The Mandalorian: Pedro Pascal May Not Return To Shoot Season 4
Both critics and audiences agree that "The Mandalorian" Season 3 arguably delivers the weakest run of episodes yet. But most fans are still eager to see what fates await Din Djarin, Grogu, and their allies in the planned 4th season. While the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes delayed production, with the work stoppages over, viewers are desperate to learn when Pedro Pascal and the rest of the cast and crew will return to tell the next chapter in Mando's journey. Those people were probably thrown for a loop by a Bespin Bulletin report questioning whether Pascal will participate in principal photography.
Pascal's busy work schedule is cited as the reason why he has so little time to don the Beskar armor for "The Mandalorian" Season 4. As for the projects keeping him from the series' largely digital set, Ridley Scott's "Gladiator 2" is among the biggest. According to Deadline, the tentpole sequel is the top priority on Pascal's post-strike slate. He also has a new season of "The Last of Us" to shoot and reportedly will play Reed Richards in Marvel's Fantastic Four reboot. So, if the "Mandalorian" team wants to get Season 4 before cameras anytime soon, they'll probably have to do so without Pascal's on-set presence.
However, that hardly means Pascal will not be involved in "The Mandalorian" Season 4. The production will likely take a similar approach to previous seasons, utilizing costumed stuntmen on set and having Pascal voice Mando in post-production.
The Mandalorian is basically just voice work for Pascal these days
That's not to imply Pedro Pascal hasn't been a regular on the "Mandalorian" soundstage. The actor confirmed during a roundtable chat hosted by The Hollywood Reporter he was often on set and in the suit during the show's first two seasons. "I was in it a significant amount," Pascal declared before confessing he couldn't bear the physical task of wearing the restrictive costume over a months-long shoot.
Given that Mando frequently has a face-covering helmet on, the process evolved to a point where Pascal doesn't have to suffer the suit unless Din Djarin's face is visible. That means he isn't always on set, with the actor claiming, "Now we've figured it out, which is super cool, and amazingly, it gave me the opportunity to be able to go and do something else." As Mando spends the entirety of Season 3 with his helmet on, that essentially confirms Pascal wasn't around much, leaving the on-set work to his stunt doubles, Brandon Wayne and Lateef Crowder dos Santos.
Of course, when discussing Pascal's work as Din Djarin these days, Dave Filoni's announced New Republic movie deserves consideration. That's because the upcoming film is purported to close out the interconnected stories between "The Mandalorian," "The Book of Boba Fett," and "Ahsoka." Ole' Mando will likely have a significant role to play in the action, and Filoni may want a shot or two of Pascal's well-known face in the final cut. It's unclear whether Filoni will take a similar approach as "The Mandalorian" in shooting Mando's scenes. But given Pascal's current workload, he may not have a choice.