| The Mandalorian | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | |
| Created by | Jon Favreau |
| Based on | Star Wars byGeorge Lucas |
| Showrunner | Jon Favreau |
| Starring | |
| Theme music composer | Ludwig Göransson |
| Composers |
|
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 3 |
| No. of episodes | 24 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | |
| Producer | John Bartnicki |
| Production location | Los Angeles, California |
| Cinematography |
|
| Editors |
|
| Running time | 33–59 minutes |
| Production companies | |
| Original release | |
| Network | Disney+ |
| Release | November 12, 2019 (2019-11-12) – April 19, 2023 (2023-04-19) |
| Related | |
The Mandalorian is an Americanspace Western television series created byJon Favreau for the streaming serviceDisney+. It is the firstlive-action series in theStar Wars franchise and begins five years after the events of the filmReturn of the Jedi (1983). It follows a lone bounty hunter who protects aForce-sensitive child,Grogu, from remnantImperial forces.
Pedro Pascal stars as thetitle character, withKatee Sackhoff co-starring in the third season.Star Wars creatorGeorge Lucas had begun developinga live-actionStar Wars television series by 2009, but it was deemed too expensive to produce. He soldLucasfilm toDisney in October 2012, and work on a newStar Wars series began for Disney+. Favreau signed on as writer andshowrunner in March 2018. He executive produces alongsideDave Filoni,Kathleen Kennedy, andColin Wilson;Rick Famuyiwa joined them for the third season. The title was announced in October 2018 when filming started at Manhattan Beach Studios in California. Visual effects companyIndustrial Light & Magic developed theStageCraft technology for the series, displaying digital backgrounds on a 360-degreevideo wall. This has since been adopted by other film and television productions.
The Mandalorian premiered with the launch of Disney+ on November 12, 2019. The rest of thefirst season was released through December 27. Asecond season was released from October to December 2020, and athird season was released from March to April 2023. The series has received largely positive reviews from critics and several accolades, includingPrimetime Creative Arts Emmy Award wins for all three seasons. A feature film,The Mandalorian and Grogu, which will act as a continuation of the series, is being directed by Favreau and is scheduled for release in May 2026. A fourth season of the series had been in development, but it is unclear if it will proceed following the announcement of the film. Interconnected spin-off seriesThe Book of Boba Fett,Ahsoka, andSkeleton Crew expand onThe Mandalorian's timeframe, with an untitled feature film directed by Filoni set to serve as a conclusion to the interconnected stories.
Beginning five years after the events of the filmReturn of the Jedi (1983) and the fall of theGalactic Empire,[1][2]The Mandalorian followsDin Djarin, a lone Mandalorianbounty hunter working in the outer reaches of the galaxy.[2] He is hired by Imperial remnant forces to retrieve the childGrogu, but instead goes on the run to protect the infant.[3][4] While looking to reunite Grogu with his kind, he is pursued by former Imperial commanderMoff Gideon, who wants to exploit Grogu's connection tothe Force.[5][4] The duo then travel toMandalore so Djarin can redeem himself for the transgression of removing his helmet.[6]
| Season | Episodes | Originally released | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First released | Last released | |||
| 1 | 8 | November 12, 2019 (2019-11-12) | December 27, 2019 (2019-12-27) | |
| 2 | 8 | October 30, 2020 (2020-10-30) | December 18, 2020 (2020-12-18) | |
| 3 | 8 | March 1, 2023 (2023-03-01) | April 19, 2023 (2023-04-19) | |
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Chapter 1: The Mandalorian" | Dave Filoni | Jon Favreau | November 12, 2019 (2019-11-12) |
| 2 | 2 | "Chapter 2: The Child" | Rick Famuyiwa | Jon Favreau | November 15, 2019 (2019-11-15) |
| 3 | 3 | "Chapter 3: The Sin" | Deborah Chow | Jon Favreau | November 22, 2019 (2019-11-22) |
| 4 | 4 | "Chapter 4: Sanctuary" | Bryce Dallas Howard | Jon Favreau | November 29, 2019 (2019-11-29) |
| 5 | 5 | "Chapter 5: The Gunslinger" | Dave Filoni | Dave Filoni | December 6, 2019 (2019-12-06) |
| 6 | 6 | "Chapter 6: The Prisoner" | Rick Famuyiwa | Story by :Christopher Yost Teleplay by : Christopher Yost and Rick Famuyiwa | December 13, 2019 (2019-12-13) |
| 7 | 7 | "Chapter 7: The Reckoning" | Deborah Chow | Jon Favreau | December 18, 2019 (2019-12-18) |
| 8 | 8 | "Chapter 8: Redemption" | Taika Waititi | Jon Favreau | December 27, 2019 (2019-12-27) |
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 1 | "Chapter 9: The Marshal" | Jon Favreau | Jon Favreau | October 30, 2020 (2020-10-30) |
