Star Wars has never been shy about paying homage to other classic film and TV genres. Heck, the very first film took heavy and intentional inspiration from Flash Gordon and classic Akira Kurosawa samurai films (particularly The Hidden Fortress), and now it's become one of the most humongous and instantly recognizable brands in the world. So it should come as no surprise that the franchise has retained that knack even to this day, up to and including the upcoming Disney Plus series The Book of Boba Fett.
However, rather than the swashbuckling action and distinct visual flair of the other sources Star Wars has tended to draw from, it seems that showrunner Jon Favreau has something a little more gritty in mind this time around. Boba Fett is, after all, a full-time resident of the criminal underworld. So classic Star Wars tales of a hero's journey don't really mesh well with the kinds of stories one would expect from the man in the Mandalorian armor.
In a recent interview with Empire, Favreau elaborated on the setting of The Book of Boba Fett and how it fits into the Star Wars universe. "There is a power vacuum... because Jabba is gone," he said, reiterating the time frame that sets the show just after Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. "Jabba was clearly a very strong and imposing leader, who people were very scared of, and who seemed to rule with an iron fist. You pull somebody like that out of the ecosystem of Tatooine – and Hutt Space in general – and you have the opportunity that’s ripe in the gangster genre."
That's right. This time, the inspiration comes from not heroic tales of daring deeds, but seedy gangster stories that would make The Godfather's Corleone family feel right at home. Granted, this won't be a story about "keeping the family together" or anything like that. Boba is bound to have his work cut out for him if he wants to rule in that world, especially since this is something very different from his normal fare. "Although Boba Fett is a very experienced bounty hunter, he's not experienced at running a criminal syndicate or managing forces," Favreau continued. "He's not normally a newcomer. He's an expert as we see him in most areas. But in this case, he's trying to transition to another position."
There's something truly exciting about seeing a new high-profile Star Wars project in a style that many wouldn't expect from the series. That's part of the reason why Star Wars: Visions resonated with so many people. Sure, some of its own entries took inspiration from almost the exact same sources that George Lucas did when creating that world (like Kurosawa films). But the execution is where they stood out, introducing viewers to brand new ideas that injected more life into the franchise they'd already grown to love.
When The Book of Boba Fett premieres, it looks like it will serve a double purpose. First, there's some long-time wish fulfillment for those who've loved Fett since The Empire Strikes Back. But now it will shake things up a bit with its gangster-inspired vibe. Just like how The Mandalorian pulled off a space western and brought in legions of new fans, maybe this one will do the same for people who really like gabagool.
The Book of Boba Fett will premiere on December 29th, 2021, on Disney Plus.
Source: Empire