Why A Boba Fett Movie Could Be A Brilliant Addition To The Star Wars Saga

It’s safe to say that moviegoers will be heading to that galaxy far, far away more regularly over the coming years. After all, 2019 sees the release of Star Wars: Episode IX and the start of production on Obi-Wan Kenobi’s solo effort. And sometime after that, among Rian Johnson’s standalone trilogy, Jon Favreau’s live action TV series and a mysterious offering from Game of Thrones writers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, we also have a Boba Fett solo movie to contend with. Indeed, Lucasfilm recently announced that Logan director James Mangold has resurrected the project. However, unlike the pleasant surprise and enthusiasm which greeted the aforementioned pics, news of a Boba Fett film was met with a large degree of skepticism. Most of the criticism revolved around the fact that, yet again, we're due to revisit another aspect of the Original Trilogy. Fett might be mysterious, but parts of his origins have already been filled in. So, does this really warrant a whole movie about the helmeted hit man? Many people may have written off the project, but a Boba Fett solo film actually holds a lot of promise, and here’s why. The Director Will Do The Source Material Justice First off, we must address the direction of the picture. Much has been written about Lucasfilm’s diversity - or lack thereof - behind the camera, since every new Star Wars project of this decade has been helmed by a white guy. It’s definitely disappointing, especially when we consider that women and non-white directors such as Patty Jenkins, Ryan Coogler and Taika Waititi have produced some of the most innovative and influential blockbusters in recent memory. We can only imagine what any of these talents would have done with a Boba Fett film. However, Han Solo once said, “let’s keep a little optimism here,” and the fact that James Mangold is in the director’s chair is reason enough to get hyped for this movie. Indeed, we all know him best for Logan, but Mangold also directed Walk the Line, 3:10 to Yuma, Identity and many more. All of these particular films are captivating, well-crafted flicks, with good ratios of action and drama. And, aside from his attention to visceral action, Mangold has a penchant for compelling, multi-faceted characters. Moreover, his Wolverine outings are evidence of the kind of wonders that he can work upon pop culture icons. All of us here at We Got This Covered fervently hope that James Mangold doesn’t fall victim to the same “creative differences” that claimed Phil Lord, Christopher Miller and Colin Trevorrow. Why? Because his talent for character work bodes very well for a movie about a mysterious mercenary. It Would Be A Star Wars Film With A Different Perspective Certainly, Logan highlighted Mangold’s knowledge of – and appreciation for – the sensibilities of Western movies. As we all know, these typically feature gruff loners navigating in harsh, morally-compromised environs. We’ve already seen aspects of this during Solo: A Star Wars Story, with Alden Ehrenreich’s Han brushing shoulders with some of the galaxy’s criminals. But a Boba Fett movie could explore these tropes from a slightly different perspective. Indeed - as Emilia Clarke’s Qi'ra points out - despite his rascally career as an outlaw, Han is a virtuous person at heart. The heroes of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story were as well, since they put aside their pasts and differences to fight for the Rebellion. And, though he will face some sort of physical or emotional strife, it'll be the same for Obi Wan in his standalone picture as well. These characters may have flitted around the fringes of villainy, but they’re good guys first and foremost. In his own movie, Boba Fett may not be tied by such moral constraints. Certainly, in his first - and most infamous live-action appearance - in The Empire Strikes Back, Darth Vader warned Fett against indiscriminately disintegrating his targets. Plus, in the old Star Wars EU (which Lucasfilm still uses for inspiration), Fett was commonly depicted as a formidable and ruthless individual. Boba may have his occasional moral hang-ups (in The Clone Wars TV show, he was shown to be averse to murdering clone troopers), but aside from Darth Vader, he’ll be the evilest character to headline a Star Wars movie yet, let alone a spinoff. Thus, a veteran, bounty hunter–centric film may lend a fresh and unique twist to this fictional world. It Could Expand Star Wars’ Horizons In A New Way If you've seen Solo: A Star Wars Story, you'll know that the film explored the galaxy’s criminal underworld, an arena that many fans have longed to see more of on screen. A Boba Fett movie will probably elaborate on the same criminal scene as well. Yet it could also add even more shades to this dark, sci-fi underbelly. Certainly, a Han Solo pics guarantees the presence of lovable sidekicks and cape-wearing rogues. These characters set out to be bad, but do good in the process. On the other hand, Fett’s film is likelier to feature outright gangsters and murderers, like the man himself. Ultimately, family-friendly fare is the most profitable cinematic avenue. So unless we hear otherwise, don’t expect Disney and Lucasfilm to include hardcore violence, nudity and death-stick use in this project. However, having a more sinister character take center stage in Star Wars movie won’t only change the tone of a film, but its focus as well. Given our knowledge of the character so far, quips, pratfalls and redeeming qualities will probably be scarce. Thus we’ll see that galaxy far, far away in a different light, and therefore go places we’ve never been before. Heck, a Boba Fett film might ensure that the fan favorite planet Mandalore and its warrior race finally get their cinematic debut! But this in turn is dependent on the setting of the pic. We don’t yet know for certain what part of Boba Fett’s life the film will explore. The Clone Wars tackled his teenage years, so it stands to reason that James