Star Wars has always worn its influences on its sleeve, from Flash Gordon to Akira Kurosawa. The Mandalorian and Grogu, the newest big-screen Star Wars adventure, is no different, with its double-hander dynamic taken from classic Westerns and samurai movies. However, one of the new film’s big action set pieces takes its inspiration from a surprising source. Collider’s Meredith Loftus recently had the opportunity to visit writer-director Jon Favreau at Lucasfilm’s prop warehouse, where he discussed the film’s cinematic inspiration.
While many of Star Wars‘ influences were from decades before it first graced the big screen in 1977, one of The Mandalorian and Grogu‘s scenes was inspired by William Friedkin, a filmmaker who was one of George Lucas‘ contemporaries:
“There’s a sequence you’ll see, we’re thinking about French Connection for sure, as we’re looking at this stuff, of a certain chase. George would cut with footage from old war movies, right? Because it was before previs. So he’d be using Battle of Britain footage. And we still did that technique, too, to do that.”
It won’t be the first time that one of Friedkin’s films inspired The Mandalorian. “The Believer,” a second-season episode of The Mandalorian that featured vehicles full of volatile rhydonium travelling through the jungle, took its cues from Sorcerer, Friedkin’s 1977 remake of The Wages of Fear; that film centered around a team of desperate men trucking nitroglycerine through a South American rain forest. Incidentally, Sorcerer struggled at the box office, partially due to competition from Star Wars — Sorcerer editor Bud Smith, after seeing Star Wars, told Friedkin, “We’re f***ing being blown off the screen. You’ve got to see this.”
What Is ‘The French Connection’?
Loosely based on actual events, The French Connection follows maverick New York cop Popeye Doyle (Gene Hackman) and his partner Buddy Russo (Roy Scheider) as they attempt to track down Alain Charnier (Fernando Rey), a key player in a huge heroin-smuggling ring. The film’s centerpiece is a harrowing car chase through the busy streets of New York, as Doyle commandeers a civilian car to follow a hitman fleeing on a commuter train. Much of the chase was filmed via a camera mounted on a car speeding at 90 miles per hour through heavy traffic; Friedkin did not have permits from the city to film the scene, which is now considered one of the greatest cinematic car chases of all time. It was one of the top-grossing films of the year and took home five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director.
What Do We Know About ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’?
After seemingly retiring in the finale of the popular Disney+ series, Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and his young ward Grogu are called back into action once more. Their paths will cross with New Republic pilot Colonel Ward (Sigourney Weaver), Imperial warlord Janu (Jonny Coyne), and surprisingly jacked Hutt gangster Rottu (Jeremy Allen White).
The Mandalorian and Grogu will be released in theaters on May 22, 2026. Stay tuned to Collider for future updates.
