The Mandalorian’s creator, Jon Favreau, took a big risk when he first pitched the show to Lucasfilm, but thankfully it paid off big-time.The Mandalorianis an undeniable success story. With the advent of Disney+, major cinematic franchises likeStar Warsand the Marvel Cinematic Universe could turn their attention to a wholly different medium: live-action TV. WhileStar Warshad perfected its animated television formula with beloved hits likeStar Wars: The Clone WarsandStar Wars Rebels, live-action TV was an entirely new avenue.
The firstStar Warslive-action showneeded to be something good, unique, and widely loved, especially given the divisive reaction to theStar Warssequel trilogy, which concluded withStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalkerin the same year thatThe Mandalorianseason 1premiered on Disney+. More importantly, the firstStar WarsDisney+ series needed to be something fresh –if it wanted to survive,Star Warshad to distance itself from the Skywalker saga (at least, for a little while), and give the franchise a chance to explore a new era, a new audience, and new lore.
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Jon Favreau Started Writing The Mandalorian Before He’d Even Got A Greenlight
Jon Favreau seemingly realized whatStar Warsneeded before the franchise’s executives ever did. In a feature aboutThe MandalorianinEmpire’s April 2020 issue, Favreau revealed that, after Disney+ was announced, and he had a series of meetings with Lucasfilm that appeared to be headed nowhere, he“took matters into his own fingers,”and“started writing The Mandalorian instead of waiting to get permission.”It was a bold move, to be sure. What if they had said no?
“I knew I was going to be in trouble if they didn’t want it, because I didn’t want to just change the names of everybody, and call it a new movie. I was interested in it because it was Star Wars,”The Mandalorian’s creator explained. Thankfully, Favreau’s determination and absolute belief in his concept paid off.Having written four episodes, he gave Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy something tangible to approve of, and just like that,The Mandalorianmade historyas Star Wars’ first-ever live-action TV show – the first of many.
Only Disney+ Made The Mandalorian Possible
Part of what madeThe Mandaloriansuch a massive success is that it was surprisingly accessible. While that first season ventured to familiar planets, it was, for the most part, a self-containedStar Warsstory, introducing new characters, new cultures, new myths, and new conflicts. It was even set during a relatively unexplored era of theStar Warstimeline, in the aftermath of the Empire’s defeat following the events ofReturn of the Jediand the eventualbattle of Jakku.
The Mandalorianoperated within a clean slate, as it were, and this allowed casual viewers to join the fun alongsideStar Wars’ dedicated fanbase. The way the show was structured certainly helped, as well. With each episode visiting a new locale or charging after a new bounty, Din and Grogu’s story and relationship had a chance to grow organically over time. This kind of storytelling was critical toThe Mandalorian’s success, and it wouldn’t have been possible without the creation of Disney+.
Why Star Wars’ Mandalorian & Grogu Movie Needs To Feel Like Season 1 All Over Again
The Mandalorian & Grogu movie is so much more than just Star Wars' return to the movie theater, and because of that, it needs to feel like season 1.
Yes, of course, sinceThe Mandalorianfirst premiered in 2019, it’s become a cultural behemoth, popular enough now to be given a cinematic release, too, withThe Mandalorian & Grogu. That’s only possible because the Disney+ show came first.Din Djarin and Grogu’s relationship is one of reluctance, acceptance, and love – it holds the entire thing together. Neither character would have become as iconic if they’d first been introduced in a two-hour movie. We needed those eight hours with them, and those eight hours left us wanting more.
The Mandalorian Has Become One Of Disney’s Biggest Star Wars Successes
The Mandalorianisn’t just a show anymore – it’s spawned an entire franchise, the so-called Mandoverse, and it has changed how Lucasfilm approachesStar Warsentirely.It’s arguably more interconnected than it’s ever been. Though theStar Warstrilogies and the animated shows all played off one another, the Mandoverse is an integrated web, with the Imperial Remnant and Grand Admiral Thrawn at the center and Din Djarin, Grogu, Ahsoka Tano, theStar Wars Rebelscrew, and more fighting against them.
Though theStar Warstrilogies and the animated shows all played off one another, the Mandoverse is an integrated web, with the Imperial Remnant and Grand Admiral Thrawn at the center.
Whether you agree with this storytelling approach is a different matter. There’s no denying that this kind of overarching narrative would have been almost inconceivable forStar WarsbeforeThe Mandalorianexploded onto the scene. Yes,Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalkerhit the billion-dollar box office mark, but its controversial finale altered how many viewedStar Warsas a brand.The Mandalorianchanged everything and allowedStar Warsto explore something new, with more still to come.
What if Jon Favreau hadn’t taken a chance on his idea? What if he’d waited until he was given a more concrete answer from Lucasfilm before writingThe Mandalorian’s first four episodes? We’ll never know, butThe Mandalorianhas undeniably keptStar Warsin the game, building a new foundation that will, hopefully, give the franchise enough momentum to keep innovating and exploring new opportunities.
The Mandalorian & Groguwill be released in cinemas on July 19, 2025.
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