Will “The Mandalorian” ever feature legendary “Star Wars” characters like Mara Jade, Grand Admiral Thrawn or others from the old expanded universe?
Director Jon Favreau thinks it’s possible.
Entertainment Weekly recently interviewed Favreau about the new show, which will debut on Disney Plus later this year.
EW asked Favreau if famous characters who appeared in the old “Star Wars” Expanded Universe — which was disbanded once Disney bought the rights, rebranding the universe into “Star Wars Legends” — would be officially canon in the new “Mandalorian” show.
After “Return of the Jedi” hit theaters, the “Star Wars” universe expanded exponentially. Comic books, novels and video games created an entire expanded storyline, which saw Han and Leia get married and have twins, the formation of the New Republic and the introduction of characters like Thrawn (a blue-skinned commander who actually appeared in the canon “Star Wars Rebels” show) and Mara Jade (a smuggler who ends up marrying Luke Skywalker.)
“I don’t want to talk about anything that might be fun for people to discover,” Favreau told Entertainment Weekly. “We do have conversations. Part of what’s fun to see if we could merge the worlds of the original trilogy, the prequels, the sequels, ‘The Clones Wars,’ and what’s been considered canon up to this point and what’s been considered part of Legends. I think this show offers an opportunity to bring in all those elements so no matter what your flavor of ‘Star Wars’ ice cream you like there will be something to enjoy. But you’re asking the right questions.”
Per ComicBook.com, the show has cast Ming-Na Wen (“Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”) in an undisclosed role. Favreau remains tight-lipped about who she’ll play, which has left fans wondering.