The Mandalorian Season 3 - Everything You Need To Know
The "Star Wars" universe has expanded quite a bit with the growing slate of shows set in a galaxy far, far away on Disney+, but "The Mandalorian" started it all. Din Djarin/Mando (Pedro Pascal), more widely known as the Mandalorian, has two seasons under his belt, but he was also brought in for multiple episodes of "The Book of Boba Fett."
Djarin is a bounty hunter who's vowed an oath to live by the creed of the Mandalorians, dedicated warriors who've sworn never to remove their helmets in front of anyone. In the years following a profound tragedy on his home planet, he's been forced to eke out a living as a bounty hunter, putting his skills as a tracker and fighter to good use. We've seen Djarin break some of his core vows over the years, like when he decided to ditch a job to protect the young Grogu, but he remains a warrior and stands as, presumably, one of the last of his kind.
Even with the growing amount of "Star Wars" content on Disney+, like "Obi-Wan Kenobi" and "Andor," fans are still eagerly awaiting the next chapter of "The Mandalorian." And here's everything we know so far about the upcoming third season.
When will The Mandalorian Season 3 be released?
The wait for "The Mandalorian" Season 3 is almost over. At Brazil's CCXP in December 2022, it was announced that the third season of the Disney+ "Star Wars" series would be premiering on March 1, 2023. Granted, the stretch of time between Season 2 and Season 3 has been pretty long, as the second season hit Disney+ all the way back in October 2020. Din Djarin did, of course, continue his journey in a few episodes of "The Book of Boba Fett" alongside that titular character (played by franchise regular Temuera Morrison), but it's been a while since he was front and center on his own show. But now, his return is nigh. Of course, if you're itching for more "Star Wars" to hold you over until then, there's plenty of content on Disney+, from other Disney+ series to the actual "Star Wars" movies themselves. Or it might be the perfect time to go back and revisit Din Djarin's adventures in the first two seasons of "The Mandalorian."
What is the plot of The Mandalorian Season 3?
"The Mandalorian" Season 3 will feature a major change of scenery as Din Djarin travels to his homeworld of Mandalore, the planet of the Mandalorians. Djarin hasn't been on Mandalore since he was a child, and there's no telling what the journey will bring as we've only heard stories of the war that destroyed the once-great planet and drove the Mandalorian across the galaxy.
In footage screened at the 2022 "Star Wars" Celebration (via GamesRadar), Djarin says he's headed to Mandalore to seek forgiveness "for his transgressions," the worst of which includes him removing his helmet by choice in order to rescue Grogu. There, he'll have to bathe in pool of water in order to wash away his sins (well, "sins" according to the Children of the Watch and their very specific belief system).
Speaking with IGN in September 2022, executive producer Rick Famuyiwa confirmed that Mando grappling with his Season 2 decision would be a major part of the upcoming installment. "There are obviously repercussions that come from the decisions we make," he explained. "He made a decision for the Child which will continue to reverberate. So part of that is gonna be explored during the season. But a father will do anything for their child."
Of course, things will get complicated once Din Djarin returns to his homeworld. As we know, he belongs to a very specific sect of Mandalorians who never remove their helmets — the Children of the Watch. However, that doesn't apply to most other Mandalorians, something showrunner Jon Favreau elaborated on while talking to the Dagobah Dispatch Podcast (via MovieWeb). "Now, we know that there are other groups of Mandalorians where they have different sets of rules," Favreau said, before adding, "And so these different groups are coming together. ... The Nexus point for all of those communities, of course, is their homeworld from which they're exiled, which is Mandalore."
It probably won't help matters any that Mando is in possession of the fabled Darksaber, a legendary blade that Mandalorian leader Bo-Katan Kryze desperately wants to get her hands on. And of course, the remnant of the Galactic Empire will be working in the shadows, as the official plot synopsis reads, "The New Republic struggles to lead the galaxy away from its dark history. The Mandalorian will cross paths with old allies and make new enemies as he and Grogu continue their journey together."
Who is starring in The Mandalorian Season 3?
