Don’t call it a comeback: Jon Favreau to write and executive produce the live-action Star Wars series
By Buckie Wells
Iron Man and The Jungle Book director Jon Favreau will head to a galaxy far, far away to write and executive produce a live-action Star Wars series.
Aside from Marvel’s Kevin Feige, I can’t think of anyone else behind the camera who is as ingratiated in its core as Jon Favreau. Though he helped launch the MCU and reshape Robert Downey Jr.’s image, Favreau eventually split with the studio.
Since Marvel has become the most lucrative blockbuster machine around, it seemed like Favreau may have made a mistake. Except, he didn’t.
Instead, he went on to direct live-action/CGI films for Disney, one of which nearly made a billion dollars at the box office while the other snagged freakin’ Beyoncé.
Now, Favreau is heading to the only studio that could upstage Marvel, really. Lucasfilm, of course.
After guest appearances in The Clone Wars animated series and Solo: A Star Wars Story, Favreau will executive produce and write a live-action Star Wars series. Obviously, the series will debut on Disney’s new digital platform that serves as the next step in Disney’s not-so-secret plan to monopolize the media and content we consume.
As Kathleen Kennedy said in the official statement:
"“I couldn’t be more excited about Jon coming on board to produce and write for the new direct-to-consumer platform. This series will allow Jon the chance to work with a diverse group of writers and directors and give Lucasfilm the opportunity to build a robust talent base.”"
While, yes, this would make him yet another white man hired by Kennedy, Favreau has certainly earned his place at Lucasfilm. If he’s been hopping from Marvel to Disney and back to Marvel (as Happy Hogan) just biding his time before taking his place in Star Wars, I’m happy he’s made it. Especially if it means he’s going to deliver a quality live-action TV series.
What I like most about Favreau, and think he demonstrates very well in his recent projects, is authenticity. For The Jungle Book, he put Neel Sethi in the lead role, a basically unknown actor of Indian descent. The cast he brought together for The Lion King is also predominantly black.
So, at least we can trust him to deliver some diverse casting in lead roles and not as token characters.
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The live-actions series won’t debut anytime soon, but Solo: A Star Wars Story hits theaters in May. Then, The Lion King will release in 2019 and Star Wars Land opens at the Disney parks next year, too. Fortunately, we have a lot of Favreau and Star Wars content to tide us over until then.