The Boba Bounty

Eric Geller of ForceCast.net posted an article on RebelScum.com that a source close to Lucasfilm confirmed the “bonus material” said to be released for The Clone Wars will consist of two story arcs, which were planned for the season six.

He also reported there was a story arc including Boba Fett plotted for season six, which we will never see. According to Geller’s source, the story arc would have wrapped up the stories for Cad Bane and Aurra Sing.

This is highly disappointing, to say the least. It would have been exciting to see an older Boba Fett interact with Cad Bane and resolve lingering issues with Aurra Sing. We got to see the dynamic between these three bounty hunters in previous seasons.

Sing was a mentor to young Boba Fett in season two, and it was eluded that Bane provided the same role for Boba while imprisoned together. It would have been more than interesting to see how the dynamic would have changed the next time these three ran into each other.

Since those earlier seasons, young Boba Fett had risen to become a leader of his own little bounty hunter gang. No longer green behind the ears, would he had “fallen in line” when reunited with Sing? Would he have clashed with Bane? In fact, would Bane or Sing’s fate been at the hands of Boba, himself?

All we know for sure is Boba Fett was going to get his Mandalorian armor in season six. We also know Hondo was in possession of Slave I – newly outfitted and repainted in the color schemes we see in Empire Strikes Back. Lastly, we know planet Mandalore had fallen.

Boba Fett had evolved greatly over the episodes he showed up in. This last arc would have, in theory, fulfilled the final step in his character’s development, making him into the cold, calculating bounty hunter we saw in Empire.

Will his storyline be totally scrapped now that Disney is obviously trying to move past the prequel era in hyperdrive?

The bitter truth is, the only way we may receive the answers we’re looking for is; a) the #SaveTheCloneWars campaign works; b) the long-rumored Star Wars: Underworld project gets off the ground; c) through a standalone animated feature or live-action film.

There’s also a great disappointment for toy collectors. As reported earlier this year, the Hasbro line of Clone Wars toys is not longer being produced. Otherwise, this season could have produced a Boba Fett figure in Mandalorian armor, sculpted in the style of The Clone Wars.

Stay updated with the #SaveTheCloneWars campaign by tuning into www.savetheclonewars.com.

Also, it can’t hurt to voice your support for The Clone Wars.

Write a friendly letter to the powers that be:

• Disney Studios
  500 S Buena Vista St.
  Burbank, CA 91521 
  Attn: Bob Iger
  
• Lucasfilm
  P.O. Box 29901 
  San Francisco, CA 94129 
  Attn: Kathleen Kennedy

Earlier this month StarWars.com launched its This Is Madness Character Tournament, pitting popular characters against each other in a bracket style tourney until an ultimate winner is chosen on April 9.

Last night Boba Fett moved to the second round, after defeating Dengar by a landslide – receiving 96 percent of the votes. While exciting, the win wasn’t too surprising. Casual fans are most likely unfamiliar with the character of Dengar, unless they’ve read 90’s era Expanded Universe novels.

Today’s matchup between bounty hunters Jango Fett and Bossk will decide Boba Fett’s opponent in round two. Up until now the matches have been somewhat predictable, bearing no upsets and landslide victories, but I feel the Jango/Bossk pairing is more balanced and fair.

Boba Fett’s second round matchup will happen March 25. I imagine votes would be torn if Boba ends up going against his father – but in the end I predict a close victory by Boba. Having Boba Fett pitted against Bossk is the more interesting match to fantasize about, especially with the history between the characters developed during The Clone Wars.

Looking further at the bracket – and assuming Boba Fett walks away with a second round win – he will most likely be facing Cad Bane in the third round. This round will be a war of eras; the prequel generation carries a torch for Bane, which will weigh against the fandom of original trilogy and EU generations.

One of the biggest obstacles in Boba Fett going the distance in this tournament are a handful of jaded voters, individuals who begrudge the Mandalorian bounty hunter simply due to his popularity.

In the meantime, let’s relish in Boba Fett’s victory! This tournament may just be for entertainment, but there’s always a chance it’s a marketing tool in deciding the direction of future projects. To ensure the people at Lucasfilm and Disney realize the strong fanbase behind our favorite bounty hunter – keep campaigning for #TeamBoba!