| 10 | 2 | "Chapter 10: The Passenger" | Peyton Reed | Jon Favreau | November 6, 2020 (2020-11-06) |
| 11 | 3 | "Chapter 11: The Heiress" | Bryce Dallas Howard | Jon Favreau | November 13, 2020 (2020-11-13) |
| 12 | 4 | "Chapter 12: The Siege" | Carl Weathers | Jon Favreau | November 20, 2020 (2020-11-20) |
| 13 | 5 | "Chapter 13: The Jedi" | Dave Filoni | Dave Filoni | November 27, 2020 (2020-11-27) |
| 14 | 6 | "Chapter 14: The Tragedy" | Robert Rodriguez | Jon Favreau | December 4, 2020 (2020-12-04) |
| 15 | 7 | "Chapter 15: The Believer" | Rick Famuyiwa | Rick Famuyiwa | December 11, 2020 (2020-12-11) |
| 16 | 8 | "Chapter 16: The Rescue" | Peyton Reed | Jon Favreau | December 18, 2020 (2020-12-18) |
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | 1 | "Chapter 17: The Apostate" | Rick Famuyiwa | Jon Favreau | March 1, 2023 (2023-03-01) |
| 18 | 2 | "Chapter 18: The Mines of Mandalore" | Rachel Morrison | Jon Favreau | March 8, 2023 (2023-03-08) |
| 19 | 3 | "Chapter 19: The Convert" | Lee Isaac Chung | Noah Kloor & Jon Favreau | March 15, 2023 (2023-03-15) |
| 20 | 4 | "Chapter 20: The Foundling" | Carl Weathers | Jon Favreau &Dave Filoni | March 22, 2023 (2023-03-22) |
| 21 | 5 | "Chapter 21: The Pirate" | Peter Ramsey | Jon Favreau | March 29, 2023 (2023-03-29) |
| 22 | 6 | "Chapter 22: Guns for Hire" | Bryce Dallas Howard | Jon Favreau | April 5, 2023 (2023-04-05) |
| 23 | 7 | "Chapter 23: The Spies" | Rick Famuyiwa | Jon Favreau & Dave Filoni | April 12, 2023 (2023-04-12) |
| 24 | 8 | "Chapter 24: The Return" | Rick Famuyiwa | Jon Favreau | April 19, 2023 (2023-04-19) |
Pedro Pascal stars asDin Djarin / The Mandalorian, the series' title character.[2][7][8] Pascal compared Djarin, a lone bounty hunter with advanced combat skills and "questionable moral character", toClint Eastwood.[9] The character's real name is not given until "Chapter 8: Redemption", but Pascal accidentally revealed it early in November 2019.[8] His bounty in "Chapter 1: The Mandalorian" is "the Child"—colloquially known as "Baby Yoda" by viewers—an infant of the same species asYoda, created withanimatronics andpuppetry (augmented with visual effects). He becomes the Mandalorian's ward,[3] and is revealed to be named Grogu in "Chapter 13: The Jedi".[4] The Mandalorian is also portrayed by stuntdoubles Brendan Wayne andLateef Crowder.[10]
The first season features several recurring co-stars, includingCarl Weathers asGreef Karga, leader of a bounty hunter guild;[11][9]Werner Herzog as "the Client", an enigmatic man;[11][12]Omid Abtahi as Dr.Penn Pershing, a scientist working for the Client;[11][13][14]Nick Nolte as the voice ofKuiil, anUgnaught moisture farmer who helps the Mandalorian;[15][16]Taika Waititi as the voice ofIG-11, a bounty hunterdroid;[17][9]Gina Carano asCara Dune, a formerRebel shock trooper turned mercenary;[18][9]Giancarlo Esposito asMoff Gideon, a former Imperial officer;[11][19] andEmily Swallow as "the Armorer", a Mandalorian who forges armor and equipment from beskar steel.[11][20]
Esposito, Carano, Weathers, and Abtahi returned for the second season.[5][21] Several actors appear as characters from previousStar Wars media, includingTimothy Olyphant asCobb Vanth,[22][23]Temuera Morrison asBoba Fett,[24][25]Katee Sackhoff asBo-Katan Kryze,[26][27]Rosario Dawson asAhsoka Tano,[28][4] andMark Hamill asLuke Skywalker.[29] Other recurring co-stars for the season includeAmy Sedaris asPeli Motto, reprising her role from the first season;[23] Misty Rosas, the on-set performer for Kuiil in the first season, as the Frog Lady;[30]Mercedes Varnado asKoska Reeves;[27] andMing-Na Wen asFennec Shand, also reprising her first season role.[25]
Sackhoff returns to star in the third season, while Swallow,[31] Weathers,[32] Sedaris,[33] Abtahi,[14] Varnado,[34] and Esposito returned as co-stars.[35] Wayne and Crowder receive co-star credit beginning with the third season.[36]
Star Wars creatorGeorge Lucas began development on a live-actionStar Wars television series known asUnderworld in early 2009. More than 50 scripts were written for the series by 2012, but they were deemed too expensive to produce.[37] In January 2013,ABC presidentPaul Lee said his network would be discussing potential live-actionStar Wars television series withLucasfilm after the latter was sold by Lucas to ABC's parent companythe Walt Disney Company in October 2012.[38] In November 2017, Disney CEOBob Iger announced that Disney and Lucasfilm were developing a live-actionStar Wars television series for the new streaming serviceDisney+.[39]
