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The Star Wars universe is in a state of flux. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker has completed its theatrical run. The final season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars is now streaming on Disney+. And a bunch of new Star Wars projects are in the works with no clear release date. So we wouldn’t blame Lucasfilm for feeling a bit antsy about its signature property. But at least the company has The Mandalorian.

The series has been the talk of Disney+ since its debut in November 2019. And with season 2 coming in October 2020, fans are anxious to learn what they can expect when the show returns. Now Oscar-nominated filmmaker James Mangold (Ford v Ferrari, Logan) has commented on whether he will direct an upcoming episode of The Mandalorian Season 2.

The premiere of 'The Mandalorian'
The premiere of ‘The Mandalorian’ | Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney

‘The Mandalorian’ Season 1 sparked a phenomenon

As the first big Disney+ series, The Mandalorian helped launch the streaming service to great success. As the streaming wars rage on, Disney+ needs to be sure to offer top-shelf original content to win subscribers. But when it started, The Mandalorian was — and remains — leading the charge.

Certainly, part of the show’s appeal is the novelty of its status as the first live-action Star Wars series. Perhaps more significant is how The Mandalorian pushes the saga forward. Rather than tapping into the ongoing Skywalker saga, the show expands on what fans know with new characters and a fresh perspective on Star Wars.

Moreover, it introduces one of the most beloved Star Wars characters in years: Baby Yoda. The character exploded into a million memes, with fans demanding merchandise featuring his likeness. Now that Baby Yoda — not his actual name — has captured audiences’ attention, we’re interested to see how season 2 ups the ante.

Rumors abound about which directors might join the show next

Throughout the first season’s eight episodes, five different directors took on at least one episode each. Executive producers Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni are among them. But The Mandalorian also gave Bryce Dallas Howard, Deborah Chow, and Oscar winner Taika Waititi the chance to bring specific episodes to life. Naturally, the internet has been abuzz about who might do season 2.

Robert Rodriguez and Mangold were reportedly in line to join The Mandalorian, while Howard would return as well. But Mangold, at least, has taken to social media to debunk this notion. According to the director, he’s “never discussed [the job].” Mangold even works in a brief admonishment of overeager writers who “present conjecture as fact.”

Will James Mangold direct a ‘Star Wars’ movie?

Even though Mangold claims he never talked with Lucasfilm about The Mandalorian, he’d be a great fit for the show. The series’ Western-influenced aesthetic closely mirrors his work on Logan. That Fox film presents an Unforgiven-style narrative with Marvel’s Wolverine. But his likelihood of landing a trip to the “galaxy far, far away” doesn’t stop there.

After all, Mangold was tipped to direct a Star Wars spin-off movie centered around Boba Fett at one point. And he’s apparently top of the list to replace Steven Spielberg for Indiana Jones 5. And with the Fox acquisition, his work with the X-Men falls under the Disney umbrella too.

So, even if he’s not coming on to The Mandalorian, he’s all but certain to get the chance to play in the Star Wars universe soon enough. Perhaps this news will gain traction, and Mangold could even wind up charting a course for The Mandalorian Season 2 anyway.

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