Stand-Alone Movies How to make a Mandalorian Movie.

[The Face]

I admit it, I'm a Fandalorian.
t:
Of all the Star Wars Universe the Mandalorians are my favourite aspect, the history, the aesthetic, the weapons, the warrior code, the ruthless nature, the overall bad-assery make them a nothing short of awe-inspiring.
Sadly though (aside from the Fetts themselves) we haven't really got the see Mandalorian culture on film, it was hinted at in 'Attack of the Clones' and we did get a few Mandalorian episodes 'Star Wars: Clone Wars' but anyone who knows anything about the Mandalorians knows that the story potential for these guys is nothing short of epic, space opera meets shakepearian historical epic meets gritty crime drama. It seems though that their appear to be no immediate plans to bring these awesome people to the big screen despite all the ideas for a Star Wars expanded universe bumping around.
Except of course for the rumoured Boba Fett spin-off film.
If done right this film (which is supposed to explore the origins of Boba Fett) could be the gateway to a whole series of Mandalorian movies, a great way to introduce these people to mainstream movie audiences.
I think that whoever they get to write this film should collaborate with Karen Travis and they should do what Peter Jackson did when making Lord of the Rings; go among the fans and get as much information as possible. bring people like the Rancor Clan to create an authentic movie that hums with that fan passion. I think to direct (if they decide to go for a big epic film) they should get someone familiar with big scoped movies; Kenneth Branagh would be my first choice (The Thor movies, Henry V), David Twohy (The Riddick films) would be good too. If we're going for a smaller rougher movie (saving a bigger one for later) I think they should go with either Walter Hill, Antoine Fuqua or David Ayer. Directors who specialise in gritty intimate films.
What do you think? Do you think a Boba Fett movie is a good idea at all? What should they do to make it great?

 

[godisawesome]

My feelings on the Karen Traviss Mandalorians are complicated; I love Hard Contact and about half the characters, but the monolithic culture she created was kind of too much and too...monolithic and homogeneous for me. One of the things I liked about the Clone Wars was the factionalism and diverse culture they displayed there, alongside the more down-to-earth portrayal of their philosophies. I'd love a few clans run like the ones in her books, but I'd like them contrasted with ruthless and professionally detached Mercenary companies, outright bandits and thugs, righteous orders of heroes, and Mandalorians who just want to stay out of the fight.

Though if Fett gets a film, I kind of think a Man With No Name style film would work best, especially if it's his early days. I think he should still count as a Mandalorian, but only in the loose sense that his ethnic and cultural background springs from there; no loyalty to the current culture or any other Mandalorians, and kind of removed by at least a full generation thanks to his dad. If he meets any other Mandalorians, or users of the armor, he should very clearly be a different animal.

Now, as for regular Mandalorian appearances....

I've always thought you could get a great story out of a nomadic Mandalorian band stuck on a planet in something like the Dak Ages of Star Wars, back when the Sith rule enough of the galaxy to make it a chaotic mess.

-picture a galaxy that's crazier than the Wild West, with hundreds, if not thousands, of planet conquering /liberating armies.
-picture a planet with a native population just barely in the Industrial Age being fought over by three factions: a Sith aligned faction with a horde of mercenaries in orbital death satellites, a hired but now desperately deprived Mandalorian mercenary army that drafts natives to fight with them, and Jedi seeking to ally with the latter.
- picture a small band of Mercenaries and natives allied with a Jedi as the Sith finally overwhelm and destroy the last Mandalorian base and they have to go in the run.

 

[Sithborg]

Toss out all of Traviss's nonsense.

 

[The Face]

My feelings on the Karen Traviss Mandalorians are complicated; I love Hard Contact and about half the characters, but the monolithic culture she created was kind of too much and too...monolithic and homogeneous for me. One of the things I liked about the Clone Wars was the factionalism and diverse culture they displayed there, alongside the more down-to-earth portrayal of their philosophies. I'd love a few clans run like the ones in her books, but I'd like them contrasted with ruthless and professionally detached Mercenary companies, outright bandits and thugs, righteous orders of heroes, and Mandalorians who just want to stay out of the fight.

Though if Fett gets a film, I kind of think a Man With No Name style film would work best, especially if it's his early days. I think he should still count as a Mandalorian, but only in the loose sense that his ethnic and cultural background springs from there; no loyalty to the current culture or any other Mandalorians, and kind of removed by at least a full generation thanks to his dad. If he meets any other Mandalorians, or users of the armor, he should very clearly be a different animal.

Now, as for regular Mandalorian appearances....

I've always thought you could get a great story out of a nomadic Mandalorian band stuck on a planet in something like the Dak Ages of Star Wars, back when the Sith rule enough of the galaxy to make it a chaotic mess.

-picture a galaxy that's crazier than the Wild West, with hundreds, if not thousands, of planet conquering /liberating armies.
-picture a planet with a native population just barely in the Industrial Age being fought over by three factions: a Sith aligned faction with a horde of mercenaries in orbital death satellites, a hired but now desperately deprived Mandalorian mercenary army that drafts natives to fight with them, and Jedi seeking to ally with the latter.
- picture a small band of Mercenaries and natives allied with a Jedi as the Sith finally overwhelm and destroy the last Mandalorian base and they have to go in the run.

