The Unprecedented Boba Fett Movie that Disney's TV Disaster Couldn't Measure Up To

Despite the controversy surrounding The Book of Boba Fett, it appears that the original Boba Fett movie, which was initially planned before the switch to a series, would have been executed more effectively. Originally announced in 2013, changes in directors and the introduction of Disney+ led to the abandonment of the movie in favor of a streaming series connected to The Mandalorian and other shows in the New Republic Era. This decision created several problems for the show that could have been avoided if they had continued with the standalone feature film directed by James Mangold. Although The Book of Boba Fett is entertaining, with Temuera Morrison reprising his role as Boba Fett and showcasing his survival from a sarlacc pit, the series struggled to maintain its focus on the renowned bounty hunter-turned-crime lord. Certain episodes did not feature Fett at all and instead focused on other characters from The Mandalorian, such as Din Djarin, Grogu, Ahsoka Tano, and Luke Skywalker. This issue would not have arisen if Disney and Lucasfilm had stuck with their original plan for a standalone feature film.

Star Wars' Boba Fett Movie Would've Been R-Rated, Standalone & Made By James Mangold: How That Improves Things

Mangold's recent comments reveal that his original vision for a Boba Fett film was significantly grittier and more serious, verging on an R-rated level. This would have allowed for a stronger tone and showcased Boba Fett as the infamous bounty hunter he is known to be. In comparison, The Book of Boba Fett portrayed the character in a relatively milder manner.

Furthermore, a standalone Boba Fett movie with a "single-planet Spaghetti Western" approach would have avoided the issue of excessive cameos and fan service that plagued The Book of Boba Fett series. In addition, Mangold's involvement as the director would have been a substantial improvement, given his style that is more suited to the Star Wars universe than the current director, Robert Rodriguez. This is evident from Lucasfilm's continued interest in collaborating with Mangold, as seen in their announcement of the in-development film, Dawn of the Jedi.

Why Star Wars' Boba Fett Movie Was Canceled & Became A TV Show Instead

Following the unsuccessful attempt to develop a Boba Fett movie with director Josh Trank in 2014, new updates emerged in May 2018. James Mangold was in talks to take over as the director, but the plans fell through a few months later. The focus then shifted to The Mandalorian series, which was set to premiere on Disney+ in 2019. The success of the show led to the development of The Book of Boba Fett series instead of a movie. A similar decision was made for the Obi-Wan Kenobi series, originally intended as a feature film.

Lucasfilm's change in direction towards series rather than movies could be attributed to the underperformance of Solo: A Star Wars Story at the box office. Additionally, there was a strong push to provide new content for the Disney+ streaming platform. Interestingly, there seems to be a recent shift back towards bringing Star Wars back to the big screen, indicating a change in Lucasfilm and Disney's approach. Nevertheless, it's intriguing to consider what could have happened if Boba Fett had indeed received his own R-rated standalone movie, as initially planned for the formidable bounty hunter.