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Dave Filoni: "Little Things Along the Way" Set Up The Mandalorian Film

Dave Filoni shared some thoughts on his upcoming Star Wars/The Mandalorian film, including how past threads will begin tying together.

As fans of the Lucasfilm & Disney+ streaming series side of the "Star Wars" universe learned during Star Wars Celebration: London, Dave Filoni is spearheading a big-screen "Avengers: Endgame"-like team-up involving the series that populate his and Jon Favreau's post-"Return of the Jedi" "The Mandalorian" universe (The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka & Skeleton Crew). In the current issue of Empire, Filoni discusses what fans can expect from the film, the need to go big when moving to the big screen, and planting the seeds for some defining moments. Here's a look at some of the highlights:

Will the Film Wrap-Up Storylines or Have Its Own Story? "The way I look at it, there are [small] stories, and then there's the big story of the day, too. 'A New Hope,' 'Empire,' and 'Return Of The Jedi' tell the important parts of the tale that really define the history of the period. There are all kinds of sub-stories underneath that. We've been building all these small stories."

Moving to The Big Screen Means "Defining Moments" Are A Must: "To me, a theatrical experience has to have a big idea – a monumental moment in the time period that changes what's happening. What Tony [Gilroy] has done [in Andor] and what we did in 'Rebels,' everything then changes when Luke blows up the Death Star. You're looking for those moments that define an era, and that's what the films really should be about – whether it's characters coming together or a defining moment."

Filoni's Been Leaving Clues to What's to Come "Across Different Mediums" for Some Time: "There are little things along the way that I've built across different mediums, all in preparation for things that come later."

Jon Favreau Discusses The Mandalorian Universe Film

Based on what Favreau had to share during EW's Dagobah Dispatch podcast, fans of the expanded "Star Wars" universe (comic books, novels, video games, etc.) might also have some familiar faces to look forward to seeing on the big screen, too. In the following highlights, Favreau explains why he and Filoni are interested in looking beyond the films & series, the importance of tapping into their "inner child" when mapping out the film, and how every decision about a character needs to serve the story – and not vice-versa.

Favreau Grew Up with Expanded "Star Wars" Universe: "When I was younger, we didn't have movies, but there were comic books, there were novels, things that are encompassed in the [expanded universe] or Legends. Clearly, there are decisions that have to be made to fit it all together, but for us, I think one thing we're in agreement about is that the characters — as special as they are — the story has to drive what characters are."

For Favreau, It's About Thinking as a Kid: "We joke that it's like we're playing with action figures, like, 'What's in the box? Let's play with what's in the box!' And that's what you do when you're playing, and you're a kid."

It Still Comes Down to The Story, First: "As we are getting deeper and deeper into this, you start to have to really map things out and figure out what that story is, and then have those characters fulfill what their growth cycle is and what their mythic hero's journey is. Those things have to fit together well. Otherwise, it won't feel like 'Star Wars.'" As Favreau sees it, that's a philosophy that "Star Wars" creator George Lucas would appreciate: "That's always been George's base. He's a student of Joseph Campbell. How does it fit into the narrative that has the hero's journey? And so as we have more and more characters line up, you have to figure out how those characters are arcing and if it feels ultimately like a Star Wars story."

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