The Mandalorian Concept Art Shows Boba Fett’s Judge Dredd Inspired Costume
A new piece of artwork created for Star Wars series The Mandalorian sees Boba Fett sport a costume resembling that of a character from Judge Dredd.
A new piece of Boba Fett concept art created for The Mandalorian shows the character wearing an outfit inspired by Max Von Sydow in 1995’s Judge Dredd. The Star Wars franchise’s iconic bounty hunter first appeared in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi in 1980 and 1983, respectively. Following Daniel Logan’s role as a young Boba Fett in the Star Wars prequels, the character made a long-awaited return in the Disney+ series The Mandalorian season 2.
In Return of the Jedi, Fett seemingly met his end in the Sarlacc Pit. However, The Mandalorian, which takes place after the events of Episode VI, revealed that Fett (Temuera Morrison) survived. On top of being a standout character in season 2, the finale’s post-credits scene promised a spinoff entitled The Book of Boba Fett, which premiered in December 2021. The series saw Fett takes over Jabba the Hutt’s territory while flashbacks explained how the bounty hunter survived Return of the Jedi’s Sarlacc pit before The Mandalorian season 2. A large portion of The Book of Boba Fett and The Mandalorian saw the bounty hunter sport robes and wield a staff similar to that of the Tusken tribe who took him in after earning their respect. That said, Fett’s appearance could’ve been very different.
Lucasfilm character designer Brian Matyas recently shared some early concept art for Boba Fett in The Mandalorian. The piece sees Fett wear a cloak comparable to the one worn by Von Sydow’s Chief Justice Fargo, in the sci-fi/action film Judge Dredd starring Sylvester Stallone. Matyas’ caption explains this costume was intended for Boba’s “desert nomad” look while on Tatooine. Check it out below:
Given the aesthetic of Judge Dredd’s dystopian future setting, it makes sense that Matyas would look to the 90s film for inspiration for a Star Wars project. Ultimately, though, Boba’s final look for his Mandalorian appearance turned out quite different. In The Book of Boba Fett, its titular character is discovered by the Tuskens in a state not far from death. While at first a prisoner, Fett earned the tribe’s trust after saving Tusken watchmen from a monster in the desert. He then went to steal swoop bikes and disrupt the Pyke operations disturbing the Tuskens’ land, cementing his place among their people. This led to them giving him traditional robes and a gaffi stick. Suffice to say, the latter outfit is more appropriate to the series’ narrative arc than the Dredd-inspired nomad costume above.
Unfortunately, Fett’s Tusken family ends up being murdered by the Pykes in his absence, and this further motivated him to liberate Tatooine. While his eponymous series endured a lackluster reception from some fans, the series adeptly explained his character arc in both The Book of Boba Fett and gave meaning to his robes and staff in The Mandalorian. Given the former’s status as essentially a set up for The Mandalorian season 3, it remains to be seen when, where or if Fett may be seen again on Disney+ in a Star Wars series. As of right now, there’s no word on The Book of Boba Fett season 2. However, this The Mandalorian concept art at the very least gives an alternate glimpse into the bounty hunter’s story.
