Lucasfilm is taking a bold approach with its first theatrical Star Wars release since 2019.
It’s no mystery that the upcoming film The Mandalorian and Grogu (2026) has reset its supporting cast, leaving behind many fan-favorite characters from the Disney+ series.
Actors like Emily Swallow (The Armorer), Giancarlo Esposito (Moff Gideon), and Katee Sackhoff (Bo-Katan Kryze) won’t appear in the upcoming film — at least not unless they get cameos of some kind — signaling a clear break from the show’s established ensemble.
Check out the latest trailer for the new film below:
In their place, the movie introduces new faces.
Sigourney Weaver joins as a character named Colonel Ward, while Jeremy Allen White plays Rotta the Hutt. Jonny Coyne plays an unnamed Imperial Warlord, and it’s expected that Steve Blum will reprise his role as Garazeb “Zeb” Orrelios from Star Wars Rebels.
Co-writer and Lucasfilm President Dave Filoni also returns as X-Wing pilot Trapper Wolf.
Related: Disney Will Change ‘Star Wars’ Franchise, Starting With ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’ | Disney Dining
Of course, none of this is new information — the cast was revealed last year, and so was the first official trailer for the film. However, now, a new Star Wars LEGO set appears to confirm that at least one character from Disney+’s The Mandalorian (2019) has returned.
Jay’s Brick Blog (via Star Wars News Net) has revealed that a new LEGO set (one of many) based on the upcoming film features the new character Colonel Ward (Sigourney Weaver), alongside the New Republic pilot Carson Teva, who was played by Paul Sun-Hyung Lee in the Disney+ series. The description of the “New Republic X-Wing Starfighter” set even states “as seen in The Mandalorian & Grogu.”
Paul Sun-Hyung Lee’s Carson Teva was a key character in The Mandalorian, and essentially replaced Cara Dune as a New Republic figure after Gina Carano was fired in 2021.
While it remains to be seen whether he will actually appears in The Mandalorian and Grogu, Teva’s role in Season 3 does seemingly tie into the new film, as the story picks up after the fall of the Empire, with scattered Imperial warlords threatening galactic stability. The New Republic recruits Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu to help confront these threats, continuing the arc of the duo, as implied in the Season 3 finale.
Meanwhile, promotional material for the upcoming Star Wars film has already stirred debate among fans. The first trailer sparked mixed reactions, with many noting that the visuals feel closer to an episode of the Disney+ series than a major cinematic release.
Most recently, the Super Bowl spot spot drew backlash for its unusual tone, with Din and Grogu appearing on a tauntaun-drawn carriage accompanied by a voiceover from actor Sam Elliott, which fans likened more to a beer commercial than a Star Wars adventure.
Despite the controversies, the reset in casting and the film’s new direction indicate that Lucasfilm is confident that “this is the way” forward.
The Mandalorian and Grogu arrives in theaters on May 22.
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