Latest from Tom's Guide UK in The-mandalorian

When is 'The Mandalorian and Grogu' coming to streaming? Here's our best guess

malcolm.mcmillan@futurenet.com (Malcolm McMillan) — Mon, 25 May 2026 08:30:00 +0000

"The Mandalorian and Grogu" just wrapped up its first weekend at the box office, but you might already be wondering when you can watch it at home. After all, a night out at the movies is expensive, and the reviews for this movie ... well, let's just say the force might not be strong with this one.

Currently, the feature-length chapter of "The Mandalorian" has a 63% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. I didn't rate it particularly highly either, giving it just a 2.5 out of 5 stars rating in my official "The Mandalorian and Grogu" review. It's worth noting, though, that audiences rate it highly, giving it an 88% fresh rating on the review aggregator.

@tomsguideentertainment
♬ The Mandalorian and Grogu - Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu - Only in Theaters - Ludwig Göransson

But regardless of whether you're not sold on seeing one of the biggest movies of the summer in theaters, you don't have the time to go out, or you'd prefer to watch at home, don't worry; I've got you covered. Here's when I predict "The Mandalorian and Grogu" is coming to streaming, and where you'll be able to stream it.

Where will you be able to stream 'The Mandalorian and Grogu'?

The good news is I don't have to guess which of the best streaming services you'll be able to watch this movie on at home.

First, it will get a digital release on premium video-on-demand (PVOD) platforms like Amazon, Apple TV and Fandango at Home. Then, you'll eventually be able to stream "The Mandalorian and Grogu" on Disney+.

When could 'The Mandalorian and Grogu' arrive on streaming?

Guessing when you'll be able to stream this movie at home is a little tricky. There hasn't been a new Star Wars movie since "The Rise of Skywalker" in 2019, and everything is different today, nearly seven years later.

But Star Wars is produced by Lucasfilm, and that's owned by Disney, just like Pixar and Marvel. So I'm going to use two recent Disney movies as a reference point to make my prediction.

"Zootopia 2" is the most recent example of a Disney blockbuster coming to Disney+. It came out in theaters on Nov. 26, 2025, then hit PVOD on Jan. 27, 2026, before finally arriving on Disney+ on March 11. That means it took 62 days from theatrical debut until you could buy or rent at home, and then a further 43 days for it to stream on Disney+.

"The Fantastic Four: First Steps" was another major Disney movie from last year, and Marvel and Lucasfilm share a lot of fans. So it could make sense for Disney to copy the model it used in the most recent MCU movie. It debuted in theaters on July 25, 2025, then came to PVOD 61 days later on Sept. 23. Then, 43 days later, it arrived on Disney+. That's essentially the same pattern as "Zootopia 2."

So with that information, I can predict with decent accuracy when you'll be able to watch "The Mandalorian and Grogu" at home:

You should be able to buy or rent "The Mandalorian and Grogu" digital release on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, though it could come a week earlier on July 21.

You should then be able to stream "The Mandalorian and Grogu" on Disney+ on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026, though again, it could come a week earlier on Sept. 2 2.

While you're waiting, make sure to check out my interview with Jonny Coyne, who plays the villain in this latest "Star Wars" movie. We talk about his character's backstory, what it's like working with Grogu and more.

'Grogu is real and is as real as they come': Newest Star Wars villain reveals what to expect in 'The Mandalorian and Grogu'

malcolm.mcmillan@futurenet.com (Malcolm McMillan) — Fri, 22 May 2026 06:00:00 +0000

"The Mandalorian and Grogu" is undeniably one of the biggest movies of the summer. As the first "Star Wars" movie since 2019, it's undeniably one of the biggest movies of the year. So chances are that even with early reviews coming in mixed — Rotten Tomatoes has it a 60% fresh on the Tomatometer with over 130 reviews, and I gave it a 2.5 out of 5 stars in our official "The Mandalorian and Grogu" review — you're still going to go see it in theaters. Even if you don't, you'll almost certainly see it once it's eventually on Disney+.

Naturally, you might want to know something about the movie before seeing it. There are no Skywalkers in this saga (well, not in this chapter), and there are plenty of new faces in the trailers we've seen so far. If you have never watched the three seasons of "The Mandalorian," chances are you don't know anyone in this movie besides Grogu, because how could you not know Baby Yoda?

Luckily for you, I recently had a chance to sit down with someone who knows Baby Yoda intimately. Jonny Coyne, who some of you might know from any number of TV or movie roles (for me, it's as Allfather D'Aronique from the AMC comic book adaptation "Preacher"), is starring in "The Mandalorian and Grogu" as the mysterious Lord Janu, and he's now the latest villain in the Star Wars galaxy. As you can see in the image at the top of this article, he's got Grogu in a cage, so there's no mistaking him for a hero. But beyond that, little is known about this Imperial remnant, whom we only saw briefly in holographic form in "The Mandalorian" season 3 as part of Moff Gideon's (Giancarlo Esposito) Shadow Council.

So without further ado, let's dive into my conversation with Jonny Coyne, as we discuss what to expect from Lord Janu in this latest Star Wars film, and what it's like to work alongside the famous Grogu.

Who is Lord Janu?

At this stage of the story, the Empire has been defeated, and there are remnants of the Empire scattered around the galaxy. It's Din Djarin's job to go and find them, and I'm one of the guys he has to find. There's a price on my head, and he has to go and find me.
Jonny Coyne on Lord Janu's role in "The Mandalorian and Grogu"

As I mentioned before, you'll only know Janu from "The Mandalorian" season 3, when he didn't even have a name. In the episode, "Chapter 23: The Spies," he appears in the Imperial Shadow Council as a hologram, briefly clashing with Captain Gilad Pellaeon (Xander Berkeley) over how to handle the galaxy now that the Empire has fallen. So I had to ask if writer/director Jon Favreau had expanded the character beyond being just a nameless face, now that Janu is the newest Imperial villain.

"It's definitely been fleshed out, and they've had a rethink," Coyne explained. "I don't know if it's a rethink or whether they were heading there anyway, but there's a much more — I don't know the term I want to use, it may not be the correct term — but he's a much more human factor in the whole situation."

As for whether or not we'll get more of the Shadow Council, Coyne was keeping things as tight-lipped as an Imperial intelligence officer.

"I can't say, and I honestly don't know," he admitted. "At Disney, you were lucky to get a script to look at. So, you know, I got it piecemeal. Jon Favreau was very complimentary about my line learning, given that, you know, we were getting it [the script] that morning and had to sort of learn lots of lines. So, it's a job to try and figure out what you've got to do."

Grogu, unsurprisingly, steals every scene

You know full well that when the camera's on you, the audience are going, 'Just get off him. Get off him. We want the camera on Grogu.'"

Of course, being Star Wars' newest villain is all well and good, but people are coming to this movie for one thing: Baby Yoda. And unsurprisingly, even Coyne will readily admit Grogu is the star of the show.

"Grogu is real and is as real as they come.," Coyne declared. "And he's as every bit as a scene stealer as Lassie is. And every bit as a scene stealer as Shirley Temple. You know full well that when the camera's on you, the audience are going, 'Just get off him. Get off him. We want the camera on Grogu.'"

Plus, it's important to remember, this isn't acting with a tennis ball on a stick. Grogu is a fully functioning puppet, and that makes it feel to everyone like they're working with talent as real as the humans on set. "If you're just in between shots and you just go up to Grogu and give him a little peck," Coyne continued, "he [Grogu] responds, and he's alive all the time. It's a joy to watch, really, and terrifying for an actor to be part of because you know you're not getting any love."

The walk, the creation, the stance — everything that you see is very much Brendan."
Jonny Coyne on why Brendan Wayne is essential to The Mandalorian

But Grogu wasn't the only joy to work with in "The Mandalorian and Grogu." It used to be the worst-kept secret in Hollywood, but it's now common knowledge that, quite often, it's not Pedro Pascal in the Mandalorian armor. Instead, body doubles Brendan Wayne and Lateef Crowder serve as the physical stand-in for the bounty hunter in most scenes, and it was Wayne in particular that Coyne was quick to heap praise upon.

"He's [Wayne] an old hand," Coyne explained. "He's been around a long time on the show ["The Mandalorian"], and he guided me through a lot of the stuff. It was great working with him, and he's on it — completely on it. The walk, the creation, the stance — everything that you see is very much Brendan."

Check out extended clips from my interview with Jonny Coyne on the Tom's Guide Entertainment TikTok starting today (Fri., May 22) at 6 p.m. ET

'The Mandalorian and Grogu' proves Disney doesn't know what to do with 'Star Wars'

malcolm.mcmillan@futurenet.com (Malcolm McMillan) — Tue, 19 May 2026 15:54:11 +0000

Tom's Guide Verdict: 'The Mandalorian and Grogu'

Rating: ★★½ stars
Verdict: "The Mandalorian and Grogu" is just season 4 of "The Mandalorian" condensed into a 132-minute film. The writing is lazy; the story is ultimately pointless; and Ludwig Göransson's synth-laden score is a surprising miss. Still, if all you want is Baby Yoda, you'll likely be entertained.
Where to watch: See "The Mandalorian and Grogu" in theaters now

"The Mandalorian and Grogu" was always going to be set up to fail. This movie was added to the Disney theatrical slate only after Lucasfilm decided to pivot from an already written season 4 of "The Mandalorian" on Disney+. Having now watched it, I don't know that they ever changed the story; I think they merely threw stuff out to cut down on runtime.

The result is a poorly written buddy cop movie where Mando, aka Din Djarin, aka The Mandalorian and his adopted son go on missions to hunt down Imperial Warlords on behalf of the New Republic.

Now, if that had been the story Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni (who makes an egregious fan service cameo) and Noah Kloor had stuck with, maybe there would have been some potential here. Hunting down remnants of the Empire would have tied in nicely with "The Mandalorian" season 3, the upcoming "Ahsoka" season 2 and the entire Grand Admiral Thrawn storyline that the Filoni-led 'Star Wars' universe seemed to be on.

But unfortunately, the movie abandons that story halfway through, seemingly committing the same errors of other 'Star Wars' properties in recent years. Whether it's 'Solo,' 'The Acolyte' or 'The Rise of Skywalker,' this franchise has been afraid in recent years to commit to an interesting storyline that has a risk of falling flat. Instead, 'The Mandalorian and Grogu' opts for boring, watered-down or less consequential stories that leave fans disappointed time and time again.

The one thing that this movie hasmthat those other three properties didn't is Grogu, which is this film's saving grace. Despite flashes of potential from Jonny Coyne's Lord Janu and an intriguing backstory for the swole Rotta the Hutt (Jeremy Allen White), Grogu is the only character that shines over the more than two-hour film. It's enough to entertain you, but not enough to make this movie good. At best, it's just enough to save it; at worst, it proves that Lucasfilm has no idea what to do with 'Star Wars.'

This 'Star Wars' movie is a series of baffling choices

The premise of this movie is for The Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal/Brendan Wayne/Lateef Crowder) and Grogu (an adorable puppet) to hunt down the enemies of the New Republic. The trailer portrays this as meaning primarily former Imperial warlords, but as we see, it also includes a pair of Hutts known as the Twins.

Unfortunately, it's the Twins that end up being the main focus of the storyline. Not only does this saddle us with less interesting characters, but it turns the film's plot from a straight line into a circle, ultimately dropping us off right back where we started after 132 minutes.

But this is far from the only baffling choice the movie makes with its primary antagonists. If you saw "The Book of Boba Fett," you've met these Hutts before. They arrive on Tatooine to take over Jabba's empire. In this movie, they're still fixated on that quest, hoping to obtain their illustrious, infamous sibling's criminal enterprise through his son, Rotta.

In their first appearance, the Twins are imposing, just like Jabba had been in the original 'Star Wars' trilogy. A large part of this comes down to their deep vocal register and their use of the language Huttese. It creates an ominous tone, especially since not everyone in a given scene can necessarily understand what they're saying.

(Image credit: Disney)

In "The Mandalorian and Grogu," though, the Hutts only occasionally speak Huttese. Instead, they frequently opt for Basic (the equivalent of English). In the case of Rotta, there's some story justification for this choice, but in the case of the Twins, it diminishes their presence and aids in reducing them to almost cartoonish villains by the end of the film.

This movie struggles to decide if it's a kids' movie or a movie for older audiences throughout, sometimes delivering fun moments with Grogu and his buddies and other times showing Mando torching and stabbing people.

The charitable take is that this decision is to make the film more accessible, which it's clear "The Mandalorian and Grogu" tries to be. This movie struggles to decide if it's a kids' movie or a movie for older audiences throughout, sometimes delivering fun moments with Grogu and his buddies, the diminutive Anzellans, other times showing Mando torching people, stabbing them and even dropping crates on them to squish them to death.

These missteps are far from the only negative mark on the film. There are no quality exchanges of dialogue to speak of; a character is literally named after the actor who plays them. Most stunning of all, Ludwig Göransson's incredible score from the Disney+ series is back, but it's polluted with synth on several occasions. I'm not exaggerating that if you simply removed the synth from where he inserted it, the score would become exponentially better.

Verdict: 'The Mandalorian and Grogu' should be watched on Disney+, where it belongs

(Image credit: Disney)

"The Mandalorian and Grogu" can't decide if it's for kids or for adults. It can't decide if it's a movie or a condensed season of a show. Its story feels lazy and inconsequential, failing to move the narrative of its characters forward while simultaneously treading water rather than advancing the general storyline of 'Star Wars' established in past seasons of "The Mandalorian" and other shows that preceded this movie.

And yet, you'll probably have a good time.

Despite all its flaws, there's no denying that Grogu is an incredible character that can't help but make you feel good. It's really a masterstroke of character creation that has to be applauded. And the action sequences in this film are largely enjoyable, even occasionally downright satisfying.

But just because you'll have a good time doesn't mean the movie is good. When I was in my screening, people were laughing on several occasions. They clapped at the end of the film. Yet, as I walked through the crowd, I overheard people say that the movie was "fine," "entertaining" and "decent." I didn't hear anyone say it was good, great or that they couldn't wait to see it again.

Simply put, "fine" isn't enough of a reason to go out for a night at an IMAX theater for something that feels made for Disney+. Instead, you should wait for "The Mandalorian and Grogu" to hit the streaming service, where it belongs.

This is the way.

"The Mandalorian and Grogu" is in theaters now

Burger King’s Mandalorian and Grogu menu is out today, and I already tried everything on it so you don't have to

Kate Kozuch — Sun, 03 May 2026 11:00:00 +0000

Burger King just launched a galaxy-inspired meal collab in time for Star Wars Day, also known by fans as May the Fourth. And after trying the full "The Mandalorian and Grogu" menu ahead of time, I can tell you what’s worth ordering starting May 4, 2026.

I can also confirm there’s one item the internet will be talking about almost as much as the food: the Beskard. To celebrate the movie’s anticipated release later in May, Burger King has introduced a limited-edition collectible card inspired by Mandalorian Beskar steel. Cleverly dubbed the “Beskard,” it’s only available through a special one-day giveaway on May 4.

@tomsguide
♬ The Force Theme - Far Out

Winners receive the physical collectible card plus a digital version in the BK App that unlocks deals on the themed menu items through the end of the month.

(Image credit: Future)

As fun as the Beskard promotion is, Grogu’s Blue Cookie Shake stole the show for me. If you’re like me, you wouldn’t typically think of getting a dessert at Burger King, but when I tell you I can’t stop thinking about this milkshake…

Made with vanilla soft serve, blue sugar cookie syrup, and topped with blue cookies, it tastes like birthday cake collided with nostalgic blue monster ice cream. Needless to say, I’d order it again immediately. In fact, you’ll catch me at Burger King on May 4 ordering it if nothing else.

Grogu’s Garlic Chicken Fries

(Image credit: Future)

Grogu’s Garlic Chicken Fries come in a carton with pop-out ears, which is cute enough on its own. But the parmesan garlic flavoring and dipping sauce make these way better than a novelty side.

If you’re already a fan of the Burger King Chicken Fries, I have no doubt you’ll like the version on this Star Wars menu. I personally would pick up some additional dips and sauces next time, but that’s just the type of chicken nugget/tender/fry eater I am.

BBQ Bounty Whopper

(Image credit: Future)

The BBQ Bounty Whopper comes in a helmet-shaped carton and Beskar-inspired wrapper that’s enough to impress me, but the burger itself holds up too.

I do happen to think the Whopper was already the best classic fast food burger, but the addition of barbecue sauce and crispy pickles to all the usual Whopper fixings make this feel like something I’d find at one of NYC’s many overpriced bougie burger joints.

Imperial Cheddar Ranch Tots

(Image credit: Future)

Finally, food-wise, we have the Imperial Cheddar Ranch Tots. It was actually my first time trying Burger King’s cheesy tots, and I suppose I understand the appeal.

Crispy outside, fluffy inside, with melty cheddar and ranch seasoning throughout, if you go for that sort of thing. That said, these are the one thing I’d probably skip, mostly because they’d take away precious room in my stomach from my beloved Blue Cookie Shake.

Also, Imperial branding on tots is very funny and somehow works, coming from a certified fan of the Dark Side.

The Mandalorian and Grogu Collectibles & King Jr. Meal

Future

When you purchase the Bounty Bundle featuring everything above, BBQ Bounty Whopper Combo or a 12-piece Grogu’s Garlic Chicken Fry Combo, you get to take home a souvenir cup featuring familiar designs from the world of The Mandalorian and Grogu.

The other collectible product from this collaboration are 8 different figurines inspired by the film’s characters, including one of my favorite characters from the entire Star Wars universe, Zeb Orrelios. You can find these in the The Mandalorian and Grogu King Jr. Meal.

Final verdict

Burger King might’ve been lucky to secure The Mandalorian and Grogu's fast food partnership, but it has done the franchise justice with a delicious menu, detailed packaging and collectibles that us fans get jazzed to score. I’d consider the assignment understood.

As for the Beskard card, it gives diners something rare to chase beyond the menu itself, so may the force be with you to get one. But even if you miss the card, don’t miss the Blue Cookie Shake, because that’s the real bounty of this limited-time collaboration.

'The Mandalorian and Grogu' movie drops first trailer and release date and it looks like the best Star Wars since 'Andor'

alix.blackburn@futurenet.com (Alix Blackburn) — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 14:20:00 +0000

“Star Wars” fans, the wait for a trailer is finally over. Disney has dropped the first teaser for “The Mandalorian and Grogu,” giving us our first big-screen glimpse of the beloved duo in action. Even better, the movie now has a confirmed release date: May 22, 2026. Personally, I think they missed a perfect opportunity not to release it on May the 4th (aka Star Wars Day).

The beloved Disney Plus series continues on the big screen, following the duo as they embark on their most daring mission yet, enlisted by the New Republic to safeguard the legacy of the Rebellion.

Directed by Jon Favreau, who co-wrote the movie with Dave Filoni, “The Mandalorian and Grogu” looks like an epic continuation that feels like a worthy replacement for season 4 (and it seems like the duo will be sticking around on the big screen for the foreseeable future).

The first trailer clearly keeps any major plot details under wraps, but it’s packed with glimpses that fans will love. The Razor Crest is back with a new upgrade, and familiar faces like Zeb Orrelios in live-action form, while Grogu has some fun hanging out with an adorable group of Anzellans.

We also get a look at Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu embarking on a brand-new mission, complete with a moment of Grogu using a tiny telescope. The trailer teases Jeremy Allen White as Rotta the Hutt, Jabba’s son, alongside Sigourney Weaver as Colonel Ward, a “seasoned veteran pilot from the Rebellion” now serving the New Republic, who enlists the duo to help stabilize the galaxy.

Action-packed moments show our heroes also taking down AT-ATs and competing in underground gladiatorial fights, hinting at explosive adventures across the galaxy.

The teaser synopsis reads: “The evil Empire has fallen, and Imperial warlords remain scattered throughout the galaxy. As the fledgling New Republic works to protect everything the Rebellion fought for, they have enlisted the help of legendary Mandalorian bounty hunter Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and his young apprentice Grogu.”

