Back in April, Lucasfilm unveiled some teaser footage for the new Disney+ streaming service series “The Mandalorian.”
Unfortunately, Disney/Lucasfilm didn’t see fit to release that sizzle reel to the public (the only version available online is some rough-looking footage that an attendee recorded).
The D23 Expo — touted as the “ultimate Disney fan event” (why am I not there?) — is upon us, and a proper trailer has finally been released.
As I’m apt to do on this blog, I decided to take a look. (If you are interested in learning about the Disney+ streaming service, read my May 2019 post “Will Disney+ Be a Worthy Streaming Service?”)
The trailer starts off with a cool-looking shot of stormtrooper helmets skewered on sticks. The series takes place a few years after “Return of the Jedi” (the exact timeframe is up for debate on the interwebs):
We then get some establishing shots of the Mandalorian’s ship — called the Razor Crest. It has been suggested that this ship is from the Clone Wars era (and it is reminiscent of some of the ships seen in “Star Wars: Attack of the Clones”).
Then Carl Weathers shows up. He plays Greef Carga. It seems that Weathers’s character is responsible for doling out bounties to bounty hunters like the Mandalorian.
The next image that stood out to me was this one of an Ugnaught. Haven’t seen much of those creatures in the filmed SW universe since their debut in “Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back” in 1980:
The Ugnaught is apparently going to be voiced by actor Nick Nolte (fun fact: my wife and I attended the same Omaha high school as Nolte).
Executive producer John Favreau (who also handled writing duties for the first season) has suggested the show is structured using some classic western motifs. This shot of fingers tickling a gun in a holster definitely has that look (a classic gunfighter showdown):
The trailer for “The Mandalorian” really doesn’t give away any salient plot points. That said, it does do a good job creating a mood for fans. The series looks more in tune with the original “Star Wars” trilogy.
This image of a speeder bike at night is awesome:
So is this image of an AT-ST:
Because this story takes place during the aftermath of the events in “Return of the Jedi,” it is hard to say what role any remaining Imperial interests will have in the series, but there are some images in the trailer — like this image of Deathtroopers:
During “The Mandalorian” panel at Star Wars Celebration, the show’s creators demonstrated their commitment to authenticity, and showed the VFX crew filming physical spaceship models for the effects shots. We see that come to fruition in this bit from the new trailer:
Those of you who grew up playing with “Star Wars” action figures in the 1970s and 80s might have had an IG-88 action figure (a bounty hunter featured in “The Empire Strikes Back”). I’ve always enjoyed that droid’s retro-looking vibe.
I initially assumed the IG droid in the trailer was IG-88, but it is apparently a bounty hunter named “IG-11.” This scene of him in a gun battle is pretty sweet:
For me, though, the “money shot” in this trailer is one of various beings frozen in bricks of carbonite.
Darth Vader and Boba Fett might’ve tested that procedure on Han Solo for the first time in Cloud City during the events in “Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back,” but it appears the method has stuck around as a way to transport “bounties” across the galaxy.
The series debuts on Disney’s upcoming Disney+ streaming service on Nov. 12.
As I mentioned earlier, details are scant on this new series. The Mandalorian character is played by Pedro Pascal.
I was in grade school when “Star Wars: Return of the Jedi” was released. Boba Fett (a Mandalorian) was one of the more popular characters in the SW realm. His fate in “Jedi” seemed like a weak way to kill off the character, and fans have often wondered if the character actually lived.
My assumption is the Mandalorian featured in the series is a fresh character, but time will tell. If it turned out to be Boba Fett, that could create some interesting narrative possibilities going forward.
I mean, the character in "The Mandalorian" is reminiscent of the animated Boba Fett we saw in the "Star Wars Holiday Special" in 1978 (yes, I was alive then, and have fond memories watching it on TV):
For now, I’ll just savor this first trailer. I’m still not sure what to expect from Lucasfilm’s first live-action “Star Wars” series, but the early images look really good.
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