Eight years in the past at present, on March 8, 2018, a Star Wars announcement slipped beneath the radar as a result of it appeared unremarkable on the time. Yet, that information wound up reshaping the franchise in a approach that’s nonetheless being felt at present and will proceed to have affect for years to come. Here’s why wanting again reveals that second to be a turning level that redefined the beloved saga.
Lucasfilm Announced Jon Favreau Would Lead the Show That Became ‘The Mandalorian’ 8 Years Ago Today
Jon Favreau attends a “Star Wars: The Mandalorian” interview in entrance of an viewers.Photo by Juan Naharro Gimenez/Getty Images for Disney
(Photo by Juan Naharro Gimenez/Getty Images for Disney)
On March 8, 2018, Star Wars’ official web site introduced that Jon Favreau could be executive producing and writing a new live-action series in a galaxy far, far away. Before that, Favreau had labored with Disney because the director of films like Iron Man and the live-action model of The Jungle Book. He’d additionally voiced Pre Vizsla in The Clone Wars and had a small voice position in Solo: A Star Wars Story. Still, it was the primary time he was taking the helm of a main Star Wars undertaking.
Despite Favreau’s earlier Hollywood successes, no one may have predicted that announcement would have such a large impression. After all, particulars had been sparse as the one issues that had been revealed on the time had been that a live-action sequence was within the works and Favreau was excited. “If you told me at 11 years old that I would be getting to tell stories in the Star Wars universe, I wouldn’t have believed you. I can’t wait to embark upon this exciting adventure.”
How Jon Favreau Creating ‘The Mandalorian’ Changed ‘Star Wars’
Star Wars cosplayer Jose Lagunas as a Mandalorian poses with the duplicate of the character Grogu throughout a Star Wars cosplay photoshoot.Photo by Daniel Knighton/Getty Images
(Photo by Daniel Knighton/Getty Images)
When The Mandalorian was launched, it grew to become a large hit on Disney+ and sparked a merchandising frenzy round “Baby Yoda,” the character later revealed to be named Grogu. Ultimately, the present Favreau created and ran with Dave Filoni has been a runaway success. However, Star Wars has had loads of hits earlier than, as a look on the sequence’ field workplace historical past reveals. The purpose that Favreau shepherding The Mandalorian into changing into a mammoth success was transformative for the franchise is as a result of it grew to become a large hit in a new approach for the saga.
In 1978, Star Wars content material was produced for tv for the primary time with the filming of The Star Wars Holiday Special. In the a long time since then, the franchise has had a tv presence on and off. For instance, throughout the Nineteen Eighties, sequence like Star Wars: Ewoks and Star Wars: Droids aired. More lately, The Clone Wars grew to become a beloved present that has legions of devoted followers.
Still, it was The Mandalorian premiering on Disney+ that proved the franchise may ship live-action and formidable tales at a scaled-down, however related, stage to the films. Since then, Star Wars has arguably grow to be extra of a tv franchise than the rest, because it has principally gone lacking from film theaters. The Mandalorian’s affect additionally led instantly to arguably the best Star Wars project in decades, Andor. Now, that quiet announcement from eight years in the past will quickly carry the saga again to film theaters when The Mandalorian and Grogu will be released on May 22, 2026.
Looking again at that game-changing announcement looking back makes its watershed standing apparent.
This story was initially revealed by Men’s Journal on Mar 9, 2026, the place it first appeared within the News part. Add Men’s Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