Disney announced today it would not be going forward with anymore seasons of The Clone Wars on television.

It is still unclear whether or not they’ll release more seasons, currently in various stages of production, through DVD releases or web exclusives.

Hours after the announcement, actor Daniel Logan shared his thoughts about the cancellation via is Facebook page:

“With the announcement today of the winding down of Star Wars: The Clone Wars I just wanted to say a few things. I am very proud, honored & thankful to have been a part of The Clone Wars over the years. I want to thank George Lucas, Dave Filoni, Cary Silver, Meagan Finnerty, Tracy Cannobbio, all the cast & crew and especially the fans for making this so fun & fulfilling to be a part of. Star Wars has been a huge part of my life since I was 13 & I am thankful for all it has given me. I am sure my journey with Star Wars has many more adventures & I look forward to all that is in store for the future. There are still a few epic story arcs of The Clone Wars that will be available this year. It is some of the best work Lucasfilm Animation has produced, so stay tuned. MTFBW!”

If we look past Logan’s comments thanking the cast and crew of The Clone Wars, there’s an intriguing aside about future story arcs that will be available later this year. It’s interesting he made the remark as if it were a sure thing. My speculation is he’s referring to the rumored Boba Fett story arc that was pushed to what would have been the next season.

Earlier this year an image of Boba Fett in his Mandalorian armor was released with promotional images for this last season, but quickly removed, but not before it was snatched up by fans. Word is, the story arc showed a matured Boba Fett and how he reclaimed his father’s armor and ship – Slave I. Last we saw Slave I, it was in the possession of Hondo during the Young Jedi story arc.

What could Boba Fett’s story arc have been? Was it tied to the fall of Mandalore? The most disappointing thing about the cancelation of The Clone Wars, is we at the very least, will be delayed in seeing this tale – which could have been the most promising story arc for Boba Fett of the series.

Let’s hope they release these episodes and these questions can get answers. Comment on this post to share your speculations.

Yahoo! UK & Ireland caught up with Jeremy Bulloch during his appearance at MCM Midlands Comic and Entertainment Expo earlier this month. The interview expanded on Bulloch’s previous statements that he’s more than willing to strap on the Mandalorian gear and reprise his role as Boba Fett.

Bulloch has been very vocal about Episode VII, ever since the announcement was made last year. He’s been quoted in multiple articles, but since rumors have begun about a Boba Fett film, reporters are chopping at the bit to get their exclusive interviews.

Bulloch has had his thumb on the pulse of fans for decades, so hopefully those at Lucasfilm are listening to his input – namely, don’t bastardize the Expanded Universe. There’s very little G-level canon regarding Boba Fett. The character was introduced with great bravo around the time of Empire Strikes Back, but fans unanimously agree, the character was shafted in his treatment in Return of the Jedi.

George Lucas made up for this a little in the prequels, giving Boba Fett an engaging origin story in Attack of the Clones. Still, the story shed more light on the clones and Jango Fett than Boba. While the Clone Wars has given fans further adventures of the young Boba Fett – the majority of his story has existed in comics and books.

For thirty-some years we’ve had to rely on novels and comics to turn to Star Wars literature to get a taste of the bounty hunter. Much of what we most appreciate, love about Boba Fett comes from the Expanded Universe.

If Lucasfilm and Disney completely discard these stories and adventures, there’s a strong potential of fan backlash – if stories like Twin Engines of Destruction or the Bounty Hunter Wars are said to never have happened.

Fans are more prone to accept a compromise of two alternative timelines, which can only happen if the present Expanded Universe is continued and not retconned to fit with the film universe.

We don’t need to see an exact adaptation of the Expanded Universe, but it should at least be respected when making these films. After all, those are the stories that kept fandom alive and made these new movies possible.

Most importantly, Disney needs to redeem Boba Fett in the new films. No more defeats by blind smugglers like we saw in Return of the Jedi, or swapped in place of a slave bride as in his last appearance in Clone Wars.

The good news is Lawrence Kasdan is rumored to be the one scribing a Boba Fett film. Kasdan penned Empire Strikes Back, which was the closest film to flesh out Boba Fett in the badass fashion we’ve seen him portrayed in the Expanded Universe. Therefore, I have faith he is the man that can resurrect the character that for thirty years has had casual fans believing Boba Fett is still in the belly of the Sarlacc.