Everything Disney announced at Destination D23 2025 — including news from 'Avengers: Doomsday,' 'Toy Story 5,' 'The Mandalorian & Grogu' and more

Martin Shore — Mon, 01 Sep 2025 12:45:00 +0000

D23 2025 has been and gone, and the fan event brought us a ton of updates, news and announcements from Walt Disney Studios properties, including upcoming releases from Marvel, the next Star Wars movie and plenty of Pixar news.

The event took place over the weekend (Aug. 30-31), and saw guests taking in a full slate of over 25 curated presentations from across the company. While that meant we saw big reveals for Disney Parks and plenty of panels looking back at the House of Mouse's history, we're going to focus on the movie, TV show and Disney Plus news that came out of D23 2025 here (though, yes, Disneyland Paris' World of Frozen does look very cool).

Below, you can find a quick breakdown of all the major entertainment announcements from D23 2025, including newly announced releases, a brief "Avengers: Doomsday" update and more.

The Russos hyped up 'Avengers: Doomsday'

Marvel fans lucky to be at D23 2025 got to see a teaser for "Avengers: Doomsday."

Attendees were treated to a video message featuring the Russo brothers, who are currently working on the new MCU team-up movie in London, with a video message that was interrupted by an excited Paul Rudd.

The Russos, crucially, teased that "Avengers: Doomsday" is "bigger than anything we have ever done," while Rudd added: "we're surrounded by jaw-dropping sets and some truly incredible talent" (quotes as reported by The Direct).

D23 attendees got the first look at 'The Mandalorian & Grogu'

D23 attendees were lucky enough to sample what's in store for Din Djarin and his young charge, Grogu (that's Baby Yoda, to you and me).

Filming for "The Mandalorian & Grogu" only got underway "a few weeks ago," but director Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni appeared on stage to tease the new film, which is releasing in 2026.

The footage hasn't yet been released, at the time of writing, though Deadline reports that the clip featured the titular duo, plus shots of a snowy planet that could be Hoth (seeing as they saw "huge AT-ATs") and Babu Frick made an appearance, flying a ship with Grogu to boot.

Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni tease ‘Mandalorian & Grogu’ coming in May 2026 #D23 pic.twitter.com/f6Er5K2XWkAugust 10, 2024

Pixar drops a big 'Toy Story 5' update

(Image credit: Disney/Pixar)

Pixar put in a major appearance at Destination D23 2025. Attendees were shown the first three minutes from "Toy Story 5," and this opening scene saw a ton of hi-tech Buzz Lightyear toys waking up on a deserted island somewhere after getting lost at sea and trying to find a way to escape.

Further "Toy Story 5" news: Conan O'Brien confirmed as the voice of a new "potty training toy," Smarty Pants. "Toy Story 5" hits theaters on June 19, 2026.

Disney Animation announces all-new original movie, 'Hexed'

"Hexed" is Disney Animation Studios' next all-original movie, and it's due to premiere in November 2026.

Directed by Josie Trinidad and Jason Hand, "Hexed" revolves around an awkward teenager and his Type-A mother, and the pair just might have access to magical powers that could turn a secret world of magic on its head.

Coming to theaters in Fall 2026, Disney’s #Hexed is an all-new original film that follows an awkward teenage boy and his Type - A mom, who discover that what makes him unusual, might just be magical powers that will turn their lives and a secret world of magic, upside down.… pic.twitter.com/wGEM3gNkorAugust 30, 2025

More D23 2025 movie and show announcements

Pixar showed new clips from its upcoming sci-fi animated movie, "Hoppers," releasing in theaters on March 6, 2026.
Pixar also discussed its upcoming slate, including new original "Gatto" (2027), about a Venetian cat, and "Incredibles 3" and "Coco 2," which are later down the line.
"Ice Age: Boiling Point" announced as the franchise's next installment, taking the herd to "never-before-seen corners" of the treacherous Lost World. Releasing in theaters on Feb. 5, 2027.
A new clip from "Tron: Ares" was shown at D23 2025, featuring a Light Cycle chase through our streets.
More details about "Zootopia 2". The opening scene was shown to attendees, plus we learned about two new cast members. Patrick Warburton had joined as the voice of Zootopia's equine leader, Mayor Winddancer, while Yvette Nicole Brown was confirmed as voicing EMT Otter and Baroness Bear.
Animated movie "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw" debuts on Disney Plus on Dec. 5, 2025.
Filmmaker Leslie Iwerks unveils trailer for new documentary "Disneyland Handcrafted," coming to Disney Plus and Disney YouTube this winter.

A comprehensive breakdown of everything shown at Destination D23 2025 (including panels, Disney Parks and archive news) can be found on The Walt Disney Company website.

'The Mandalorian' rumor suggests season 4 won't be happening — but the force is still strong with the movie

alix.blackburn@futurenet.com (Alix Blackburn) — Tue, 27 May 2025 10:07:40 +0000

This is the (movie) way — at least, according to a new report.

It’s been over two years since “The Mandalorian” wrapped up its third season, and with no official word on season 4 since, fans have begun to wonder if the galaxy far, far away has quietly left the show behind. Now, a new rumor suggests those suspicions may not be far off.

According to a claim by insider Daniel Richtman on his Patreon, “The Mandalorian” won’t return to Disney Plus for a fourth season. Instead, the story of Din Djarin and Grogu will remain on the big screen for the foreseeable, beginning with the upcoming movie “The Mandalorian & Grogu.”

To be clear, Disney and Lucasfilm haven’t officially confirmed any of this so take it with a grain of salt. But given the long silence, shifting priorities at Disney, and the spotlight now shining fully on the theatrical project, it’s getting harder to imagine season 4 ever materializing.

It’s a surprising shift for a show widely regarded as one of the best projects in the “Star Wars” universe. The show not only helped restore fan excitement after a divisive sequel trilogy, but it also catapulted Pedro Pascal to a new level of fame for his role as the helmeted bounty hunter.

While season 3 drew more mixed reactions, many held out hope for a proper continuation. But with shifting strategies at Disney and Lucasfilm, the future of “The Mandalorian” may now rest solely on its theatrical debut.

What to expect from ‘The Mandalorian & Grogu’ on the big screen

(Image credit: Disney Plus)

With “The Mandalorian” season 4 looking less and less likely, all attention has shifted to the upcoming feature movie set to continue the adventures of Din Djarin and his beloved foundling.

While official story details for “The Mandalorian & Grogu” remain under wraps, the movie is expected to pick up where season 3 left off, acting as a bridge between the Disney Plus series and the broader cinematic plans being crafted by Lucasfilm’s creative head, Dave Filoni.

“The Mandalorian” season 3 concluded with Din (Pascal), the adorable Grogu, and Bo-Katan (Katee Sackhoff) leading a united Mandalorian front to finally defeat Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito) and his lingering Imperial forces. Their victory allowed Bo-Katan to reclaim Mandalore and begin the long process of restoring her homeworld.

In the aftermath, Din struck a deal with the New Republic to help hunt down other remnants of the shattered Empire. That mission naturally puts him on a collision course with a much larger threat teased in “Ahsoka”: the return of Grand Admiral Thrawn. With Thrawn potentially preparing a full-scale assault on the vulnerable New Republic, Din and Grogu may soon find themselves pulled into a galactic conflict.

And with Filoni’s crossover “event” movie still years away, it appears “The Mandalorian & Grogu” is set to serve as the crucial link between the beloved streaming series and the escalating war looming on the horizon.

(Image credit: Lucasfilm)

Richtman also mentioned on his Patreon that the stakes for the movie are incredibly high. He claimed that “if the movie succeeds, a sequel will be made. However, if it flops, it will serve as the final chapter for Mando and could also put [Dave] Filoni’s movie at risk.”

Jon Favreau, creator and executive producer of the series, recently reinforced this shift in focus. At this year’s Star Wars Celebration in Japan, he told Collider that his attention is fully on the movie, not a potential fourth season.

“Right now, I'm focusing on the feature,” Favreau said. “You discover so much as you edit a film… Right now we're really locked in on the big screen story that’s coming.”

I’ve absolutely adored every step of Mando and Grogu’s journey. I’ve even built up a little collection of Grogu toys and posters as a reminder of just how much this duo means to me. So, I truly hope “The Mandalorian & Grogu” becomes a huge success, not just for fans like me, but for the future of “Star Wars” storytelling as a whole.

Season 4 hasn't been entirely ruled out yet, but since theatrical releases tend to bring in a lot more revenue, I'm fairly certain “The Mandalorian” will remain on the big screen. Looks like Din and Grogu might be trading their beskar for box office bling!

“The Mandalorian & Grogu” hits theaters on May 22, 2026.

The Mandalorian and Grogu jet onto the big screen in upcoming Star Wars movie

ryan.epps@futurenet.com (Ryan Epps) — Tue, 09 Jan 2024 19:20:54 +0000

As if appearing from hyperspace, a new "Star Wars" movie is headed into production later this year following Pedro Pascal’s Mandalorian character and his trusty little green sidekick, Grogu.

Lucasfilm took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to announce the news, highlighting that Jon Favreau will be taking the lead as director on the project, called “The Mandalorian & Grogu,” alongside producers Kathleen Kennedy and Dave Filoni.

The movie will seemingly pick up following the events of “The Mandalorian” season 3, which saw the titular Din Djarin settling down on a quiet plot of land with his Force-sensitive buddy.

With the film not slated to hit production until later this year, fans will have quite a long wait ahead before experiencing the duo’s next high-flying, space-faring adventure.

Too big for the small screen

Announced in a StarWars.com blog post, the new movie featuring Grogu (aka Baby Yoda) and Din Djarin will add to the ever-burgeoning list of movies on Lucasfilm’s schedule. There’s little else to go on aside from a piece of concept art that shows Grogu in the arms of Mando as he dives away from an exploding spacecraft.

Although there isn’t any official word on The Mandalorian season 4, it seems like “The Mandalorian & Grogu” movie will take its place and could very well be the end of their story — at least with the duo as the main draw. The movie will mark Grogu’s first-ever feature film appearance and might bring in well-established characters, like Thrawn, Ezra Bridger, Hera Syndulla and Bo Katan into the mix.

Following the events of the first season of "Ahhoska," which Lucasfilm has confirmed is getting a second outing and is currently being developed by Filoni, General Thrawn is now free from his exile and will most certainly cause immense havoc across the galaxy. It will be interesting to see how Mando and crew face off against this incredibly dangerous and intelligent threat.

(Image credit: Disney)

With “The Mandalorian,” “Ahsoka,” “Book of Boba Fett,” and many other New Republic-era shows leading into Filoni’s own forthcoming film, it’s a safe bet that these few projects will be the last we see of the little green Force-sensitive and his knight in shining armor. We will just have to wait and see how the events unfold in that beloved galaxy far, far away.

In addition to announcing both “The Mandalorian & Grogu,” as well as “Ahsoka” season 2, Lucasfilm also highlighted additional movies in the works headed up by James Mangold and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy. The latter’s film, currently titled “Star Wars: New Jedi Order,” will follow Rey on her quest to rebuild the Force-sensitive hierarchy and is slated for release in May 2026. Mangold’s “Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi,” set 25,000 years before “Episode IV,” remains in development alongside Filoni's New Republic movie.

I don’t get all the hate for Ted Lasso and The Mandalorian right now

tom.pritchard@futurenet.com (Tom Pritchard) — Fri, 19 May 2023 06:30:47 +0000

2023 is a little confusing for me. Not only are Marvel movies running the risk of losing money, but people seem to be turning on two TV shows that were generally assumed to be universally adored. The Mandalorian and Ted Lasso were bonafide darlings of streaming television, but both shows’ third seasons seem to have flipped that consensus on its head.

And honestly, I do not understand it in the slightest. While there's been a lot of grousing from folks, including some of my colleagues at Tom’s Guide, I’ve found both shows to be very enjoyable. There have been some ups and downs, but my experience has been overwhelmingly positive. In fact, it feels like people are being overly-critical for the sake of it.

The Mandalorian hasn’t changed, but that might be the problem

(Image credit: Lucasfilm)

Well actually, now that I think about it, it’s not a huge surprise that people seem to have turned on The Mandalorian the way that they have. As the saying goes, nobody hates Star Wars more than Star Wars fans. While true of any major fandom, there’s something particularly unique about the salty toxicity in a lot of Star Wars-centric discourse.

Considering how loud groups of people will scream to the heavens about how bad they think the latest instalment in the saga is, it’s a wonder any of them said anything nice about The Mandalorian to begin with. It makes me wonder whether people were so enamored with Grogu that it didn’t give them much time to find something to complain about.

The Mandalorian hasn’t really changed since its debut in 2019. The show is still essential a TV series made of side quests, with little threads that build up to a climactic finale. The third season stuck to that formula, and that might be the cause of animosity from fans.

(Image credit: Lucasfilm Ltd.)

Take Grogu for example, because even the adorable frog-eating green goblin is starting to lose his magic. While his babyish antics were cute and endearing in previous seasons, The Mandalorian season 3’s plot could have progressed mostly-unchanged had Grogu stayed with Luke Skywalker learning how to Jedi. So with little to do, Grogu’s only purpose was to stand around gurgling and being cute — and those green-tinted glasses are starting to wear out.

Mando was never going to be profound, highbrow sci-fi that’s supposed to make you think. That’s what we have Star Trek for.

Grogu losing his appeal isn’t why people have turned on The Mandalorian, but it’s a prime example of the problems people seem to have. Tom’s Guide Streaming editor Henry T Casey has noted many times that he feels the third season felt incredibly aimless, pushing him away from Star Wars and left him on the verge of quitting the show.

But me? I was quite happy to sit back and watch the action, enjoy the guest stars, and wait for the little teases to bring Mando (and the audience) to the season’s final conclusion. While the franchise has grown and gotten more complex, Star Wars is, at its core, easily-digestible science fiction for the casual viewer. The Mandalorian season 3 absolutely accomplished that.

Mando was never going to be profound, highbrow sci-fi that’s supposed to make you think. That’s what we have Star Trek for.

Ted Lasso is as entertaining and wholesome as ever

(Image credit: Apple)

At its core Ted Lasso hasn’t changed all that much, either. It’s still a story about the football coach that’s woefully out of his depth, but survives life’s trials and tribulations with a smile and a chipper anecdote. It’s still as funny and heartwarming as it ever was, and I’m genuinely enjoying what the shop has brought to us as part of the third season. Heck, I don’t even like football/soccer.

Even Rupert, Rebecca’s evil ex-husband, was afforded some modicum of redemption during the Akufo League meeting.

That’s not to say that the third season is perfect. There’s plenty to pull apart, including the fact we have just two episodes of the final season to go and there’s still no resolution in sight. So the whole thing is feeling a little rushed, and at times feels more like the show is judging characters for potential spin-off potential.

Similarly, the shows villains haven’t been given any time to be, well, villainous. Nate’s story has been on the backburner, and while the start of the season showed him apparently struggling with his antagonistic side, he almost immediately reverted back to the same awkward Nate he was at Richmond. Even Rupert, Rebecca’s evil ex-husband, was afforded some modicum of redemption during the Akufo League meeting.

(Image credit: Apple)

For its faults, I’m still really enjoying Ted Lasso’s third season. I’m not sure how the show will wrap up in the time we have left, but I’ve never finished an episode and wished I’d watched something else. Yes, I’m enjoying binge-watching Frasier a heck of a lot more, but I’m not dragging myself through each episode of Ted Lasso for the sake of it. Not like Henry did with The Mandalorian, at least.

Ted Lasso's still just as fun and heartwarming as ever, and that’s all that really matters to me.

It’s not a perfect season, but like The Mandalorian, Ted Lasso season 3 is still the same thing it always was. The only major change here is that the conflict between the main characters has decreased as they’ve adopted the Lasso way of thinking, and lack of conflict between characters rarely makes compelling television.

That could well be why Isaac took an entire episode to confront Colin, after learning his teammate was in the closet. The writers were simply trying to create some drama to make things a little more interesting. Though I do agree with Henry, it wasn't a great dramatic device.

The fact that the show’s villains are decidedly less villainous, sporadic appearances of Edwin Akufo not-withstanding, doesn’t exactly help this matter either. Not that either of these things has really affected my enjoyment of the show. Ted Lasso's still just as fun and heartwarming as ever, and that’s all that really matters to me.

Bottom Line

There does seem to be a lot of negativity at the moment, especially where once-beloved franchises are concerned. Marvel movies are another example of that, with fans seemingly tipping themselves to the opposite end of a scale from "best thing ever" to "worthless pile of garbage that ruined my life." It seems Mandalorian and Ted Lasso haven’t quite lived up to some expectations, and both shows are having the same kind of effect. Long delays between seasons couldn't have helped.

But it seems both shows are simply doing much the same thing they always have been. Or at least it feels like that way to me, and I’ve been thoroughly enjoying them both as a result. Whether it’s Din Djarrin doing battle with a creepy robot spider creature, or Ted Lasso apparently proving that angry footballers don’t perform well on the field.

But as much as I don’t understand that seemingly over-the-top criticism, I’m not going to let it stop me enjoying both shows.

The Mandalorian season 4: Everything we know so far

kelly.woo@futurenet.com (Kelly Woo) — Tue, 09 May 2023 07:00:42 +0000

Expect The Mandalorian season 4 to bring back the bounty hunter dad and his adorable green kid for more galactic adventures. While this next season in the works, neither Disney Plus nor Lucasfilm have confirmed the show's renewal.

But that seems to be a mere formality, as co-creator Jon Favreau has stated that he has written all Mandalorian season 4 scripts. This is the way, or at least the direction to one of the upcoming Star Wars movies, as a film that ties all of Disney Plus' Star Wars shows during this era is confirmed.

The Mandalorian is essentially Disney Plus' flagship series. It helped launch the streaming service and expanded the Star Wars universe at a time when the films have gone on hiatus. The show has generated a ton of buzz, thanks greatly to the cuteness overload of Grogu (aka Baby Yoda).

In The Mandalorian season 3, Grogu honed his Force abilities, while also beginning his training and cultural introduction as a Mandalorian under the tutelage of his adopted father, Din Djarin. The finale saw the pair embarking on new quests in service of the Republic.

Here's everything we know about The Mandalorian season 4.

The Mandalorian season 4 release date speculation

Since Disney Plus hasn't even officially announced The Mandalorian season 4, no release date has been set either. However, a renewal seems extremely likely, considering Favreau has "written it already:"

According to MakingStarWars.Net, Lucasfilm is hoping to start filming The Mandalorian season 4 in October 2023. "I can confirm hires, props, and pre-production work on the fourth season of The Mandalorian is currently underway for the last few weeks," reports editor-in-chief Jason Ward.

If that date is true and holds (the current Writers Guild of America strike could cause delays), we can make an educated guess about a possible Mandalorian season 4 release date.

Filming on season 3 took about five months. Once it wrapped, post-production and special effects required nearly a year.

If The Mandalorian season 4 follows a similar timeline, we might see it premiere in March 2025.

The Mandalorian season 4 cast

(Image credit: Lucasfilm)

The Mandalorian season 4 will be fronted by its two leads: Din Djarin and Grogu.

Pedro Pascal provides the voice of Din Djarin, though stunt doubles Brendan Wayne and Lateef Crowder play the character in his armor. While Pascal was not seen in season 3 at all, that may have been due to his involvement in HBO's The Last of Us. He will also be part of that show's second season, but it's possible his schedule may be more open for The Mandalorian season 4. Perhaps we'll see Mando's face again!

As for Grogu, he's portrayed by an animatronic puppet (with a touch of CGI) and voiced by David Accord.

While no cast has been confirmed, two key figures are likely to return: Carl Weathers as Greef Karga, high magistrate of Nevarro, and Carson Teva, a captain in the New Republic's Starfighter Corps. Another possibility is Amy Sedaris as Peli Motto.

We may also see other Mandalorians, who are resettling their planet, including: Katee Sackhoff as Bo-Katan Kryze, Emily Swallow as The Armorer, Simon Kassianides as Axe Woves, Mercedes Varnado as Koska Reeves.

The Mandalorian season 4 plot and season 3 ending, explained

The Mandalorian season 3 ending was a reset in many ways. Most of the season followed Din Djarin and Grogu as they integrated into the hidden cohort headed by the Armorer. Then, they followed along as the cohort merged with Bo-Katan's followers. All of the Mandalorians finally united to take back their planet from Moff Gideon.