Mangold will focus on Fett’s flourishing career during the Empire’s reign. Another prequel in the vein of Solo would, no doubt, be fantastic, but a Boba Fett movie also has various, alternative possibilities. The old Star Wars canon revealed that Fett actually survived his dive into the Sarlaac pit during Return of the Jedi. Could this occur again here? It'd be very interesting to see Fett struggle to re-establish his reputation. After all, it’s not very fitting for a fearsome man such as him to be accidentally KO’d by a blind guy. Plus, what troubles would he face if the fledgling New Republic decided to crack down on crime? And if Fett doesn’t survive that fall? Well, there’s potential there, too. Given his masked visage, several commentators have posited variants of another story online. Here, a new character finds Fett’s gear following the events of Return of the Jedi, and tries to assume his identity. An heir – or previously unknown protagonist – trying to pass themselves off as the real Boba Fett? Now that could be an intriguing premise for a Star Wars film! Whatever Mangold’s chosen scenario is, it’s sure to be compelling. Plus, it could throw a much needed spotlight upon the man beneath the helmet himself. Boba Is A Blank Slate – And That Works In The Film’s Favor Thanks to the old EU - and various fan films - Boba Fett is intensely popular among hardcore Star Wars lovers. This is not the case with general audiences, however. Sure, thanks to both Attack of the Clones and Return of the Jedi, everyone is aware of Fett’s origins on Kamino, and his supposed demise on Tatoonie. But aside from this, these questions remain: who is Boba Fett? And why should we care about him? Indeed, many critics have stated that Fett exists as a cool Star Wars costume, more than as a character in his own right. It’s a harsh point, but it does ring true somewhat. Even outside of the occasional comic, and Fett’s formative, vengeance-fueled years in The Clone Wars series, the current Star Wars canon has yet to detail the mindset of this dangerous man. But couldn’t this actually work in the film’s favor? Take Solo. Its poor box-office performance has been blamed on a number of issues, from its ill-advised release date and production troubles, to its ineffective marketing. It’s a shame really, because despite all of this it’s a solid and entertaining movie. However, it must be acknowledged that there wasn’t as much of a demand for Solo. Why? Because audiences already know and love him – they didn’t need a prequel to get to know him. But, it’s a different scenario for Boba Fett. Despite his previous appearances, there’s very little that defines his adult life. Because relatively little has been established about the character, scriptwriters James Mangold and Simon Kinberg have more leeway for their narrative. As a result, they're able to create something fresh and exciting to pique audience interest, and give them a reason to like Boba Fett. Does he do the job just for money and kicks? Or is it something else entirely? As we previously discussed, the protagonist doesn’t necessarily have to be the son/clone of Jango Fett inside that armor. But if it must be, then what are his redeeming qualities? Did he retain that infrequently used wry sense of humor? Would he struggle with his origin as a clone? Or does he wrestle with escaping – or eclipsing – his father’s legacy? These could be really meaty themes for Mangold and Kinberg to explore, and they would make for very interesting viewing. It Could Bring Diversity To The Franchise Lucasfilm may not have diversified behind the scenes since Disney bought the company in 2012, but it's begun to do so on the screen. Ladies such as Daisy Ridley and Felicity Jones have taken center stage as Rey and Jynn Erso. Actors of varying races have joined them on their quests, from Diego Luna to John Boyega and Kelly Marie Tran as Cassion Andor, Finn and Rose respectively. But even more can be done to put minorities on screen; and that’s where Boba Fett comes in. Jeremy Bulloch played the silent mercenary in the Original Trilogy. But since then, Fett has been portrayed by two actors in his live-action appearances. Daniel Logan was a young Boba in Attack of the Clones, whereas Temuera Morrison also appeared as his father/ biological template Jango. Indeed, Morrison’s distinctive voice has become synonymous with the character, because he’s also re-appeared as Boba (and other clone troopers) in video games since 2002. The key aspect here is that both actors are of Māori descent, a group which is rarely given the spotlight in Hollywood movies. Therefore, now is as good a time as any for Star Wars to represent someone other than white men and women in its protagonist line-up. Moreover, it’s exciting to consider that both Daniel Logan and Temuera Morrison could easily return to the role. If James Mangold decides to go with Boba’s prosperity under the Empire, Logan would be the right age. It would be extremely fitting to see him finally don the armor, too, given that he also voiced Boba through The Clone Wars series. But if the director opts for an older Boba, post-Return of the Jedi, then Morrison could easily resupply that grizzled gravitas for the pic. And even if Lucasfilm opt for someone else to wear that jet pack, there's nothing stopping them from casting another Kiwi in the role. For example, can you Arrow fans picture Manu Bennett as Boba? Both Solo and Rogue One have expanded the Star Wars universe in ways which fans never thought possible. So, all in all, there’s a whole lot of potential to be realized in a Boba Fett solo movie. It would be amazing to witness him in action again, snagging bounties and negotiating a hostile world of crime. Yet it could also be a harsh, thought-provoking film. Given Fett’s past as an orphaned clone, it may even allow audiences to – shock, horror – empathize with the brutal kidnapper of Han Solo. Indeed, the prospect of reappraising one of the most mysterious and enduring characters in the Star Wars saga is truly an exciting one.