Lucasfilm President and Chief Creative Officer Dave Filoni and Director Jon Favreau share the deep connection between Star Wars and Disney Parks in a new Disney+ documentary.
The process of bringing the characters of The Mandalorian to Disney Parks, as a part of Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, started years ago on the set of the series, when Director Jon Favreau invited Disney Imagineers to see Grogu in action.
In fact, Lucasfilm President and Chief Creative Officer Dave Filoni and Favreau worked with Disney Imagineers to update Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run with characters from The Mandalorian, at the same time the BDX droids that roam Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, made an appearance in The Mandalorian and Grogu. “There are several different generations of Star Wars fans and all have different interests,” says Filoni. “We always look at how we are going to serve those different interests and — most importantly — how do we bring everyone together because we all have a common love of Star Wars. I think the park is a great place to do that.”
Favreau recognizes he has a unique role in building onto the legacy of Star Wars, a galaxy he fell in love with as a child. "I've been fortunate enough to be the steward of worlds that have come before and evolve them. That's a very specific type of worldbuilding," Favreau says in Disney Worldbuilders, a new documentary now on Disney+.
Both Filoni and Favreau say new Star Wars stories must honor a mix of the old and the new, which in many cases includes preserving what made the franchise so popular while incorporating new technology. And Star Wars creator George Lucas, who served as a key mentor for Filoni, is well-known for helping usher in new technological breakthroughs, not unlike Walt Disney, the dreamer behind Disneyland.
"People think of Disney or Disneyland as nostalgic," says Favreau, "but it's difficult to keep in mind how cutting edge all of that technology was when it was presented to the public." Part of maintaining the Star Wars and Disneyland magic, while also moving it forward, relies on understanding that multiple generations of fans have grown up seeing Star Wars films and visiting Disney Parks.
In addition to enjoying seeing strangers experience Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, Filoni also finds inspiration visiting the parks, especially on trips with Favreau.
"We always come out of it excited," says Filoni. “Walking into Galaxy’s Edge is incredible every time I go, and one of the greatest things is seeing other people reacting to it. You take in these moments of joy that people have seeing the Millennium Falcon there in reality…It completely affects the way you do your job. You leave the park at the end of the day feeling ‘I’m back in touch with what initially I loved about this’ because of people being in that galaxy with you.
“It’s very special to me and makes me feel like a kid again,” he continues. “That’s what the park itself gives you — this energy and commitment to play and imagination. You can’t get that anywhere else.”
Watch Disney Worldbuilders and Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu now on Disney+.
