If you’ve seen “The Mandalorian” and enjoyed the dynamic of a lone wanderer acting in loco parentis to a precocious wayward child, then how about a dad figure acting in loco parentis to four precocious wayward children? That’s the premise of “Star Wars: Skeleton Crew,” the upcoming Disney+ series starring Jude Law as a Jedi character called Jod Na Nawood, which just unveiled its first teaser trailer. The “Goonies”-esque premise teams Jod up with a team of young adventurers: Wim (Ravi Cabot-Conyers), KB (Kyriana Kratter), Neel (Robert Timothy Smith), and Fern (Ryan Kiera Armstrong).
Some of the biggest names in “Skeleton Crew” are behind the camera. The series will feature episodes directed by Jon Watts (the most recent “Spider-Man” trilogy), Lee Isaac Chung (“Twisters”), Bryce Dallas Howard (“The Mandalorian”), David Lowery (“The Green Knight”), Jake Schreier (upcoming Marvel movie “Thunderbolts”), and — most excitingly — the Daniels, whose mind-bending multiverse movie “Everything Everywhere All At Once” won seven Oscars last year.
“Skeleton Crew” is set to hit Disney+ this winter, and /Film’s Jacob Hall is on the ground at Disney’s D23 Expo this week to find out more about what we can expect in the adventures of Jod Na Nawood and his pint-sized crew. Check out the “Skeleton Crew” teaser trailer above, and read on for more details.
Skeleton Crew is tapping into that classic Amblin vibe
Before the trailer played at D23, Jude Law took the stage to tee it up, calling the show “a timeless adventure story in the spirit of the Amblin coming of age movies.” The actor also compared it to “The Goonies” and “E.T.” That may be a lot of pressure to put on something, but the trailer very much backs up Law’s comments. This looks like “Star Wars” by way of Spielberg aimed squarely at capturing that childlike sense of wonder, only in a galaxy far, far away.
The trailer sort of has a “Stranger Things” vibe, but in space. It has elements of “It” with the whole “kids on bikes getting into adventures” thing, only there is no scary clown who eats children. There are, however, lots of practical creature effects, and impressive ones at that. The series is said to be told through the perspective of the kids as they explore “curious and dangerous worlds.” It’s been said this show will give young fans a new entry point into the franchise, and that seems to be the case based on this initial footage.
Watts has revived franchises before, helming Tom Holland’s “Spider-Man” trilogy with great success. Is he about to do the same for “Star Wars” on the small screen? We shall see, but this is a very promising start.
“Skeleton Crew” premieres on Disney+ on December 3, 2024.