The Mandalorian showrunner Jon Favreau has weighed in on his much-acclaimed Star Wars project and has revealed how long he believes it can last. He gave his opinion on this subject as the Disney Plus show stands on the precipice of its third season.
Set in the iconic galaxy far, far away and featuring several iconic characters from the main Star Wars continuity, The Mandalorian chronicles the adventures of the lone Mandalorian Din Djarin in the aftermath of the fall of Darth Sidious' Galactic Empire. Hired by loyalist remnants to retrieve a child, the veteran bounty hunter finds himself on the run to protect the force-sensitive infant from his former employers and other dangers. The show was a resounding success and signalled to Disney and Lucasfilm to pull the trigger on other projects, including a documentary series about making The Mandalorian.
In a recent interview with Total Film's Inside Total Film podcast, Favreau discussed The Mandalorian season 3, which has been the target of much speculation and predictions in recent weeks. The session eventually turned to the show’s longevity and how much longer the fans might have with Mando. "I think the beauty of this is that it's a middle chapter of a much larger story,” the showrunner opined when asked about having a possible endpoint in the works. “And though we'll have resolution over time with these characters, I think that how these characters fit into the larger scope and scale, but it's not like there's a finale that we're building to that I have in mind."
According to Favreau, The Mandalorian characters could be with fans for a while. "Quite the contrary, I love for these stories to go on and on. And so these characters potentially could be with us for a while, and I really love telling stories in their voice, and I love the way the adventures unfold and I'm looking forward to doing much more." This aligns with the behind-the-scenes workflow, with Favreau giving a promising update on The Mandalorian season 4 weeks before the third season airs.
While The Mandalorian has been a boon for Lucasfilm and Disney's streaming ambitions, the show may usher problems for the franchise's expansion with projects such as the High Republic continuity. Due in no small part to the excellent worldbuilding and stellar character portrayals, tie-ins with The Mandalorian might weaken the appeal of future standalone projects, as fans saw with The Book of Boba Fett becoming an off-season arc for The Mandalorian. How this will play out with newer shows like Ashoka might decide the franchise's future on the small screen.
The Mandalorian season 3 will premiere on March 1st, 2023, on Disney Plus.
Source: Total Film