Never fear — Pedro Pascal is returning as Din Djarin. (There's no show without Pascal.) And he won't be the only familiar actor coming back. Giancarlo Esposito will reprise his role as the villainous Moff Gideon, Carl Weathers is returning to play Greef Karga, and Katee Sackhoff will be making things interesting as Bo-Katan Kryze.
Additionally, expect to see Amy Sedaris as mechanic Peli Motto, Omid Abtahi as Imperial scientist Dr. Pershing, and Paul Sun-Hyung Lee as New Republic pilot Captain Carson Teva. And of course, we'll get to hear the commanding voice of Emily Swallow as the Armorer, the leader of Din Djarin's Mandalorian tribe.
Of course, there will be plenty of new faces as well, including guest stars such as Jack Black, Lizzo, Tim Meadows, and Christopher Lloyd. Plus, Ahmed Best is returning to the "Star Wars" fold, but instead of playing Jar Jar Binks, he'll be playing a pretty consequential Jedi.
Who is directing The Mandalorian Season 3?
Ever since the first season, "The Mandalorian" has played host to some of the most interesting directors in the business, like Taika Waititi and Robert Rodriguez. And over the course of the show, several filmmakers have been invited back again and again as they seem to have that special something when it comes to bounty-hunting action and that emotional Mando-Grogu bond.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Bryce Dallas Howard will be directing an episode, which makes it the third she's contributed to the series thus far. The actor/filmmaker previously helmed Season 1's "Sanctuary" and Season 2's "The Heiress." Greef Karga himself will also be stepping back behind the camera, as Carl Weathers will direct at least one episode. Previously, he directed Season 2's "The Siege."
A "Mandalorian" mainstay will also be calling the shots behind the camera. Rick Famuyiwa will sit in the director's chair for Season 3, after helming Season 1's "The Child" and Season 2's "The Believer." Famuyiwa is going to be extremely busy this season, as he was also promoted to executive producer, alongside Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni.
As for newcomers, Rachel Morrison has joined the director's fold. Morrison has served as cinematographer on projects like "Fruitvale Station," "Mudbound," and "Dope." She also became the first woman to earn an Oscar nomination for best cinematography thanks to her work on "Black Panther." Lee Isaac Chung is also having a moment. After directing the moving indie drama "Minari," he was tapped not only to helm the sequel to 1996's "Twister" but also at least one episode of "The Mandalorian" Season 3. Plus, Peter Ramsey — who co-directed and won an Oscar for "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" — will also be directing Din Djarin on his journey through a galaxy a long time ago (via The Hollywood Reporter).
Who is the showrunner of The Mandalorian Season 3?
There are many creative minds working behind the scenes of "The Mandalorian," but if we had to lay credit for the show at one person's feet, those shoes would belong to Jon Favreau. The man behind "Iron Man" and "Elf" kickstarted the whole series, and he'll remain the showrunner in Season 3. In fact, he's been at work on the new scripts for years, with Variety reporting all the way back in April 2020 that he'd been "writing Season 3 for a while." And while he did pen most of the episodes by himself, he did receive some help on a few from Noah Kloor and "Star Wars" mastermind Dave Filoni.
In addition to leading the show, Favreau will be executive producing alongside Filoni and previous "Mandalorian" director Rick Famuyiwa (via Collider). With this talented trio at the helm, we expect "The Mandalorian" Season 3 to raise the bar for what "Star Wars" TV shows can be.
Is there a trailer for The Mandalorian Season 3?
Why, yes — there are in fact two trailers for "The Mandalorian" Season 3. The teaser dropped in September 2022, and it promised things won't be easy for our helmeted hero and his adopted green son. In the opening moments, we hear the Armorer judging Din Djarin, saying, "You have removed your helmet. ... Then you are a Mandalorian no more."
The trailer then gives us glimpses of Djarin's homeworld of Mandalore, and we're also reintroduced to Bo-Katan Kryze, who's none too happy to see ol' Din. "Your cult fractured our people," she accuses. "Where were you then?" We also witness a bunch of Mandalorians in battle, as well as Mando being pursued through an asteroid field and getting into plenty of shoot-outs. It all wraps up nicely with the Mandalorian saying to his young pointy-eared ward, "Alright, kid. Hang on. You ready for an adventure?"
