Star Wars creator George Lucas advised Jon Favreau that the upcoming series The Mandalorian should focus more on kids as its target audience. Although there were rumors about a new Star Wars series in early 2018, Favreau did not release details about The Mandalorian until later that year, when he revealed the show’s title and synopsis. The series takes place after the fall of the Empire in The Return of the Jedi, but before the rise of the First Order in The Force Awakens. The main character is a “lone gunfighter” who operates in the outer reaches of the galaxy.
Disney released more information about The Mandalorian at Star Wars Celebration Chicago 2019. The first episode will release with the launch of the Disney+ streaming subscription service. The series stars Game of Thrones’ Pedro Pascal in the title role, with other cast members including Gina Carano and Carl Weathers. Footage shown at Celebration depicted a first glance at The Mandalorian, which showed a look and feel that resembles the original Star Wars trilogy.
Perhaps that resemblance to the original trilogy has something to do with conversations that took place between Lucas and Favreau about the show. In an interview with GQ Middle East, Favreau spoke about those discussions, mentioning that Lucas advised The Mandalorian should consider kids as its primary audience:
Favreau also reiterated that the story of The Mandalorian would be more about the scum and villainy of the galaxy during a time of lawless chaos that has gripped the Outer Rim. Although fans never got the Boba Fett movie they wanted, Favreau used the concepts behind Boba Fett’s character in the new series. The Mandalorian also has a vast Disney budget, meaning that the special effects will be top-notch: The Mandalorian uses a holodeck-type filming technique for certain scenes.
“We had a long talk with each other. One thing he said to me was, ’Remember, Jon, the real audience for all stories and all myths is the kids that are coming of age,’ because he’s really a Joseph Campbell adherent. … We enjoy the stories as adults, but really, storytelling is about imparting the wisdom of the previous generations on to the children who are becoming adults, and giving them a context for how to behave and how to learn the lessons of the past without making the mistakes on their own. That’s the hope, that you can teach them how to avoid all the hardship but garner all the wisdom.”
Lucas’ advice to Favreau isn’t wrong. Much of Star Wars’ appeal is its ability to tell a hero’s journey story that makes kids feel that they, too, can become heroes. That feeling extends to adult audiences, too. That feeling remains with the franchise, which is why those who grew up with Star Wars still, more or less, feel the same way about it. Targeting younger audiences doesn’t alienate older fans. Instead, it reminds them of what it was like when they were kids seeing Star Wars for the first time. If The Mandalorian can also tap into that sentimentality, it will become something that multi-generational families will want to watch together.
Next: How Jon Favreau Worked On Star Wars, Lion King & Spider-Man At The Same Time
Source: GQ Middle East