Kasdan can put the rumors to rest, Boba Fett is alive and well.

Earlier this week Bob Iger, chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company, announced during a televised interview several spinoff movies were in development. Iger said the original focus was on the sequel trilogy, but these stand alone films have been on the table since their earliest discussions.

Lucasfilm officials followed up on Feb. 5 with a press release confirming the involvement of screenwriters Lawrence Kasdan and Simon Kinberg. These names excited fans, as Kasdan was the scribe for not only The Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Lost Ark, but also co-wrote Return of the Jedi. Kinberg has also proved himself, with blockbusters like Sherlock Holmes.

They also confirmed that two spinoff films were in development, sparking speculation throughout the Internet.

According to Feb. 6 online article by Entertainment Weekly, the films will focus on a young Han Solo and Boba Fett, respectively. They cited sources close to both projects. Of course, Lucasfilm and Disney declined to comment or confirm this information.

Entertainment Weekly reported the Boba Fett film could either take place between A New Hope and Empire Strikes Back, or between Empire and Return of the Jedi. They added further, Temuera Morrison is the shoe in to take on the role as the infamous bounty hunter.

I have my doubts about Entertainment Weekly’s “exclusive,” because they also said there’s no indication of who may direct these films – which Lucasfilm had already announced the day previous to the column’s online publishing that the two films already have directors – Kasdan and Kinberg – why wouldn’t sources close to the projects know this?   

Since Iger made his announcement, websites have been spilling all kinds of rumors and information about the spinoff movies. However, most of these news sources that have “exclusive” information also present bogus information, like that Han Solo was a “bounty hunter with a conscious who befriended Luke Skywalker” or misspelling Lucasfilm.

I have no doubt that a Boba Fett film is being discussed behind the secretive walls of Lucasfilm and Disney, but take everything with a grain of salt, until there’s further announcements by Disney or Lucasfilm.

Today it was officially announced Disney already has plans for a number of standalone Star Wars films. Many fans are hoping a Boba Fett film will be among these projects. Here is a continuation of possible storylines for a feature film.

Pitch #3: Years after the happenings of “Return of the Jedi,” the nephew of Jabba, Gorga the Hutt, has inherited much of the crime lord’s criminal empire. He has even expanded the reach of his power. Of course, one does not gain such a fortune without making enemies – other Hutts, who believe they have a greater claim to Jabba’s windfall. One such Hutt hires Boba Fett to assassinate Gorga’s beloved wife, Orko. Filled with rage, Gorga places a bounty on Boba Fett’s head – using his control over local pirates and bounty hunters on his payroll to corner the Mandalorian. Boba Fett must go on the defense as he finds himself as the most profitable target since Han Solo. The bounty is so enticing, Boba finds himself pitted against former partners, the most dangerous being the bounty hunter named, Bossk. This story would journey through the underworld, giving rich looks at the world of the Hutts, the nastiest cantinas and pirate organizations in live action.

Pitch #4: Following the Clone Wars, the planet of Mandalore was virtually crippled. Once the Empire formed, it was further squashed as its warriors were considered a great threat if given opportunity. However, this would change with the arrival of Spar, a clone who had escaped Kamino before the wars and was one of the rare specimens who retained all memories of Jango Fett. He had been working as a bounty hunter for years, but returned to Mandalore to return the planet to its former glory. His success in reforming a Mandalorian army caught the eye of Imperial spies who feel they must end the threat before it grows too large to contain. The Empire hires Boba Fett to journey to Mandalore and infiltrate the new Mandalore Protectors, gain their trust, learn their plans and then kill Spar and anyone else who may pick up arms. Things become complicated, though, for the bounty hunter, who begins to see too much of the father he lost in the man he’s assigned to kill.

The future is bright for Star Wars fans, which for years held fast the dream of one day seeing new films on the big screen. With the acquisition of Lucasfilm, not only have we received the promise of additional movies, but there’s the possibility of spin-off franchises.

There’s a long list of characters worthy of their own series of flicks, but perhaps none warrant a spin-off as much as our favorite Mandalorian – Boba Fett.

