Disney Plus launched just under a year ago. However, it has not had much in the way of major original series for its over 60 million subscribers. The only original series that has become a true mainstream success is The Mandalorian. The first season of the sci-fi series, set in the Star Wars universe, was a massive hit. That was thanks to some great performances, some grim and gritty storylines, and, of course, the surprise character The Child, a.k.a “Baby Yoda.”
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This Friday, we will see the first episode of The Mandalorian season 2. So, what can we expect? We’ll go over what’s been confirmed about The Mandalorian season 2, plus some truly crazy rumors. Needless to say, if you want to watch the second season on Disney Plus completely cold, stop reading right now! From this point, consider everything you read to contain potential spoilers for The Mandalorian season 2 on Disney Plus. You can sign up for the service at the link below:
What we definitely know about The Mandalorian season 2
Even before the first season dropped on Disney Plus in November 2019, plans were afoot for season 2 of The Mandalorian. Pedro Pascal is returning (most of the time) as the helmet-covered bounty hunter named Din Djarin. The Child will still be by Mando’s side too. Season 2 will hopefully let us find out more about the child and why everyone in the Star Wars universe wants to get him. Disney has confirmed that season 2 episodes will begin dropping on the service on October 30, 2020. There will be eight episodes, and one will drop on the service every week.
Also confirmed as part of season 2 is Gina Carano, again playing the tough former Rebellion soldier Cara Dune. The head of the Mando’s bounty hunter league Greef Karga is back as well, played again by Carl Weathers. We will also see the return of the Imperial governor Moff Gideon, played by Giancarlo Esposito, who showed up in the final two episodes wanting to capture The Child.
Officially, Disney and LucasArts are keeping the storyline under tight wraps. Based on the few trailers and clips that have been released, we have Mando and The Child on a ship, and also attending an event at some kind of fighting ring. We also see Mando’s ship under attack by what looks to be X-Wings, and we see some battles with Imperial speeders. Mando seems to be on a journey to take The Child back to “his own kind” but what that really means is unknown for now. There are hints that the Jedi will have some kind of appearance as well.
If you have seen The Mandalorian season 1 finale, you saw Moff Gideon cut himself out of his wrecked TIE fighter. He used a different kind of lightsaber that emitted a black blade with a white border. Gideon was using the Darksaber, which first appeared in The Clone Wars animated show as a weapon held in high regard by the Mandalorian people. But why does Moff Gideon have it if he’s not a Mandalorian? That will hopefully be explained in season 2.
Interviews with the cast members and The Mandalorian’s creator Jon Favreau on Entertainment Weekly indicate we will see an expansion of the Star Wars universe in the second season, perhaps branching off into storylines that don’t involve the show’s title character.
Favreau will also direct at least one of the eight episodes, as well as his teammate and producing partner Dave Filoni. Other episodes will be directed by returning directors Bryce Dallas Howard and Rick Famuyiwa, along with new directors Robert Rodriguez (Sin City), Peyton Reed (Ant-Man), and Mandalorian cast member Carl Weathers.
Rumors about The Mandalorian Season 2
Ahsoka coming to live-action?
While most of the storyline for season 2 is still a secret, there are lots of unconfirmed rumors. Variety has reported that Rosario Dawson has been cast in the role of Ahsoka Tano. Ahsoka was, and still is, one of the biggest characters in The Clone Wars animated series. The former Padawan apprentice of Anakin Skywalker has also appeared in the Star Wars: Rebels animated series. This will be the character’s first appearance in a Star Wars live-action project. It’s likely not a coincidence that Dave Filoni, the main director of The Clone Wars and the creator of Rebels, is also an executive producer, director, and writer on The Mandalorian.
Rosario Dawson might look the part, but her voice likely won’t match up to the Ahsoka Tano we’ve known on the animated series. Ahsoka has been voiced by Ashley Eckstein since the character’s debut in The Clone Wars animated movie back in 2007. Will Dawson voice Ahsoka to the best of her abilities? Will Eckstein voice Ahsoka over Dawson’s live-action role à la Sam Witwer and Ray Park as Maul in 2018’s Solo: A Star Wars Story? Unfortunately, nothing has been confirmed yet.
One other rumor about the show that’s related to The Clone Wars revolves around actor Katee Sackhoff. Best known for her work as Starbuck in the Battlestar Galactica reboot TV series, Deadline reports that Sackhoff will appear in The Mandalorian season 2. She is rumored to play the live-action version of another Mandalorian warrior, Bo-Katan. Sackhoff voiced that role when the character debuted in the fourth season of The Clone Wars.
Is Boba Fett going to appear in the series? Who will portray him?
Many Hollywood industry reports claim that Boba Fett, the bounty hunter from the original Star Wars movie trilogy that wore armor similar to The Mandalorian, will be appearing in some way in season 2. Furthermore, The Hollywood Reporter claims Temuera Morrison, who played Boba’s dad Jango Fett in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, will take on Boba Fett in the series. Morrison has already voiced Boba Fett in the recently remastered versions of the original Star Wars trilogy. It would be great to both see and hear him as part of the Disney Plus Star Wars shows family.
However, there may be a twist to this story. There are other reports that actor Timothy Olyphant has joined season 2 as well. There’s no word on what character he might be playing yet. However, SlashFilm claims Olyphant was spotted wearing the Boba Fett armor while filming. It’s likely Olyphant plays a character called Cobb Vanth who found the armor on Tatooine after the events of Return of the Jedi and decided to keep it. That should make for an interesting episode.
Super crazy rumor time
This rumor has been going around for some time, but so far there’s been no comment at all from Disney and LucasArts. If you don’t want to know more, really, stop reading now.
Grace Randolph, who runs a YouTube TV and movie channel called Beyond The Trailer, claimed that according to her sources Pedro Pascal got frustrated with having to wear his helmet on all the time, and asked to have some screen time with the Mando helmet off. Apparently, that was vetoed by Lucasfilm. It went so far that, according to her report, Pascal ended up leaving the show during the middle of filming season 2.
Randolph did add that it’s possible cooler heads later prevailed and that Pascal might have returned later. He has been doing press interviews for The Mandalorian season 2, so we will have to wait and see if this rumor is true.
One other rumor that’s been floating around is that there will be a huge surprise at the end of the first episode of The Mandalorian Season 2. This is supposed to be on the level of The Child reveal at the end of episode 1 of season 1.
The Mandalorian season 3?
Even though season 2 of The Mandalorian has yet to debut, Variety reports that writing and pre-production have started on season 3. It would appear Disney is pleased enough with the success of the first season, and the completed footage of season 2, to approve a third season of the series. Assuming the show is not affected by COVID-19 delays, production could start by the end of 2020 or early 2021, with a release in late 2021.
That’s all we know about The Mandalorian Season 2 on Disney Plus. Get ready for the series debut on Friday!
