"Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Glogo" (directed by Jon Favreau), the first theatrical release in the "Star Wars" (SW) film series in seven years, is a hit, having surpassed 2.5 billion yen in box office revenue and attracting over 1.5 million viewers. We spoke with director Favreau, who also wrote the screenplay and co-produced the film, during his visit to Japan.
◇My father showed me "The Hidden Fortress," which made me hooked on Japanese films.
Director Favreau was born in 1966 in New York City. After graduating from university, he made his debut as an actor. In 1996, he released "Swingers," which he directed, wrote, produced, and starred in, and received critical acclaim. His directorial work, "Iron Man" (2008), was a success. While acting in Marvel Studios productions, he also directed hits such as "The Jungle Book" (2016) and "The Lion King" (2019). Since 2019, he has been directing, writing, and executive producing the original "Star Wars" drama series "The Mandalorian." He also voiced one of the Mandalorians in this series.
This film is said to have been heavily influenced by Japanese works, such as Akira Kurosawa's period dramas. When asked about Japanese influences, director Favreau began by saying, "It all started with my love for 'Star Wars'."
"I first saw 'Star Wars' when I was 10 years old. My father was very knowledgeable about it, and he said, 'Actually, it was influenced by Japanese films,' and took me to see Akira Kurosawa's 'The Hidden Fortress' (1958). He explained that 'Star Wars' was based on that film. I was still a child, so it was a rather challenging film to watch because it was in black and white and I had to read the subtitles, but I was able to understand it. I became interested in period dramas and Japanese samurai films, and I also watched Akira Kurosawa's 'Seven Samurai' (1954), and I was completely hooked on Japanese films."
How did you come across "Lone Wolf and Cub," which influenced this work?
"While writing the story, I learned that there was something similar in Japan, so I watched the original manga and the film adaptation. I think 'Lone Wolf and Cub' has a more innocent atmosphere, but I felt that the symbolism was very similar."
◇There are three actors playing the Mandalorian, with Pedro Pascal at the center. What are their roles?
This time, he came to Japan with Pedro Pascal, who played the Mandalorian. When asked about the appeal of Pascal's acting, he began by saying, "I have a unique and distinctive partnership with him."
"I write the script, and he records all of Mando's (the Mandalorian's) voice. We then create a previsualization (a simulation video) based on that voice, and decide which scenes Pedro will perform. Besides Pedro, there are two other actors who play Mando: Brendan Wayne (John Wayne's grandson) and Lateef Crowder. Lateef handles the action and stunt scenes, while Brendan handles the gun scenes and the piloting. That's how we decided who would perform which scenes. During the editing stage, we call Pedro back in, and the two of us discuss which actor is best suited for which scene. So Pedro is not just the lead actor, but also the backbone of the production team. You could say he's protecting the Mandalorian character, not just with his voice, but also with his acting. After watching all the cuts, he re-records his voice again."
◇A strong commitment to puppets and stop motion
One of the defining features of this film is its extensive use of puppetry, particularly for Grogu. While some parts of Grogu were filmed using CGI, the director reveals, "Even when using CGI, we had a rule to make the movements look like puppetry. There are some movements that are easier to create digitally. But actually, there are parts that were created digitally, but we decided to reshoot them using a Grogu puppet because we felt it was better to film them that way."
In scenes featuring giant droids (autonomous robots), one can sense a strong commitment to stop-motion animation.
"I went to Phil Tippett (an American stop-motion animator who worked on the early 'Star Wars' series) and asked for his cooperation. (The scenes I was particular about) were shot using stop-motion, so it actually took many years. I referenced the work of Harryhausen (known for films like 'The 7th Voyage of Sinbad' in 1958) and it couldn't be done without careful planning and execution. Everyone resisted when I said I wanted to do it. So I involved John Knoll (a film VFX supervisor at Industrial Light & Magic), went to Phil Tippett's studio in Berkeley, built huge miniature sets and robots, and we all had fun doing it like kids. There are parts that viewers don't realize aren't CG, so it seems they can't tell because it's done so well (laughs)."
◇Things you like can unconsciously influence you
The monsters that appeared in the arena were original monsters that had been chess pieces called "Dejariks" from the "Star Wars" series, and "they had been shrunk down as holograms, but were restored to their original gigantic form."
The giant white snake-like monster in the water was apparently inspired by the Star Wars animation. This film is packed with such delightful little details for Star Wars fans. There are also scenes that show the influence of Studio Ghibli works such as "My Neighbor Totoro."
"Lotta the Hutt's big mouth is just like Totoro's. Dave Filoni (the scriptwriter and producer) is a fan. I was also really happy about the collaboration between Grogoo and the Soot Sprites. I am very proud of that short film (the short animated film 'Zen: Grogoo and the Soot Sprites'). Ludwig Göransson, who composed the music, was also very moved."
He added, "I was also greatly influenced by 'The Dark Crystal' (directed by Jim Henson, 1982). It was a very ambitious film. I used a lot of similar techniques in this film. I was influenced by the model-making techniques of Phil Tippett, John Noel, and John Goodson. I've been influenced by all sorts of things I like, and although it may have been unconscious, I think that influence comes through (on screen)."
◇Some things make sense when viewed through the eyes of a Japanese person.
Director Favreau said, "I wrote the story with the idea of trying things on the big screen that I couldn't do in television." This film is the first in the "Star Wars" series to be produced as "Filmed For IMAX," allowing viewers to experience the movie with aspect ratios and on a large screen that can only be seen in IMAX.
"This is the first new Star Wars movie in seven years, so there are quite a few people who know the characters but haven't seen the series. Of course, those who are avid fans of the series will enjoy it, but we also wanted to make it a film that even complete newcomers can enjoy. In particular, there are kids around 10 to 12 years old who played with Star Wars toys but haven't seen the movies yet, and who were too young to see the previous Star Wars film. We really want those kinds of people to see it."
Addressing Japanese fans in particular, he said, "Like George Lucas, I've drawn a lot of inspiration from Japan. I felt the passion of Japanese fans at last year's 'Star Wars Celebration.' 'Star Wars' really fits in with Japan. I think there's something about it that resonates strongly when viewed through the eyes of Japanese people." He continued, "We've created a film that will be a great opportunity to create a new generation of Star Wars fans. The reason it has continued for 50 years since George Lucas started it is because it has gained new fan bases in this way. I think this film is a great opportunity for that new generation to see it. I hope that this film will serve as an entry point, and that people will also revisit the past films. I hope you will get on the ride on the great merry-go-round that is 'Star Wars.'"
◇ Box office revenue surpasses 2.5 billion yen, surpassing "Solo: A Star Wars Story".
The film "Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Glogo" is set after the death of Darth Vader and the collapse of the Empire. In a lawless galaxy, the Mandalorian, a solitary bounty hunter who perfectly completes any job while adhering to strict rules under the motto "Our Way," gradually develops a father-son-like bond with Glogo, the mischievous and gluttonous "The Child," who possesses immense Force powers, during their journey together. The story follows these two, bound by an unbreakable bond, as they confront their destiny to prevent a new war aimed at the resurgence of the Empire.
Released on May 22nd, the film topped the box office in Japan for three consecutive weeks. Now in its fourth week of release, as of June 16th, it has surpassed 2.5 billion yen in box office revenue and attracted over 1.5 million viewers. This surpasses the 2.14 billion yen box office revenue of "Solo: A Star Wars Story," released in 2018. Worldwide box office revenue has reached $315 million (approximately 50.517 billion yen, calculated at 160 yen to the dollar, according to Box Office Mojo, as of June 16th).
