Star Wars: Taika Waititi, Bryce Dallas Howard to Direct on The Mandalorian
Star Wars: The Mandalorian has officially entered production and secured some big name talent behind the lens.
In its press release announcing the start of production, Lucasfilm announced six directors that will step behind the camera for the show’s first season. Included in the bunch are Dave Filoni (Star Wars Rebels), who will also serve as a producer on the project, as well as Deborah Chow (Jessica Jones), Rick Famuyiwa (Dope), Bryce Dallas Howard and Taika Waititi (Thor: Ragnarok).
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According to Making Star Wars, Filoni will reportedly direct episodes one and five, Famuyiwa will direct episodes two and six, Chow will direct episodes three and seven, Howard will direct episode four and Waititi will direct episode eight.
The biggest name on the list of directors, of course, is that of Taika Waititi. Following the success of last year’s Thor: Ragnarok, Waititi seemed to be suggested for every big directing gig. So, it wasn’t entirely surprising when Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy revealed she would love to work with the actor and director on a Star Wars film.
Unfortunately, Waititi suggested it would never happen because a franchise like Star Wars didn’t seem like a right fit for a filmmaker like him, teasing he’d be “fired within a week.” Of course, film and television are two different entities, and perhaps he’ll have more freedom on The Mandalorian than a typical feature.
Another interesting addition to the list of directors was Bryce Dallas Howard, who is perhaps best known for starring in the Jurassic World franchise. That isn’t what makes her hiring interesting, though. Howard, of course, is the daughter of Solo: A Star Wars Story director Ron Howard. To date, she has only directed shorts. The Mandalorian will mark her series debut as a director.
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There are also plenty of other reasons to be excited by the list of directors. Unlike the films, which continue to fail at adding diversity behind the camera, the franchise’s first live-action series looks more than ready to welcome a diverse group of talented individuals to tell a new story set in a galaxy far, far away. One can only hope that it’s a promise of what’s to come from the films, too.
The Mandalorian will arrive on the Disney streaming service sometime in 2019.
(via Star Wars)