The Mandalorian Makes a Promise He Must Keep
The Disney Plus original series The Mandalorian is the first live-action series set in the Star Wars universe in a galaxy far, far away. But it's not your grandfather's Star Wars at all.
Created by Jon Favreau (Iron Man 2, The Lion King), the Mandalorian walks, talks and shoots in the series like a Hollywood Western. He is a bounty hunter who, during the post-imperial economic turbulence, makes his money from gas. The role of the Mandalorian is played by Pedro Pascal (Game of Thrones and Narcos).
There is clear inspiration for the Mandalorian character: the iconic cowboy, the man with no name, from Sergio Leone's Dollars trilogy. But the show's small-screen storytelling falls short of such mythical proportions. Pascal's armored hunter looks more like Clint Eastwood during his 1950s TV stardom.
The Mandalorian may be the breed of Western for a generation that barely remembers Rick Dalton's heyday. "Chapter 1" finds the Mandalorian at work, arguing with a wanted Mithril. The trailer features single-line punches and headbutts, behind-the-scenes shots, and an encounter with a frozen space worm before the target is frozen in carbonite. The scenes aren't as spectacular as the X-Wing battle, but the danger fits the small screen.
As a fan of old westerns, I see the potential of a plugin and game for The Mandalorian.