In the finale, Din Djarin and Grogu (newly consecrated by the living waters of Mandalore) had settled into a new homestead on Nevarro. Din Djarin also approached Captain Carson Teva, looking to make a deal: He would track down criminals for the Republic, unofficially and on the sly. In return, Teva would pay him. It would be a way for Din Djarin to train Grogu in bounty hunting and finally earn his helmet.

(Image credit: Lucasfilm)

Undoubtedly, the process would also provide the means for Grogu to further hone his abilities with the Force. And maybe learn to talk?!

This kind of bounty hunter case of the week seems to harken back to season 1. It also sounds an awful lot like the Rangers of the New Republic, the Star Wars show that was supposed to follow Cara Dune doing something similar. That idea was likely scrapped due to the controversy surrounding actress Gina Carano.

If The Mandalorian season 4 goes this route, it could be exciting to see Din Djarin and Grogu experience a variety of adventures, on different planets, with different species. Do we dare hope they might come across Grogu's people at last?

The Mandalorian season 3 pushed me away from Star Wars — and that's OK

Henry T. Casey — Sun, 23 Apr 2023 06:30:31 +0000

The Mandalorian season 3 just ended, and I couldn't be happier to watch it fade away. No, this isn't about Grogu. I still appreciate Din Djarin's lil buddy. But I'm guessing nobody at Lucasfilm wanted a sense of relief to wash over my mind once the final credits ran on The Mandalorian season 3 finale.

Last night, while talking about the Star Wars movies and shows with my father, though, I started lamenting the current Star Wars situation. As we learned at Star Wars Celebration 2023, the immediate future of life after Luke is now becoming clearer.

While the previous Star Wars movie news focused around director Patty Jenkins' Rogue Squadron movie, that wasn't even mentioned. Instead, we learned about a trio of movies. There's a James Mangold-helmed Star Wars movie about the origins of the Jedi, which ... whatever. There's also going to be a new Star Wars movie starring Daisy Ridley as Rey. That could be neat. Not sure, though. We last saw her in The Rise of Skywalker, a dumpster-fire of a movie.

But everything else we learned from that event, plus most of The Mandalorian season 3, has basically informed me that (outside of Andor season 2) I shouldn't care about Star Wars any further. And if you'll allow me to explain (with some spoilers from Mando season 3), I will.

Beware spoilers for the events of The Mandalorian season 3

Disney Plus' Star Wars run is pointing to the Star Wars that I ignored

(Image credit: StarWars.com)

As I've tried to explain to others before, I'm what you'd call a casual Star Wars fan. To me, that means I've watched all of the live-action movies (though I fell asleep in Solo) and shows. And slowly, along the way, I've realized that The Mandalorian and its ilk were a Trojan horse of sorts: They're filled with references to the animated Star Wars adventures.

I'm not sure if this is because I'm too old or just am not really into content visibly marketed at younger folks. I graduated from college in 2006, two years before The Clone Wars began. And The Clone Wars' animation style has always felt a bit clunky. I even tried to watch The Clone Wars once. It just didn't land.

(Image credit: Lucasfilm/Disney Plus)

While The Mandalorian's first season felt more-or-less standalone, the influence of the animated Star Wars shows began to reveal itself in Mando season 2. The introduction of the Jedi known as Ahsoka Tano (played by Rosario Dawson), was a huge moment for all the Star Wars fans I knew who were already familiar with the character. I, not having watched any Clone Wars, sat there thinking, "Oh yeah, she was good in the Josie and the Pussycats movie." I should have known something was up from the moment we learned there would be an Ahsoka show.

Alternatively, I could have poked around about the rise of director, writer and executive producer Dave Filoni. While he's worked on non-Star Wars shows I've loved (King of the Hill, Mission Hill), Filoni's name is ubiquitous with Clone Wars and Rebels, a show that followed it.

The Mandalorian season 3 really loves its roots

(Image credit: Lucasfilm)

Then, The Mandalorian season 3 arrived, with a huge obsession over the planet of Mandalore. Some told me that Din Djarin's desperate need to be taken back into the fold was sensible, but the amount of time dedicated to a planet that had only been explored in The Clone Wars was ... annoying.

Then, we got Easter eggs, such as the giant space squids that Grogu saw looking out the window during a flight and seeing a giant odd visual. That image, it turns out, was a space whale. Those space whales, known as purrgil, are a big reference to the Star Wars Rebels series.

Later, a meeting of the remnants of the Galactic Empire named-dropped Thrawn, a villain best known from Rebels, who was also seen from behind in the Ahsoka trailer.

Disney's got a Star Wars quality control problem

(Image credit: Lucasfilm)

Easter eggs and references to stuff I will not watch (there are seven seasons of Clone Wars, four of Rebels, and I don't have the time for either) wouldn't be a big problem. Except, of course, were it not for the show lacking in the space surrounding these references.

Each of the other live-action Star Wars shows under Disney's watch has been, to put it lightly, mid.

The Mandalorian season 3 may have been better than Obi-Wan Kenobi or The Book of Boba Fett, but it cleared those shows by a lower margin than I expected. And the flaws varied in shape and size.

One of the most notable was the slow episode about Dr. Pershing, which felt like a deleted scene from Andor. Don't get me wrong: I loved Andor. It's the only Star Wars thing I have any affinity toward anymore (so it only having one more season is disappointing).

Then, the episode that annoyed me the most, "Chapter 20: The Foundling" wasted time with a flashback that felt more about giving actor Ahmed Best a second chance. Known for voicing Jar Jar Binks, Best returned to the galaxy far, far away to play a Jedi who helped save young Grogu. The camera lingered on Best for long enough to tell audiences that he mattered, but I guess I'm a fake fan because I still don't care after having looked it up online.

(Image credit: Lucasfilm Ltd.)

And then there were the space pirates, whose mere existence felt like someone wasn't being told no enough. And while I won't bemoan the slapstick and celebrity cameo-infused (Hi Lizzo, Jack Black and Christopher Lloyd, what are you doing here?) episode that ruffled feathers online, it can't be left out when talking about how weird this season was.

The Mandalorian's third outing was as flawed as Boba Fett's show. Thankfully, the highs (basically the last quarter or so of the series) were enough to elevate it out of the gutters of Disney's live-action Star Wars programming.

Outlook: And it feels like a new Star Wars movie is to be blamed

(Image credit: Lucasfilm)

I'm OK with interconnected tissue within shows, but the big problem — at least from my vantage point — is that The Mandalorian didn't feel like a season of a TV show that serviced its own ending. Lots of time was spent laying the groundwork for other things, and burning time. And at Star Wars Celebration, we learned why.

Dave Filoni will direct a new Star Wars movie that culminates the stories of these New Republic-era shows. Yes, Star Wars is getting its own Avengers: Endgame. And that's possibly the kind of thing that ruins it all for me.

Star Wars doesn't have to be for everyone, though I wonder if Disney realizes this new direction is slightly alienating.

First and foremost, a TV series should be built to tell its own story. You know, what Andor is doing — as we see the radicalization of Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) and the growth of the rebellion. Yes, that ties into an overarching Star Wars story. Yes, it has Easter eggs about the Death Star's origins that are tied to Cassian's life. But that show is scripted within an inch of its life — and it's the clear and obvious outlier.

Each of the other live-action Star Wars shows under Disney's watch has been, to put it politely, mid. And that's going to be the death of my interest. But, as I said, I still have Andor. And I don't really need Star Wars. I see plenty of people who are happy with Filoni's version of the universe. I'm happy for them.

Star Wars doesn't have to be for everyone, though I wonder if Disney realizes this new direction is slightly alienating.

The Mandalorian season 3 ending explained: Where do we go from here?

Henry T. Casey — Wed, 19 Apr 2023 14:15:41 +0000

The Mandalorian season 3's ending will probably be argued about, since many may have wanted more. But after a notably uneven season, it feels as if the finale served up exactly what the series needed: a reboot.

The only real problem is that it felt more like a series finale than a season finale. We'll get to all the details below, so you better watch The Mandalorian season 3 before you continue.

And, yes, this is one episode you'll be glad you watched. There are no celebrity cameos, and there's a lot of good Grogu moments, too. Let's dive into everything that happened in The Mandalorian season 3 finale after the perfunctory spoiler warning!

The following article covers the events of The Mandalorian season 3 finale episode, "Chapter 24: The Return."

The Mandalorian season 3 finale felt like closure

I'll get to the final shot of the episode below, but let's provide context. The episode began just as Chapter 23 ended: Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) was captured by Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito) and the Dark Troopers, while Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff) is on the run with her fellow Mandalorians.

Fortunately, Din escapes, as he's helped by Grogu in his IG-12 mech suit. Bo-Katan, Koska Reeves (Mercedes Varnado) and the other Mandalorians find shelter in secret farms under the surface of Mandalore. Then, Mando and Grogu find a bay of Moff Gideon clones, which they (thankfully) destroy.

(Image credit: Lucasfilm)

Bo-Katan, armed with the Darksaber, leads her soldiers into battle, and Gideon reveals to Djarin his plan was to meld The Force with his Dark Troopers. In one of the rare moments of actual peril, Grogu squares off with the Praetorian Guards — those red-caped troopers working with Gideon. They knock his IG-12 armor down, but he giggles and Forces his way up and into the air.

Then, Bo-Katan comes to Djarin's aide so Mando can rescue Grogu right as the lil dude is trapped under some fallen debris. The two survive, as Grogu uses the force to fight, and Mando tells him, "You did good, kid."

(Image credit: Lucasfilm)

This is when Mandalorian Axe Woves (Simon Kassianides), piloting one of their ships in the sky, warns our heroes that he's going to crash the dang thing into Moff Gideon's Mandalore base. Here, we have our first kind-of important moment of the episode: Gideon breaks the Darksaber with his fist while fighting Bo-Katan.

And while Bo-Katan is in jeopardy for a brief moment, Din comes to her rescue, prompting her to say "Mandalorians are stronger together." Grogu and Mando work together to fight Gideon, with the little one using The Force to knock his weapon away into a chasm. Then, Woves' ship crashes through the base, spreading fire everywhere. While the flames seem to consume Gideon (no dead body is found), Grogu uses a Force-based forcefield to protect himself, Bo-Katan and Mando.

The Mandalorian season 3's ending is a reboot for a potential season 4

(Image credit: Lucasfilm)

Time has passed when we see a new Mandalorian induction ceremony where The Armorer is talking Ragnar (Wesley Kimmel) through the ceremony. Mando asks if Grogu can go next, but the Armorer says his inability to talk means he can't be an apprentice.

Din finds a compromise, offering to adopt Grogu, so he's able to provide verbal consent. Now, Mando and Grogu are officially adoptive father and son. The Armorer says "This is the way." And Mando's told that they now need to leave and "take [Grogu] on his journeys." Grogu looks into the waters, and we see another glimpse of the mythosaur opening its eye.

At the Great Forge, The Armorer hands Kryze the torch to relight the flames, and the rows of Mandalorians — including members of both factions — provide clanging applause. Woves, Reeves and Ragnar are among those saluting. Mandalore is basically restored, or on its way there.

(Image credit: Lucasfilm)

And our story gets its last pieces set up back at Carson Teva's base of New Republic pilots. There, Grogu notices an IG droid head as Mando asks if he can freelance for the New Republic, but on a secret case-by-case basis. In return, they get the IG head, which is used to restore IG-11, who becomes the new marshal of Nevarro.

And The Mandalorian season 3 ends anti-climactically, as all seems peaceful with Grogu using the force on a frog as Mando chills nearby.

Outlook: Is The Mandalorian's story over?

(Image credit: Lucasfilm)

As we've learned at Star Wars Celebration 2023, The Mandalorian, Ahsoka, The Book of Boba Fett and other shows will end in a big movie. The ending of this season of The Mandalorian almost suggests that our heroes' main story is finished, saving them for a role to play in this massive cross-over film.

That said, The Mandalorian season 3 episode 7 teased what's next in the overall story. The remnants of the Empire still have Project Necromancer up their sleeves, and Grand Admiral Thrawn is coming in Ahsoka. But, for now, it seems like Mando and Grogu will just be adventurers.

Their story doesn't need to be "over," and they will have more adventures as Mando shows Grogu the galaxy, as the Armorer told him to. We just pray that their lives aren't just dedicated to stopping space pirates.

The Mandalorian season 3's best episode yet was undercut by a weak reveal

Henry T. Casey — Wed, 12 Apr 2023 15:05:06 +0000

The Mandalorian season 3, arguably the least consistent show on TV right now, did it again. Today (April 12), saw Chapter 23, "The Spies", arrive on Disney Plus to give us a bunch of great things — and tease something that has me rolling my eyes (again).

And, to be clear: I didn't find Chapter 22's trio of peculiar and surprising cameos (which drew ire online) to be that bad. I felt that it was one of the least annoying episodes of the entire season so far. Admittedly, I've become detached enough from Mando that maybe it would have broken me had I not already groaned through the space pirates.

That said, let's break down the highs and lows of the latest Mandalorian episode — oh, after this spoiler warning!

The Mandalorian's Project Necromancer is reminiscent of the worst recent Star Wars movie

To make sure there's no misunderstandings: I absolutely loved the return of the once-defeated, still-diabolical Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito). Summoned for a holographic Zoom call by Elia Kane (Katy O'Brian), the current baddest guy in the galaxy is free like we knew he was at the end of Chapter 22.

(Image credit: Disney Plus)

And then, he went and took another meeting, with the Imperials that still remain in the New Republic era of Star Wars. There, Captain Gilad Pellaeon (Xander Berkeley) mentioned something called Project Necromancer, and my heart sank.

For weeks, I'd been trying to get back into The Mandalorian, and the twist of Mandalorians possibly helping Gideon escape had me intrigued. But now, to learn that the Imperials (likely) want to reanimate the dead — necromancy is the magical art of communicating with the dead — reminded me of the single worst Star Wars moment in recent history: Emperor Palpatine's cloned revival in Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker.

Did he just say Hux is working on "Project Necromancer!" So that's what they are calling Palpatine's return! LOL! Project NECROMANCER! And we have Hux to blame! LOL!This is the beginning of them inserting the "Heir to the Empire" into Disney Canon! #Mando #TheMandalorian pic.twitter.com/w17gTCKQD2April 12, 2023

Looking online, my concerns were echoed by folks who believe that Project Necromancer is the backstory of Palpatine's return. Or it's about how we got to Supreme Leader Snoke, who always looked like a little like an uncooked Palpatine.

Both of these possibilities feel utterly underwhelming, because it's just explaining how and why stuff we've already seen happened. We already tried that once — and, sorry prequels defenders — it doesn't really work.

Analysis: At least The Mandalorian season 3's big story is coming into focus

At the same time, Gideon's plot to destroy what remains of the Mandalorian people is the thing I've been waiting for all season. Jon Favreau's show has seemingly been spinning its wheels all season, and building towards this massive conflict that sees the Mandalorians go had to head with Gideon and his Beskar-enhanced Dark Troopers.

Chapter 23 also delivered solid storytelling and action about the two sides of the Mandalorians — the unmasked strays and the helmeted true believers — who finally united. This gave us that neat bickering-then-fighting scene between Axe Woves (Simon Kassianides) and Paz Vizsla (Tait Fletcher/Jon Favreau) on the ship, which would soon be followed by Vizsla's heroic sacrifice? Fantastic stuff.

(Image credit: Lucasfilm)

Also, we've got Mando in captivity, split away from Grogu who's his own in the new IG-12. On top of that Gideon probably has his eye on the latter, who he's probably still hoping he could kidnap. They even teased the arrival of Grand Admiral Thrawn, last seen blasting off into space in the Rebels finale, and we most recently saw in the Ahsoka teaser trailer. There's a lot of good stuff here.

Hopefully, The Mandalorian's final episodes of the season focus on these events. But if the overarching story of Star Wars' TV shows is building towards the Snoke and Palpatine stuff, I'm more concerned with the overall direction than I was before.

The Mandalorian's Jon Favreau just confirmed my biggest concern

Henry T. Casey — Wed, 22 Mar 2023 15:00:53 +0000

The man behind The Mandalorian, creator Jon Favreau, has basically confirmed my worst fears about the show. And while some of the folks who love Grogu will probably think he's got great news, I'm firmly feeling like Bo-Katan, wondering how this could be the way.

Currently, we're in the midst of The Mandalorian season 3 (which feels like almost its fourth when you consider the connective tissue of The Book of Boba Fett), The Mandalorian is already reportedly sagging with audiences. But it sounds like the series won't have any trouble living on for a while.

When Entertainment Weekly asked Favreau about how much longer The Mandalorian will soar, they got an answer simply summarized with the notion "As long as Favreau enjoys making The Mandalorian, he'll continue making it." Which makes me wonder where it's all going.

Specifically, Favreau declined to offer any notion of how long the series would last and also said "I don't know what would make me not enjoy doing it, especially as long as the audience is connecting with these characters. This feels like a really enjoyable moment. And I love this format of telling one chapter at a time and keeping the audience guessing, but also fulfilling certain expectations."

I'm sure Disney Plus execs are happy to hear this, but it doesn't feel like a good idea. And that makes me remember a line from Philip Seymour Hoffman's character in The Big Lebowski: "This is our concern, Dude." Below this lies spoilers about The Mandalorian season 3 episode 4.

The Mandalorian season 3 episode 4 reminds me why I'm frustrated

In today's latest instalment of The Mandalorian (Chapter 20: The Foundling), we get what amounts to yet another side mission that serves very little purpose. Sure, the mission to save Paz Vizsla's kid gave Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff) a higher place in the clan and the respect of The Armorer. But "Mandalorian kids get abducted and rescued" felt like the biggest waste of everyone's time.

The episode also focused a little on Grogu's training with the Mandalorians, and featured a more fleshed-out flashback to his escape from the Jedi Temple during Order 66. Here, we learned that a human Jedi Master named Kelleran Beq (Ahmed Best) saved Grogu from the slaughter.

Star Wars experts may have recognized Best as the man who played Jar Jar Binks. For those who know, it's a "Leo points at the TV in Once Upon A Time in Hollywood" moment, and for the rest of us, it's an "okay, who's this guy? Ah, that's cool I guess," moment.

Right now, The Mandalorian’s leaned too far into the side missions and small bites of stories. While the groundwork may be laid for future episodes (particular with Dr. Pershing’s story last week), it all feels like we’re staring at the whiteboard in the writer’s room. And nobody should be able to watch a plot build. It should feel natural, and not intentional.

From talking with my Tom's Guide colleague Tom Pritchard, and friends I chat with frequently in a Discord, I know that a lot of what The Mandalorian season 3 is delivering is just missing with me because I don't know the right lore. And, sure, it's Star Wars. It's supposed to be fun, and for kids (and adults who are still kids at heart).

But right now, I can't help but shake my head as I watch new episodes of The Mandalorian every Wednesday morning, and think "this isn't the way."

The Mandalorian season 3 episode 4 release date and time: How to watch online right now

Henry T. Casey — Thu, 16 Mar 2023 20:27:02 +0000

It's time to watch The Mandalorian season 3 episode 4 — this is the way. The new episode just dropped on Disney Plus, and continues the surprises of last week. When we weren't following Doctor Pershing (Omid Abtahi) around, we saw Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff) actually welcomed back to the Mandalorian fold.

The Mandalorian season 3 episode 4 release date and time

Date: Today (Wednesday, March 22)
Time: 3 a.m. ET / 12 a.m. PT / 8 a.m. GMT / 7 p.m. AEDT

So, now it seems as if she will continue to be something of an ally to Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu. Bo-Katan doesn't necessarily want that — she even said she does not walk The Way. She would much rather regain the Darksaber and the power that her family once held.

Interestingly enough, Bo-Katan was telling the truth when The Armorer (Emily Swallow) asked if she'd taken her helmet off since going in the Living Waters underneath the mines of Mandalore. This all makes us wonder if she will be fully redeemed back to her previous class status, or if there's more to be done.

