‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’ May Feature Legacy ‘Star Wars’ Character Cameo
Star Wars has never been shy about bringing back familiar faces, even when actors are no longer able to return in the traditional sense. Over the past decade, Lucasfilm has used digital technology to recreate characters across multiple projects, from film to television.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) famously brought back Grand Moff Tarkin using a digital recreation of Peter Cushing, while a young Princess Leia also appeared briefly at the film’s close, with Carrie Fisher’s likeness superimposed onto actress Ingvild Deila.
In 2020, The Mandalorian Season 2 delivered one of the franchise’s most talked-about moments when a de-aged Luke Skywalker, played by Mark Hamill, showed up in the finale. That version of Luke returned in the spinoff series The Book of Boba Fett (2021).
That history has now led to speculation about what The Mandalorian & Grogu (2026) might attempt on the big screen. Before we dive in, watch the official trailer for the film:
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While the film keeps its core cast relatively small (Pedro Pascal’s Din Djarin and Grogu are the only familiar faces from the wider ensemble in the Disney+ series), Sigourney Weaver’s newly introduced character, Colonel Ward, connects it more directly to established Star Wars figures.
Speaking in the latest issue of Empire Magazine (via SFFGazette.com), the Ghostbusters and Alien icon explained that Ward has ties to Princess Leia, describing her as a “military leader” and “crack pilot” who goes “way back” with Leia Organa.
“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. “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.”
Dave Filoni, who co-wrote the film and now serves as Lucasfilm co-President, expanded on that connection. He confirmed that Ward belongs to a group of female Rebel leaders that includes Leia, Mon Mothma, Hera Syndulla, and Amilyn Holdo, noting that they “really went through it” during the war against the Galactic Empire.
Whether that connection results in Leia appearing on screen remains unknown. The film is set several years after Return of the Jedi (1983), a period where the character is still active in the New Republic. Carrie Fisher sadly passed away in 2016; however, Lucasfilm has already proven that it can digitally recreate deceased actors, having done so with Peter Cushing in Rogue One. With all that said, no major cameos have been confirmed as yet.
The Mandalorian & Grogu, directed by Jon Favreau, arrives in theaters on May 22.
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