However, what would make for a worthwhile story? Taking a look at G-level cannon, materials from the Expanded Universe and a pinch of wishful thinking – here are four possible story ideas for a Boba Fett feature film.

Pitch #1: It took every ounce of training and experience he’d garnered over decades of battles to escape the belly of the Sarlacc. The digestive acids of the beast had done its damage, destroying not only his father’s armor, but the genetic copy of his father’s face – virtually destroying everything left of Boba Fett’s template – Jango Fett.

The bounty hunter is found at the brink of death and recovering near a scrap yard by sometime-ally, sometime-foe, Dengar, who must be convinced of Boba’s identity.

According to Dengar, he ran into Boba just a week or two prior while hunting down a target. Boba learns that while he was trapped in the belly of the Sarlacc, an imposter has been taking jobs under his name and wearing Mandalorian armor. When Dengar describes the markings on the armor, Boba concludes it’s the backup set stored away on his ship – now missing, which is the reason he’s been stranded on Tatooine.

The imposter is a man named Jodo Kast, a half-rate bounty hunter who took advantage of the situation following Return of the Jedi. Robbed of everything that Boba’s felt separated him from just being another clone, he calculates revenge.

His mangled face and body allows him to easily move about, putting pieces of the puzzle in place, all leading to a very public return and retribution against Jodo Kast – making him a public example of crossing the Mandalorian.

Pitch #2: The majority of Boba Fett’s youth was seeking revenge for the death of his father at the hands of Mace Windu. In general, Fett held distaste for the entire Jedi Order, and their “pet” clones that reminded young Boba of the father he’d never see again.

After Order 66, the Jedi disappeared and pushed into extinction, the young bounty hunter found himself needing to put away the baggage he’s carried for years. Wanting to learn more about his father, Boba Fett travels to Mandalore where he becomes a Journeyman Protector, and also begins to fall for a young Mandalorian woman, Sintas Vel. The only thing that grows faster than their romance is Boba’s reputation as a fighter and leader.

With the Jedi gone, the Empire has moved their sights on Mandalorians, who now pose the biggest threat to the Emperor – being they refuse to be ruled and are proven warriors. Things are looking up, until Boba learns that his commanding officer, Lenovar, had assaulted Sintas Vel while Boba Fett was away fighting a battle against a fleet of Imperial ships. When Boba Fett finds out, he kills Lenovar, but is exiled and barley escapes with his life due to the political weight of Lenovar’s father, the governor of Concord Dawn.

Forced to leave his father’s home world and the woman he loved, Boba Fett returns to his former life of bounty hunting. Boba’s reputation was not lost on the ears of Imperial intelligence officers.

When the Emperor learns of Boba Fett’s exile, he assigns Darth Vader to bring in the Mandalorian and we see the beginning of what becomes a long relationship between Boba Fett and Darth Vader. Boba is contracted to decapitate the upper command of the Mandalorian Protectors.

Last year was a renaissance for Star Wars, once again moving to the forefront of popular culture.

Collectors saw plenty in the vein of new comic titles, novels and action figures. Film buffs got excited upon hearing the Saga would be return to theaters in 3D.  We received expansions to the Hasbro toy line and LEGO sets. We even saw a mash up of Star Wars and Angry Birds.

The coup de grâce, of course, was the announcement of Disney’s acquisition of Lucasfilm and the dawn of a new era of movies. The Disney buyout meant the franchise would move away from being merely nostalgia, experienced through the Expanded Universe by devoted fans, niche publications and conventions.

We’ll soon be seeing Star Wars seep into the mainstream. We won’t have to hunt down Star Wars related materials in the corners of the web or comic stores. Instead, bounty hunters and Jedi will pop up on cereal boxes, on magazine covers at the check-out lane, illustrated on Pepsi bottles and every other marketing avenue.

This also means we’ll be seeing a lot more of our favorite Mandalorian bounty hunter. Earlier this month the retail favorite, Target, introduced a large line of Star Wars products to its bargain bins – ranging from mini puzzles and yo-yos, to notepads and water bottles. The most prominent character splashed across these items? None other than Boba Fett!