Meanwhile, trouble is brewing in The New Republic. On Coruscant, we witnessed cloning expert Dr. Pershing (who worked for Moff Gideon) promoting the reasons to continue his research — which has been outlawed. His former colleague Elia Kane (Katy M. O'Brian) struck up a friendship with Pershing, but for nefarious purposes. She tortured him by turning the knob up on the Mind Flayer machine.

Is this a prelude to the return of Moff Gideon? We'll find out sooner or later. Either way, I’m not surprised The Mandalorian season 3 is reportedly struggling with its ratings. Here's everything you need to watch The Mandalorian season 3 episode 4 (one of our top picks for the new shows and movies to watch in March 2023) online.

When is The Mandalorian season 3 episode 4's release date on Disney Plus?

The Mandalorian season 3 episode 4 premieres on Wednesday (March 22) on Disney Plus.

It drops at 12 a.m. PT / 3 a.m. ET / 8 a.m. GMT / 7 p.m. AEDT.

We've also got the full The Mandalorian season 3 release schedule for every episode.

The Disney Plus price info has recently changed in the US. Now, the traditionally ad-free tier is $10.99 per month. There's also the new Disney Plus Basic, an ad-supported tier at $7.99 per month.

In the UK, Disney Plus will set you back £7.99 per month or £79.90 per year, while in Australia the price is AU$13.99 per month and AU$139.99 per year.

Disney Plus gives you access to the entire Disney vault of classics like Frozen, The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast as well as newer hits like The Mandalorian, Loki and more. In the US, you can get the most value with the $12.99 bundle that throws in Hulu and ESPN Plus.

While Hulu and ESPN Plus bundles aren't available in the UK and Australia, access to Star is included in the monthly price (£7.99 / AU$13.99), which effectively doubles Disney Plus' content lineup by including more TV shows and movies for grown ups.View Deal

How to watch The Mandalorian season 3 internationally

Disney Plus is available in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Mauritius, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, so it's not going to be tough to get access to The Mandalorian season 3.

I’m not surprised The Mandalorian season 3 is struggling — here's why

Henry T. Casey — Thu, 16 Mar 2023 04:30:24 +0000

The Mandalorian season 3, the returning crown jewel of the Disney Plus empire, has apparently hit a snag when it comes to viewership. And, I hate to say I told you so, but this news is entirely unsurprising, for a trio of reasons I'll get to below.

The news of Mando's struggle to hit the ratings highs that Disney Plus may have expected comes — as it always does with streaming shows — indirectly. As you may know, streaming services hold keep viewership data private, so it's up to third-party sources to try and sleuth out what they can deduce.

A new report from The Wrap and Samba TV suggests the premiere’s performance may be “weaker than one might have hoped.” Yes, Mando's third season premiere outpaced Andor's by huge numbers (nearly 50%), but that was a show that took time to find an audience. Instead, look at how The Mandalorian's new run trails behind Disney's bigger shows: down 35% to Loki and down 28% to Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Heck, the often-maligned The Book of Boba Fett viewership numbers beat the new The Mandalorian by 2%.

1. The long wait, and The Book of Boba Fett, didn't help

(Image credit: Disney Plus)

The Mandalorian season 2 ended at the end of 2020 — which feels like three lifetimes ago at this point. Then, The Mandalorian's story continued — somewhat quietly — into The Book of Boba Fett, which finished last February.

Speaking of Mr. Fett's show, let's all take a moment to wonder whose great idea it was to throw away Mando's big cliffhanger ending to finish it in another show you didn't expect to see him or Grogu in?

If someone was really excited for the new season of the show to see Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) reconnect with his tiny friend, they either had the Book of Boba Fett deflate this cause for excitement, or they didn't hear about it at all.

All of the above just feels like the death of enthusiasm by a thousand cuts.

2. The Mandalorian's premiere didn't help

(Image credit: Lucasfilm)

I don't think people remember that The Mandalorian used to come out on Fridays, as over two years passed since Mando's S2 finale (December 18, 2020) but Disney's decision to move it to Wednesdays could be seen as a reason why people might not have expected it.

Instead, I'd like to point my blaming finger at The Mandalorian season 3 premiere, which was (in my eyes) a total dud. References to how Grogu and Din reunited were kept at a minimum — Disney properties just expect you've seen every chapter — and the episode was all about boring space pirates who looked janky.

Oh, and I still believe that The Mandalorian team's done a shoddy job of explaining why Din wants to be redeemed with his people so much. Sure, there's the easy answer: they're his people, he grew up as an orphan and he wants to belong. But the premiere did nothing to really hammer that home.

3. The Mandalorian feels aimless

(Image credit: Lucasfilm)

The Wrap and Samba TV's measurements were taken over the course of the first seven days of The Mandalorian season 3's premiere, and that makes me think about one of the most important things when it comes to modern TV watching: word of mouth.

With its premiere lacking any big surprise — a neat space fight where Mando's N-1 Starfighter hid in the shadows of space rocks and attacked — this episode played things far too safe. The die-hards, who likely watched on day 1, probably arrived in the expected numbers.

But without a whole lot of chatter, I didn't see anyone say "oh you gotta see this thing that happened!," it's hard to really assume this episode could be a big draw for more casual fans. Hopefully The Mandalorian season 3 episode 4 gives us something closer to that.

Outlook: The Mandalorian's next episodes helped and hurt its causes

When it comes to episodes 2 and 3, I think that there's a chance the audience could be coming back. The second episode featured a pretty cool new enemy, and a mood that felt like a fantastic thriller. The third episode? Well, it nearly went full-Andor.

And while I was happy to see episode 3 switch things up by following cloning scientist Doctor Pershing (Omid Abtahi), who you may remember from early Mando episodes. Here, we saw one person dealing with bureaucracy, and the episode tried to surface emotional themes of trying to do the right thing under a government that won't let you.

(Image credit: Lucasfilm Ltd.)

Unfortunately, the episode (the longest of the series so far) felt like a snoozer. At least, though, I can say that now, more than before, it seems like The Mandalorian is building to something surprising. Especially since Din Djarin's gotten the redemption he so desired.

With that side-quest out of the way, we have five more episodes to figure out what this show is all about. If it's just "space adventures," that might be disappointing, though I'm starting to see the connection between Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff) and Din as something of real possible thematic value.

It's just very unclear if that's enough to make sure The Mandalorian is one of the top Disney Plus shows.

The Mandalorian season 3 episode 3 release date and time: How to watch online

Henry T. Casey — Mon, 13 Mar 2023 13:31:03 +0000

When we watch The Mandalorian season 3 episode 3 this week on Disney Plus, myth becomes reality. Or at least the Mythosaur appears to be a myth no more. Or at least there's some giant beast that Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal), Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff) and Grogu will have to deal with.

The Mandalorian season 3 episode 3 release date and time

Date: Wednesday (March 15)
Time: 3 a.m. ET / 12 a.m. PT / 8 a.m. GMT / 7 p.m. AEDT

Last we saw our space-navigators, Din was on his quest to redeem himself in the eyes of The Armorer and the rest of the Mandalorians who believe he needs to immerse himself in The Living Waters of Mandalore. That was his main task, and he did it. Except he was also forcefully pulled underwater thereafter.

So, it was up to Bo-Katan to save Din (again), as she jumped into the water after him. While swimming, she passed a giant beast of some kind, which could be the massive Mythosaur. That said, she steeled herself and kept going, and found Din at the bottom.

The episode ended with our heroes (and their ally) back above water to try and figure out what’s going on. We expect The Mandalorian season 3 episode 3 will lead with a question about if in fact they just saw The Mythosaur, and how it factors into Din’s plans for redemption.

Elsewhere, Din got a new crew member after buying the R5-D4 astromech droid off of Peli Motto. We also saw a lot of cooperation between Bo-Katan and Din, which sets up an interesting dichotomy between the two, since Djarin cares a lot about The Creed and Kryze is happy to keep her mask off as often as possible.

Here's everything you need to watch The Mandalorian season 3 episode 3 (one of our top picks for the new shows and movies to watch in March 2023).

When is The Mandalorian season 3 episode 3's release date on Disney Plus?

The Mandalorian season 3 episode 3 premieres on Wednesday (March 15) on Disney Plus.

It drops at 12 a.m. PT / 3 a.m. ET / 8 a.m. GMT / 7 p.m. AEDT.

The Disney Plus price info has recently changed in the US. Now, the traditionally ad-free tier is ($10.99 per month. There's also the new Disney Plus Basic, an ad-supported tier at $7.99 per month.

In the UK, Disney Plus will set you back £7.99 per month or £79.90 per year, while in Australia the price is AU$13.99 per month and AU$139.99 per year.

We've also got the full The Mandalorian season 3 release schedule for every episode.

How to watch The Mandalorian season 3 internationally

The Mandalorian season 3 episode 2's creepy cyborg just made the show cool again

Henry T. Casey — Wed, 08 Mar 2023 15:33:47 +0000

When I sat down this morning to watch The Mandalorian season 3 episode 2, I approached it cautiously. As I said last week, The Mandalorian season 3 premiere was too much of the same. And boring. Did I mention the bland space pirates?

But today's episode helped fix my gripes. It's not perfect mind you, there's still a big feeling I've got that's best described as "what are we doing here?" but it's still a step in the right diection for The Mandalorian season 3.

And as this story's headline suggests, much of why I liked the episode revolves around a new sort of villain that sets a new mood. Sure, Grogu is still able to provide his adorable self for levity, but the more The Mandalorian season 3 leans in this week's direction, the happier I'll be to wake up to it each Wednesday. Allow me to explain why, after the perfunctory spoiler warning!

The following article covers the events of The Mandalorian season 3 premiere episode, "Chapter 18: The Mines of Mandalore."

The Mandalorian season 3 episode 2 goes in the right direction

After a premiere that felt more like the part of the video game where your character is given their assignments (find a memory card, go to the Living Waters of the poisoned planet of Mandalore), this week's edition just goes there. Well, at first Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu take a pit-stop at Peli Motto's garage on Tattooine, for the all-important moment where they dispense with the memory card need.

Here, Motto bargains them into a deal for her R5-D4 Astromech droid, which is pleasantly nervous and worried about being put in a spelunking mission. Motto tries to talk up the droid's abilities, as it served in the rebellion. But as Mando's taking off, Motto says to be careful with it, and Djarin replies "I thought you said it was built for adventure."

(Image credit: Lucasfilm)

On their way to Mandalore, Grogu admires fireworks, and Din Djarin explains that part of being a Mandalorian is understanding navigation, "that way, you'll never be lost." This feels thematically important, even if Djarin doesn't realize it yet. He may think he needs redemption from the Mandalorians, but he may realize that doesn't have to be The Way.

After they touch down on Mandalore, we see a creepy cave opening and R5-D4 is commanded to go get air samples. Unfortunately, validating Grogu and R5's concerns about going off alone, the droid doesn't come back. It even disappears off the radar. So, Mando goes on his own to figure out what happened.

The Mandalorian introduces a beast worth fearing

After a battle with some four-eyed cavemen-like aliens who Djarin slices through with the Darksaber, our hero finds the R5 unit — which had fallen down. After rescuing it, and bringing it to the surface, Mando reads the R5's atmospheric samples to find out that the planet's atmosphere is breathable, which vindicates Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff) and Grogu to go into the caves to explore.

Once they go deep enough, though, Mando finds an abandoned Mandalorian helmet, covered in dust. Which, as Admiral Akbar would say, was a trap. A mechanic cage pops up to trap Djarin, and it's a part of some larger beast.

(Image credit: Lucasfilm Ltd.)

This beast — which has a one-eyed alien face inside of its "head" takes Mando away, and Grogu follows them in the shadows. They walk into the beast's lair, which has spherical items that looked like possible eggs.

All of this delivered seriously strong horror vibes, especially as the top-pod of the larger beast opened and a spiky cyborg popped out. That beast stabbed a tube into Djarin to remove (seemingly important) fluid from Mando. After Grogu's spotted, he escapes after Mando yells "Get to Bo-Katan!"

Analysis: The Mandalorian season 3 feels much more alive

The last act of the episode was all about Kryze helping Mando out, and the two formed a pretty interesting alliance. Then, the massive Mythosaur showed its face. All of the above, with The Mandalorian going for a suspense/horror vibe, gave me hope that this series is evolving.

(Image credit: Lucasfilm Ltd.)

I write all of this with the overall desire for The Mandalorian to have a stronger thematic element and over-arching story — so we know why everything matters. The difference of philosophies between Din Djarin and Bo-Katan Kryze — the latter keeps their helmet off most of the time — slowly pushes at the over-arching story.

So, the more wild and creepy aliens plus story moments with thematic moments? This is The Way to make The Mandalorian feel fresh.

The Mandalorian season 3 episode 2 release date and time: How to watch online right now

Henry T. Casey — Mon, 06 Mar 2023 22:32:23 +0000

You can watch The Mandalorian season 3 episode 2 right now on Disney Plus, and we just did. Episode 1 saw Din Djarin and Grogu return for their latest adventures, but the events therein didn't really help us understand why Mando cares so much about getting his fellow Mandalorians to allow him back in.

The Mandalorian season 3 episode 2 release date and time

Date: Today (Wednesday, March 8)
Time: 3 a.m. ET / 12 a.m. PT / 8 a.m. GMT / 7 p.m. AEDT

While the episode mostly saw our heroes deal with space pirates, those skirmishes surrounded moments that set up Mando's first side quests of the season.

The Armorer told Din Djarin that in order to become a Mandalorian once more (a title that's been taken from him since he's taken off his helmet), he must find the Living Waters beneath the mines of Mandalore. Except, well, that whole area has been destroyed.

So, Mando needs the help of IG-11, which was a bit possessed with a violent energy when it was rebooted. The adorable Anzellans advised that Mando track down a specific kind of memory card to help fix IG-11.

On Kalevala, Djarin found the sad Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff), who is frustrated and didn't help much. And that's where we left off, with our hero trying to find someone capable of helping him.

Here's everything you need to watch The Mandalorian season 3 episode 2 (one of our top picks for the new shows and movies to watch in March 2023).

When is The Mandalorian season 3 episode 2's release date on Disney Plus?

The Mandalorian season 3 episode 2 premieres on Wednesday (March 8) on Disney Plus.

It drops at 12 a.m. PT / 3 a.m. ET / 8 a.m. GMT / 7 p.m. AEDT.

In the UK, Disney Plus will set you back £7.99 per month or £79.90 per year, while in Australia the price is AU$13.99 per month and AU$139.99 per year.

We've also got the full The Mandalorian season 3 release schedule for every episode.

How to watch The Mandalorian season 3 internationally

The Mandalorian season 3 premiere let me down — this isn't the way

Henry T. Casey — Wed, 01 Mar 2023 15:33:44 +0000

The Mandalorian season 3's premiere felt like reuniting with someone who hasn't changed at all ... after a decade apart. Sure it hasn't been that long, but two-plus years (Chapter 16: The Rescue aired on Dec. 18, 2020) is eons in TV time, and a lot has happened since that finale.

In case you haven't watched the episode yet (what are you waiting for, watch The Mandalorian season 3 right now!), though, I'll keep my early thoughts spoiler-free. After a lot of time apart (less if you count their cameos in The Book of Boba Fett), The Mandalorian returned with a season-opener that felt a little redundant, and it set up a season that feels like everyone's leaning into the most-obvious jokes about what this show does.

It's not a huge fail, though. There's certainly some fun (mostly bits where Grogu is enjoying himself) to be found, and even some adventure. But having watched The Mandalorian season 3 premiere as one of the first things I did this morning, I feel much less enthusiastic about doing that next week. Allow me to explain why, after the perfunctory spoiler warning!

The following article covers the events of The Mandalorian season 3 premiere episode, "Chapter 17: The Apostate."

The Mandalorian season 3 premiere felt like a to-do list

My biggest issue with The Mandalorian's return is that everything felt like Jon Favreau and company heard the critique that the series is a bunch of video game side-quests — and decided to lean into it. And all of these errands feel utterly uninteresting.

For starters, Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) our titular hero, is focused on a redemption story that feels hollow. His quest is to find the Living Waters beneath the mines of Mandalore, but those regions are supposedly destroyed. He believes it's possible, though, but the argument with the Armorer (who told him he's no longer a legit Mandalorian after removing his helmet) where this all came to discussion felt like he was using a loophole to exit a contract.

(Image credit: Disney Plus)

This quest is taking him on a series of other side quests, including one to Nevarro. There, Mando reunited with Greef Karga (Carl Weathers) and after some nonsense with pirates (more on them below), Mando picked up another side-quest from the tiny and adorable Anzellans. This species, which seems to love repairing small objects they're suited to get up close with, told Mando that in order to get IG-11 back up and online, he'll need to get a replacement memory chip, which is in fact hard to find.

So, Din Djarin's quest for redemption is now a hunt for a missing realm and a memory card. Sure, those things could prove fun, but neither feels thematically important.

The Mandalorian's latest bad guys are eye-rollers

Maybe I wouldn't be so sour if it wasn't for Vane (Marti Matulis), a space pirate whose gang of miscreants were terrorizing the good people of Nevarro. Their argument with Karga, over demanding to drink in a building that was built thanks to past transactions (I believe the phrase was "your cut of my boss's treasure built this saloon") came off as The Mandalorian team spinning their wheels trying to find filler content to get this episode to a big space chase.

And while said chase later in the episode was fun, with Mando's N-1 starfighter sneaking out of the corners of asteroids, it all felt silly thanks to Vane's boss, the pirate king Gorian Shard. A big jiggly pile of oddities, Shard feels very much like a baddie who will annoy Mando throughout the whole season, while we hopefully find the meat on this bone.

Grogu saved The Mandalorian season 3 premiere

While I did think the action scenes were OK-enough, the best parts of this episode came from Baby Yoda. The first, a serene bit of pretty, came early in the episode when Din Djarin was asleep in his cockpit. Grogu, in his little pod window, marveled at space as they sped along, seeing oddly large shadows and pretty blue lights. And when he went to sit down in Djarin's lap? It was adorable.

(Image credit: Lucasfilm)

Of course, the little dude's mischief came into play. The moments of Grogu using The Force to take candy from Greef Karga's desk and spinning in a chair in Karga's office should be GIFs by the end of the day.

Similarly, when Grogu got too friendly with the Anzellans — hugging them to the point of smothering — I audibly chuckled. I never expected Baby Yoda to be able to physically overpower someone, so points to the team for that juxtaposition.

Outlook: The Mandalorian's living in a post-Andor world

One could argue I'm being unduly harsh on The Mandalorian season 3 premiere. But right now, after having seen Andor, my standards have increased for what a Star Wars series can be. I don't want it to be a high drama, but this episode just felt a little lacking.

Nothing we saw gives us reason to understand why Mando needs to be redeemed, and why he doesn't want to move to Nevarro. An overall desire for community? It's not up to me to figure this out — but I'm hoping to get more reason to be excited, so I'm not as depressed as Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff).

Maybe if Disney Plus dropped the first three episodes (something it's never done for The Mandalorian) I'd feel differently. For now, I'm trying to find the way.

The Mandalorian season 3 release schedule — episode dates and times

Henry T. Casey — Tue, 28 Feb 2023 17:22:23 +0000

Now that we're in the beginning of The Mandalorian season 3 episode release schedule, we're hoping that confusion has been nullified. The powers that be, if you're unaware, decided to release episodes of the Disney Plus series on a different day than normal.

That said, we haven't had new Mandalorian episodes since December 2020. So I'm guessing many won't remember how this series used to drop on Fridays. Eager to see the first episode early, I watched right after I woke up, and found that The Mandalorian season 3 premiere let me down.

Also, The Mandalorian is one of the many shows that arrives overnight, not airing at a specific time of the day. This is a bit frustrating for the terminally online folks among us, as we spend the whole day dodging spoilers if we don't watch as we wake. And when episodes last 30 to 50 minutes, that's a lot of your morning ritual time to dedicate.

And, just to get you in the right frame of mind to watch The Mandalorian season 3, the details are rather simple. The titular Mandalorian Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) is seeking redemption on his home planet of Mandalore, as he's made the cardinal sin of removing his helmet (which he did for Grogu).