While working onThe Lion King (2019), a photo-realistic remake ofthe 1994 animated film, in 2017, directorJon Favreau pitched an idea he had for aStar Wars television series featuringMandalorians to Lucasfilm presidentKathleen Kennedy.[40][41]Dave Filoni, executive producer on the animated seriesStar Wars: The Clone Wars andStar Wars Rebels, had also been conceiving a Mandalorian-focused series, and Kennedy suggested that he and Favreau meet to discuss their ideas.[41] Favreau and Filoni had previously met at theSkywalker Ranch when Favreau was working onIron Man (2008) and Filoni was working on thefirst season ofThe Clone Wars, and Favreau subsequently voiced the Mandalorian character Pre Vizsla inThe Clone Wars for Filoni.[9] When Favreau met with Filoni about his series idea, they were able to combine Filoni's knowledge of Mandalorian history with Favreau's lone-gunslinger concept.[41] Filoni also drew a doodle of a baby of the same species as theStar Wars characterYoda which became "The Child".[40] Favreau wanted to explore the "scum and villainy" of theStar Wars universe following the events of the filmReturn of the Jedi (1983).[9] He began spending several hours at the end of each day developing the series while he was directingThe Lion King.[40]
Lucasfilm announced that Favreau would write and executive produce a newStar Wars series for Disney+ in March 2018. Kennedy added that the series was an opportunity for a diverse group of writers and directors to be hired to createStar Wars stories after the franchise's films had been criticized for being written and directed solely by white men.[42] In May, Favreau stated that he had written scripts for four of the series' eight episodes before being officially hired for the project.[43] On October 3, Favreau announced that the series was titledThe Mandalorian and revealed the premise for the show.[2] The following day, Lucasfilm announced that Filoni, Kennedy, andColin Wilson would executive produce the series alongside Favreau, with Karen Gilchrist acting as co-executive producer.[44] The series premiere was set to be available with the launch of Disney+ in November 2019.[45] StarPedro Pascal described the series as taking thespace Western undertones from theStar Wars films "and infusing it with steroids".[46]
In July 2019, Favreau confirmed that there would be a second season of the series and that he had begun writing it.[47] Iger announced in February 2020 that the second season would premiere that October.[48] By late April, Favreau had been writing a third season for "a while" and further development on the season was beginning.[49] In September, co-starGiancarlo Esposito said the second season would "start to lay the groundwork for the depth and breadth that's going to come in season 3 and season 4, where you're really gonna start to get answers".[50]Rick Famuyiwa, who directed in the first two seasons, was made an executive producer for the third season.[51]
Favreau was writing a fourth season by late May 2022,[52] and said it was being informed by the spin-off seriesAhsoka (2023) andSkeleton Crew (2024).[52][53] Writing for the season was completed by February 2023,[53] with pre-production occurring by that April.[54] Filming was expected to begin in September. However, this was delayed by the2023 Writers Guild of America strike and the2023 SAG-AFTRA strike.[55][56][57] Lucasfilm then re-evaluated their plans for the franchise and decided to prioritize a film,The Mandalorian and Grogu, instead. It was unclear whether the fourth season would still be made because there was potential for future Mandalorian stories to instead be told through film sequels if the first film was a success.[57] In November 2025, Favreau stated that he still had all the scripts for the fourth season and the film had become "more of its own thing" due to the changes needed to fit a film structure rather than that of a weekly television series. James Whitbrook atGizmodo said the existence of scripts for a fourth season did not mean one would be made, and if the season did get made it was unclear whether re-writes would be necessary to work around the film.[58]
In November 2018, Pedro Pascal was confirmed to be portraying the Mandalorian after being rumored to be cast in the role for some time.[7] Pascal initially thought he was being cast as theStar Wars characterBoba Fett because of the visual similarities between that character and the Mandalorian,[59] but the latter is a separate character named Din Djarin.[8] Favreau called Pascal "a classic movie star" who "had the presence and skill[s]" necessary to portray a character largely concealed under a helmet.[60] The Mandalorian is also portrayed by stuntdoubles Brendan Wayne,Lateef Crowder,[10] and Barry Lowin.[61] Pascal worked with Favreau and Filoni to record the character's dialogue later.[62][60]
