The Mandalorian Season 1 had a monumental challenge in introducing a new narrative for Star Wars storytelling while driving in viewers for Disney+. Series showrunner Jon Favreau made it a personal mission to select a group of directors with wide ranges of experience and perspectives to add to the story, with one common pre-requisite: everyone needed to be a Star Wars fan.
One of the directors brought in to shepherd the effort was Rick Famuyiwa, whose work has extended into both seasons of the series. Famuyiwa has done arguably some of the biggest work in terms of adding to growth to Din Djarin's character, as he oversaw the beginning of his bond with Grogu in "Chapter 2 - The Child" and showed how far Mando would be willing to go to save the kid in "Chapter 15 - The Believer."
Alongside Dave Filoni, Famuyiwa is the only other person to direct and write episodes for The Mandalorian, having penned "Chapter 6 - The Prisoner" in addition to "Chapter 15." The director's work has been highly praised by the Star Wars faithful, and as Din and Grogu's journey continues to unfold, there's natural desire to see him back in the chair. Given the sentiments shared in a recent interview, the feeling is mutual.
Rick Famuyiwa Wants to Do More Star Wars
In an interview with the official Star Wars website, writer and director Rick Famuyiwa noted that The Mandalorian's great success can be attributed to how each member of the team brings something unique to the project:
"One of the great things about The Mandalorian in particular was there was this group of filmmakers that came together, and kind of brought together by Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni and Kathy Kennedy. But each of the filmmakers were from different perspectives and had different point of views. "
He further elaborated by explaining that the different voices for the episodes in the series allow things to feel fresh and new:
"And so I’ve always felt that what makes The Mandalorian resonate so much is, of course, we got a very cool lead character that lots of people love, but I think also it’s that there were stories being told from a perspective that, even though it was in the world of Star Wars, it was new. It was different. It felt like what I was saying and my point of view was different than what Dave Filoni’s or Taika Waititi’s point of view were, than Deb Chow, but that they were all part of the same storytelling."
This approach to the series has offered a new opportunity for Star Wars storytelling going forward:
"And it kind of opened up what storytelling in Star Wars could be. If you just bring in different perspectives, you find those little elements that make things new and really exciting. So I think the future of Star Wars is continuing to sort of open up those doors and continue to tell these stories from a point of view, because that’s not what we’ve seen before."
Famuyiwa expressed his desire to continue working in the galaxy far, far away, which affords the opportunity to reach audiences with relevant narratives:
"I want to continue to be a part of that storytelling, because I do think, as I was saying before, that the audience today and coming up and growing up with storytelling wants to see a different kind of thing. And I think Star Wars and other franchises have to speak to that, or they become like artifacts — museum pieces that we study — and they’re not living and breathing. You have to be where the people are."
While the world is a complicated place with varying perspectives, the Force brings both Star Wars and the fans together:
"And the people right now are a global community that has perspectives that are varied, but at the same time, a kind of universal thing binding everything together. And honestly, that’s what the Force is. That’s what the galaxy of Star Wars has always been about, represented through different alien species and droids and disparate sort of lands that both look familiar and not. But all of it was sort of shaped by one universal thing."
Famuyiwa's Return to Star Wars
There's little doubt that Rick Famuyiwa will continue to be a major voice going forward as Star Wars expands across Disney+.
Though it's still several months away and has largely remained out of the spotlight, Star Wars: Andor is set to debut in the summer - and Famuyiwa is rumored to be directing a few of the episodes. Nothing has been officially announced on that front, and likely won't be until Star Wars Celebration, but Famuyiwa is a natural choice for a series that will be exploring Cassian Andor and the varying mindsets between the Empire and Rebellion.
With The Mandalorian Season 3 wrapping production next month, one can only hope that Famuyiwa will be attached to that project as well. He's been a staple for the series to this point, and any stories that may involve Bill Burr's Mayfeld would surely see him return to pen the episode as well as direct.
A clear slate is in place for Mando and Grogu, and their relationship has grown further than even Din's willingness to remove his helmet to find the young one as he did in "Chapter 15." There's a clear need for stories that will explore the characters first and foremost, and with his exceptional work having set a precedent for the series, it should be a given that Rick Famuyiwa will be back for more adventures in the MandoVerse.
Andor debuts on Disney+ in Summer 2022, and The Mandalorian Season 3 is set to premiere later in the year.
STAR WARS Writer
