Widescreen: 'Mandalorian' is made for TV, but doesn't look like minor 'Star Wars'
Stephen Colbert's interview with the cast of "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker," a title revealed in the film's first teaser trailer, was the unquestionable highlight of last week's Star Wars Celebration convention at McCormick Place in Chicago.
A close second, however, was our first look at "The Mandalorian."
The first live-action "Star Wars" TV series will be the cornerstone of Disney+, the Mouse's new streaming service that, at $6.99 a month, is priced to be a Netflix-killer. The series will launch Nov. 12, the same day the platform itself goes live. Its roster of content will include, well, Disney products: the animated classics, the TV shows, "Star Wars," Pixar, Marvel and new documentaries about various arms of the company.
But I digress. "The Mandalorian" was introduced last Sunday to thousands of fans at Wintrust Arena by its executive producers: "Iron Man" director Jon Favreau and "Clone Wars" honcho Dave Filoni. The show centers on the bounty hunter of the title, a helmeted warrior in the tradition of Boba Fett played by "Game of Thrones" alum Pedro Pascal.
Pascal was on hand Sunday as well, alongside co-stars Gina Carano ("Deadpool") and Carl Weathers ("Rocky"). After pumping up the crowd and trying not to divulge anything too spoilery about the show - "Star Wars" and Marvel actors have to be good at giving nonanswers to questions - Favreau and Co. showed a sizable chunk of footage from the show that you had to be in the arena to witness. (Well, unless you found some surreptitiously captured footage on YouTube, that is.)
Tonally and aesthetically, "The Mandalorian" looks akin to 2016's "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story," a darker, grittier take on George Lucas' fantasy world. The bulk of the dialogue in what was presented belonged, surprisingly enough, to stone-faced German director Werner Herzog, whose character wants to hire the bounty hunter for an under-the-table job.
The cast's enthusiasm was genuine and infectious. Favreau and Filoni know what they're doing. The show looks striking and feels dangerous.
I hope it will let Pascal take off that Boba Fett helmet at some point, too.
<h3 class="briefHead">Pure imagination</h3>
"Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" will brighten the Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport Ave., Chicago, for one showing only at 2 p.m. Saturday.
The 1971 classic based on Roald Dahl's children's book features Gene Wilder's iconic title performance and will be projected on 35 mm film. Attendees will be given Wonka Goody Bags and are encouraged to dress as their favorite character to get into the Oompa Loompa spirit.
Tickets cost $13 ($10 for children 12 and younger) and are available at musicboxtheatre.com.
• Look for Sean's "Game of Thrones" recaps early on Monday morning, all season long, only at dailyherald.com. Follow Sean on Twitter at @SeanStanglandDH.