I think you're on the right track though I'd make it a trilogy, the first movie would be a solo Boba Feet film with a space western tone and aesthetic, then the second movie should be him joining in with some nomadic clan or something (this will be the Whedon one since Whedon is so good at writing groups). Then the third film should be all the Mandalorian clans returning to their homeworld because the Man'dalor is dying and he's got three son or something who are vying for the throne and the different clans want to pay their respects to the Man'dalor but also want to show their support for the different sons. We get Twohy to write and direct this one since he did such a good job with a similar premise in 'The Chronicles of Riddick'.
t:

 

[Snow Queen]

Joss Whedon's Boba Fett would go from barely talking badass to bad snarky one liners every five seconds.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

And you lost me at Karen Traviss. She did her part to ruin the old Star Wars EU with her nonsense.

 

[The Face]

And you lost me at Karen Traviss. She did her part to ruin the old Star Wars EU with her nonsense.

I only mentioned Traviss because she seems to have a passion for the source material that would be needed to make Mandalorian film work. I admit to not haivng read her stuff but I know she's a big Fandalorian.
If you can think of a writer who'd do a better job I'd be more then happy to hear it. I love the Mandalorians so a good book about them would be great.

 

[Sithborg]

I only mentioned Traviss because she seems to have a passion for the source material that would be needed to make Mandalorian film work. I admit to not haivng read her stuff but I know she's a big Fandalorian.
If you can think of a writer who'd do a better job I'd be more then happy to hear it. I love the Mandalorians so a good book about them would be great.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

Traviss has no love for the source material. Hell, 90% of her Mando stuff is retcons to previous stuff. Yet, she gets pissy when others retcon her stuff. Hell, she freaking hates the fairly simplistic good vs evil tale of the Saga. I mean, this is a woman who flat out calls any fan of the Jedi, Nazis. Hell, the big, epic final battle of a fan favorite character, to be killed as the turning point of him becoming a Sith Lord, was not a lightsaber battle. Though, it was sheer comedy to see the fight between her and another author on how to characterize a Sith Lord (here's a hint, one is Vader, another is hero of the soldier).

She took what was a nomadic race of mercenaries, and turned them into Klingon farmers. The ideal society. Give me the New Mandos and Death Watch any day.

Still pissed that she had the gall to have Luke Skywalker wonder "What Would Boba Fett Do?"

 

[The Face]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

Traviss has no love for the source material. Hell, 90% of her Mando stuff is retcons to previous stuff. Yet, she gets pissy when others retcon her stuff. Hell, she freaking hates the fairly simplistic good vs evil tale of the Saga. I mean, this is a woman who flat out calls any fan of the Jedi, Nazis. Hell, the big, epic final battle of a fan favorite character, to be killed as the turning point of him becoming a Sith Lord, was not a lightsaber battle. Though, it was sheer comedy to see the fight between her and another author on how to characterize a Sith Lord (here's a hint, one is Vader, another is hero of the soldier).

She took what was a nomadic race of mercenaries, and turned them into Klingon farmers. The ideal society. Give me the New Mandos and Death Watch any day.

Still pissed that she had the gall to have Luke Skywalker wonder "What Would Boba Fett Do?"

Yikes! I knew she was a bit weird but...Yikes!

 

[Sithborg]

She is just wrong for Star Wars. As pretty much evidenced when they tried to get her to work on the main series. The first of her three books was okay. But, then the creative differences between one of the other authors in the three author group broke down. BADLY.

She's not a bad author, but a terrible fit. It was a very good thing that she moved onto Gears of War.

 

[godisawesome]

Okay, so with the Protector of Concord Dawn episode in Star Wars Rebels, we have an official structure for Mandalorian hierarchy during and before the Film era:

Traditionally, individual Mandalorian warriors are members of family based clans, such as Sabine's Clan Wren, and these clans pledge loyalty to the extremely powerful Houses, like House Vizsla and House Kryze. At the top of the food chain is the ruler of Mandalore and his bodyguard, the Protectors. At the time of the Empire's occupation, they have installed a friendly leader to rule Mandalore as part of their "soft occupation", the Protectors are deployed to run the Concord Dawn system instead of as his bodyguards, and the Death Watch and its House Vizsla are regarded as traitors. Thanks to Rebel aggressive negotiations, the Protectors have now been made reluctant allies to the Rebels.

Also, we now see that not only do the Mandalorians live on a war ravaged Mandalore in cube cities, but that Concord Dawn is also litterally shattered on one side. I think it'd be awesome to see Mandalorian civil wars between the various Houses and clans.

 

[The Big G]

Also, we now see that not only do the Mandalorians live on a war ravaged Mandalore in cube cities, but that Concord Dawn is also litterally shattered on one side. I think it'd be awesome to see Mandalorian civil wars between the various Houses and clans.

A Game of Mandos

As mentioned by GIA, I like the moral Tribal Mandos myself. And I'm a guy who doesn't think Traviss's works were that bad...except she chugged that Fando Kool Aid like a college frat boy doing a keg stand.