In February 2021, Lucasfilm saidGina Carano, a recurring co-star during the first two seasons, was no longer employed by the company. This came after Carano made a social media post comparing being aRepublican in the United States to the treatment of Jewish people duringthe Holocaust, with Lucasfilm saying the post was "abhorrent and unacceptable".[63] Carano had been repeatedly warned about her social media posts by Lucasfilm executives who reportedly had been looking for a reason to fire her for two months. The February 2021 posts were "the final straw", and the decision to fire the actress was made by Lucasfilm executives rather than Favreau.[63][64] The Walt Disney Company's then-CEOBob Chapek said Carano was fired because her posts did not align with the values of Disney, which he said were "universal" and not political.[65]The Hollywood Reporter reported that Carano's role of Cara Dune was not expected to be recast, though industry insiders felt that was still a possibility because of story and merchandising reasons.[64]
The series is filmed at Manhattan Beach Studios in California.[3] Filoni directed the series' first episode, making his live-action directorial debut,[44][66] with Rick Famuyiwa,Deborah Chow,Bryce Dallas Howard, andTaika Waititi also directing for the first season.[44] Filoni,[67] Howard,[68] and Famuyiwa returned for the second season,[69] and were joined by Favreau (who was unable to direct during the first season because of his commitment toThe Lion King),[66]Peyton Reed,[70] co-starCarl Weathers,[71] andRobert Rodriguez.[70] Howard, Weathers, and Famuyiwa directed again for the third season, while being joined byRachel Morrison,Lee Isaac Chung, andPeter Ramsey.[72]
Visual effects studioIndustrial Light & Magic, a subsidiary of Lucasfilm, opened a new division in November 2018 called ILM TV, specifically intended for episodic and streaming television. Based in London with support from ILM's San Francisco, Vancouver, and Singapore locations, one of the first projects for the new division wasThe Mandalorian.[73] While directingThe Jungle Book (2016), Favreau had used large screens on set to create interactive lighting so when live-action footage was combined with a digital environment in post-production the effect would be more realistic. He found the process to be effective, but time-consuming.[74] When he began working onThe Lion King, Favreau worked with visual effects vendorMoving Picture Company, technology developer Magnopus, and thegame engine softwareUnity to develop a new virtual camera system that allowed him to film scenes in avirtual reality environment as if he was filming with physical cameras. ForThe Lion King, the results of the virtual photography were then rendered by MPC as the final animation for the film.[3] OnThe Mandalorian, Favreau wanted to use virtual technology to aid live-action photography and also develop the video wall system.[3][74] ILM partnered with video game developerEpic Games to create a new system namedStageCraft based on Epic's game engineUnreal Engine. StageCraft consists of large LED video screens on which digital environments can be rendered in real-time for actors to perform in front of.[75][3]
During pre-production, the virtual photography process developed forThe Lion King was used to plan the series' filming and determine what environments would be needed on set. The digital environments were then created by ILM and added to StageCraft ready for live-action photography with the actors. Some of these environments were based on location photography in countries such asIceland andChile, on which Favreau said, "The actors aren't brought on location. The location is brought to the actors."[3] The environments were designed by the series' visual art department, led by Lucasfilm's creative directorDoug Chiang and production designer Andrew L. Jones.[76] During filming, the digital environments were rendered on a video wall in real-time, allowing the filmmakers and actors to see the environments.[75] ILM used a smaller version of the technology forSolo: A Star Wars Story (2018), but onThe Mandalorian they utilized a 21-foot-tall (6.4 m) set that was 75 feet (23 m) in diameter, surrounded by a 360-degree semicircular LED video wall and ceiling. The Manhattan Beach Studios set is referred to as a "volume", which is traditionally the name formotion capture stages.[75][3] Favreau's initial intention was to use the video wall as a way to provide realistic interactive lighting for the actors, with a section of the screen behind the actors displaying a green screen so a higher quality version of the background could be added in post-production. During filming tests with the technology, the team realized that the Unreal Engine could render visuals fast enough that they could have the background move with the camera. This allowed the system to maintain the appearance ofparallax, where the environment would appear differently based on the angle it was being looked at just as a real 3D environment would. This effect causes some distortion to the image on the video wall but looks like a real environment when viewed through the camera.[74] The images rendered on the video wall in real-time were often of a high enough quality to be used as final effects when filmed on set.[75]
