After a rocky few years for the Star Wars franchise due to divisive theatrical entries like The Last Jedi (2017) and The Rise of Skywalker (2019), and underperforming live-action TV shows like Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022) and The Acolyte (2024), The Mandalorian & Grogu (2026) is set to usher in a new era for the faraway galaxy.
After all, it’s the first film based on a TV series, as opposed to being an episodic “Skywalker Saga” entry or a spinoff like Rogue One (2016) and Solo (2018).
Now, with filming wrapped and a cast that so far includes Pedro Pascal, Sigourney Weaver, and Jeremy Allen White, fans are speculating about which familiar faces might return — and, for obvious reasons, Gina Carano is suddenly a hot topic again.
Will Cara Dune Return To The Mandalorian?
Carano, who famously played ex-shock trooper Cara Dune on The Mandalorian seasons one and two, recently settled her lawsuit with Disney, closing the chapter on her long-running dispute with the company, who fired her in 2021 for sharing divisive tweets.
Now, with the legal hurdles behind her, some fans believe Carano might even have a better shot at returning in the upcoming Mandalorian film than other recurring characters who continued to appear in the show after her Season 2 departure — including fan-favorite Bo-Katan Kryze, played by Katee Sackhoff.
Cara Dune Isn’t the Only Female Character From The Mandalorian Unlikely To Return
Recently, Sackhoff opened up about her struggles following her time on The Mandalorian. While the actress wasn’t in any way let go from the show like Carano was, her future suddenly remains equally uncertain.
On her podcast, The Sackhoff Show, Sackhoff has revealed that she lost all her confidence after appearing in The Mandalorian, explaining how she didn’t understand the character of Bo-Katan and has been unable to get work in the three years since filming Season 3.
“I lost all of my confidence after [The] Mandalorian. All of it…,” she tells her her Battlestar Galactica co-star Tahmoh Penikett. “It just broke me, where I started doubting everything about myself. For three years, I basically didn’t work.” She continued, reflecting on her lack of a connection to Bo-Katan: “Her life, what she wants… I didn’t know how to find her. And it broke me.” You can watch the full video here:
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No Supporting Characters Have Been Announced
Taking her comments into account, it’s worth noting that Sackhoff is absent from the film’s cast list, alongside fellow Mandalorian regulars such as Giancarlo Esposito, Emily Swallow, and Amy Sedaris.
While it’s not impossible for her to make a cameo, her own reflections and the official lineup suggest Disney is moving forward without Bo-Katan, despite the fact that, in Season 3, it seemed like she was being prepped to replace Din Djarin as the titular Mandalorian.
Meanwhile, Carano’s potential return has some fans hopeful. Cara Dune was a beloved presence in the first two seasons of the show, and with legal issues now settled, there might be an opening for her to return without any lingering tension. Could Dune return to support Din Djarin and Grogu in their cinematic adventure? We’ll have to wait and see.
The Mandalorian & Grogu hits theaters May 22, 2026.
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