'The Mandalorian and Grogu': Director explains reason for turning series into film and Martin Scorsese's 'luxury participation'

Jon Favreau gives details about the new 'Star Wars' and talks about his dream of directing a film in the saga
"The Mandalorian and Grogu", the new film in the Star Wars saga, was born shortly after the Hollywood writers' strike in 2023. As a result of the series "The Mandalorian", starring Pedro Pascal, the film took shape after the strike prevented the sequel to the fourth season. The script, already ready, was discarded and the creator of the series was chosen to create a feature film that addressed the universe of the series.
But how to transform a series that is going well, heading towards a new season, into a new film of one of the biggest sagas in the history of cinema?
To g1, Jon Favreau, creator of "The Mandalorian" and director of "The Mandalorian and Grogu", explained what his main challenges were in the last three years.
According to the director, his main focus was to transform the universe of the series, designed for TV, into a cinematic experience.
Jon Favreau during the recording of 'Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grgou'
Disclosure/Disney
"In the TV series, we had to deliver eight episodes in a year. In the film, we had two hours and three years. So I could really get my hands dirty. We had an entire studio full of stages where we could build big sets for IMAX", he explains.
"In a series you assume that everyone has seen everything that came before. But in a film, there's a whole generation of young people who weren't even old enough to see Star Wars" when it was last in the cinema. So we wanted to make sure we could invite new fans, so they didn't need to know anything about 'The Mandalorian' or even 'Star Wars.'"
This idea led to the film becoming a kind of filler for the series, an episode that fills the season of a series without developing its main plot or the characters' stories (read the full review here).
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No pressure to direct a 'Star Wars'
'The Mandalorian and Grogu' is not the film that 'Star Wars' was looking for
Jon Favreau is extremely friendly. During the five minutes of conversation, he made a point of mentioning Brazil - and the participation of Brazilian stuntman Lateef Crowder -, his adventures in other films. and began the conversation, held during CCXP México, saying that he was very comfortable.
"They are treating me well in Mexico City, I am being fed very well here", he joked.
The simplicity comes from a director whose CV includes films such as "Iron Man", "Chef" and the live action films "The Jungle Book" and "The Lion King". Marvel.
However, "Star Wars" is different from anything else.
Pedro Pascal in a scene from 'The Mandalorian and Grogu'
Disclosure
Favreau said that his dream of being a director was born out of his admiration for the saga. But, upon receiving the invitation to direct a film in the series he created, he was not nervous about the pressure of being responsible for the film that returns "Star Wars" to the big screen. 2019.
"I think I feel more responsibility than pressure. Everyone loves "Star Wars" so much that it's very difficult to do anything in secret. Anyone who grew up watching this franchise cares a lot about it. So that's the responsibility I feel."
The 'friend' Martin Scorsese
Favreau began his life as an actor, having participated in series ("Friends", "Seinfeld") and films ("Somebody's Gotta Give", "The Marriage Break Up) and voiced in other films.
In 2013, he made a very brief appearance in "The Wolf of Wall Street", a film directed by Martin Scorsese, who is part of the team of dubbing for "The Mandalorian and Grogu".
But, contrary to what common sense leads us to believe, Scorsese's participation in the film more than 10 years ago didn't do much to create a bridge between the two.
"I didn't have that kind of relationship where I could call him and say 'Hey, make a movie for me'", says Favreau.
Character who was voiced by Martin Scorsese in 'Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu'
Reproduction/YouTube
In fact, the person who made the bridge was Kathy Kennedy, former president of Lucasfilm - she was a friend of Scorsese.
The director gave voice to a character who, in exchange for some coins, gives secret information that helps Din Djarin fulfill his mission.
"He was a genius from the beginning and working with him was fantastic. It's really impressive what they were able to do with that voice performance, it was something that inspired the character's appearance and even the movements. Everything about this film was amazing, but that character in particular is one of the things I enjoyed watching the most."

Source: G1