Dave Filoni is set to direct a live-action Star Wars film set in the age of The New Republic as a culminating crossover event within The Mandalorian universe, which was announced at Star Wars Celebration in London, England. Filoni has long since been the most accomplished student of George Lucas’ galaxy far, far away (having helmed animated series such as Rebels and Clone Wars and is now the showrunner for The Mandalorian along with Jon Favreau). This announcement came along with confirmation of two other Star Wars films in development: one starring Daisy Ridley (Rey) and set 15 years following the events of The Rise of Skywalker (directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy of Ms. Marvel), and the other to be set in the Old Republic era with a focus on the formation of the first Jedi (to be directed by none other than James Mangold of Logan and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny fame).
As Dave Filoni has always been a curator of story above all else (he is credited for creating Ahsoka, who has proven to be one of the most important characters in the Clone Wars and Rebels era), his film will likely set the standard for any stories told in the timeframe spanning between the original and sequel trilogies. This presents a unique opportunity where a two/three hour film can tell an epic climax of storylines involving an ensemble cast of potentially dozens of actors from established Disney Plus series such as The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka, and even the Skeleton Crew starring Jude Law. If executed tactfully, this unprecedented crossover event could be the film that elevates what started as a flagship series on a shiny new streaming service into the upper stratosphere of Star Wars cinema.
Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni discussed the differences of scale between telling stories in the film and television medium in an interview with IGN. Filoni confirmed that he would maintain his working relationship with Favreau in creating the story for this culmination film (IGN). With each show that Dave has been involved in taking place in the same timeframe, it will be interesting to see how this dynamic duo can use the big budget blockbuster format to offer a satisfying conclusion to the Mando-verse. If there is anybody capable of pioneering a new generation of live-action Star Wars stories in the shadow of George Lucas’ Skywalker Saga, it’s Dave ‘Trapper Wolf’ Filoni.