But joking aside...IF they wanted to do a Mando movie....they should take inspiration from Game of Thrones/War of the Roses and do the Mando Civil War.

You have House Vizla vs House Kryze and give us old fan boys a House Meerel as a third party.

We find ourselves in the later years of the Mando Civil War. Mandolore has been ravaged. Many great houses and clans have been wiped out. The last two are the Kryze and Vizla. We find that both sides are trying to get help from the Republic (Kryze) and House Meerel, an exiled house that has been reduced to a nomadic mercenary force. Ultimately it ends in a giant clash of Mando's vs a squad of Jedi and House Meerel is wiped out save for a young solider by the name of Jango, House Vizla is exiled to Concordia and House Kyrze takes control and the "New Mandalore" government comes into power.

Get Jon Favreau to direct (he voiced Pre Vizla in TCW) and he brings Scarlet Johannson as a younger Bo-Katan or maybe Bo-Katan and Satine's Mom. The Fan Boys go wild. Action figures sell like coke in the 80s. Get Daniel Logan to play a young Jango, Manu Bennet as Jaster Mereel. Have The Rock or Jason Momoa as the head of House Vizla. You keep the SJWs from going nuts, you got some badass actors. And Disney rakes in the cash.

 

[godisawesome]

A Game of Mandos

As mentioned by GIA, I like the moral Tribal Mandos myself. And I'm a guy who doesn't think Traviss's works were that bad...except she chugged that Fando Kool Aid like a college frat boy doing a keg stand.

But joking aside...IF they wanted to do a Mando movie....they should take inspiration from Game of Thrones/War of the Roses and do the Mando Civil War.

You have House Vizla vs House Kryze and give us old fan boys a House Meerel as a third party.

We find ourselves in the later years of the Mando Civil War. Mandolore has been ravaged. Many great houses and clans have been wiped out. The last two are the Kryze and Vizla. We find that both sides are trying to get help from the Republic (Kryze) and House Meerel, an exiled house that has been reduced to a nomadic mercenary force. Ultimately it ends in a giant clash of Mando's vs a squad of Jedi and House Meerel is wiped out save for a young solider by the name of Jango, House Vizla is exiled to Concordia and House Kyrze takes control and the "New Mandalore" government comes into power.

Get Jon Favreau to direct (he voiced Pre Vizla in TCW) and he brings Scarlet Johannson as a younger Bo-Katan or maybe Bo-Katan and Satine's Mom. The Fan Boys go wild. Action figures sell like coke in the 80s. Get Daniel Logan to play a young Jango, Manu Bennet as Jaster Mereel. Have The Rock or Jason Momoa as the head of House Vizla. You keep the SJWs from going nuts, you got some badass actors. And Disney rakes in the cash.

If I can offer some expansion pack ideas to this, I'd have it be more than House Kryze vs House Vizsla with Mereel as a side house; I'd have six or seven other great houses mentioned, like Kusp and Ordo, and even have it clear that colony worlds like Concord Dawn, Shogun, and Kuar are involved with their non-Mando groups.

And I think I'd make the Jedi involvement start occurring earlier. Have Jinn and Kenobi glimpsed as they get the job of protecting Satine, but maybe also show Jinn or Dooku reluctantly negotiating a deal wherein the True Mandalorians (portrayed as more of a PMC with ambiguous Mandalorian status, so I'd drop the House Mereel idea and make Tor Vizsla kind of racist against Concord Dawn natives) will fight the Death Watch on the New Mandalorians behalf.

And I think it'd be better to see rebellious elements of House Vizsla that join the New Mandalorians or True Mandalorians and lose their last name.

 

[The Big G]

If I can offer some expansion pack ideas to this, I'd have it be more than House Kryze vs House Vizsla with Mereel as a side house; I'd have six or seven other great houses mentioned, like Kusp and Ordo, and even have it clear that colony worlds like Concord Dawn, Shogun, and Kuar are involved with their non-Mando groups.

And I think I'd make the Jedi involvement start occurring earlier. Have Jinn and Kenobi glimpsed as they get the job of protecting Satine, but maybe also show Jinn or Dooku reluctantly negotiating a deal wherein the True Mandalorians (portrayed as more of a PMC with ambiguous Mandalorian status, so I'd drop the House Mereel idea and make Tor Vizsla kind of racist against Concord Dawn natives) will fight the Death Watch on the New Mandalorians behalf.

And I think it'd be better to see rebellious elements of House Vizsla that join the New Mandalorians or True Mandalorians and lose their last name.

1. We would definitely here about the other clans/houses. Gotta give the fans some easter eggs.

2. I thought hard about how to use the Jedi. Use them too late...and it comes off as Deus Ex Machina. Use them too much and it takes away from the heart of it. I think a Dooku/Komari Vosa led squad stepping in at the end works best. And obviously you reference Jinn and Kenobi at one point.

Also I thought it might be a more interesting idea for Jaster to be the last Meerel. And old exiled house long thought extinct. He comes in trying to retake Mandalore with his army. Forcing Vizla and Kryze to join forces. The Jedi Squad comes in and Meerel and co falls.