The Mandalorian's Ming-Na Wen Teases Anti-Hero Story of Boba Fett Spin-off
The Book of Boba Fett is set to highlight the adventures of the galaxy's most feared bounty hunter, Temuera Morrison's Boba Fett. Developed by The Mandalorian showrunners Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni, and director Robert Rodriguez, the upcoming Star Wars series picks up right after the events of the Pedro Pascal-led series as it explores the underworld reign of Fett and his partner, Ming-Na Wen's Fennec Shand.
Shand was first introduced in The Mandalorian as a bounty hunter who was pursuing Din Djarin. After surprisingly being defeated by Toro Calican in the "Gunslinger" episode, it was revealed that Fett saved her from her apparent demise.
The Mandalorian Season 2 continued Fett and Shand's story, helping Djarin's quest to save Grogu from Moff Gideon's forces. As expected, the mission was successful, leaving the runaway pair to seek new adventures.
The Book of Boba Fett will be the next galactic chapter of Fett and Shand's dynamic, with both of them ruling the underworld.
As the show's premiere inches closer, marketing has been ramping up, and a new interview has shed some light on its upcoming storyline.
What Is Star Wars: The Book of Boba Fett About?
In the Winter 2021 issue of Disney's D23 Magazine obtained by The Direct, Fennec Shand actress Ming-Na Wen revealed interesting details about The Book of Boba Fett.
When asked what she can share about the upcoming Star Wars series, Wen discussed the "partnership" between Shand and Boba Fett, admitting that their bond is anchored by both of their near-death experiences:
"Well, there's a partnership between the two of them [Fennec and Boba Fett], for sure. They're bonded by the fact that they both lived through a near-death experience. And there is a sense of code that they both abide by."
The actress continued by pointing out that the bounty hunting pair are not bad guys, but they are also not good either:
"So it's going to be really interesting to see how their dynamics grow in The Book of Boba Fett. I think that's all I can say. The rest is, you have to watch. Not that they're the bad guys. They're not that good either."
When the interviewer referred to Fett and Shand as anti-heroes, Wen agreed, saying that the characters "get away with more" when they are categorized as such:
"We are the anti-hero. I like playing an anti-hero. You get away with more, I think."
The discussion then shifted to the actress' working relationship with lead star, Temuera Morrison.
Wen praised the veteran Star Wars actor, describing him as "spectacular" and a person who "appreciates the work that goes into everything:"
"Temuera is spectacular. In some way, he's the opposite of me, which is good, because he's less of a nerd than I am. He appreciates the work that goes into everything, and I geek out at everything."
The Agents of SHIELD alum also shared an amusing on-set story between her and Morrison during the interview:
"I'll go on-set and for the first five minutes, at least, I'll be like, 'Oh my God, look at this, oh, no, look at this. Can I touch that? Can I hold that?' And he would just be sitting there, kind of waiting and just be like, 'Okay, Ming, let's go to work.' I adore him. He is truly just a genuine and kindhearted guy. You would not know, because he's so quiet a lot of times, but he's actually the extrovert. You get him in front of an audience and that guy will wanna perform--like sing and play guitar and tell jokes--and I'm completely the opposite of that. I'm, like, happy-go-lucky, love to be hanging out with my family on-set, but you get me in front, of, like, a group of people and I have to make a speech, I clam up and I sweat. We're very, very, different in that way."
Fennec Shand & Boba Fett's Mutual Respect
Ming-Na Wen's comments suggest that The Book of Boba Fett's core will revolve around Fennec Shand and the titular bounty hunter's bond.
The Mandalorian showed a preview of the pair's interesting dynamic, and signs point that it will further be fleshed out in the underworld-themed series.
The characters' near-death experiences anchor the dynamic between Shand and Fett, while the pair's respect evolved throughout their time together in Tatooine.
The Mandalorian highlighted Shand and Fett's heroic side in the latter half of Season 2, but it looks like the pair's anti-hero status will be given the spotlight in The Book of Boba Fett. This development is a welcome one since it presents an opportunity to showcase the brutal sides of both characters, especially during intense action sequences.
Meanwhile, it's clear that Wen and Morrison also have mutual respect for one another off-screen. Even though Wen admitted that they're "different" in dealing with other people, there's no denying that their behind-the-scenes bond is carried over to the small screen.
The Book of Boba Fett is set to premiere on Disney+ on December 29, 2021.
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