Prepare the Bantha Surprise!
Prepare the Bantha Surprise! Jon Favreau is ready to celebrate Life Day with a new Star Wars Holiday Special.
While speaking with ET backstage at the 45th annual Saturn Awards over the weekend, Favreau expressed interest in a new iteration of the once-aired, and notoriously panned, 1978 television event.
"I would love to do a Holiday Special," Favreau said before looking directly to camera to address fans: "If you want to see a Holiday Special, let Disney+ know."
For those unfamiliar, The Star Wars Holiday Special is a delightful mess and somewhat of a cult classic. It follows the story of Chewbacca and Han Solo making their way to the Wookiee planet of Kashyyyk to spend "Life Day" with Chewie’s family. For some unknown reason, there are musical performances from Carrie Fisher, Bea Arthur and Jefferson Starship. A lot happens. It aired once, was never rebroadcast, and only manages to exist today via bootleg copies.
Still, the Holiday Special holds an important significance in Star Wars lore, as a cartoon segment in the special serves as the official on-screen introduction of Boba Fett.
Yes, Boba Fett was introduced in this thing. Consequently, the Holiday Special serves as a surprisingly notable influence on The Mandalorian, the upcoming live-action Star Wars series executive produced by Favreau.
"I love The Holiday Special -- certain sequences more than others," said the director and producer. "I love the introduction of Boba Fett and that rifle that he had. That animated piece still holds up. It's pretty cool. I draw inspiration from that."
Another inspiring character for Favreau lies in Cara Dune, played by Gina Carano, who was on hand at the Saturn Awards to present Favreau with the Visionary Award.
"She's just incredibly fun to watch on screen," Favreau said of Carano, who makes her Star Wars universe debut in The Mandalorian. "When she falls into action mode, she's such a wonderful athlete. All of her training and background bring this authenticity to her performance on the screen."
The Mandalorian comes to Disney+ on Nov. 12.
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