There are some exciting reports today from Making Star Wars’s Jason Ward regarding the live-action Star Wars TV show that is coming to Disney’s streaming service and is being helmed by Jon Favreau.
Perhaps most notably: Ward mentions that he has heard rumors that Dave Filoni will direct two episodes of season one, which will apparently have an eight-episode run. Here’s what Ward wrote:
Since September I have heard that Dave Filoni is directing two episodes of the first season of the live action Star Wars television series written and produced by Jon Favreau. Some sources believe Filoni is directing the first episode of the show (and a Marvel Cinematic Universe alum is said to be involved too). I’ve been told there’s five directors in total for season one and three are directing two episodes. A director with two episodes is supposedly George Lucas’ “Padawan” Dave Filoni.
So according to MSW, there will be eight episodes in the first season (rather than the ten that was previously thought/reported), and there will be five people directing episodes (with three of those people directing two episodes each). Ward also mentions a Marvel alum, which is very interesting; and if I had to guess, I would think that Joe Johnston is the most logical guess there. And I also wonder whether Jon Favreau will himself direct any episodes or whether he’ll let other people do it.
Anyway, Dave Filoni being involved is a HUGE plus. We knew that Filoni and Favreau hung out at Skywalker Ranch earlier this summer, and we figured that it was for collaboration on this show, but any details beyond that were unknown. Filoni has, after all, had a significant role with other Star Wars filmmakers so far and has helped in the collaboration/storytelling process, so it makes sense that any new Star Wars director would utilize his knowledge and expertise.
But it makes even more sense if Filoni is actually directing a couple of episodes – including the show’s pilot! And it opens up even more room for speculation about the show’s plot – which, if you remember, was reported by MSW to be about Mandalore after the fall of the Empire. Filoni has told many stories about Mandalore and its people through The Clone Wars and Rebels, and he has notably kept open some key plot lines moving forward. So… might this new show explore any of those? It’s unknown, but Filoni being directly involved keeps that intrigue very much alive.
Of course, it could just be nothing more than Jon Favreau turning to the best Star Wars storyteller around currently to direct a few episodes on his live-action show. And it could just be nothing more than Filoni getting experience directing live-action stuff in case he ever were to handle a live-action film. But, at the very least, it’s interesting and something to speculate about.
And no matter what, Dave Filoni being directly involved significantly raises my hopes and expectations for this show even higher than they already were.
Additionally, MSW noted that Greig Fraser (Rogue One) is the cinematographer, John Lord Booth is the art director, and Joseph Porro is the costume director. They also speculate that Werner Herzog may have a role in the show as well.
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