The Mandalorian: The Advice George Lucas Gave Jon Favreau

George Lucas may not be very involved with the ever-expanding Star Wars galaxy these days, but that didn't stop him from offering a few words of Jedi-like wisdom to Jon Favreau about the upcoming Star Wars series The Mandalorian. 

For a recent interview with GQ Middle East, Favreau took a few moments out of his busy schedule to talk about the status of The Mandalorian, noting his desire to take the first live-action Star Wars series back to the heart of what made the original movies so popular, a desire that led him to reach out to George Lucas himself. 

"We had a long talk with each other. One thing he said to me was, 'Remember, Jon, the real audience for all stories and all myths is the kids that are coming of age,' because he's really a Joseph Campbell adherent," said Favreau.

Wise words indeed from the mind that birthed the Star Wars galaxy to begin with. Of particular interest is Favreau's note that Lucas is a fan of Joseph Campbell, and that the author's take on a hero's character arc — chiefly that a hero needs to learn and change throughout the course of an adventure — influenced Lucas' approach to such arcs in his Star Wars films. Lucas' insistence that such stories should also directly appeal to the minds of "kids that are coming of age" is certain to jump out at other fans who are wondering just how kid-friendly The Mandalorian series will be when it hits the Disney+ streaming platform. 

For his part, Favreau offered a few of his own insights on the matter: "We enjoy the stories as adults, but really, storytelling is about imparting the wisdom of the previous generations on to the children who are becoming adults, and giving them a context for how to behave and how to learn the lessons of the past without making the mistakes on their own. That's the hope, that you can teach them how to avoid all the hardship but garner all the wisdom." 

That may not shed much light on exactly what's ahead with The Mandalorian, but it certainly makes it sound like Favreau and co. have their sights set on delivering high-minded adventures with the upcoming Star Wars series. We'll just have to wait and see how PG those adventures actually are.

What we know about The Mandalorian is that the series will unfold in the outer rims of the galaxy, and it will be set in the narrative gray area between the fall of the Galactic Empire in Return of the Jedi and the rise of the First Order in The Force Awakens. The series will also follow the adventures of gunslinging loner, and that the titular character (played by beloved Game of Thrones alum Pedro Pascal) may or may not have ties to nefarious bounty hunters like Jango and Boba Fett.

We also know that Pascal will be joined on screen with a stellar cast of supporting players, including the likes of Gina Carano (Haywire), Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul), Nick Nolte, Werner Herzog, Carl Weathers, and current Thor mastermind Taika Waititi (who will voice a droid and also direct an episode of the series).

With a slew of big-time talent on board and now some sage advice from Star Wars creator George Lucas behind it, The Mandalorian is shaping up to be not just one of the most anticipated TV series of this (or any) year, but a genuinely fresh addition to the Star Wars galaxy at large. 

The Mandalorian will soar onto the Disney+ streaming platform on November 12, and has already been renewed for a second season. Here's hoping the first season lives up to the hype.