Credit: LucasfilmThe Mandalorian & Grogu (2026) hardly boasts an extensive cast like the upcoming crossover film Avengers: Doomsday (2026), which rounds up pretty much every Marvel Cinematic Universe character you can think of, save a handful. In fact, the Star Wars film barely features any recognizable characters besides Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu.
Though not confirmed, New Republic X-Wing pilot Trapper Wolf (played by new Lucasfilm co-President Dave Filoni) and fellow pilot Carson Teva (Paul Sun-Hyung Lee), both of whom are in the Disney+ series The Mandalorian (2019), are expected to show up in the film.
Which Mandalorian Characters Are in the Film?
The Mandalorian featured a huge roster of supporting characters, including The Armorer (Emily Swallow), Peli Motto (Amy Sedaris), IG-11 (Taika Waititi), Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito), and Fennec Shand (Ming-Na Wen). However, none of them are expected to return in the film, which seemingly wipes the slate clean where characters are concerned.
Newcomers include Colonel Ward (Sigourney Weaver) and Rotta the Hutt (Jeremy Allen White).
Other Mandalorian characters can be ruled out instantly. For starters, Cara Dune won’t be back as Gina Carano was fired by the company in 2021. And sadly, Carl Weathers, who played Greef Karga in the series, passed away in 2024.
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Boba Fett actor Temuera Morrison, who appeared in The Mandalorian Season 2 and later got his own spinoff series The Book of Boba Fett (2021), recently said that Lucasfilm told him his character has “been put on the shelf” for now. Katee Sackhoff, who plays Bo-Katan Kryze, revealed last year that she has struggled to find work following her time on the series.
But what about surprise cameos? Well, The Mandalorian & Grogu has teased a few already. There’s Lasat warrior Zeb Orrelios from Star Wars Rebels (2014 — 2018), who appeared in The Mandalorian Season 3 briefly, the Kyuzo bounty hunter Embo from the animated series The Clone Wars (2008 — 2020), Rotta the Hutt, who first appeared as a baby in the 2008 Clone Wars film, and The Hutt Twins, who appeared in The Book of Boba Fett.
Related: ‘Mandalorian’ Film Confirms Return of Character Removed From Disney+ Series
It’s hard to believe The Mandalorian & Grogu won’t have some huge surprise cameos in store. Not only is this the franchise’s first time in theaters since Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker (2019), but the Disney+ series featured a handful of major Star Wars characters, including Bo-Katan (Sackhoff), Boba (Morrison), Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson), and Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and R2-D2, all of whom appeared in Season 2.
So, will the big-screen continuation follow suit? Should fans expect any major cameos?
Well, there’s “a new hope” it might happen.
Related: Mando and Grogu May Be Replaced in Season 4 of Disney+ Series, as ‘Mandalorian’ Film Struggles
Will There Be Any Major Star Wars Cameos?
To quote the legendary Kuiil (Nick Nolte) from The Mandalorian Season 1, Alien and Ghostbusters icon Sigourney Weaver, who stars in the new film, “has spoken”, explaining in the latest issue of Empire Magazine (via SFFGazette.com) that her character, Colonel Ward, has a history with none other than Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher), the legendary princess.
Weaver describes her character, who appears opposite Din and Grogu in the trailer, as a “military leader” and “crack pilot,” adding that she and Princess Leia “go way back” in canon.
“To be playing someone who is from that time, and from that history, who would have been a cohort of these guys, is a great honor,” Weaver said of Ward’s involvement with Star Wars icons, adding, “The ’70s, all the unrest, fighting against the [Vietnam] war. People had that sense of unity. It clicks into a whole thing for George Lucas, and I’m the same generation.”
The film’s co-writer and new Lucasfilm co-President Dave Filoni elaborated on Ward by revealing that she’s part of a group of female Rebel leaders that includes Leia, Amilyn Holdo, Hera Syndulla, and Mon Mothma, adding that they “really went through it” during the war with the Galactic Empire and became instrumental in dismantling Emperor Palpatine‘s Imperial army following the events of Star Wars: Episode VI — Return of the Jedi (1983).
With all that said, just because Leia is operating off-screen during the events of The Mandalorian and Grogu (the same can be said about the Disney+ series Ahsoka as it’s also set post-original trilogy), it doesn’t mean she will appear in the film. However, Leia did make a brief appearance in the standalone film Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), in which she was brought to life by actress Ingvild Deila, with Fisher’s digital likeness superimposed.
“The evil Empire has fallen, and Imperial warlords remain scattered throughout the galaxy,” the film’s official synopsis for The Mandalorian & Grogu on StarWars.com reads.
It continues: “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.”
The Mandalorian & Grogu is directed by Jon Favreau, and produced by Favreau, Kathleen Kennedy, Dave Filoni, and Ian Bryce, with music composed by Ludwig Göransson.
The film releases in theaters on May 22.
Are you excited about The Mandalorian & Grogu? Let us know in the comments!