Physical elements were added to the volume to match the digital backgrounds, such as dirt on the floor to match the dirt displayed on the video wall.[74] Interior spaces were also created, such as an office used by Imperial agents where the walls and ceiling were displayed on the video wall around a physical table.[75] The production had several physical sections of theRazor Crest, the Mandalorian's ship, that could be placed within the volume, such as having the front half of the ship physically built and the back half rendered digitally.[74][75] The environments could be manipulated in StageCraft on set as required, allowing the filmmakers to request changes to the environment and have them rendered on the video wall on the same day.[75] The production was able to change between environments within half an hour, or even faster if the physical elements within the volume were not visible and did not need to be changed.[74] One of the primary advantages of using video wall technology was the realistic lighting, with the wall providing ambient light and accurate reflections on the actors. This was especially important for the Mandalorian, who wears reflective armor. Traditionally, on production using a green screen, the visual effects team would have to remove the green reflections from a reflective character or object in post-production, and then add new reflections that matched the digital environment. Using StageCraft, the reflections in the Mandalorian's armor were already correct on set. It also allowed for the series' cinematographers to light scenes in a way that would match the background, rather than lighting the set and hoping the digital background would match in post-production as they would have to do with the green screen. A technique used by the production to ensure the lighting from the video wall looked natural was to have the actors in shadow, with light from the environment behind them, often creating silhouettes.[74]
ComposerLudwig Göransson was recommended by several of his previous collaborators to Favreau, including directorsRyan Coogler andAnthony and Joe Russo, and musicianDonald Glover. Favreau knew that music would be important to the series due to the impact ofJohn Williams' score on theStar Wars films, but also wanted the music of the series to be different from the films. He wanted the series to sound "a little grittier, a little edgier and a little more tech-oriented".[77] Göransson first met with Favreau in November 2018,[78] when Favreau showed the composer concept art for the series and discussed his inspirations for the story and tone, including Western and samurai films. They also discussed how they felt when they first heard Williams'Star Wars music, and Göransson set out to recreate those feelings and "capture the soul of whatStar Wars is" but in a new way.[79]
Göransson was announced as the composer for the series in December 2018.[80] The basis of the main theme was created from Göransson experimenting with a bass recorder, digitally manipulating it to make it more "futuristic". Guitars, a piano, drums, and synthesizers are also featured in the main theme.[79] A 70-piece orchestra was used for the first season,[77][78] combined with recordings of Göransson playing the main instruments which he augmented with synthesizers and other digital manipulation.[78]Walt Disney Records released a soundtrack album for each episode ofthe first season.[78] Because of theCOVID-19 pandemic, orchestra players were recorded remotely or in smaller, distant groups forthe second season.[5] Two albums were released for the second season, each covering four episodes of the season.[81][82] In February 2023, Joseph Shirley was revealed to be scoring the third season. Shirley previously provided additional music for the first two seasons and used Göransson's themes to compose the score forThe Book of Boba Fett.[83]
One of the primary themes ofThe Mandalorian is parenting and fatherhood, particularly through the father–son relationship dynamic between Din Djarin and the Child.[84][85][86] Ryan Britt ofFatherly wrote that this is unusual inStar Wars stories and that past examples of parenting in the franchise have tended to be poor ones, from the murderousDarth Vader, father ofLuke Skywalker, to the neglectfulGalen Erso, father ofJyn Erso inRogue One (2016).[84] Britt wrote: "For years the Star Wars franchise avoided depicting a parent-child dynamic. With Mando and Baby Yoda, that's finally changing."[84] The dynamic between Kuiil and IG-11 also reflect the childrearing theme inThe Mandalorian. The two have a relationship similar to that of a father and son, as demonstrated in the scene in which Kuiil teaches IG-11 how to operate and function after the droid is reprogrammed.[87]
