A newThe Mandalorianfeaturette takesStar Warsfans behind-the-scenes to see how the Razor Crest was designed. While Baby Yoda stole the thunder from just about everything else in the first episode, the Razor Crest was another thing that fans geeked out on as the show progressed. It is rooted in the familiar, but it also looks different and new, which is pretty much howThe Mandalorianoperates as a whole. There’s enough familiarity to keep old fans hooked, while keeping things fresh enough for people who might not even know the iconic works of George Lucas.
Inside ILM: Creating the Razor Crestis a nearly 20-minute featurette dedicated toDin Djarin’s ship. Over the years, models of space ships have mostly fallen by the wayside in favor of easier and cheaper digital counterparts. However, old schoolStar Warsaficionados have always been enamored with the models and the puppets, which is the spirt Jon Favreau wanted to evoke when makingThe Mandalorian. The practical effects are mixed with cutting edge digital technology that creates something brand-new.
Industrial Light and Magic has been behind some of the most groundbreaking visual effects of all time, so Jon Favreau intended to rely on them to come up with the goods forThe Mandalorian. When they were starting out, Favreau noted that he wantedthe Razor Crestto look like a military surplus vehicle. From there, they took World War II plane aesthetics, other military-style aircraft, and vessels photographed in airport graveyards. In addition, Favreau wanted the ship to look like it could predate the iconic X-Wing fighters from the originalStar Warstrilogy. Finally, he wanted the Razor Crest to recall original designs by George Lucas and Ralph McQuarrie.
While compiling ideas sounds like it was easy for ILM, coming up with something that could stand up next to the originalStar Warsdesigns of George Lucas and Ralph McQuarrie is a another challenge. When they accomplished their goal, it was time to stretch their imaginations even further with groundbreaking digital camera systems on a miniature model, which Jon Favreau partly wanted so he could have one in his home. From there they designed the cockpit so that Pedro Pascal could be seen piloting and working the controls of his trusty vehicle.
The Mandalorianseason 2 is just around the corner andStar Warsfans will get even more adventure involving the Razor Crest. As with the first season, ILM is pushing the boundaries and building off of the work that they did on season 1. As for what kind of adventures Mando andthe Childare going to get into with the Razor Crest this season, that is unknown at the moment. We do know that it’s going to be dangerous and there are a lot of people who want to get their hands on the Child, including the mysterious Moff Gideon. You can watchInside ILM: Creating the Razor Crestabove, thanks to theILM VFX YouTubechannel.The Mandalorianseason 2 premieres October 30th, exclusively on Disney+.
