Credit: LucasfilmWith plenty of upcoming Star Wars projects in the pipeline, it seems like the galaxy far, far away is about to get a whole lot more exciting. And with one of the more anticipated projects on the not-so-distant horizon — Dave Filoni’s “Mando-Verse” crossover movie — we could be getting the most important project to date since Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005). But some might be surprised to learn that a character from the Disney+ Ahsoka show could be taking the reins from Mando himself.
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As the Star Wars universe continues to expand, an entirely new cast of characters has been introduced to audiences over the years thanks to TV shows like The Mandalorian, Ahsoka, and The Book of Boba Fett. These Disney+ series, with the addition of the upcoming Skeleton Crew, all make up the aptly named “Mando-Verse,” an interconnected narrative helmed by Lucasfilm’s newly promoted Chief Creative Officer, Dave Filoni. Each show takes place after the fall of the Galactic Empire and, from the sounds of it, will culminate in an epic showdown against Imperial warlord Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen).
Plot specifics remain unknown, but Season 1 of Ahsoka presumably laid the foundation for the “Mando-Verse” movie, which was announced during Star Wars Celebration Europe 2023. Not only did the show bring Star Wars Rebels characters like Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) and Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) into the mix, but it also detailed Thrawn’s return to the known Star Wars galaxy, establishing his conflict with the already-fragile New Republic. Additionally, Ahsoka saw the return of missing Jedi Ezra Bridger (Eman Esfandi), who made his live-action debut after sacrificing himself to defeat Thrawn in the Rebels finale.
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Although Ezra only featured prominently in the latter half of Ahsoka, Esfandi’s portrayal of the mischievous Force-user made a splash in the Star Wars fandom, and it sounds like we can expect to see much more of him in the future. Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Esfandi revealed that Ezra “plays a pivotal role” in upcoming Star Wars storytelling, which could include a rumored Ahsoka Season 2 and, more likely, Dave Filoni’s movie:
Including a potential Season 2 and the film, I think I’ll be very involved. From everything I’ve learned about StarWars and what’s canon at the moment and the way Dave and everyone seems to be writing and moving forward, I think Ezra plays a very pivotal role, which is exciting.
So, does this mean Ezra Bridger could be taking center stage in the “Mando-Verse” movie when it hits theaters in the coming years? Well, perhaps, but it seems unlikely, given the film is supposed to serve as the epic conclusion to Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal), Boba Fett (Temuera Morrison), and possibly even Ahsoka Tano’s (Rosario Dawson) respective stories. Since these characters have been around for years, if not decades, it would be unwise for Filoni to make Ezra — a relatively new character, aside from Mando himself and his tiny charge, Grogu — the main protagonist of the movie.
However, Pascal’s role as the Beskar-clad bounty hunter has been noticeably scaled back to mostly a voiceover gig, signaling that he could be stepping away from Star Wars following the fourth season of The Mandalorian due to his increasing popularity. Bo-Katan Kryze’s (Katee Sackhoff) arc was a central focus of Season 3, after all, with many speculating that she could be Din Djarin’s “replacement.” If Filoni’s movie does truly mark the end of Mando’s story, then perhaps it’s time for characters like Ezra, Sabine, Bo-Katan, and Ahsoka to take center stage in the overarching narrative.
Plus, there’s no denying that Lucasfilm has some big plans for Esfandi’s Ezra, especially given viewers’ positive reception to his live-action portrayal. It seems like creators are setting up an important arc for Ezra, who might take up training Hera and his slain Master, Kanan Jarrus’ (Freddie Prinze Jr.) son, Jacen Syndulla (Evan Whitten), or maybe even Grogu’s.
Even if Ezra will play a pretty significant part in the “Mando-Verse” film, however, Esfandi explained that he doesn’t “Need Ezra’s story to just live forever,” adding, “I’d rather his story be concluded in the most appropriate way for his character. So if it ends at the movie, I’ll wash my hands and thank God and move on.”
While the door is certainly open for Esfandi’s tenure to extend beyond Filoni’s film (if he’s not somehow killed off, that is), at least the actor has already made his peace with his time in the galaxy far, far away ending — whenever that may be. One thing’s for sure, though: Filoni and Co. will have to be careful when bringing all of these characters together onscreen to avoid not stepping on Mando’s toes, as audiences might not respond well to Ezra Bridger getting more screen time than Din Djarin.
Thankfully, Dave Filoni has a good head on his shoulders and has generally steered the franchise in the right direction, meaning Eman Esfandi’s recent remarks likely point to Ezra Bridger having an increased presence in the story but not necessarily a leading role. Only time will tell.
What do you think of Ezra Bridger playing a “pivotal role” in Dave FIloni’s “Mando-Verse” movie? Are you happy with Eman Esfandi’s take on the character? Let us know in the comments below!