James Mangold Signs Huge Paramount Skydance Deal: Star Wars, Swamp Thing Canceled?

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James Mangold has entered into a comprehensive agreement with Paramount and Skydance. This development is prompting questions about what it means for his planned Star Wars film and the DCU’s Swamp Thing movie.

Mangold Joins Paramount and Skydance

Deadline says Paramount Pictures has made an exclusive agreement with James Mangold. The director of Logan and Ford v. Ferrari will now develop, direct, and produce movies for the studio, which is owned by Skydance.

This deal marks one of the initial significant steps taken by Paramount’s newly appointed Studio Co-Chairs, Josh Greenstein and Dana Goldberg. They stated, “James Mangold is a remarkably gifted director, and we are thrilled to have him join Paramount, beginning with High Side and with plans for numerous future projects together.”

Mangold shared he was “thrilled” to collaborate with Paramount, noting their strong passion for cinematic experiences on the big screen. He commended their excitement for large-format films.

High Side With Timothée Chalamet

The initial project launched under this new agreement is High Side, bringing Mangold and Timothée Chalamet back together after they collaborated on the Bob Dylan biographical film A Complete Unknown.

High Side is inspired by a short story written by Jaime Oliveira, and centers around a retired MotoGP racer. Timothée Chalamet is currently working on Dune 3, meaning James Mangold’s High Side will probably be his next film.

What About Star Wars?

At Star Wars Celebration 2023, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy was revealed as the director of a movie taking place during the “dawn of the Jedi.” The film will delve into the beginnings of the Force, set thousands of years before the events of the Skywalker Saga.

However, Lucasfilm, under Kathleen Kennedy’s leadership, has often announced projects that ultimately get canceled-examples include Patty Jenkins’ Rogue Squadron, as well as several ideas from Rian Johnson and David Benioff/D.B. Weiss. Considering James Mangold’s recent agreement with Paramount and the absence of any new information, it wouldn’t be unexpected if this Star Wars movie never actually gets made.

What About Swamp Thing?

In January 2023, James Gunn announced the first phase of the DCU, titled “Gods and Monsters,” and revealed that Swamp Thing would be part of it. Several months after that, director Mangold shared that he was working on the project, hinting at a more frightening and horror-focused approach.

Since that time, no new information has come to light. Gunn has even been criticized for revealing projects that ultimately don’t happen. Now that Mangold is working with Paramount, it seems unlikely he’ll direct Swamp Thing, especially with the potential sale of Warner Bros. Discovery.

Paramount’s Aggressive New Strategy

Mangold’s agreement is a key part of Paramount’s larger strategy to attract leading creators and valuable properties. Recently, the studio has also:

  • Signed a four-year exclusive deal with the Duffer Brothers (creators of Netflix’s Stranger Things).
  • Secured rights to develop a Call of Duty live-action movie.
  • Purchased the R-rated comedy spec Bald Eagles.
  • Recruited the producers of Weapons to spearhead a new genre label.

With these recent high-profile developments, Mangold is now considered one of Paramount’s leading directors. This likely means he won’t have time for other projects like Star Wars and Swamp Thing, although his deal with Paramount isn’t exclusive.

What Happens Next?

Both Mangold’s Star Wars and Swamp Thing were revealed more than two years ago, but there haven’t been any significant developments since. Because his work now appears tied to Paramount, these projects might be put on hold for good.

For now, fans will be waiting to see if Mangold, Lucasfilm, or James Gunn provide any updates.

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2025-09-30 23:02