Summary

• Sigourney Weaver rumored to join The Mandalorian & Grogu cast in key role.
• Jon Favreau directs The Mandalorian & Grogu, set for release in 2026, ushering Star Wars back to the big screen.
• Star Wars fans can expect more content, including a Dave Filoni project.

Sigourney Weaver is certainly no stranger to space, and now it appears as if the Academy Award-nominated actress might be heading to a galaxy far, far away to appear in the next Star Wars movie, The Mandalorian & Grogu. Weaver’s first foray into science fiction came by way of 1979s Alien, where she portrayed the role of Ellen Ripley, a part she’d reprise three more times in Aliens, Alien 3, and Alien: Resurrection (where she technically portrayed clones of herself). Since then, she’s ventured into the genre numerous times for the likes of Galaxy Quest, WALL-E, and James Cameron’s Avatar franchise.

Details are scarce at the moment, but in a report released in The InSneider that was confirmed by The Hollywood Reporter, Jeff Sneider states that Weaver is in talks to join the cast of The Mandalorian & Grogu in a “key role.” He notes that this is the first big piece of new Star Wars casting news in six years, when it was announced in 2018 that Naomi Ackie and Richard E. Grant were joining the cast of Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker. Should said talks come to fruition, this will be Weaver’s first appearance in the franchise started in 1977 by George Lucas.

The Mandalorian & Grogu was announced earlier this year, and will see direction by Star Wars veteran Jon Favreau, who will also serve as producer alongside Lucasfilm’s chief creative officer, Dave Filoni, and its president, Kathleen Kennedy. Production is scheduled to start later on in 2024, with a release date of May 22, 2026, expected, barring any unforeseen circumstances. As of right now, in addition to Sigourney Weaver, the only casting rumors have been the return of Pedro Pascal in the role of Din Djarin, though nothing is confirmed.

There Is Plenty of Star Wars Content Coming in 2024 and Beyond

Two other Star Wars films are slated to release following The Mandalorian & Grogu, including Star Wars: New Jedi Order (December 18, 2026) which will see the return of Daisy Ridley in the role of Rey, and be directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, as well as James Mangold’s yet-to-be-titled film about the dawn of the Jedi. As of right now, Mangold’s film is scheduled for release in December 2027, though that could change.

Dave Filoni also has a Star Wars film of his own in the works, which is expected to conclude The Mandalorian era of the franchise. It’s unclear right now when that might be released, but some reports say the untitled movie is targeting a late 2026 premiere, which may or may not conflict with Star Wars: New Jedi Order, depending on how things go.

As for the fate of The Mandalorion on Disney+, it doesn’t appear as if a fourth season will happen any time soon. There’s the possibility that the unresolved questions posed in season three could be handled in The Mandalorian & Grogu, but Filoni hasn’t ruled out another season just yet. When asked the fate of the series by Entertainment Tonight in February 2024, the long-time Star Wars creator played coy, giving an expected cryptic answer.

"There's so much spinning in the galaxy right now. You know me better than to commit to any one thing. No mind trick works on me. So, you know. I think I'm excited about what we're doing right now."

While fans await the next installment in the Star Wars universe on the big screen, they can look forward to two new series this year on Disney+, including The Acolyte, which is set to debut on June 4, 2024, and Star Wars: Skeleton Crew starring Jude Law, which is expected to premiere later this year on the streaming platform.

The entire Star Wars catalog of movies and TV shows can be streamed on Disney+, and you can view the trailer for The Acolyte below.