Most recently, Mando, Grogu and Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff) went off to find The Mythic Waters for a key part of Djarin's redemption with the Mandalorians. And while Kryze is helping, she still wants the Darksaber that Mando won by defeating Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito) and there's a big threat looming on the horizon.

Here's everything we know about The Mandalorian season 3 release schedule:

When do The Mandalorian season 3 episodes come out?

The Mandalorian season 3 releases weekly, with one episode per week on Wednesdays. While Disney Plus has yet to publish a full schedule, past is precedent enough for us to sketch out a likely release schedule for the season, which begins on March 1st (and should end on April 19th).

Here's the weekly schedule:

The Mandalorian season 3 episode 1 — March 1
The Mandalorian season 3 episode 2 — March 8
The Mandalorian season 3 episode 3 — March 15
The Mandalorian season 3 episode 4 — March 22
The Mandalorian season 3 episode 5 — March 29
The Mandalorian season 3 episode 6 — April 5
The Mandalorian season 3 episode 7 — April 12
The Mandalorian season 3 episode 8 — April 19

What time do The Mandalorian season 3 episodes hit Disney Plus?

Every new Disney Plus episode typically arrives at 12 a.m. PT / 3 a.m. ET / 8 a.m. GMT / 7 p.m. AEDT.

Some claim episodes can drop a little earlier than expected, so we'd start checking half an hour or so before then. If you're awake at that hour, that is.

Since the Disney Plus pricing has recently changed, you now can choose between a pricier ad-free tier ($10.99 per month) and the new Disney Plus Basic, an ad-supported tier ($7.99 per month).

Do we know The Mandalorian season 3 episode lengths?

So far, they've been varied slightly. Episode 1 ran 37 minutes and episode 2 ran 44 minutes.

Who is Grogu? Everything you need to know about Baby Yoda

Henry T. Casey — Tue, 28 Feb 2023 15:06:23 +0000

Even though The Mandalorian season 3 aired over a year ago, questions such as "Who is Grogu?" (or, of course, "who is Baby Yoda?") remain. Season 3 did give us some flashbacks showing where Grogu came from before he met The Mandalorian, but the adorable sidekick is still relatively mysterious when it comes to his heritage and birth.

While Grogu's been able to charm his way into the heart of Din Djarin (The Mandalorian's real name), and get the masked bounty hunter to break the rules of his people, his backstory is still filled with more questions. Thankfully, we have learned a lot about Baby Yoda along the way, and here's to hoping we'll learn even more in future seasons or even a movie.

So, with no more further ado, let's go over what we know (and what's been happening to) Grogu (aka Baby Yoda).

Who is Grogu?

Whether you call him (and yes, Grogu is male) Grogu, Baby Yoda, The Child or Mando's best friend, Grogu is a Force-sensitive member of the same race as Yoda, the legendary Jedi Grand Master.

We first learned that Grogu is Force-sensitive when he saved Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) from a dangerous Mudhorn.

(Image credit: Lucasfilm)

Show-runner Jon Favreau hinted at a grand scale of importance for the character: "As fun as it is to reveal new characters and surprise them, it also fits into a larger narrative about what’s going on in the galaxy after the revolution. This is an important character."

(From 2019) That quote is backed up by a sighting at the Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge attraction from Disney Land's Hollywood Studios park in Orlando. Newsweek found a Reddit post that suggests that The Mandalorian's armor will one day gain iconography related to The Child, which sounds like this season will revolve around a bounty hunter with a heart of Beskarian steel who decides to care about this baby Yoda. At one point in episode 3, The Mandalorian debates about the sigil that should go on his armor, and declines to take the original offer, which reflects this.

Now over a year after season 3 premiered, we know that Grogu has officially been adopted by Din. In the finale, Din wanted to raise Grogu from a foundling to an Apprentice on Mandalore. For that to happen, Grogu needed permission from a "parent", and so Din adopted Grogu as his own son (which was one of the most heart-warming moments ever).

How old is Grogu?

Grogu is 53 years old (as of 2024), having been born in 41 BBY (Before The Battle of Yavin). The Mandalorian is currently in 11 ABY (After The Battle of Yavin), as Jon Favreau said Luke and Baby Yoda spent two years together.

We get to 11 ABY and 53 years old because The Mandalorian was told the bounty he was looking for in the first episode was 50 years old, and that season was at 9 ABY.

At 50, Grogu has lived through Order 66 and the fall of the Jedi.

How do we know Baby Yoda's name is Grogu?

(Image credit: Lucasfilm)

It took 13 episodes for The Mandalorian to reveal that the character we called Baby Yoda had a real name. We learned this when Djarin and Grogu met Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) in The Mandalorian Chapter 13: "The Jedi."

Tano, Force-sensitive herself, communicated with Grogu to learn his name.

What's Grogu's back story?

Tano also revealed that Grogu was originally raised at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, but had to go into hiding following the fall of the Jedi Order.

During Anakin Skywalker's rampage at the Jedi Temple when slaughtering young Jedi, Grogu was taken offworld and hidden away by Jedi Master Kelleran Beq. He then had to hide his Force abilities to survive since force users were being hunted.

All we know at this point is that Yoda and Grogu are a part of the same species. That said, we've only seen one other member of their species prior — Yaddle, a female who appeared in Episode I: The Phantom Menace and Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi.

That's why you wouldn't be judged for thinking Grogu and Yoda aren't closely related. That said, Yoda passed away at 900 years old, far older than Grogu is now. With what little we know about their species, it's hard to assume anything about how they're related.

What species is Baby Yoda?

(Image credit: Lucasfilm)

Shockingly, we've never learned the name of Yoda's species. In Wookieepedia, Yoda's species is literally referred to as "Yoda's species."

Is Grogu a Jedi now?

At the end of The Mandalorian season 2, Din Djarin allowed Grogu to go off with Luke Skywalker, to pursue his training as a Jedi. That training, as seen in The Book of Boba Fett, took place on the planet of Ossus (where Skywalker's Jedi Academy is supposed to be).

Grogu wasn't the best pupil, once using his powers to find frogs to snack on. After Luke realized that Grogu's heart wasn't in the training, he offered him a choice. Grogu could either take the armor that Din Djarin had left for him, or continue training — but risk never reuniting with his Beskar steel-clad friend. So, Grogu's Jedi training has basically been paused.

Thankfully, Grogu chose the armor as seen when him and Mando reunite in episode 5 of "The Book of Boba Fett". Most viewers consider him a Jedi now after "The Mandalorian" season 3, although it hasn't been confirmed.

What's Grogu's status at the end of The Mandalorian season 3?

We know that Mando has officially adopted Grogu as his son at the end of season 3, with Mando now having gain the Armorer's approval to promote the child from foundling to apprentice (finally).

Nothing is known about "The Mandalorian" season 4 and whether there will be any details soon, but it will most likely continue the journey of these two fan-favorite characters. However, don't fret, because there is still talk of a "The Mandalorian & Grogu" movie happening. It was set to begin production this month (June 2024), but there haven't been any updates.

The Mandalorian season 3: Everything we know so far

kelly.woo@futurenet.com (Kelly Woo) — Mon, 27 Feb 2023 17:12:54 +0000

Have you already started to watch The Mandalorian season 3? Mando (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu are back in town, and they've even started to work with Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff), who still wants the Darksaber. We're curious where things will go in The Mandalorian season 3 episode 3.

Season 2 closed out in spectacular and very surprising fashion, with a jaw-dropping return/cameo. The conclusion created a ton of questions about The Mandalorian season 3 and where its central characters, the titular bounty hunter and the Force-wielding Baby Yoda, will wind up.

In the finale, Mando/Din Djarin successfully rescued Grogu (we've learned that's Baby Yoda's real name) from the clutches of the evil Moff Gideon. Then, they were both saved from the Dark Troopers by none other than Luke Skywalker (played by Mark Hamill, de-aged by CGI).

Afterward, Mando latter gently encouraged his adopted son to go with the Jedi for training. Before they parted, Din took off his helmet to say a tender goodbye (sob). Fortunately, The Book of Boba Fett reunited the pair, and we're eager to see what new adventures await them.

Check out our guide on 7 things to know before watching The Mandalorian season 3, plus scroll down for everything else you should know.

The Mandalorian season 3 latest news (updated March 13)

The Mandalorian season 3 release date

Disney Plus dropped The Mandalorian season 3 premiere on March 1, 2023.

We've got the full The Mandalorian season 3 release schedule.

And Variety reports that Jon Favreau has written season 4 already!

The Mandalorian season 3 trailers

The full, official trailer for The Mandalorian season 3 (one of our top picks for the new shows and movies to watch in March 2023) is focused on Djarin's new mission. He seeks to cleanse himself of his past sins, back on Mandalore. Unsurprisingly, this doesn't look to be an easy process.

A teaser titled "Who We Are" has Din Djarin explaining the Mandalorian creed, as he and Grogu speed off to the planet.

The Mandalorian season 3 cast

The cast of The Mandalorian season 3 is led by Pedro Pascal as the titular character, Din Djarin. Pascal voices Mando and portrays him sans helmet, while a body double actor takes on the full suit.

The biggest confirmed Mandalorian season 3 casting news is that Back to the Future's Christopher Lloyd is on board. According to The Hollywood Reporter, "Character details for his role are being kept locked in the trunk of a DeLorean, but it has been described as guest-starring in nature."

As for other recurring cast members, Carl Weathers will reappear as Greef Karga. Giancarlo Eposito's Moff Gideon was not killed in the season 2 finale and continues to be a threat.

Since Mando is now in possession of the Dark Saber, he is likely to get caught up in the war for Mandalore, which means the return of Katee Sackhoff as Bo-Katan Kryze and Mercedes Varnado as Kosta Reeves.

Other cast members who may pop up again include Amy Sedaris as Peli Motto, Bill Burr as Migs Mayfeld, Horatio Sanz as Mythrol and Emily Swallow as The Armorer.

There may be crossovers with The Mandalorian's spinoffs. For The Book of Boba Fett, that's Temuera Morrison as Boba Fett and Ming-Na Wen as Fennec Shand. For Star Wars: Ahsoka, that's Rosario Dawson as Ahsoka Tano.

Recently, Wen told Digital Spy that she's unsure of if she will be in The Mandalorian season 3, stating "We're so secretive about everything, right? We don't call the shows, the shows. The contracts are always under different names. The show is under different names."

Grogu has reunited with Mando, but that doesn't preclude another cameo by Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker. And let's not forget that a young Ben Solo (later Kylo Ren) is about four years old at this point.

Season 3 might bring another blast from the past in the form of Wookiees. The fan podcast Bespin Bulletin circulated the rumor that Chewbacca's speces may make an appearance in the next installment.

"Last year I heard rumors that a Wookiee or Wookiees may appear in The Mandalorian. I've heard of a Wookiee showing up again as of late from a secondary source and even saw proof that a Wookiee might be appearing in The Mandalorian Season 3 from a new source," Bespin Bulletin said. "I don't know if the Wookiee is of any significance, if it's a character we're familiar with, or if even just a background character. Just thought it was worth mentioning as we all love a fuzzball."

The Mandalorian season 3 story and plot

In an interview with our sister site Total Film, series creator Jon Favreau hinted that the big crux of the season may revolve around the culture of Din Djarin's fellow Mandalorians, saying "There's a lot of questions that have to be answered and hopefully all of it comes together in this season as they return to Mandalore and we figure out how this Mandalorian culture evolves past this critical point in their history."

The Mandalorian season 2 finale opened up a huge can of sandworms. The Mandalorian's first two seasons revolved around the bounty hunter protecting Baby Yoda and looking for its people.

After sending Grogu off with Luke Skywalker, Mando seemed at a bit of a loss for what to do. He ended up helping Boba Fett and Fennec Shand in their war against the Pykes on Tatooine.

Then, surprise! Grogu showed up. It seems the little guy has given up Jedi training to hang out with his adoptive dad again. But now what? Will Mando return to bounty hunting, with Grogu as his sidekick? Or will they both settle down on Navarro alongside Greef. Or will Din Djarin take full ownership of the Dark Saber and get involved in the fight to liberate Mandalore?

If it's the latter, Bo-Katan may not be entirely happy about that. She asked for his help, but more as her underling/foot soldier. Bo-Katan covets that Dark Saber — but does she want it so much that she'll duel Din Djarin for it?

Din has exhibited zero interest in intergalactic politics, so we're curious to see if (and how) he gets pulled into the greater Mandalorian saga. As for Grogu, his Force powers could come in very handy in a fight, as we've seen already.

The Mandalorian season 3 episodes and directors

The Mandalorian season 3 will feature new directors and familiar names for its eight episodes: Rick Famuyiwa, Rachel Morrison, Lee Isaac Chung, Carl Weathers, Peter Ramsey and Bryce Dallas Howard.

The newcomers are Morrison (cinematographer on Black Panther), Chung (Minari) and Ramsey (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse).

As for the scripts, creator Jon Favreau is the writer or co-writer on all eight episodes. Noah Kloor is also credited on the third episode, while Dave Filoni (Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Clone Wars and The Bad Batch) helped pen the scripts for episodes four and seven.

New The Mandalorian season 3 trailer has Baby Yoda squealing in delight

Henry T. Casey — Mon, 27 Feb 2023 16:34:51 +0000

If you're ready to watch The Mandalorian season 3, we're guessing you're already feeling the vibes that Baby Yoda/Grogu is giving off in this new trailer. The below 45-second spot, which was posted yesterday (Feb. 26), basically teases the whole new world and familiar stakes that Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and his little green friend are up against.

The clip, titled "Who We Are" has Mando narrating, "Being a Mandalorian is not just learning about how to fight. The creed is how we survived." Said creed, for those who forget, include the rule that Mandalorians cannot take their helmets off (something Din has done twice).

And that's when we see Grogu use The Force to knock a foe down. Watch it here:

Djarin continues, rhetorically asking "Without the creed, what are we?" That's when someone says, "This is the way," before Grogu squeals out a little bit of positive energy and Djarin warns, "Hang on, kid."

Then, the new N-1 cruiser ship that Mando and Grogu acquired in The Book of Boba Fett is seen soaring in space above unnamed cities. We then see a wide shot of a verdant green planet, which has a dome-covered city, and a ship that some believe to belong to Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff).

Analysis: The stakes are rising for The Mandalorian season 3

The story of The Mandalorian season 3 appears to revolve around two things: Din Djarin's redemption story on Mandalore and a larger threat to the forces of good. These two stories, of course, will become closely entwined.

It's unclear if Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito) is the major threat again, but the shots from the armory suggest that Bo-Katan isn't (at least at some points) at odds with Din Djarin. Of course, she wants to get the Darksaber that Mando earned in battle, but that's more of a side quest, right?

Right now, it feels as if the fate of Mandalore, and figuring out who would be best to lead the planet, is the main topic at hand. Because once the leadership is established, then Din can get his forgiveness through them.

The Mandalorian returns on Wednesday (March 1) on Disney Plus, and our The Mandalorian season 3 release schedule will help you plan for the coming weeks.

Having trouble remembering what happened? Check out our complete The Mandalorian season 3 catch-up guide if you need it.

How to watch The Mandalorian season 3 right now: Disney Plus release date and time

kelly.woo@futurenet.com (Kelly Woo) — Mon, 27 Feb 2023 14:58:23 +0000

Okay folks, it's time to watch The Mandalorian season 3 episode 1 on Disney Plus. Bounty hunter Din Djarin and his foster child Grogu are back to face more adventures, fight new and old foes, and learn more about the history of their adopted planet.

The Mandalorian season 3 Disney Plus release date and time

The Mandalorian season 3 premiered today (Wednesday, March 1) at 3 a.m. ET / 12 a.m. PT / 8 a.m. GMT on Disney Plus.

It's been awhile since we last saw Mando and the green one formerly known as Baby Yoda, so you might need a Mandalorian season 3 catch-up refresher. Long story short, the dynamic duo parted ways when Grogu left go train in the Force with Luke Skywalker.

But they reunited (in the finale of The Book of Boba Fett), Grogu has a spiffy new beskar chainmail shirt, and Din Djarin is headed to the planet Mandalore to find redemption. He still wields the Darksaber, but has been declared un-Mandalorian by the Armorer for taking off his helmet. Now, he hopes to reaffirm his commitment to "the way." And as a foundling, Grogu needs to start learning it, too.

Their road will be as rocky as ever, with Moff Gideon still on their tail and Bo-Katan Kryze planning to lead Mandalore again. Who knows what other surprises are in store for Din and Grogu? As for the first episode, we've already seen it, and our reaction isn't stellar, as The Mandalorian season 3 premiere let us down.

Here's everything you need to watch The Mandalorian season 3 (one of our top picks for the new shows and movies to watch in March 2023).

When is The Mandalorian season 3 release date on Disney Plus?

The Mandalorian season 3 premiered today (Wednesday, March 1) on Disney Plus.

It dropped at 12 a.m. PT / 3 a.m. ET / 8 a.m. GMT / 7 p.m. AEDT.

The Disney Plus price info has recently changed. Now, the traditionally ad-free tier is ($10.99 per month. There's also the new Disney Plus Basic, an ad-supported tier at $7.99 per month.

We've also got the full The Mandalorian season 3 release schedule for every episode.

Disney Plus gives you access to the entire Disney vault of classics like Frozen, The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast as well as newer hits like The Mandalorian, Loki and more. Get the most value with the $12.99 bundle that throws in Hulu and ESPN Plus.View Deal

How to watch The Mandalorian season 3 internationally

The Mandalorian season 3: These are the 3 big questions I need answered

kelly.woo@futurenet.com (Kelly Woo) — Sun, 26 Feb 2023 09:00:06 +0000

Anticipation is sky high with just few days remaining until the release of The Mandalorian season 3. The Star Wars series has been a cultural phenomenon since it first debuted on Disney Plus in November 2019, thanks to the winning combination of a gruff bounty hunter and an adorable green child that came to be known as Baby Yoda.

Over the course of two seasons, fans have come to learn that the bounty hunter has a soft heart and the tyke's name is Grogu. The most recent finale separated Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) from Grogu, as the latter departed to train in the Force with the one and only Luke Skywalker. But they have since reunited (see more in our Mandalorian season 3 explainer) and are ready to tackle new adventures in the galaxy far, far away.

Yet, as season 3 prepares to enter hyperdrive, I've been pondering the show's future. My colleague Henry T. Casey is worried about The Mandalorian season 3, and I am, too.

On the Inside Total Film podcast, creator Jon Favreau recently described season 3 as "a middle chapter of a much larger story," adding, "I love for these stories to go on and on. And so these characters potentially could be with us for a while."

As cute as Grogu is, The Mandalorian needs more than that to keep my attention. Here are a few key questions I need answered in this next batch of episodes (speaking of which we've got the full The Mandalorian season 3 release schedule for every episode).

1. Where are Grogu's people?

From the very beginning of The Mandalorian, everything about Grogu has been a mystery. First, there was his name — Mando referred to him as "The Child," while we all dubbed him Baby Yoda. Even after that was cleared up, we still don't know much about Grogu's origins.

Obviously, he is of the same species as Yoda, the venerated Jedi master introduced in The Empire Strikes Back, and Yaddle, a Jedi council member who made a cameo in The Phantom Menace.

(Image credit: Lucasfilm)

Almost nothing is known about the species. Where is their home world and what is it called? Are all of this unnamed species Force-sensitive or just a select few? Have any others survived the Empire's harsh rule?

Grogu's origins and people have been question marks since he was first revealed in that floating crib in the first episode. Sure, Din Djarin has anointed him a Mandalorian foundling, complete with a beskar chainmail shirt, but the show cannot possibly expect fans to be content with leaving those question marks unanswered. Why introduce another member of Yoda's species if not to explore their history?

2. Why is Mandalore so important?

The Mandalorian season 2 finale and events of The Book of Boba Fett make it clear that Din Djarin is determined to visit the planet Mandalore to seek redemption. The Armorer declared that he is "a Mandalorian no more" due to removing his helmet (and not just once!). Moreover, he held onto the Darksaber after winning a duel with Paz Vizla.

The Darksaber is considered the rightful property of the leader of Mandalore, which is why Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff) covets it. As a member of one of the planet's noble houses, she hopes to reunite her people.

