Report: ‘The Mandalorian’ Axed by Lucasfilm

If you were holding out hope for another season of The Mandalorian, we have some bad news.

The past few years have been relatively quiet for Star Wars, with zero cinematic outings since Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker (2019). Instead, the franchise has been reliant on its Disney+ shows, with The Mandalorian proving by far the most successful.

Set after the fall of the Galactic Empire (so pre-sequel trilogy), the show follows the bounty hunter Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) as he navigates the galaxy’s outer reaches and protects a mysterious child known as Grogu (or, depending on who you talk to, Baby Yoda).

While the first season of the show was extremely well-received, the critical reactions to its successors were slightly cooler. Some claimed that the storytelling suffered in The Mandalorian Season 3 (the show’s first without Gina Carano’s Cara Dune after the actress was fired for her controversial social media posts, although she’s since settled with Disney), with the ratings suffering accordingly.

Despite its recent dip, the show remains much more popular among most Star Wars fans than The Acolyte or Ahsoka. Its showrunner, Jon Favreau, also confirmed that the scripts were ready for a fourth season. But in 2024, Lucasfilm confirmed that it had other plans: a Mandalorian movie.

Due for release in May (when it will also inspire a new version of Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run in Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disneyland Park), The Mandalorian & Grogu is set to take Mando/Din Djarin and Grogu to the big screen.

This is directed by Favreau, who also co-wrote the script with Dave Filoni, Lucasfilm’s co-president as of earlier this year. As per the most recent trailer, it will see Pedro Pascal unmasked as Din Djarin for at least some of the film.

Fans have wondered what the film means for the show’s fourth season – and we may have our answer.

Is This The End of ‘The Mandalorian’?

As per industry insider Daniel Richtman, The Mandalorian & Grogu will serve as the end of The Mandalorian franchise. “I have also confirmed the Mandalorian movie will be the final chapter of the show, no season 4,” Richtman said (via The Direct). “He will be in other projects after that, but The Mandalorian will be over.”

For now, this is just a rumor. However, it does align with fan theories that Din Djarin may die in the movie – and whispers that Lucasfilm is waiting to see how the film performs before pushing ahead with additional MandoVerse projects, such as Dave Filoni’s long-awaited MandoVerse teamup film. Reports suggest the latter could be reworked into a Disney+ project if The Mandalorian & Grogu underperforms at the box office (which some Lucasfilm insiders allegedly fear will happen).

The studio has a track record of announcing then going quiet on certain projects, such as Taika Waititi’s long-awaited film – which former Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy told Deadline was still in the works as of January, with a script that was “hilarious and great” – and the trilogy once announced for Rian Johnson, director of the controversial Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi (2017).

Some fear that the same fate is currently heading for Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s Star Wars film. Announced by Kathleen Kennedy several years ago at Star Wars Celebration, this is (theoretically) set to feature the return of Daisy Ridley as Rey for the first time since The Rise of Skywalker, following the Jedi as she tries to rebuild the Jedi Order.

Multiple reports suggest that Lucasfilm is struggling to nail the script, with some suggesting that the film has been put on hold. Ridley herself claimed that fans shouldn’t expect any updates on the project in 2026.

Do you think The Mandalorian should return for a fourth season?