Warning: This review contains spoilers for Season 2, Episode 8 of “The Mandalorian” as well as all of season 1 and season 2.
“The Mandalorian” capped off its second season with an epic finale that featured a fierce duel, fierce battles, a legendary return and hints at what’s coming next.
We don’t know much about a third season, except that there will be one. We’ve collected all the notes on season 3 and shared them below.
When does season 3 debut?
Disney announced earlier in December that “The Mandalorian” season 3 will debut before Christmas 2021.
- It’s unclear if that’s Christmas Day, or near the December holiday.
Production notes:
“The Mandalorian” season 3 started production back in April, right as the coronavirus pandemic hit in the United States. Preproduction started in the spring.
- Unnamed sources told Variety that Jon Favreau has been “writing season 3 for a while” with a direction in mind.
- The art department, including Lucasfilm vice president and executive creative director Doug Chiang, already developed art concepts for the new season, too. We’ll probably see those in the season 3 end credits.
More details leaked in November. Executive producer and showrunner Favreau told Variety that “The Mandalorian” remains “on schedule” to begin production “before the end of the year.”
Favreau said the show can be filmed during the pandemic.
- “We’re in very small situations and oftentimes we have a lot of characters in masks,” he said. “And we also have a lot of digital work that augments things. So we’re a show that’s probably well-equipped to be flexible based on the protocols that are emerging surrounding work restarting.”
What to expect:
“Star Wars: The Mandalorian” star Giancarlo Esposito said in an interview with People magazine that season 2 added depth that will be explored in season 3.
- “We’re living in a universe that is huge and there’s so much to explore, so I think this show is going to lay the groundwork for the depth and breath that’s gonna come in Season Three and Season Four, where you’re really gonna start to get answers.”
Favreau told Entertainment Weekly the show will take an approach similar to “Game of Thrones” by adding more characters and a larger story.
- “The new season is about introducing a larger story in the world. The stories become less isolated, yet each episode has its own flavor, and hopefully we’re bringing a lot more scope to the show.”
- “As we introduce other characters, there are opportunities to follow different storylines. The world was really captivated by ‘Game of Thrones’ and how that evolved as the characters followed different storylines — that’s very appealing to me as an audience member.”
Dave Filoni — who has worked on “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” and “Star Wars Rebels,” said something similar, as I reported for the Deseret News.
- “Everything gets bigger, the stakes get higher, but also the personal story between the Child and the Mandalorian develops in a way I think people will enjoy.”
Rumors also suggest the show could take place on Naboo.
Casting rumors:
Deadline reported “The Mandalorian” season 3 might begin production soon under the name of “Buccaneer.”
- Rumors suggested Sophie Thatcher (“Chicago Med”) has joined the show for season 3.
- However, sources told Deadline it’s unclear if Thatcher will join “The Mandalorian” or a spinoff project.
Is season 3 also ‘The Book of Boba Fett’ project?
The season 2 finale had a post-credits scene that showed Boba Fett and Fennec arriving at Jabba’s Palace out on Tatooine. They took over the palace and Jabba’s throne. A title card flashed up seconds later, revealing that “The Book of Boba Fett” is coming in December 2021.
“The Book of Boba Fett” seems to confirm an ongoing industry rumor that Fett was getting his own mini-series.
But ComicBook.com had another theory — “The Book of Boba Fett” could be season 3 of “The Mandalorian.”
- “Then again, the release date is raising some eyebrows. Could it be that the third season of ‘The Mandalorian’ is about Boba Fett, not Din Djarin? ‘The Mandalorian’ season 3 is supposed to arrive in December 2021 also, and it’s strange to think that two high profile projects would be released at the same time.”