The official trailer — which dropped in January 2023 — dives even deeper into the adventure that's to come. Clearly, our hero is struggling with some of his decisions from previous seasons, as we hear him say, "I'm going to Mandalore so that I may be forgiven for my transgressions." We're then whisked around the galaxy, as we see Dr. Pershing traveling through Coruscant, and we get a blast from the past as a group of Jedi prep for battle in the Jedi Temple, as something — or someone — slices their way through a door, hoping to hunt them down.
It all ends with Grogu showing his pretty incredible self-defense skills, Force-throwing an enemy who gets too close. This little guy has come a long way, and we can't wait to see the next installment of his story on March 1.
What other details do we know about The Mandalorian Season 3?
If there's one thing "Star Wars" fans love, it's digging into all the fun little details. On that note, what other little tidbits do we know about Season 3 of "The Mandalorian?"
Well, the Anzellans are coming back. Remember Babu Frik from "The Rise of Skywalker?" That's an Anzellan, for those not in the "Star Wars" know. Two of the little droidsmiths pop up in the official trailer, although we're unsure if either of them is Babu Frik or if they're voiced by original actor Shirley Henderson. We've also gotten glimpses of a tree filled with Kowakian monkey-lizards, so prepare for a lot of obnoxious laughter. It also looks like the B1 battle droids are back, as these rather useless robots are seen in the official trailer, hanging out in what appears to be a robo-bar.
We've also heard about some of the incredibly cool ships that might factor into the upcoming season. According to ComicBook.com, two new LEGO sets connected to "The Mandalorian" Season 3 are dropping in May 2023, with one set revealing a Pirate Snubfighter and another revealing a Mandalorian Fang Fighter vs. a TIE Interceptor. In fact, the official trailer seems to show this exact scene in action.
Additionally, at Brazil's Comic-Con Experience in December 2022, attendees received a poster displaying some Season 3 concept art. According to Collider, the poster depicts the Mandalorian at Nevarro, the desert world with a dingy town run by Karga in Season 1. However, in the poster, the town now looks like a lush utopia, indicating things have changed a lot since Din Djarin's been away. The poster details seem to have been confirmed in the official trailer, where we see Karga's community thriving. We also get a glimpse of the busy city of Coruscant, and the official trailer also shows a group of Jedi in the Jedi Temple, bracing for what seems to be the onslaught of Order 66. And while we don't have any inside info here, it looks like somebody with a lightsaber is trying to cut their way through the Jedi Temple door, indicating that Anakin Skywalker could possibly be making a comeback.
Perhaps most interestingly, Making Star Wars — a source that usually has pretty solid "Star Wars" scoops — has said that Snoke's Praetorian Guard will be appearing in "The Mandalorian" Season 3. The same site has also reported that we might see Moff Gideon wearing a horned Mandalorian helmet and that Bo Katan might be sporting armor made from a fallen Mythosaur. These detail aren't confirmed, but if they pan out, they will be absolutely incredible to see.
Where to watch previous season of The Mandalorian
Din Djarin and Grogu have had quite a journey so far, one involving terrifying creatures like the Krayt Dragon, battles with Dark Troopers, and appearances from "Star Wars" luminaries like Luke Skywalker, Ahsoka Tano, and Boba Fett. Along the way, we've learned a bit about Mando's past, watched Grogu train as a Jedi, and gotten little clues about Moff Gideon's Imperial plans and the weird beliefs of the Children of the Watch.
In other words, there's a lot of mythos in "The Mandalorian," and you might need a refresher before the third season drops on Disney+. So where can you watch Season 1 and Season 2? Well, on the House of Mouse's streaming service — nowhere else. This is the way. You'll also want to check out "The Book of Boba Fett," as the story of Din Djarin and Grogu is intertwined with that of the legendary bounty hunter's. And yep, that's also available on Disney+.