Sounds Like The Mandalorian Season 3 Will Bring In More New Characters Than Returning Ones

The Mandalorian protagonist Din Djarin
(Image credit: Lucasfilm)

Star Wars fans are being well taken care of when it comes to television content. Over the several weeks, viewers tuned into The Book of Boba Fett, which delighted with its explosive action and mind-blowing cameos. Though Obi-Wan Kenobi will be the next series to see the light of day, many have already set their sights on the return of Boba’s parent show, The Mandalorian. Production on the new batch of episodes began around October 2021, a factoid that was confirmed by cast member Carl Weathers. Things are, of course, being kept tightly under wraps, though a new tease seems to suggest that Season 3 will include more new faces than returning ones. 

The news comes from none other than Mando himself, Pedro Pascal. The fan-favorite actor definitely knows how to keep a secret, but he does graciously share a nugget or two with the fans now and then. During a recent interview, he was asked about what folks can expect when The Mandalorian returns. The playful actor jokingly declined to comment at first, before he briefly mentioned the characters and a couple of other elements:

Definitely nothing (laughs). Okay, there will be some familiar faces and there will be a lot of new faces. In addition, there is again a lot of action and a really great story. Satisfied?

Though the star didn’t give away too much while speaking with Neelix (via Screen Rant), his comments will likely be enough to get viewers speculating. The Mandalorian has brought in quite a few familiar faces over the past few years like daring Jedi Ahsoka Tano, played by Rosario Dawson and even the iconic Luke Skywalker, portrayed by the returning Mark Hamill. It was great to see those characters, but I’m personally interested in seeing some newcomers as well. It’s unclear as to how many will enter the fray, yet it may be safe to assume that at least one new major character will join the main cast. This due to the fact that the show has experienced a behind-the-scenes shakeup since Season 2 finished up 2020. 

Gina Carano, who played Cara Dune in the first two seasons, was fired from Lucasfilm in February 2021 after sharing social media posts that were deemed “abhorrent and unacceptable.” It was subsequently confirmed that her role would not be recast. So it stands to reason that the Star Wars show may be looking to bring in another female lead. Should that be the case, there’s no telling how said person might be integrated into the story. But I’m sure co-producers and co-writers Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni can think of something. 

While The Mandalorian Season 3 is still mostly a mystery, The Book of Boba Fett did manage to set some things in motion. The biggest takeaways were arguably Din Djarin’s exile from his faction of Mandalorians and his reunion with Grogu (a.k.a. Baby Yoda), following they parted ways in the Season 2 finale

There may be a lot of uncertainty regarding the third season, but I can’t wait to see how things play out. The galaxy far, far away is a massive place so, when it comes to potential people for Mando to run into, the sky’s the limit. 

The Mandalorian Season 3 is expected to premiere sometime in late 2022, and you’ll need a Disney+ subscription to check it out. You can also check out CinemaBlend’s 2022 TV schedule to official dates for other shows coming your way throughout the year.

Erik Swann
Senior Content Producer

Erik Swann is a Senior Content Producer at CinemaBlend. He began working with the publication in 2020 when he was hired as Weekend Editor. Today, he continues to write, edit and handle social media responsibilities over the weekend. On weekdays, he also writes TV and movie-related news and helps out with editing and social media as needed. He graduated from the University of Maryland, where he received a degree in Broadcast Journalism. After shifting into multi-platform journalism, he started working as a freelance writer and editor before joining CB. Covers superheroes, sci-fi, comedy, and almost anything else in film and TV. He eats more pizza than the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.