(Image credit: Lucasfilm)

So, Mandalore looks to loom even larger in season 3, yet I am curious as to why it's become such an important place. Is it simply because they have cool armor and jet packs? Because Boba Fett was (briefly) a badass in The Empire Strikes Back? Because "this is the way" is a very repeatable motto?

I can only hope that the show explains why this planet is so special within the canon of Star Wars. Tatooine, at least, is understandable as the birthplace of Anakin Skywalker and the childhood home of Luke Skywalker (though it's still way overused as a setting). If we're going to spend possibly most of season 3 there, I want a sense of Mandalore's importance.

3. Will Grogu ever get more Jedi training to master The Force?

If you didn't watch The Book of Boba Fett, you're not alone but you did miss out on seeing Grogu training with Luke. He was just starting to figure out the Force, when he chose to end his lessons and reunite with his foster father.

(Image credit: Disney Plus)

When Grogu arrived on Tatooine, his proficiency with the Force was good enough to get Din Djarin, Boba Fett and friends out of a real jam. Yet, it was also clear that the little one has a long way to go to become a true master. Over time, perhaps repeated use will give him enough experience to use the Force to move bigger objects and defeat some enemies.

But what exactly is Grogu's future? Clearly, he won't become a Jedi. Yet, following in Din's footsteps as a bounty hunter seems a waste. Let's hope The Mandalorian season 3 starts to lay the groundwork for Grogu's growing-up.

I’m worried about The Mandalorian season 3 — here's why

Henry T. Casey — Thu, 09 Feb 2023 06:00:57 +0000

It's unfortunate, but the lead up to The Mandalorian season 3 has filled me with both excitement and dread. "This is the way," I think to myself, acknowledging I'm a chronic overthinker. But it shouldn't be.

Don't get me wrong. Din Djarin and Grogu — better known as Mando and Baby Yoda — are two of the most popular new characters that Disney Plus has given us for good reason. This show is a primary reason why we were so comfortable calling Disney Plus one of the best streaming services early in its life.

And throughout two seasons — or is it two and a half seasons given how Mando took over The Book of Boba Fett? — The Mandalorian has been pretty darn good at telling stories.

It's just that the most recent pages of Mando's story have me wondering what the actual heck the plan is for The Mandalorian. Jon Favreau has to have a plan, right?

The Mandalorian season 2's finale has already been resolved

This all came flooding into my brain as I read my colleague Kelly Woo's piece on what to know about The Mandalorian season 3. The previous Mandalorian finale, where Din Djarin let Grogu go train with Luke Skywalker was basically erased by Baby Yoda choosing to go back with Mando during the latter half of The Book of Boba Fett.

(Image credit: Disney Plus)

That felt like a whole arc of TV erased because the team had a better idea. To which I say, "OK, show me what you got." Now, I'll admit there are two loose ends from that ending: fellow Mandalorian Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff) wants the dang Darksaber, which Djarin earned by defeating Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito) in Combat.

Speaking of Gideon, he's still in play, and arguably the biggest threat to our heroes outside of the big crux of season 3.

The Mandalorian season 3 looks to find purpose in its new home

"Our people are scattered, like stars in the galaxy. What are we? What do we stand for?" Those words, from Din Djarin, ring out in the start of the below trailer. He speaks of navigating the galaxy, so you'll never be lost. All that said, Mando's return home to be forgiven for his transgressions, is an odd setup for a new season.

Djarin knows that he's made enemies, and removing his helmet — once in front of Gideon to show how much Grogu means to him, and a second time when saying farewell to the lil creature — is his main reason he has to seek forgiveness. It's akin to sacrilege. And Kryze will probably use her position in Mandalore to make life hell for Djarin.

Then, there's the other storyline. In the above clip, Carson Teva (Paul Sun-Hyung Lee) warns Mando that "There's something dangerous happening out there." And that Mando will be too late to stop it by the time he can act against it.

This sounds like it could be connected to the Mandalore storyline, as in a growing threat to the peace could be brewing in Djarin's homeland — one that would threaten Mando's forgiveness if he stood up against it. That would be a stellar way to follow the thread of the individual and the community that The Mandalorian has always tracked in one way or another.

But The Mandalorian season 3 needs to find its exit strategy

Three seasons may sound short for a massive hit of a TV show, but it's at this point in any show's arc where it needs to be giving audiences an idea of where things are going.

Many Mando fans will probably tune in and happily enjoy the new season, and I don't begrudge them on that. In fact, I admire it. I wish I could watch TV without analyzing.

But if it seems like The Mandalorian season 3 ends where it began, our heroes venturing out into space for new adventures and trying to dodge Moff Gideon (or some other big bad), it will look and feel like everyone is merely spinning their wheels and collecting paydays. And I don't want The Mandalorian to feel like it's being phoned in.

(Image credit: Disney Plus)

So, to the team at Lucasfilm, and Mr. Favreau in particular: please think about something that The Last of Us executive producer Craig Mazin told Collider: "I don’t have much narrative interest in writing a show that is designed to perpetually continue until the network finally puts it out of its misery somewhere. I write to endings. Endings are everything to me. I don’t know how to write, if I don’t know how it ends. And also, if the show doesn’t have an ending, it means nothing ultimately is truly purposeful. All the stakes become empty because, if the network renews you, everything’s fine, and I don’t know how to do that."

Yes, The Last of Us is a different breed of show, an adaptation. But Mazin (who's previously proven himself in TV with Chernobyl and the excellent "Backstory!" episode of Mythic Quest he wrote) is proving a point here. The Mandalorian can be fun, sure, but it can also mean so much more if there's a plan for how it all ends. And I really need season 3 of The Mandalorian to give me some reason to believe such a plan is in place.

7 things to know about The Mandalorian season 3 before you watch

kelly.woo@futurenet.com (Kelly Woo) — Sun, 05 Feb 2023 06:30:47 +0000

Less than a month remains before the premiere of The Mandalorian season 3. If it feels like eons since the Star Wars show last streamed on Disney Plus, that's because the Mando season 2 finale aired (checks notes) over two years ago. Basically another lifetime (and a lot of Beskar steel) ago.

Finally, we're reuniting with the titular bounty hunter, Din Djarin, and his adorable adoptee, Grogu (aka Baby Yoda). They've already reunited, which may surprise viewers who didn't watch spinoff series The Book of Boba Fett. But we'll get to that in a moment.

Since The Mandalorian has been on such a long hiatus, all will be excused if their memories have grown a bit fuzzy about everything that's gone down so far. So, we've compiled this handy refresher to bring everyone back up to light speed, as well as dig into news, leaks, rumors and theories that are helpful to know before The Mandalorian season 3.

Previously on The Mandalorian ...

The second season finale of The Mandalorian, titled "Chapter 16: The Rescue," was released way back in mid-December 2020. In it, Grogu had been kidnapped by Moff Gideon, so Din Djarin and his new allies, Boba Fett and Fennec Shand, set out to rescue him. They enlist the help of Bo-Katan and Koska Reeves, after Djarin promises to give Bo-Katan the Darksaber that Gideon currently holds.

The team tracks down Gideon's ship, where Din faces off against the nefarious war criminal. He gets Grogu, but they're all trapped on the bridge by Dark Troopers.

(Image credit: Disney Plus)

Help arrives in the form of the one and only Luke Skywalker. After taking out the Dark Troopers, Luke invites Grogu to leave with him. The little one hesitates, but Din encourages him to complete his training. They bid each other a tender farewell.

The Book of Boba Fett's connections to The Mandalorian

Considering how things left off on The Mandalorian, you might be surprised that Din Djarin and Grogu are together again when season 3 kicks off. That's because they reunited in The Book of Boba Fett, a 1-season series from 2021.

It was a strange choice to have such a significant event for the main characters of The Mandalorian occur on a completely different show. If you didn't watch Book of Boba Fett, here are the highlights you need to know.

(Image credit: Disney Plus)

When Din returned to Tatooine to get a new ship, Fennec asked him to help her and Boba against the Pyke Syndicate. He agreed, but first wanted to check up on Grogu and deliver a gift: a Beskar chain mail tunic.

(Image credit: Disney Plus)

Grogu is on an unnamed planet with Luke Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano. When Din arrives, Ahsoka says that his presence will hinder Grogu's progress, so he flies off again. Luke places the chain mail and Yoda's old lightsaber in front of Grogu, to give a choice between returning to Din Djarin or continuing training.

Grogu chooses the chain mail and heads off to Tatooine, where he uses the Force to help defeat the Pykes. Din and Grogu fly off in their new starfighter, ready to take on new adventures together.

The Mandalorian season 3 characters: Who's back and who's new

The two main characters of The Mandalorian will obviously be back in season 3: Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu (puppet/CGI).

Disney has also confirmed the returns of several key supporting characters. Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito) is down but not out, and the wily former Empire operative should never be underestimated.

(Image credit: Lucasfilm)

Greef Karga (Carl Weathers) is still running things as the magistrate on the planet Nevarro, while Peli Motto (Amy Sedaris) is her usual wacky self as a spaceport mechanic on Tatooine.

With Din looking to atone for past transgressions on Mandalore, it's no surprise that season 3 will feature appearances by Mandalorian fighter Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff) and The Armorer (Emily Swallow).

(Image credit: Disney Plus)

Evil scientist Dr. Pershing (Omid Abtahi) and New Republic captain Carson Teva (Paul Sun-Hyung Lee) have been spotted in various trailers/footage.

A few new faces will be introduced, too, as is usual every season. Back to the Future icon Christopher Lloyd has a guest starring role, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Saturday Night Live alum Tim Meadows was seen in a teaser video. Neither of their characters have been revealed or described.

The Mandalorian season 3 episodes: Writers and directors

Like the first two seasons, The Mandalorian season 3 will consist of eight episodes. This time around, creator Jon Favreau is the writer or co-writer on all of them. Noah Kloor is also credited on the third episode, while Dave Filoni (Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Clone Wars and The Bad Batch) helped pen the scripts for episodes four and seven.

According to Disney, The Mandalorian season 3's directors are Rick Famuyiwa, Rachel Morrison, Lee Isaac Chung, Carl Weathers, Peter Ramsey and Bryce Dallas Howard.

Famuyiwa, Weathers, and Howard have all previously directed Mandalorian episodes. Morrison (cinematographer on Black Panther), Chung (Minari) and Ramsey (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse) are newcomers to the series.

The episode titles have not been released (and likely won't be until day of air).

What to know about Mandalore

A major storyline in season 3 will involve Din Djarin visiting the planet Mandalore to find redemption and become a true Mandalorian again. The Armorer declared, "You are a Mandalorian no more" because Din admitted to removing his helmet (several times!). However, he did get to keep the Darksaber, after winning the challenge posed by Paz Vizla.

Since Mandalore will be such a significant setting, it's good to get a rundown on its history. Thousands of years before the "current" time, the planet's people united under the warrior Tarre Viszla, the first Mandalorian to become a Jedi. He created a unique lightsaber with a black blade and a hilt made of beskar. It was known as the Darksaber and wielding it essentially crowned someone as the leader of Mandalore.

(Image credit: Disney/YouTube)

Tarre Viszla's death led to a conflict with the Jedi that devastated the planet and left it a barren wasteland. A faction arose that embraced pacifism; the New Mandalorians were led by Duchess Satine Kryze. But a terrorist movement wanted things to go back to the way they were; the Death Watch was led by Pre Vizsla, Tarre's descendent and the wielder of the Darksaber.

While Satine decided to keep Mandalore neutral during the Clone Wars, the Death Watchers took advantage of the chaos, partnered with Darth Maul and carried out a coup. Disapproving of Maul's influence, Pre Vizsla's lieutenant Bo-Katan Kryze (Satine's sister) splintered off into a separate group and started a civil war.

(Image credit: Disney Plus)

Bo-Katan eventually became regent of the planet and wielder of the Darksaber, but was ousted when the Republic fell and the Empire was formed. When Bo-Katan and other loyalists fought back, the Empire launched "the Great Purge" (aka "the Night of a Thousand Tears") which was essentially a genocide campaign. Moff Gideon was part of it and took the Darksaber from Bo-Katan. She and some Mandalorians survived, but were scattered across the galaxy.

Now, Bo-Katan wants to reclaim Mandalore. Her efforts are hampered by the fact that Din Djarin currently wields the Darksaber. He is planning to go to the planet to atone for his transgressions against the Mandalorian way. While they're not exactly enemies, they're also not really friends. Their goals and purposes may clash. Plus, to gain true legitimacy as Mandalore's leader, Bo-Katan needs to get back the Darksaber — which can only happen if she wins it in a duel.

Potential Star Wars crossovers

The Mandalorian has already featured quite a few crossovers from other Star Wars properties. Bo-Katan Kryze and Ahsoka Tano were both prominent characters in the animated Clone Wars series. Boba Fett was the most famous Mandalorian before Din Djarin, as part of the original trilogy of movies. And of course, Luke Skywalker (played by a digitally de-aged Mark Hamill) made appearances in the season 2 finale and in an episode of Book of Boba Fett.

With Bo-Katan's continuing involvement, The Mandalorian season 3 may bring in more characters from The Clone Wars. Ezra Bridger, a Force-sensitive Rebel, will be played by Eman Esfandi in the spinoff Ahsoka. Perhaps the live-action Ezra will be introduced first in The Mandalorian.

Jon Favreau has also teased a possible crossover with the upcoming new series Skeleton Crew, which stars Jude Law.

As he said, "To have this young, Amblin-feeling movie with young people seeing it for the first time, who grew up in the Star Wars world, and are exposed to adventure, the puppets, the costumes, the visuals, the world that’s being expanded upon. And now, I get to write the next season of The Mandalorian with all these new characters, and new locations, and new creatures, so it just keeps adding more and more, and so, where there’s this cohesive group of stories that are being told thanks to all these filmmakers that are contributing."

Is The Mandalorian season 3 the final season?

More Grogu for everybody! The Mandalorian season 4 is already in the works. Last year, Favreau confirmed to CinemaBlend that he was already writing the scripts.

"With television, we're very lucky that we don't have to rush things through into an hour-and-a-half, two hours. We get to tell stories slowly,” he explained. “So now, as Dave [Filoni]'s doing Ahsoka, it's very much informing the writing that I'm doing for [The Mandalorian] Season 4. It becomes – how should I put it – more precise.”

For now, we'll just follow along by planning our weeks aroung The Mandalorian season 3 release schedule.

The Mandalorian season 3 looks epic — but I hope it takes a lesson from Andor

roland.moore-colyer@futurenet.com (Roland Moore-Colyer) — Sat, 21 Jan 2023 12:00:00 +0000

I've just seen the new trailer for The Mandalorian Season 3, and by the Force it looks good. There's some proper Star Wars spaceship action, Din Djarin being a badass, Grogu getting better with the Force, a bounty of locations, more Mandalorians and even a few Jedi sprinkled in for good measure.

It looks epic. Din Djarin seems to have dropped the pseudo escort missions of looking after Baby Yoda, to go on a form of redemption arc by looking to reclaim Mandalore. He's even probably got the Darksaber at hand. In short, it looks set to be one of the most exciting Star Wars series and a panacea to the plodding and padded Book of Boba Fett.

That said, I feel you can sense a disturbance in the Force, with a 'but' coming. Well my padawan, you'd be right. And that's thanks to Andor.

I genuinely think Andor was one of the best bits of Star Wars content Disney's produced; even in the face of the triumphant Obi-Wan Kenobi. But I hope the team at Lucasfilm really draws inspiration from what they just did with the tale of Cassian Andor.

A place in a galaxy far, far away

Andor utterly nails the sense of place in the worlds it depicts in a galaxy far, far away — in it does so in triplicate fashion. The combination of Cassian seemingly just trying to get by on a backwater planet mixes wonderfully with the portrayal of a rebellious senator (Mon Mothma) living the highlife under the yolk of Empire politicking, and then you've got the clean, crisp and clinical life of the Empire's equivalent of the KGB or Gestapo (Syril Karn and Dedra Meero).

There's a real sense of people trying to survive, or even thrive, in radically different situations, while being ruled by an almost inscrutable organization. Unlike Obi-Wan, where the Inquisitors are clearly wrong 'uns, the members of the Imperial Security Bureau could be seen as ambitious loyalists working to protect the empire from terrorists, rather than abjectly bad people.

Mixed in with this, we see Andor’s excellent locations as more than just 'junk planet,' 'sand planet' and 'kinda-frontier planet.' It all helps Andor express the Star Wars world as one populated by more than just enigmatic warriors and space wizards with very nice glowsticks. That's not to say The Mandalorian didn't mix things up. But there were a lot of rugged planets and Tatooine, rather than more of the cyberpunk locales Din visited briefly.

(Image credit: Lucasfilm)

Rather, the planets in Andor tell the story of the people in them. Cassian’s adopted home of Ferrix is home to a blue-collar community many of whom eschew tech for a call to work in the mines hailed by the rhythmic banging of a Beskar anvil. This structured schedule and a co-operative work ethnic communicated the sense of community the inhabitants of Ferrix have, which basically accumulated in one major funeral progression and ceremony that has a direct influence on the story of Andor’s first season.

Similarly, the Imperial-occupied planet of Aldhani, which looks a little like rural Ireland, has a small community of local Dhanis who gather to see the Eye, an astrological event every three years that fills the sky with speeding colorful meteorites. This rubs up against the Imperial facilities on the planet, which has seen a lot of Dhanis drop tradition for Imperial life. That’s some great world building, there already.

the places Din, Grogu and the audience visit in The Mandalorian are interesting, but never feel quite tied to the main story

But what Andor does brilliantly is to weave in the 'Eye' event as a core part of the story; in this case a plot to rob an Imperial base. And there are at least two other settings that do this equally well in Andor, but I don’t want to digress.

In comparison, the places Din, Grogu and the audience visit in The Mandalorian are interesting, but never feel quite tied to the main story. Now that’s arguably down to the ‘mission of the episode’ approach The Mandalorian takes, meaning you don’t get too immersed in the setting, as Mando gets around.

Conversely, there are arguments that Andor is too slow, with too much time spent in a limited clutch of locations, as characters debate goals or the ideals of rebellion. But I’d retort that this pacing, which is a slow build up to a set piece then a crescendo of tension and action, and then a similar cycle in the second half of the season, gives Andor the scope to really define it’s characters and the hight stakes of their missions; I found Andy Serkis’ Kino Loy to be far more engaging than Katee Sackhoff's Bo Katan, who popped up in The Mandalorian more as fan service than a crucial character... though she seems to be back and ready for a greater role in the trailer.

Inspiration... this is the way

Do I think The Mandalorian needs to ape Andor’s pacing? Well no. And given the action going on in the trailer, I doubt that’ll be the case. But I'd like to see it draw inspiration from Andor's world building and sense of place, with planets and locations influencing the story not simply being a backdrop.

(Image credit: Lucasfilm)

With a return to Mandalore, this very much could be the case. My hope is we get a real sense of what Mandalore is about and how it’s influenced the rise of an enigmatic race/gathering/creed of space warriors.

Added to that I’d like to see a deeper and more forced theme than ‘get this kid to a Jedi’ while blasting creatures and cretins. Andor delivered, as my good pal and steaming Editor Henry T. Casey put it, “Rebellion as a concept." And I feel The Mandalrian season 3 could deliver “Redemption as a concept.” It could tackle the idea of what redemption means and how much of it is self-imposed or pressed upon one by society or creed.

If it does that, and nails all the action we’ve seen in the trailer, then I think The Mandalorian could be another much-needed Star Wars success; all without requiring a cameo from a big bloke in a black breathing apparatus to conjure excitement.

We’ll see if this is the way starting March 1st on Disney Plus.

The Mandalorian season 3 release date just got pushed back by a Baby Yoda-sized amount of time

Henry T. Casey — Thu, 01 Dec 2022 21:31:31 +0000

Well, The Mandalorian season 3 release date just moved a teeny bit further away. Thankfully, it's not a huge margin, but this could give you one less reason to spend money on Disney Plus in February 2023.

Previously, Mando S3's release window of next February was announced at the Star Wars Celebration Lucasfilm Showcase back in May. There was even an official tweet from The Mandalorian's Twitter account.

