By James White | Posted 24 May 2018

Though we'd known for a while that Lucasfilm and Disney had been making plans for a Boba Fett Star Wars spin-off film, the idea that it would end up being written and directed by Logan's James Mangold had not, we admit, crossed our minds. But, according to The Hollywood Reporter, that's exactly what is happening.

Naturally, it's early days and something could still happen to derail this idea, but it's certainly a tempting blend of character and filmmaker. What part of Fett's story will be told remains to be seen (probably not him spending time in the Sarlacc's belly, that would just be depressing unless it's secretly a swanky nightspot), and we have, of course, seen a version of his origin in the prequels.

Mostly what we're hoping for here is a Mangold-driven story of Fett as a bounty hunter, thinking on his feet, chasing down criminals (and the odd hero) and generally being the badass we always hoped he'd be when we first met him in The Empire Strikes Back. Fett's life has been chronicled in various books and comics, but with Lucasfilm's commitment to largely avoiding those, we'll see if any influences seep in.

The potential Fett film is just one of several bubbling away in the development broth at Lucasfilm, with Stephen Daldry still aiming to lock down a deal for an Obi-Wan movie. And the most recent, real spin-off, Solo: A Star Wars Story, has just arrived in cinemas.

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