These items are official Lucasfilm licensed products and manufactured toward the end of last year. There’s a collapsible water bottle, featuring the helmet of Boba Fett, a play pack that includes crayons and a 24-page coloring book and a 48 piece puzzle that shows Boba Fett launching into action – the image of Darth Vader illustrated over his left shoulder.

Perhaps its wishful thinking – but I have to raise an eyebrow over the high number of Boba Fett merchandise suddenly coming out of Lucasfilm. The bounty hunter, while massively popular, has always been treated like as a background presence as far as merchandising is concerned. He’s the mail-away offer, one of many in a collage, one chapter in a book.

I will hesitate analyzing this too much, but I am sure 2013 will be a big year for Boba Fett. He’ll be a player in two upcoming Dark Horse comics, inside the pages of “Agent of the Empire,” and the new “Star Wars;” his ship re-emerged recently in “The Clone Wars;” and I have a feeling this is just the beginning.

Boba Fett is NOT dead.

After Disney announced its acquisition of Lucasfilm, speculation and rumors flew across the Internet. What continues to get under my skin is the notion from journalist and bloggers that Boba Fett died in the stomach of the Sarlacc.

Those who are familiar with the Expanded Universe, and recent interviews with George Lucas, know Boba Fett is far from dead.

The question remains though: who should be cast as Boba Fett in upcoming Star Wars sequels? I’ve come up with three likely suspects.

Jeremy Bulloch - The Original Man Behind the Mask

Jeremy Bulloch brought a subtle nuance to his portrayal of Boba Fett, which endeared the bounty hunter to audiences worldwide. The way he cradled his blaster while standing on the command deck of the Death Star; the slightest nod awarded to a disguised Leia in Jabba’s Palace; or his commanding presence in Cloud City are examples of how Bulloch used body language to define his character.

The fact that Bulloch is approach age 65 doesn’t necessarily mean he cannot suit up for the sequel trilogy. In a recent interview, Bulloch expressed his willingness to pick up his role as Boba Fett for Episode VII. He said he remains spry, and because Boba Fett wears a helmet, the more action oriented scenes could easily be performed by a stunt man – as they were in the original trilogy.

Boba Fett is a walking arsenal. It’s easy for an actor to appear stiff underneath all that armor and heavy clothes, but Bulloch has the chops to emote from underneath all those layers. There’s one problem though – Boba Fett is a clone of his father, Jango Fett – who we’ve seen unmasked in Attack of the Clones. Therefore, the film would be handicapped by having to explain how Boba Fett grew to look nothing like the template he was created from in Episode II.

Daniel Logan - Not Like Other Clones

We were introduced to Daniel Logan when he played the child Boba Fett in Attack of the Clones. It was good casting, because he carried a familial resemblance to his one screen father, Temuera Morrison. When Lucasfilm launched The Clone Wars, they brought Logan on to continue his role as young Boba Fett when appeared during the last story arch of the second season.

Over the last decade, Logan has grown a strong fan base of younger Star Wars fans and owns the role in that right. He is the Jeremy Bulloch of what I like to call, “the clone generation.” Logan’s involvement with Episode VII would keep continuity with George Lucas’ revised vision of the Star Wars Universe.

The problem arises in this casting choice because Logan is twentysomething, making him too young to appear in a film that assuming takes place years after Return of the Jedi. The filmmakers could parry this by saying his DNA was altered to slow aging, in contrast to Clone Troopers, whose aging was sped up. However, that seems too convenient.

Temuera Morrison - From Jango to Boba?

Ironically, the actor I feel is best to play Boba Fett in upcoming movies is none other than Temuera Morrison. This New Zealand-born actor first wore the Mandalorian armor in Attack of the Clones and for the first time on screen, we got to see the full capabilities of its weapons inventory.

Morrison gave a great performance in Attack of the Clones and was the highlight of the prequel trilogy for me – yeah, I’m biased. He made the character of Jango Fett his own and his performance earned continuing storylines from Mandalorian space in comics, books and television.

I believe Morrison would be a great casting choice because of several reasons. Being an unaltered clone of his father, you can only conclude Boba Fett would grow to look exactly like Jango Fett. Also, his age would seem more appropriate for the era the sequel trilogy will most likely take place in. The actor could actually remove his helmet in the film without a retcon being applied.