Credit: LucasfilmIt seems like Jon Favreau is set to exit a galaxy far, far away after the release of The Mandalorian and Grogu (2026).
We’re just three months away from the release of the first cinematic Star Wars project since Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019), and yet the sentiment among fans seems lukewarm, at best.
While there was a point when The Mandalorian dominated pop culture upon its Disney+ debut, the show’s second and third seasons saw gradual declines in interest, with the latter attracting particularly mixed reviews compared to its predecessors. Other projects set within the MandoVerse (aka the early days of the New Republic) have failed to generate anywhere near as much praise, with Ahsoka Season 2 standing as its only other upcoming project.
Recent reports suggest that Lucasfilm hopes to use the success (or lack of success) of The Mandalorian and Grogu to guide its decisions on future Star Wars projects. To be more specific, it’s thought that it will contribute to the studio’s decision whether it should push ahead with Dave Filoni’s planned MandoVerse crossover film or instead rework it into a limited series.
Whatever happens in that regard, we can expect Filoni to remain involved. The director, producer, and screenwriter was named Lucasfilm’s new co-president alongside Lynwen Brennan after Kathleen Kennedy’s exit earlier this year.
However, the same can’t be said for one of the MandoVerse’s most important figures: Jon Favreau.
Jon Favreau Opens Up About His ‘Star Wars’ Future
Favreau created and serves as showrunner on The Mandalorian, and has worked as an executive producer on The Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka, and Star Wars: Skeleton Crew. He’s also the director and co-writer of The Mandalorian and Grogu.
Given his central role in shaping the so-called MandoVerse, imagining its future without him is difficult — though a recent interview suggests that possibility may no longer be unthinkable. During an appearance at a special event that unveiled new merchandise for The Mandalorian and Grogu, Favreau indirectly confirmed that he views the upcoming film as his final project in a galaxy far, far away.
“I’ve been working on Star Wars now for seven years, and to be able to step up to doing it as a film feels like a culmination of what I’m working on,” Favreau said (via Polygon).
If that is the case, there is a real possibility that The Mandalorian Season 4 may never move forward. Favreau previously confirmed that scripts for another season were written before the 2023 Writers’ Strike, though The Mandalorian and Grogu is not believed to draw from that material. While a strong theatrical performance could have reopened the door to a Disney+ renewal, that outcome appears less certain without Favreau’s direct involvement, given his hands-on role in shaping the series.
What Can Fans Expect From Jon Favreau’s ‘Final’ Outing?
Should this actually mark Jon Favreau’s final contribution to Star Wars, here’s hoping that The Mandalorian and Grogu is worth the wait.
Lucasfilm has kept the film’s exact plot close to its chest. What we do know is that Pedro Pascal is back as Din Djarin (his voice, at least) with the Force-sensitive Grogu by his side. Together, the pair will continue to navigate the early days of the galaxy following the fall of the Galactic Empire.
In other words, it’s set to follow the exact same premise as the TV show – and with a surprisingly modest budget compared to other Star Wars films under the Disney banner.
Joining Pascal is Sigourney Weaver as Ward, a colonel and leader of the New Republic’s Adelphi Rangers. Jeremy Allen White is also set to star as Rotta the Hutt, the son of the crime lord Jabba the Hutt, famously strangled to death by Leia (Carrie Fisher) in Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983).
A trailer aired during the Super Bowl failed to spark much fervor among Star Wars fans. Lucasfilm’s marketing brand lead Ryan Stankevich has since clarified that the spot was intended as “a nod to classic Big Game spots of years past,” serving as a teaser of what fans can expect over the next few months.
A new journey begins.
Watch the big game spot and see The Mandalorian and Grogu only in theaters and IMAX May 22.
A new journey begins.
Watch the big game spot and see The Mandalorian and Grogu only in theaters and IMAX May 22. pic.twitter.com/5M0MKbJFqr
— Star Wars (@starwars) February 8, 2026
“This Big Game spot celebrates how deeply we love and connect with these characters, reminds us of the fun, heart, and spectacle that defines ‘Star Wars,’ and offers a bite-sized promise of the experience audiences will get when they see these two beloved icons on the big screen,” Disney’s executive vice president of creative marketing, Jackson George, told Variety.
We’ll regroup on May 22 to see if that’s the case.
Will you miss Jon Favreau if he leaves the Star Wars universe?