Now, that same account has shared The Mandalorian season 3's new March 1, 2023 release date. It's accompanied by the (below) first look at Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Baby Yoda, whose real name is Grogu. The image doesn't have any details to gleam, but the little one sure looks adorable.

(Image credit: Lucasfilm/Disney via Twitter)

This was revealed at the Disney and Lucasfilm panel at the CCXP22 expo in Brazil, which came with more tidbits about the returning series. According to the reputable folks at @DiscussingFilm, Jon Favreau gave reason for higher hopes for The Mandalorian season 3, so we should expect more Mandalorians, a larger scope, more space battles and — of course — more surprises.

YouTuber Além dos Ecrãs tweeted out exclusive CCXP22 concept art from the new season. It appears to show our heroes approaching a city. He also said they got to see a new The Mandalorian season 3 trailer — which hasn't dropped online yet.

(Image credit: Além dos Ecrãs/Twitter)

Analysis: Not what Disney Plus needed

Aside from the impending release of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever on Disney Plus, there aren't many big titles coming soon to Disney Plus, so this marginal delay is not what The House of the Mouse's streaming service needed.

The Mandalorian season 3 is the next big title coming to Disney Plus, and now it feels like it could drop alongside Marvel's Secret Invasion (Spring 2023). What If ...? season 2 will probably come even earlier, but that's not as hotly anticipated a series.

This all happens a week before the Dec. 8 Disney Plus price increase. Yes, you'll have to spend $3 more to keep ad-free Disney Plus, or accept a $7.99 ad-supported version to keep current pricing. We do have two ways to avoid the Disney Plus price hike, though.

Every big Star Wars Celebration announcement: Mandalorian 3, Andor, Ahsoka and more

Kate Kozuch — Thu, 26 May 2022 21:22:56 +0000

If you’re a fan of Star Wars shows on Disney Plus, you’ll be excited to hear that at Star Wars Celebration 2022 all the new series coming this year and next were highlighted during a fan-heavy Lucasfilm showcase.

We already knew the Obi-Wan Kenobi series begins streaming Friday, May 27 (make sure you know how to watch Obi-Wan Kenobi on Disney Plus) but now we have an official Andor release date, plus an update on Ahsoka. We also got an exclusive glimpse at The Mandalorian season 3 and early details of all-new show called Star Wars Skeleton Crew.

When we weren’t buzzing about the actors and producers on stage, our ears and eyes were on the prowl for anything there was to learn about all the upcoming Star Wars shows on Disney Plus. Here was every Star Wars show announcement from Star Wars Celebration, plus news about other Lucasfilm projects in the works.

Obi-Wan Kenobi

(Image credit: Disney Plus)

With Obi-Wan Kenobi premiering on May 27, there’s no more need for teasers and trailers — we’re already excited for the show, in which Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen reprise their roles from Episodes I-III. This is one of the biggest releases for Disney Plus in 2022.

The two actors and the ensemble on stage revealed they would watch the series premiere at Star Wars Celebration with fans. Perhaps that’s why we haven’t seen Obi-Wan Kenobi reviews yet? Either way, during the late hours of May 26 expect to hear first reactions.

Andor teaser trailer, release date and season 2

Following Obi-Wan, Andor is the next Star Wars show coming to Disney Plus. Set before the events of Rogue One, Diego Luna is reprising his role as Cassian Andor, though until today we knew next to nothing about what might happen in the mysterious series.

Not only did we get a release date — it’s August 31, 2022 — but the cast and crew on stage also confirmed a second season is already in the works. Both seasons will offer 12 episodes a pop, with a continuous story line. The teaser trailer, which you can watch above, shows Imperial forces attempting a planetary invasion, but its inhabits don’t plan to yield to the takeover quietly. As Fiona Shaw (Killing Eve) says in the clip: "This is what a reckoning sounds like."

The Mandalorian season 3

(Image credit: Lucasfilm)

Mando and Grogu are back, or will be back in Februrary 2023. We knew Mandalorian season 3 wrapped filming, but Jon Faverau and Dave Filoni during Star Wars Celebration said the next installment of the series would stream next year.

We saw a teaser at the showcase that doesn’t seem to be made available to public, so here’s a recap: Bo-Katan returns with some unfinished business, while Mando seems to make another plea to the Armorer regarding the helmet removal no-no. “I'm going to Mandlore so that I may be forgiven for my transgressions,” said Pedro Pascal’s character.

Ahsoka is production

Ahsoka remains one of the more mysterious Star Wars shows, and we didn’t get much else besides a clip of Rosario Dawson in costume from set and re-confirmed 2023 release. The show is still in production, though Filoni said “it’s going good.”

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew stars Jude Law

(Image credit: Lucasfilm via Twitter)

The unnamed Jon Watts Star Wars show officially has a name, premise and star. Jude Law will headline a series about a group of kids about 10 years old who accidentally get lost in Star Wars galaxy. This series is the story of their journey getting home, offering slightly different (and younger) perspective we don’t see in this universe often. Though Jon Watts and Chris Ford said “it’s not a kid’s show.”

Star Wars Skeleton Crew is coming in 2023 and will land in the same timeline as The Mandalorian, Ashoka and The Book of Boba Fett.

Indiana Jones 5 and Willow news

Beyond the Star Wars galaxy, the Lucasfilm showcase covered two other projects: Willow and Indiana Jones 5. Directed by Ron Howard, Warwick Davis is reprising his role in the Willow reboot.

pic.twitter.com/sp9AsRxYV9May 26, 2022

Soon thereafter, right before director/writer James Mangold shared the above image, the first look at Indiana Jones 5. Then, finally, Harrison Ford made a surprise appearance to announce that Jones movie is almost done. “So I'll be seeing you around campus,” Ford said. The movie is set to premiere June 30, 2023. We’re guessing it’ll come to theaters before landing on Disney Plus alongside the other shows discussed above.

Mandalorian season 3 to stream in February 2023

Henry T. Casey — Thu, 26 May 2022 19:36:43 +0000

We've just gotten word about everyone's favorite Mandalorian and his sidekick Grogu. And there's both good news and bad news. We're on the ground at the Star Wars Celebration Lucasfilm Showcase where new details about The Mandalorian season 3 have emerged. The good news: we have been told that production has wrapped on the new season!

The bad news, sadly, is that it seems like it's going to take a while for us to get to see what the titular bounty hunter and his pint-sized buddy do next. That's because Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau told panel attendees that The Mandalorian season 3 isn't coming until February 2023. That specific month was added via the official Mandalorian social media:

The Mandalorian and Grogu continue their journey in Season 3 of #TheMandalorian, streaming February 2023 only on @DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/CHqUL1gec7May 26, 2022

Oh, and expect more Bo-Katan (Katee Sackhoff) who is returning "with unfinished business." The attendees were shown a small teaser from the show that they were asked to not post online, so expect that to leak any minute now.

Bo-Katan, for those who don't remember the end of Mandalorian season 2 so clearly, called Din Djarin a fake Mandalorian before the chaotic events of the finale. Oh, and she watched as Grogu left with Luke Skywalker and R2-D2. Seems like she might be the next threat to abduct Baby Yoda.

Eric Goldman of getFandom reports that the Mandalorian teaser shows Djarin meeting with the Armorer and Bo-Katan seperately, and reuniting with Greef. He declares what we already know: he's "going to Mandalore to be forgiven for [his] transgressions." Other characters seen in the trailer include an incognito Dr. Pershing, Peli Motto and Carson Teva.

Other Star Wars TV news: Ahsoka, Andor and more

The Star Wars: Ahsoka series starring Rosario Dawson, we learned, is also debuting in 2023. For Force-hungry fans who want something sooner? Andor is coming out on August 31.

Director Jon Watts (Spider-Man: No Way Home) was there to confirm the news that he's working on a show about 10-year-olds who get "lost in the Star Wars universe." The series is called Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, and it stars Jude Law. But don't think it's a kids show. It will take place in the same era as Mandalorian, Book of Boba Fett and Ahsoka.

Book of Boba Fett leak teases two big Star Wars cameos

kelly.woo@futurenet.com (Kelly Woo) — Wed, 15 Dec 2021 15:55:59 +0000

Everything is connected in the galaxy far, far away. So, it's no surprise that The Book of Boba Fett might bring in some familiar faces from the Star Wars universe when it premieres on Disney Plus later this month. But according to one rumor, one particularly beloved face (and perhaps another) may make a cameo.

So, beware potential spoilers for Book of Boba Fett below!

According to Star Wars News Net, a fan-favorite character may appear in the upcoming series, which follows the iconic bounty hunter Boba Fett (Temuera Morrison) and his mercenary partner Fennec Shand (Ming-Na Wen) as they take over Jabba the Hutt's crime syndicate on Tatooine.

Fett made his surprise return in The Mandalorian season 2, after his death in Return of the Jedi was retconned. He saved a mortally wounded Shand and they teamed up to pursue Din Djarin to retrieve Fett's armor. In return, they helped Djarin protect and rescue Grogu (aka Baby Yoda) from the nefarious Moff Gideon.

The Mandalorian season 2 finale ended with a teaser that showed Fett and Shand going back to Tatooine, where they take over the territory once ruled by Jabba.

(Image credit: Disney Plus)

Fans immediately began speculating about established Star Wars characters that might be brought into the story. Of course, Din Djarin was at the top of the list. However, it seems like another Mandalorian favorite might stop by the show — Grogu!

Last we saw the adorable little green creature, he was leaving his adoptive father to go train with none other than Luke Skywalker. Grogu's future on The Mandalorian season 3 is unclear.

But Star Wars News Net received a tip that Grogu is featured on crew merchandise for The Book of Boba Fett. "This crew merchandise is usually produced in small quantities and is meant for special people involved with the project," the site notes.

And then other sources confirmed this speculation, leading SWNN to note that "indeed we will get a glimpse of Grogu in The Book of Boba Fett."

Then, blogger Jordan Maison tweeted that Grogu may not be the only big cameo: "Who he's hanging with is pretty cool too."

Considering that Grogu is currently in company with Luke Skywalker, that points to the Jedi making an appearance. Which would make sense — he did grow up on Tatooine, after all! The way Maison phrased it, though, makes us wonder if Grogu is "hanging with" a different Jedi.

Of course, we're taking these rumors with a huge grain of salt. We'll find out what happens when The Book of Boba Fett is released December 29. In the meantime, you can watch the Star Wars movies in order, plus the Disney Plus series, to get ready, or watch Grey's Anatomy season 18 episode 8, which debuts on Thursday (Dec. 16).

The Mandalorian spinoff revealed in season 2 finale — what you need to know

Henry T. Casey — Fri, 18 Dec 2020 14:29:17 +0000

Beware! Below you will get spoilers for The Mandalorian season 2 finale!

So, there you have it, Star Wars fans, in the end-credits for The Mandalorian season 2 finale, "The Rescue" we learned the star of yet-another Disney Plus Star Wars show, one that wasn't announced at the Disney Investors event.

And just to make sure you don't get spoiled about this Mandalorian spinoff, I'm going to put all the big spoiler-iffic details after these two links. I'll also dance around the rest of the details, as to try and not ruin the rest of The Mandalorian s2 finale for you.

The best streaming devices
Plus: The 5 biggest Star Wars Disney Plus announcements!

OK, now that I've done everything I can to stop people from being spoiled, here's the dirt. The new Star Wars Disney Plus series is entitled The Book of Boba Fett. And we have a release date: December 2021.

This, we assume, must be what Katherine Kennedy was referencing when she referred to "the next chapter" in the story of The Mandalorian during the Disney Investors Day event, which she said would be here by next Christmas.

No details have been given about The Mandalorian season 3, so it's not crazy to think that could be pushed to winter 2022. We're awaiting the next holographic message from Disney HQ for that.

The Book of Boba Fett story

Since The Mandalorian season 2 finale sees Boba Fett (Temuera Morrison) off Bib Fortuna, who had taken over Jabba the Hutt's palace, and take over, it seems the new series would likely focus on what it's like to be a crime boss in this generation of the Star Wars universe.

Now, Boba Fett's gone from taking bounties to likely issuing them, so it'll probably be interesting to see which hunters he trusts, and how little leeway he gives them all.

And the fan favorite bounty hunter isn't alone. Fennec Shand (Ming-Na Wen) joined him on his trip to Tatooine, and looks to be his proverbial right hand as he rules from Jabba's throne.

Mandalorian season 2 episode 2: Here's when it comes out

kelly.woo@futurenet.com (Kelly Woo) — Fri, 30 Oct 2020 13:09:11 +0000

More adventures await in The Mandalorian season 2 episode 2 for Baby Yoda and his bounty hunter dad. The Disney Plus premiered Oct. 30 after much anticipation from fans.

The premiere episode followed Mando and The Child on the former's quest to find the latter's home. That led them to a familiar planet, where the bounty hunter found himself once again helping the locals defeat a menace. The episode ended with a exciting glimpse of a figure well-known to Star Wars fans.

How to watch the Star Wars movies in order
What's new on Disney Plus this month
How to watch The Mandalorian season 2 online

Disney Plus likes to keep the mystery around The Mandalorian, so not much is known about The Mandalorian season 2 episode 2. That includes the episode title, though it will be preceded by "Chapter 10." Nor is the director of the episode listed.

As for the plot, ha! We'll have to watch and find out.

The Mandalorian season 2 episode 2 release date and time

The Mandalorian season 2 episode 1 will be released Friday, Nov. 6 at midnight PT / 3 a.m. ET / 8 a.m. GMT on Disney Plus.

Disney Plus is available in the U.S., Canada, UK and western Europe.

The Mandalorian season 2 episodes schedule

The Mandalorian season 2 episode 1, "Chapter 9: The Marshal": October 30
The Mandalorian season 2 episode 2, "Chapter 10": November 6
The Mandalorian season 2 episode 3, "Chapter 11": November 13
The Mandalorian season 2 episode 4, "Chapter 12": November 20
The Mandalorian season 2 episode 5, "Chapter 13": November 27
The Mandalorian season 2 episode 6, "Chapter 14": December 4
The Mandalorian season 2 episode 7, "Chapter 15": December 11
The Mandalorian season 2 episode 8, "Chapter 16": December 18

Favreau directed episode 1, while Star Wars vet Dave Filoni helmed episode 5. Other season 2 directors include Rick Famuyiwa, Bryce Dallas Howard, Carl Weathers, Robert Rodriguez and Peyton Reed.

What to know about Disney Plus Cassian Andor Star Wars spinoff
Obi Wan Kenobi Disney Plus show: News and rumors
Star Wars: Bad Batch is coming soon

Mandalorian season 2: The 5 biggest questions we want answered

kelly.woo@futurenet.com (Kelly Woo) — Sun, 25 Oct 2020 11:00:49 +0000

The Mandalorian season 2 is almost here — and thank the stars, because we have questions. The Disney Plus series is back with more action-packed adventures in store for the titular bounty hunter and The Child (aka the adorable Baby Yoda). In addition to those adventures, though, we're hoping to get some answers from The Mandalorian season 2.

The Mandalorian enraptured viewers with its Western-style take on the Star Wars universe. The story followed Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal), a Mandalorian bounty hunter who inadvertently takes on the protection of The Child. The little one looks like a baby version of Yoda and exhibits similar, though nascent abilities with The Force. No wonder it was a highly valuable target for remnants of the Empire.

Now that the Mandalorian universe and its key players are established, season 2 is set to expand and deepen the show's mythology. Mando and Baby Yoda will discover new faces, new planets and new problems. But it looks like they'll also come across people and places that are very familiar to Star Wars fans.

Here are the top five burning questions we want answered in The Mandalorian season 2.

1. Will the Mandalorian and Clone Wars worlds collide?

(Image credit: Disney)

The Mandalorian has already made many references to Star Wars canon. Mando and Baby Yoda visited Tatooine, Jawas made things a bit difficult for the bounty hunter and the continuing presence of Stormtroopers indicate the Empire still wields power over pockets of the galaxy.

But The Mandalorian season 2 may fold in even more Star Wars lore, by bringing in known characters from The Clone Wars animated series. Rosario Dawson has been rumored for months to play Ahsoka Tano, formerly the padawan apprentice of Anakin Skywalker. This would mark Ahsoka's first live-action appearance in the Star Wars franchise.

As to why Ahsoka might come into play, Mando is on a mission to find Baby Yoda's people — the Jedi. There aren't too many left, after the Empire's Order 66 massacre. But the show's timeframe, Ahsoka is out there somewhere.

2. Does another famous bounty hunter appear?

(Image credit: Lucasfilm via StarWars.com)

Another juicy piece of casting news: Temuera Morrison is on board for The Mandalorian season 2, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Morrison played Jango Fett in 2002's Star Wars: Attack of the Clones and is said to be playing the infamous bounty hunter Boba Fett.

In one of the trailers, Mando says, "If I can locate other Mandalorians, they can guide me." That may be why he encounters Boba Fett, who has quite a bit of knowledge of the Jedi. He's seen Luke Skywalker (still alive at this time) in action and has served Darth Vader.

3. How did Moff Gideon get the Darksaber?

(Image credit: Francois Duhamel/Lucasfilm Ltd (via Entertainment Weekly))

In the season 1 finale, Mando and Baby Yoda barely escaped the clutches of Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito) when the latter crashed in his TIE fighter. He survived, though, and emerges from the wreckage using the Darksaber.

The legendary weapon from Mandalore has passed through several hands, notably those of Darth Maul, Sabine Wren and Bo-Katan Kryze. In Star Wars: Rebels, Sabine gave the Darksaber to Bo-Katan, in the hope that she could unite the Mandalorian clans.

So, how did the Darksaber get from Bo-Katan to Moff Gideon? We have a feeling it has to do with the "Great Purge" of Mandalore, aka the “night of a thousand tears." Did Gideon receive the weapon as a trophy for enacting the Great Purge?

The rumor is that Battlestar Galactica alum Katee Sackhoff has been cast as Bo-Katan in The Mandalorian season 2, so it's very possible we'll get answers to these questions.

4. Will Mando have to hide from the New Republic?

(Image credit: Disney Plus)

The trailer for The Mandalorian season 2 shows Mando's ship alongside some New Republic X-wings. Are they escorting the Razor Crest — or chasing it? After all, in season 1 episode 6, Mando took part in a heist to free a prisoner on a New Republic transport ship. Surely, they aren't too happy about that.

While Mando isn't fond of the Empire (especially after the standoff with Moff Gideon), he doesn't owe allegiance to the New Republic, either. He hasn't heard great things about them from former shock trooper and friend Cara Dune (Gina Carano). And Mando generally doesn't like being told what to do.

5. What is Baby Yoda's name?

Baby Yoda is referred to as The Child in-universe and by Disney, and we don't even know if it's male or female (or nonbinary). But until The Child gets a real name, we will all refer to it as Baby Yoda. Come on, Mando — you're their new dad now. Give the kid a name!

All about Disney Plus' Cassian Andor spinoff series
Star Wars: Squadrons game trailer, release date and more
What to watch: New TV shows airing this month

The Mandalorian season 2 trailer unveiled — this is the way to your Baby Yoda fix

kelly.woo@futurenet.com (Kelly Woo) — Tue, 15 Sep 2020 16:30:16 +0000

This is the way ... to The Mandalorian season 2 trailer.

Disney Plus released the first trailer for the second season of the Baby Yoda show, er, The Mandalorian, which is just a few weeks away from its premiere on October 30. Season 2 follow the continuing adventures of the titular bounty hunter (Pedro Pascal) and The Child, who remains extremely adorable.

What's new on Disney Plus this month
How to watch the Star Wars movies in order

The Mandalorian season 2 trailer kicks off where season 1 left off, with Din Djarin and Baby Yoda jetting off into space to find the latter's home world. That quest will involve finding the Jedi, though Mando is rather incredulous about it.

"You expect me to search the galaxy and return this creature to a race of enemy sorcerers?" he wonders.

And Baby Yoda isn't safe yet from the machinations of Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito), who was thwarted from taking the Child on Nevarro when his TIE fighter crashed. But he survived and is now wielding the deadly Darksaber. Baby Yoda's surrogate dad will have his work cut out for him.

