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Credit: LucasfilmA casting update has surfaced for Lucasfilm’s upcoming The Mandalorian and Grogu movie. Here’s the latest of the Star Wars movie that will end the almost seven-year drought of the galaxy far, far away on the big screen.
What’s Going On With The Mandalorian?
In a galaxy not so far away, the Force is stirring again. On May 22, 2026, Disney and Lucasfilm will launch Star Wars back onto the big screen with The Mandalorian and Grogu, a groundbreaking Mando-Verse adventure that promises to reshape the franchise’s future.
The announcement of Jon Favreau’s film sent fans into a frenzy, sparking heated speculation about the fate of The Mandalorian Season 4 and Dave Filoni’s highly anticipated New Republic-era movie.
Earlier revelations in January 2024 marked The Mandalorian and Grogu as Lucasfilm’s leading live-action Star Wars project, shifting focus away from the three films announced by Kathleen Kennedy at the 2023 Star Wars Celebration.
Kennedy praised the dynamic duo of Favreau and Filoni for their impact on Star Wars, sharing, “Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni have ushered into Star Wars two new and beloved characters, and this new story is a perfect fit for the big screen” (via StarWars.com).
But the announcement left lingering questions. What does this mean for The Mandalorian Season 4? And what about Filoni’s Mando-Verse film? An October 2024 report from The Hollywood Reporter suggested that the feature film would take the place of Season 4 altogether.
“Instead of a fourth season, Disney decided to pivot The Mandalorian to launch its first Star Wars feature film since The Rise of Skywalker,” the report stated.
This bold move aligns with Disney’s broader strategy but comes with risks. Season 3 of The Mandalorian faced criticism for its uneven storytelling, addressing Cara Dune’s (Gina Carano) absence, spotlighting Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff), and sidelining Din Djarin with Pedro Pascal stepping back from physical scenes. Throw in polarizing cameos from Lizzo and Jack Black, and the season struggled to recapture its earlier magic.
Yet recent developments suggest the fourth season of The Mandalorian may not be entirely off the table. According to reports, insider Jeff Sneider revealed, “The Mandalorian Season 4 may not be dead at Disney+,” stating the series remains “in development” but that The Mandalorian and Grogu will hit theaters first.
These shifting narratives reflect ongoing uncertainty about Lucasfilm’s roadmap. Even Temuera Morrison, who portrayed Boba Fett, expressed frustration over the studio’s evolving priorities. Speaking last year, Morrison admitted, “I think we’re just put on the shelf for a little bit. Maybe we come off the shelf later.”
Morrison’s comments cast doubt on Boba Fett’s involvement in The Mandalorian and Grogu, with The Book of Boba Fett spinoff still in limbo.
Meanwhile, production on The Mandalorian and Grogu has wrapped, and Dave Filoni’s excitement is palpable. At the Skeleton Crew premiere, Filoni praised Grogu’s evolution: “It was great seeing Grogu. He’s become such a star, and it’s amazing how it’s evolved, what we can do now with the puppetry compared to Season 1.”
The Mandalorian and Grogu Cast
Joining the star of the show, Grogu, in The Mandalorian and Grogu, will be Pedro Pascal, who will return to voice Din Djarin, AKA the titular Mando character. While Pedro Pascal once shared the beskar armor with the likes of Brendan Wayne and Lateef Crowder for the third season of the Disney+ series, Pascal confirmed he voiced the role only.
Whether this will transfer into the feature film is to be confirmed, even though filming has wrapped.
Also starring in the movie will be Alien franchise star and current lead of Jamie Lloyd’s The Tempest in London’s West End, Sigourney Weaver. The beloved actress confirmed her role in the Star Wars galaxy last August, revealing that she had met Grogu for the first time and enjoyed jumping between different universes. Weaver can be expected to return in December’s Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025) from director James Cameron.
Perhaps the strangest casting report came at the end of 2024. According to reputable entertainment scooper Jeff Sneider, Jeremy Allen White—Emmy-winning star of FX’s critically acclaimed The Bear—has reportedly been cast in The Mandalorian and Grogu as Rotta the Hutt, the estranged son of the infamous Jabba the Hutt.
Star Wars diehards will remember Rotta’s introduction in 2008’s Star Wars: The Clone Wars movie, which served as the launchpad for the beloved animated series of the same name. Nicknamed “Stinky” by Ahsoka Tano, the character only made one additional appearance in the 2010 episode “Sphere of Influence,” leaving fans curious about his fate.
The scoop was dropped during Sneider’s chat with Kristian Harloff on Harloff’s YouTube channel, but it’s important to note that neither Lucasfilm, Disney, nor White himself has officially confirmed the casting. That hasn’t stopped fans from speculating wildly—reactions range from shock to skepticism, with some even mistaking the report for satire. One fan described the potential casting as “a bold move,” while another suggested it might hint at significant changes to the storyline.
The big question on everyone’s mind: how will White bring Rotta to life? Could we see a CGI rendition of the character with White lending his voice, or will the actor disappear beneath layers of prosthetics to fully embody the role?
If true, White’s involvement signals a major shift in the narrative for The Mandalorian and Grogu. A high-profile actor like White stepping into the role suggests that Rotta—and perhaps the entire Hutt Clan—could play a central part in the film’s plot. With Lucasfilm remaining tight-lipped, fans will have to wait for more details to emerge.
The latest update came this week, with reports claiming that the bounty hunter Embo–voiced by Dave Filoni in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars series–will be the movie’s main antagonist.
“According to Kristian Harloff (via SFFGazette.com), The Clone Wars baddie will be a “pretty significant part of the plot,” with the movie set to feature him attempting to track down and kill the kidnapped Rotta,” Comic Book Movie writes. “Din and Grogu, meanwhile, have reportedly been hired to rescue him, revealing this movie’s main conflict.”
Embo, the Kyuzo bounty hunter, was last seen in The Clone Wars in the Season 6 episode “An Old Friend.” His likely return to the franchise, this time in live-action, will surely excite fans of the character and of the Clone War era.
The Mandalorian TV show’s Jonny Coyne will also reprise his role as Imperial Warlord in Favreau’s movie.
What’s Next for Star Wars?
Adding to the intrigue, the announcement of The Mandalorian and Grogu comes less than a year after Kathleen Kennedy unveiled three other Star Wars films—none of which have release dates. The removal of a planned December 2026 Star Wars movie from Disney’s schedule has only fueled fan speculation.
In the meantime, Filoni continues to develop Ahsoka Season 2, which was confirmed alongside The Mandalorian and Grogu. The series will dive deeper into threads from its debut season while maintaining its ties to Star Wars Rebels. “I’ve been writing it, and I’m still the single writer on it,” Filoni said, underscoring his dedication to crafting a compelling story.
As Star Wars embarks on this next chapter, one thing is clear: the galaxy far, far away remains as unpredictable as ever. With The Mandalorian and Grogu poised to reignite the magic of the Mando-Verse, the absence of a fourth season leaves fans questioning what’s next for Din Djarin and Grogu on Disney+.
How do you feel about the future of The Mandalorian? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments below!