'Star Wars' a big influence on me: Jon Favreau

Filmmaker-actor Jon Favreau says George Lucas' "Star Wars" franchise has been huge creative "influence" on him while growing up.

Favreau, who has created "Star Wars" spin-off series "The Mandalorian", said he was awestruck by the scale of the film's universe when he first saw "Star Wars: A New Hope" as a ten year old.

"'Star Wars' was a big influence on me. It came out in 77 and I was born in 66, so I was at the right age for it to hit. It was before all the hype. It was the first of the popcorn blockbusters; you had Star Wars and you had Spielberg's films, like 'Jaws'," the director said in a statement.

"I remember seeing a picture in the newspaper about Star Wars. It was after the movie was out already, or it was coming out; I forget. Anyway, I saw a picture of Chewbacca and Han Solo underneath a headline and I was intrigued. I went to see it and looking at it pinned my ears back. I was mouth agape; just like everybody else," he added.

"The Mandalorian", also written by Favreau, is set after the fall of the Empire and before the emergence of the First Order. It follows the laborious effort of a lone gunfighter in the outer who reaches of the galaxy far from the authority of the New Republic.

The season one premiered on Disney+ Hotstar Premium last year in November.

The sophomore season, which came out on Friday, sees the Mandalorian (played by Pedro Pascal) and the Child (Baby Yoda) continue their journey, facing enemies and rallying allies as they make their way through a dangerous galaxy in the tumultuous era after the collapse of the Galactic Empire.

Actors Werner Herzog, Carl Weathers, Giancarlo Esposito and Gina Carano also star in the latest season.

The episodes are helmed by Favreau, Dave Filoni, Bryce Dallas Howard, Taika Waititi, Rick Famuyiwa, and Deborah Chow.

Image credit: AP