Many would agree that Boba Fett is one of the most beloved characters in the Star Wars franchise.
The galaxy's infamous bounty hunter debuted during Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, making a name for himself by capturing Han Solo on Bespin. The character suffered his apparent demise during the events of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, but The Mandalorian later revealed that he escaped the Sarlacc Pit with his life.
Fett's survival presented a new lease of life on screen, as evidenced by the arrival of The Book of Boba Fett on Disney+. Before the character's small screen showcase, it was previously reported that the bounty hunter was supposed to make his return on the big screen instead.
Now, a Lucasfilm executive has addressed the report about Boba Fett's theatrical involvement in a new interview.
Star Wars Exec Responds to Boba Fett Movie Hopes
Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy sat down with Empire, via Star Wars News Net, to address previous reports that Logan director James Mangold was tapped to direct a Boba Fett-focused movie back in 2018.
Kennedy cleared up rumors by saying that not only did Mangold "never [work] on a Boba Fett story," but Chronicle and Fantastic Four (2015) director Josh Trank also did not make it far in his development process for a film centered around the character:
“There really was virtually no previous development. We never got very far with Josh [Trank], quite frankly, because we never developed anything specific with him. And Jim Mangold never worked on a Boba Fett story."
The Hollywood Reporter first shared the scoop of Mangold's involvement back in May 2018. Trank was attached to direct a Star Wars Story spin-off similar to Gareth Edwards' Rogue One or Ron Howard's Solo, but ultimately departed the project in Summer 2015. While details of Trank's scrapped Star Wars film remain mostly unknown, it was long rumored to be a Boba Fett movie.
Boba Fett Will Receive the Spotlight on Disney+
It's worth noting that the same report from The Hollywood Reporter also revealed that a movie centered around Obi-Wan Kenobi was also in the works. By looking closely, it's reasonable to assume that Disney+'s arrival could've contributed to the small screen development of projects revolving around Boba Fett and Obi-Wan Kenobi instead of launching the characters' stories on the big screen.
Kennedy's latest confirmation about having "no previous development" for these projects could imply that there was no concrete discussion about it, hinting that the scoop that THR received could come from early brainstorming sessions that never truly materialized.
As Lucasfilm moves forward, many would agree that a series about Boba Fett's underworld exploits is the best trajectory for the character. This development allows the studio to further flesh out Temuera Morrison's bounty hunter in their unique way while also maximizing Fett's screen time. Still, a movie is a different viewing experience altogether.
There's a chance that Fett's big-screen comeback could be realized based on Kennedy's previous remarks during Disney Investor Day 2020. The Lucasfilm executive mentioned that The Mandalorian spinoffs would culminate in an “event story.”
This means that The Book of Boba Fett would likely serve as a launchpad for the bounty hunter's big-screen return, setting the stage for a crossover with other characters such as Ahsoka Tano in the near future.
For now, fans will get to see the character return in The Book of Boba Fett when it premieres on Disney+ on December 29, 2021.