The trailer teases season 2 will jump around the galaxy far, far away as often as last year's episodes did. Mando and Baby Yoda travel to a snowy planet, board a ship on the open seas and attend an alien wrestling match.

We also see former shock trooper Cara Dune (Gina Carano) and bounty hunter guild leader Greef Karga (Carl Weathers), who remained on Nevarro to rebuild and fortify. An Entertainment Weekly cover story revealed new Mandalorian season 2 photos and details that indicate Cara and Greef will get their own storylines apart from Mando and Baby Yoda.

But the most tantalizing glimpse in the trailer is of a mysterious woman in a hood, played by WWE wrestler Sasha Banks. Who is she ... and does she have a connection to the Jedi?

She is the only new face seen in the trailer, though there are rumors about the cast members joining season 2. Rosario Dawson is reportedly playing Jedi trainee Ahsoka Tano, while Temuera Morrison (Jango Fett in the prequels) could be on board as the iconic Boba Fett. And Katee Sackoff has been linked to the role of Bo-Katan Kryze, a Mandalorian leader who once possessed the Darksaber.

All about Disney Plus' Cassian Andor spinoff series
Lando Disney Plus show rumor round-up
A new Star Wars animated series, Bad Batch, coming soon

The Mandalorian season 2 photos and new details just revealed

kelly.woo@futurenet.com (Kelly Woo) — Tue, 08 Sep 2020 16:18:21 +0000

Baby Yoda and his bounty hunter dad are back! The Mandalorian season 2 is blasting off next month with the continuing adventures of Mando and the Child. Now, there are juicy new details — plus a bunch of tantalizing photos — previewing what fans can expect from the second season of Disney Plus' Star Wars series.

Entertainment Weekly released a big cover story about The Mandalorian, featuring interviews with showrunner Jon Favreau, executive producer Dave Filoni and stars Pedro Pascal (Mandalorian/Din Djarin) and Gina Carano (Cara Dune).

What's new on Disney Plus this month
How to watch the Star Wars movies in order

The Mandalorian team seems confident that the new season, which premieres October 30, will surpass galaxy-sized hopes. Carano told EW, “I have no question fans are going to like this season even more — everything’s in there. If you’re a Star Wars fan, you’re going to get to see things you’ve always wanted to see.”

And Filoni drew an analogy to the Star Wars original trilogy: "You want The Empire Strikes Back to be better than A New Hope.”

Considering how beloved Empire Strikes Back is among fans, that sets the bar very high.

Here's 4 things we learned about The Mandalorian season 2 from EW.

1. The galaxy far, far away takes a page from Game of Thrones

(Image credit: Francois Duhamel/Lucasfilm Ltd (via Entertainment Weekly))

While the story will continue following Mando's quest to keep Baby Yoda safe and find his home world, Favreau told EW, "The new season is about introducing a larger story in the world."

He added, "As we introduce other characters, there are opportunities to follow different storylines. The world was really captivated by Game of Thrones and how that evolved as the characters followed different storylines — that's very appealing to me as an audience member."

2. Baby Yoda, you in danger child

Last we saw Mando and Baby Yoda, they'd narrowly escaped an attack by Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito). But the nefarious villain not only survived his TIE fighter crash — he revealed that he's wielding the Darksaber. And he's not done chasing after The Child.

That rouses Din Djarin's unlikely paternal instincts, Pascal said. "We start very directly after the first [season] and he's going into very dangerous territory. He is very much a passenger to the experience in unexpected ways — not knowing what’s to come, not knowing how much or how best to protect the Child. We don’t know how far he will go to do that, and they’re finding new ways to push the envelope.”

(Image credit: Francois Duhamel/Lucasfilm Ltd (via Entertainment Weekly))

3. The Darksaber is badass (but not Moff Gideon's only weapon)

(Image credit: Francois Duhamel/Lucasfilm Ltd (via Entertainment Weekly))

Star Wars fans went nuts at the reveal of the Darksaber in the season 1 finale of The Mandalorian. The legendary black-bladed lightsaber has been seen in the animated series Star Wars: Clone Wars and Rebels. Filoni himself added the idea that the Darksaber was originally from Mandalore. The story of how it ended up in the hands of Moff Gideon remains to be told.

The Darksaber will be a formidable tool in Gideon's arsenal against the Mandalorian, but his most dangerous weapon might be his brain. "I want to disarm him mentally as well," Esposito told EW. "Who knows? Maybe there’s an opportunity to get him to fight some battles for me. You may think I’m a villain, but I’m trying to harness some energy and some powers for a path that could be best for all. You'll get to see him be somewhat diplomatic and more of a manipulator."

4. New faces are coming, but old friends aren't forgotten

(Image credit: Francois Duhamel/Lucasfilm Ltd (via Entertainment Weekly))

Both Carl Weathers and Gina Carano will return to season 2 as bounty hunter guild leader Greef Karga and former shock trooper Cara Dune, respectively. In the finale, Cara agreed to stay on Nevarro to team up with Greef, whom Weathers says is "on a quest to be more legitimate."

While it's a bit of an unlikely pairing, the two characters grow close enough to "almost finish each other’s sentences," he noted.

They'll get their own time in the spotlight in season 2, but they'll also have to share it with new characters. While nobody confirmed any new cast members in EW's story, rumors have been floating about Rosario Dawson joining as Jedi trainee Ahsoka Tano. There's also word that Temuera Morrison (Jango Fett in the prequels) will play the iconic Boba Fett or some other version of Jango's clone soldiers. Katee Sackoff is reportedly on board as a live-action Bo-Katan Kryze, a Mandalorian leader who wielded the Darksaber.

All about Disney Plus' Cassian Andor spinoff series
Lando Disney Plus show rumor round-up
A new Star Wars animated series, Bad Batch, coming soon

The Mandalorian season 2 release date revealed — and it's almost here

kelly.woo@futurenet.com (Kelly Woo) — Wed, 02 Sep 2020 16:25:57 +0000

The Mandalorian season 2 release date has finally been revealed. We've known that Baby Yoda and his bounty hunter dad would be back for more space and planet-hopping adventures in October, but now we can mark our calendars.

Disney Plus announced The Mandalorian season 2 release date is October 30. The news was first posted on Twitter.

This is the day. New Episodes Streaming Oct. 30 on #DisneyPlus. #TheMandalorian pic.twitter.com/ZlJua6SEP8September 2, 2020

The Mandalorian season 2 finished filming on March 8, just a few days before movie and television productions shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic. LucasFilm president Kathleen Kennedy told The Wrap, "It was literally five days and the country went down. We were enormously lucky."

The show was able move straight into post-production editing and visual effects thanks to the efforts of LucasFilm's IT department.

The Mandalorian was a breakout hit and helped Disney Plus have a successful launch. The Star Wars series ended up being a surprise Emmy nominee for Outstanding Drama.

COMING SOON

– The Boys season 2
(Sept. 4, 2020)
– The Falcon and The Winter Soldier
(release date TBA)
– Wonder Woman 1984
(Oct. 2, 2020)
– The Batman
June 25, 2021

Season 2 will continue the adventures of The Mandalorian (aka Din Djarin) and The Child (called Baby Yoda by fans). In the finale, the duo jetted off to find The Child's home world, narrowly escaping the clutches of Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito). But the villain survived his TIE fighter wreck and he's wielding the deadly Darksaber, so Mando and Baby Yoda aren't safe yet.

Not much is known about The Mandalorian season 2's storylines, but there is some info about the cast. Carl Weathers and Gina Carano will be back as bounty hunter guild leader Greef Karga and former shock trooper Cara Dune, respectively.

Rosario Dawson is reportedly joining the cast as Ahsoka Tano, the Jedi who was formerly Anakin Skywalker's padawan. Ahsoka has previously been seen as an animated character in Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars: Rebels.

Star Wars veteran Temuera Morrison (who played Jango Fett in Attack of the Clones) is reportedly appearing in season 2 as Boba Fett. Michael Biehn (The Terminator), Katee Sackhoff (Battlestar Galactica) and Timothy Olyphant (Justified) are also rumored to have roles.

Disney Plus hasn't confirmed The Mandalorian season 2's release schedule, but it's likely to air one episode per week like the first season.

In addition to The Mandalorian, there are several Star Wars series in the works at Disney Plus, including the animated Bad Batch, a Cassian Andor spinoff, an Obi-Wan Kenobi series and a potential Lando Calrissian show with Donald Glover.

Star Wars on Disney Plus: All the shows and movies you can watch

Michael Andronico — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 16:53:04 +0000

Star Wars on Disney Plus gives you a way to experience almost everything the galaxy far, far away has to offer. Disney Plus grants access to Star Wars movies and shows, including nearly every theatrical film, a back catalog of beloved animated shows and a great original series in The Mandalorian (plus two more shows coming soon).

If you’re eager to get your intergalactic binge on while staying at home, here’s every Star Wars movie and show you can watch on Disney Plus.

What's new on Disney Plus this month
Star Wars Day 2020: May the 4th events and deals

Disney Plus Star Wars shows (live-action)

(Image credit: Lucasfilm)

Disney Plus will offer plenty of Star Wars shows to watch at launch, including arguably the most anticipated piece of content on the service: The Mandalorian. Starring Pedro Pascal, this original series set between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens could prove to be one of the best Disney Plus shows thanks to its grittier take on the Star Wars universe.

Want to try Disney Plus? Sign up for the Disney Plus 7-day free trial

Looking forward, you can expect an original series featuring Rogue One’s Cassian Andor and K-2SO, as well as the much buzzed-about Obi-Wan Kenobi series, which will have Ewan McGregor once again pick up the lightsaber in a story set between Episodes III and IV. The Mandalorian season 2 is also confirmed for late 2020.

Those new character-specific shows may arrive later than expected. A tweet from @starwarstuff cites a Disney Plus France press release for the scoop that the Cassian Andor series is due in 2021, while the Obi-Wan Kenobi series — which has seen major setbacks — is expected for 2022.

The Mandalorian (Nov. 12)
The Mandalorian season 2 (late 2020)
Untitled Cassian Andor TV show (2021)
Untitled Obi-Wan Kenobi TV show (TBD)

Disney Plus is live and available either in the pretty-cheap $6.99 standalone package — which nets you the whole Disney vault and The Mandalorian — or with a $12.99 bundle that includes Hulu and ESPN Plus.View Deal

Disney Plus Star Wars shows (animated)

(Image credit: Lucasfilm)

Disney Plus will allow you to binge the beloved Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels series, which tell a continuous story that starts post-Attack of the Clones and ends just before A New Hope. These shows focus on the adventures of fan favorites like Ahsoka Tano, Kannan Jarrus and Ezra Bridger, but also fold in familiar faces like Anakin Skywalker and Darth Maul. The Clone Wars’ final season will come to Disney Plus in early 2020.

Star Wars Rebels
Star Wars: The Clone Wars seasons 1-6
Star Wars: The Clone Wars — The Lost Missions
Star Wars: The Clone Wars season 7 (February 2020)
Star Wars Resistance
LEGO Star Wars: The Yoda Chronicles
LEGO Star Wars: Droid Tales
LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures
LEGO Star Wars: All-Stars

There’s also the newer Star Wars Resistance, an animated series that features Oscar Issac’s Poe Dameron as well as a ragtag group of Resistance pilots. If you want something extra kid-friendly, you’ll also be able to stream a variety of LEGO Star Wars series from day one.

Disney Plus Star Wars movies

(Image credit: Lucasfilm/Sunset Boulevard/Corbis/Getty)

If you’re looking to marathon every theatrical Star Wars release, Disney Plus will offer nearly all of them at launch. The big omission right now is Solo: A Star Wars Story, which is set to arrive this year (presumably once it leaves Netflix). You’ll also be able to watch Empire of Dreams, a documentary about how the original Star Wars trilogy came together.

Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope
Star Wars: Episode V — The Empire Strikes Back
Star Wars: Episode VI — Return of the Jedi
Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace
Star Wars: Episode III — Attack of the Clones
Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith
Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens
Star Wars: Episode VIII — The Last Jedi
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy
Solo: A Star Wars Story (2020)

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker hits theaters on Dec. 20, 2019, so we wouldn’t be surprised to see it hit Disney Plus by Spring 2020, assuming it’ll line up with the usual Blu-ray and digital release schedule. And if you're wondering where to start, check out our guide on how to watch the Star Wars movies in order.

Ready to stream? We've got download links for the Disney Plus app if you're having trouble finding it.

The Mandalorian uses this amazing trick that could change TV and movies forever

Jesus Diaz — Sun, 23 Feb 2020 17:03:57 +0000

The Mandalorian was one of the hottest series of 2019 for many reasons, but one of them was actually invisible to the audience — and it’s just amazing.

You may have heard that Jon Favreau — the creator and showrunner of The Mandalorian — wanted his series to have a physical feeling, with actual costumes, sets, puppets and practical effects. But virtually every set you thought it was 100% real was actually a lie. A lie that didn’t require green screening or post-production. A lie that actors, directors, photographers, and special effects supervisors could see with their own eyes, but a lie nonetheless.

Everything we know about The Mandalorian season 2
Plus: All the Baby Yoda toys coming this year
Just in: Disney Plus UK pre-orders arrive with limited time 30% off sale

Watch this video explaining how Lucasfilm made and filmed all the environments of The Mandalorian and join me after you get your jaw back from the floor:

How does it work?

Lucasfilm and Epic Games used Unreal Engine to create the sets of The Mandalorian. Deserts, frozen tundras, space station hangars, underground city tunnels... most of the things you can see on screen were done in real time with the same game engine that many triple-A games use.

The sets — still or animated — were projected on a giant studio set with LEDs. In that set, actual pieces of objects — like parts of Mando’s spaceship, some chairs or a rock — would be created physically. But the rest would be all virtual, creating a 21st century holodeck for filming.

Then, the crew would actually use the camera to film the actors in the scene directly. No green screen. No post production. Everything is captured by the camera straight: real actors, real objects, and virtual environments alike.

Of course, the camera — like a pair of VR or AR goggles — is in sync with the projected environment. So, as it moves or as the camera operator changes lenses, the environment changes the perspective to keep the illusion.

And since the environments are virtual and in real time, they could move at any speed and in any direction too, easily creating the effect of movement for the actors. A high speed chase — something that would usually require either filming in a real environment with rigged vehicles or against a green screen — would be completely “virtual” but visible in the real world.

(Image credit: Disney Plus)

A new era of filmmaking

The level of realism you get from this is not only amazing thanks to the 3D environments, lighting, and reflections on real surfaces — which is something you can fake at great cost in post-production — but because actors can actually be in any place and see what they are interacting with.

That is the biggest breakthrough of this filming method: actors work in a virtual set that they can see, looking at real things that happen around them and not just in the void of a green screen set.

The latter always made films look unreal not only because they weren’t captured by the camera and were later added during post-production but because actors were not in any real place and had to look at things that they couldn’t see. You only have to see the Star Wars prequels to see the effect. Everything looks fake.

But The Mandalorian completely eliminates this problem with this new “holodeck” technique. By projecting real time environments that could move in sync with the camera moves and the actors, you are effectively creating a virtual world within the physical world. A world that your actors can play with and cameras can film.

Every reflective surface will pick up these environments. Every surface will be illuminated by these projections and LED panels as if they were in the real place, from a frozen alien planet to a remote desert — all without having to travel. That adds the cost benefit of not having to travel to a location to film. You just bring the location to your set.

And, as the video says, you can even freeze time. Typically, filmmakers have a limited time to film a scene during a sunset because the sunset only lasts so long. With this method, you can have a 10 hour sunset that is live at any point you want. And you can have the exact weather you want.

It's al really amazing. When Favreau says that he believes that the new technology used in The Mandalorian is going to have a lot of impact in the way everyone makes films and TV series, he’s not exaggerating one bit. Without a doubt, The Mandalorian is going to change TV and film in more ways than the obvious.

Latest from Tom's Guide UK in The-mandalorian

When is 'The Mandalorian and Grogu' coming to streaming? Here's our best guess

Where will you be able to stream 'The Mandalorian and Grogu'?

When could 'The Mandalorian and Grogu' arrive on streaming?

More from Tom's Guide

'Grogu is real and is as real as they come': Newest Star Wars villain reveals what to expect in 'The Mandalorian and Grogu'

Who is Lord Janu?

Grogu, unsurprisingly, steals every scene

More from Tom's Guide

'The Mandalorian and Grogu' proves Disney doesn't know what to do with 'Star Wars'

This 'Star Wars' movie is a series of baffling choices

Verdict: 'The Mandalorian and Grogu' should be watched on Disney+, where it belongs

More from Tom's Guide

Burger King’s Mandalorian and Grogu menu is out today, and I already tried everything on it so you don't have to

Grogu’s Blue Cookie Shake

Grogu’s Garlic Chicken Fries

BBQ Bounty Whopper

Imperial Cheddar Ranch Tots

The Mandalorian and Grogu Collectibles & King Jr. Meal

Final verdict

More from Tom's Guide

'The Mandalorian and Grogu' movie drops first trailer and release date and it looks like the best Star Wars since 'Andor'

More from Tom's Guide

Everything Disney announced at Destination D23 2025 — including news from 'Avengers: Doomsday,' 'Toy Story 5,' 'The Mandalorian & Grogu' and more

The Russos hyped up 'Avengers: Doomsday'

D23 attendees got the first look at 'The Mandalorian & Grogu'

Pixar drops a big 'Toy Story 5' update

Disney Animation announces all-new original movie, 'Hexed'

More D23 2025 movie and show announcements

More from Tom's Guide

'The Mandalorian' rumor suggests season 4 won't be happening — but the force is still strong with the movie

What to expect from ‘The Mandalorian & Grogu’ on the big screen

More from Tom's Guide

The Mandalorian and Grogu jet onto the big screen in upcoming Star Wars movie

Too big for the small screen

More from Tom's Guide

I don’t get all the hate for Ted Lasso and The Mandalorian right now

The Mandalorian hasn’t changed, but that might be the problem

Ted Lasso is as entertaining and wholesome as ever

Bottom Line

More from Tom's Guide

The Mandalorian season 4: Everything we know so far

The Mandalorian season 4 release date speculation

The Mandalorian season 4 cast

The Mandalorian season 4 plot and season 3 ending, explained

The Mandalorian season 3 pushed me away from Star Wars — and that's OK

Disney Plus' Star Wars run is pointing to the Star Wars that I ignored

The Mandalorian season 3 really loves its roots

Disney's got a Star Wars quality control problem

Outlook: And it feels like a new Star Wars movie is to be blamed

More from Tom's Guide

The Mandalorian season 3 ending explained: Where do we go from here?

The Mandalorian season 3 finale felt like closure

The Mandalorian season 3's ending is a reboot for a potential season 4

Outlook: Is The Mandalorian's story over?

The Mandalorian season 3's best episode yet was undercut by a weak reveal

The Mandalorian's Project Necromancer is reminiscent of the worst recent Star Wars movie

Analysis: At least The Mandalorian season 3's big story is coming into focus

The Mandalorian's Jon Favreau just confirmed my biggest concern

The Mandalorian season 3 episode 4 reminds me why I'm frustrated

More from Tom's Guide

The Mandalorian season 3 episode 4 release date and time: How to watch online right now

When is The Mandalorian season 3 episode 4's release date on Disney Plus?

How to watch The Mandalorian season 3 internationally

More from Tom's Guide

I’m not surprised The Mandalorian season 3 is struggling — here's why

1. The long wait, and The Book of Boba Fett, didn't help

2. The Mandalorian's premiere didn't help

3. The Mandalorian feels aimless

Outlook: The Mandalorian's next episodes helped and hurt its causes

More from Tom's Guide

The Mandalorian season 3 episode 3 release date and time: How to watch online

When is The Mandalorian season 3 episode 3's release date on Disney Plus?

How to watch The Mandalorian season 3 internationally

The Mandalorian season 3 episode 2's creepy cyborg just made the show cool again

The Mandalorian season 3 episode 2 goes in the right direction

The Mandalorian introduces a beast worth fearing

Analysis: The Mandalorian season 3 feels much more alive

The Mandalorian season 3 episode 2 release date and time: How to watch online right now

When is The Mandalorian season 3 episode 2's release date on Disney Plus?