James Mangold To Direct Star Wars Movie About The First Jedi

The film revolves around the first Jedi to wield the Force.

James Mangold (left) and Dave Filoni onstage during the studio panel at Star Wars Celebration 2023. (Photo by Kate Green/Getty Images for Disney)

As a part of the theatrical portion of the Lucasfilm Studio Showcase, James Mangold (Logan) took to the stage to discuss his freshly-announced Star Wars movie. Mangold’s was one of three films announced today, and is going to bring us to a new part of the galaxy far far away, more so a new time. Mangold’s film, while currently untitled, is set in the furthest back place on the timeline we’ve visited thus far, titled Dawn of the Jedi, set ~25,000 years before the Skywalker Saga. We don’t know much about the film aside from its main focus: the first Jedi to ever wield the force. While this leaves the film’s topic generally open-ended, it’s likely that the film focuses on the creation of the Jedi temple on Ahch-to, and the people who created it.

(L-R): Helena (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) and Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) in Lucasfilm's INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY. ©2023 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.

For Mangold, the film is being developed as a “biblical epic,” similar to the Planet of the Apes films by Matt Reeves. On top of this, Mangold debuted new footage from Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, showing audiences a new trailer and a six-minute chase sequence from the middle of the film in its entirety. Additionally, Mangold (and James Gunn) confirmed that he’d be writing and directing the Swamp Thing movie for DC Studios, giving him an incredibly full slate for the next few years, releasing films in the Indiana Jones, Star Wars, and DC franchises.

Mangold’s film is still in development and is unlikely to be released at any time before December 2025. For more updates from Star Wars Celebration, make sure to follow us on Twitter for live updates of the weekend’s biggest panels and announcements.