The Future of The Mandalorian
The Mandalorian season 4 will continue the story of Pedro Pascal's Din Djarin and his adopted son Din Grogu, as they chart a new path in the New Republic era. There was a sense in which The Mandalorian season 3 served as somewhat of a pivot for the hit Disney+ TV show, broadening its focus away from Din Djarin himself to the wider story of the planet of Mandalore and its former inhabitants. That song has now been sung, with the Mandalorians successfully retaking their home planet as of The Mandalorian season 3's climactic ending.
Mandalorian Season 3 Ending With Grogu and Djarin
As such, the ending of Din Djarin's latest adventure has naturally led to intense speculation surrounding the future of the series. Lucasfilm has already confirmed a Star Wars movie to culminate The Mandalorian's story, which means Din Djarin and Din Grogu will return on the big screen in the future. Before this cinematic event, though, there will be at least one more season of The Mandalorian as Lucasfilm continues its success on the small screen with a host of upcoming Star Wars TV shows.
Jon Favreau and The Mandalorian poster.
All that The Mandalorian season 4 awaits is a confirmed announcement from Disney to begin production. Interestingly, despite the reports centering around the show, Lucasfilm is yet to officially confirm The Mandalorian season 4. However, all other signs point to the installment happening with the cast and crew simply awaiting the green light from the studio. Speaking to BFMTV INSIDE back in February 2023, writer Jon Favreau confirmed the scripts had been completed before season 3 even finished airing: 'Season 4? Yeah, I’ve written it already. We have to know where we are going to tell a fully formed story. So, we had mapped it out, Dave [Filoni] and I. And then slowly you just write each episode.'
This approach makes sense, given there are now a lot of moving parts to get in place ahead of Filoni's Mandalorian movie. Given that the production of feature films takes significantly longer than TV projects, any potential small-screen shows leading up to the former would need to be locked in well in advance. Another interesting albeit unconfirmed aspect of The Mandalorian season 4 is that Disney has reportedly considered turning the story into its own feature film rather than a season of television. In December 2023, it was reported by Jeff Sneider on The Hot Mic podcast (via Star Wars News Net) that the story of The Mandalorian season 4 could be reworked as a movie. This film would apparently be released before Daisy Ridley's upcoming Star Wars film, with Dave Filoni's previously confirmed theatrical project to follow. That said, it is worth noting that these reports are simply rumors and this scenario has not been concretely confirmed or even hinted at by anyone at Lucasfilm or Disney. With 2024 likely bringing more news on upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows, the status of The Mandalorian season 4 will undoubtedly be confirmed.
The Mandalorian Season 4's Confirmed Cast
While there has yet to be any confirmed cast for The Mandalorian season 4, there are a few essential characters who are necessary for the show to continue. Pedro Pascal is sure to return as the star, with the focus remaining on his relationship with Grogu. He's now living on Nevarro, meaning Carl Weathers' Greef Karga has a logical role; IG-11 has become Nevarro's marshal, which likewise indicates Taika Waititi should be back. Meanwhile, a change in Din Djarin's status quo - he's started working for the New Republic - surely means Paul Sun-Hyung Lee's Carson Teva will be back.
Pedro Pascal as Din Djarin with his helmet in the foreground, with Morak Din and helmeted Din in the background.
This new role means the Coruscant subplot introduced in The Mandalorian season 3, episode 3 is likely to be important to the show going forward. If that is the case, Katy O'Brian's Imperial spy Elia Kane will surely be a returning antagonist. Other members of The Mandalorian season 3's cast will probably play supporting roles as well, including Katee Sackhoff's Bo-Katan Kryze and Emily Swallow's Armorer.
Greef Karga looking up in The Mandalorian
The Mandalorian Season 4 Story
The Mandalorian season 3's finale established a new status quo for Din Djarin. A bounty hunter by trade, Din approached Carson Teva and proposed working for the New Republic off the books. This role means he will be hunting down other members of the Imperial Shadow Council, unaware the various warlords are secretly working together. This will likely tie Din Djarin and Grogu to Grand Admiral Thrawn, the resurgent heir to the Empire after Ahsoka season 1. Not only does this make sense given Din’s own quarrels with the Empire, but it positions The Mandalorian season 4 as a vital stepping stone to the upcoming New Republic feature film.
Star Wars' Babu Frik and Grogu.
The Mandalorian season 3's finale established a new status quo for Din Djarin. A bounty hunter by trade, Din approached Carson Teva and proposed working for the New Republic off the books. This role means he will be hunting down other members of the Imperial Shadow Council, unaware the various warlords are secretly working together. This will likely tie Din Djarin and Grogu to Grand Admiral Thrawn, the resurgent heir to the Empire after Ahsoka season 1. Not only does this make sense given Din’s own quarrels with the Empire, but it positions The Mandalorian season 4 as a vital stepping stone to the upcoming New Republic feature film.
Bo-Katan Kryze, Din Djarin, and Grogu in The Mandalorian.