episode;
  • Debora Chow (TV veteran of Mr Robot, Jessica Jones, and Better Call Saul);
  • Rick Famuyiwa (Dope; superhero film Past Midnight, possibly starring Keanu Reeves; upcoming African-oriented Disney princess film Sadé);
  • Bryce Dallas Howard (better known as an actress, but who has made a number of shorts as a director); and motherflippin'
  • Taika Waititi (the absolute hero responsible for What We Do In The Shadows, Thor: Ragnarok, and Hunt For the Wilderpeople).

Thus ends - somewhat comprehensively - Disney's run of not employing female or POC directors: the only white man on that slate is Filoni, who himself brings significant franchise cred to the table as the creator of multiple beloved Star Wars animated series. Not to mention: Taika Waititi's entry into the franchise has us positively performing a Thriller haka with excitement. Perhaps he'll bring fellow Kiwi (and former Jango Fett) Temuera Morrison along for a cameo?

Still no dates yet, but given that the show's shooting now, we're betting on this topping Disney's slate of original streaming content when its service launches in late 2019.

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