Vulture writer Kathryn VanArendonk argued that parenting has been the subject of pastStar Wars stories, but almost always during later stages of parenthood, rather than an infant in early stages such as the Child. As examples, she citedObi-Wan Kenobi serving as a mentor to the adolescent Anakin Skywalker,Princess Leia lamenting over her grown sonKylo Ren, or the absence ofRey's parents.[88] Britt argued strong parental examples inStar Wars are important because the franchise is so often associated with the childhoods of its fans.[84]The Mandalorian particularly highlights the challenges of being a single parent[85][86] and a working parent since the Mandalorian struggles to continue his day job as a bounty hunter and mercenary while serving as the sole caretaker of the Child.[88][86] Richard Newby ofThe Hollywood Reporter described the show as "the adventures of a single dad looking for a job".[89] Several reviewers have compared the dynamic between the Child and the Mandalorian toLone Wolf and Cub, amanga about asamurai warrior and his young son.[90][91][92][93] Favreau acknowledgedLone Wolf and Cub as an influence in an episode ofDisney Gallery: The Mandalorian.[94]
The Mandalorian's parental role in the series makes him a softer and more relatable character;[95] he changes in a positive way because of raising the Child, becoming less selfish and self-absorbed.[96] He risked his life and drastically changed his career as a bounty hunter to accept his responsibility as the Child's caretaker and guardian,[85][86] marking a significant parental sacrifice.[86] When the Mandalorian seeks work to earn money, he is now doing so to provide not only for himself, but for the Child as well.[85] We see several examples of the Mandalorian parenting the Child throughout the series, such as when he stops the Child from pressing random buttons in the cockpit of the Mandalorian's spaceship, ultimately by holding him in his lap.[84] In another example, the Mandalorian establishes a car seat for the Child in the cockpit of his ship, so he can be seated safely and comfortably during their travels.[97]
The relationship between the Mandalorian and the Child is an example of unexpected fatherhood.[88][96] The Mandalorian feels a connection and parental bond with the Child because of his childhood, when he was orphaned upon the death of his parents and was adopted by the Mandalorian culture as a "foundling".[88] Nevertheless, fatherhood is not a role the Mandalorian initially seeks, and he makes repeated initial attempts to avoid this responsibility. He first does so in "Chapter 3: The Sin", when he first leaves the Child with the Client.[96] He does so again in "Chapter 4: Sanctuary" when he plans to leave the Child with Omera, a protective mother on the planet Sorgan, who is willing to take the Child into her own family. The Mandalorian does not fully commit to the role of fatherhood until the first-season finale, "Chapter 8: Redemption" when the Child himself is also adopted into the Mandalorian culture as a "foundling" and the Mandalorian is formally declared to be his father figure.[88] He nonetheless continues to search for what he feels may be a more appropriate guardian for the Child, as in the second season's fifth episode, "The Jedi", in which he seeks to leave him withAhsoka Tano.[98]
Several writers suggested the fact that the Mandalorian's face is concealed has atabula rasa effect and his anonymity allows viewers to see and imagine themselves as parents.[84][85] Britt said this "allow(s) us to dream about what arsenal we might deploy to protect our children".[84] However, Singer said the show's setting in space make the challenges of child-rearing seem more exciting and exotic than they might otherwise be.[85] Anthony Breznican ofVanity Fair has noted that none of the day-to-day difficulties of parenthood are portrayed in the series: "There is no shrill squawking from Baby Yoda, no tantrum, no spit-up, no uncontrollable shrieking that burrows into a parent's psyche like a dentist's drill shredding a soft, pink nerve."[99] Likewise,Vulture writer Kathryn VanArendonk said the show ignores or does not address many parenting details that make fatherhood difficult, such as what the Child eats, when he goes to sleep, and whether he wears diapers. She wrote: "The Mandalorian is uninterested in diapers, and so Mando gets to be a very particular image of fatherhood: the guy who doesn't have to sweat the small stuff."[88] VanAnderonk described this as awish fulfillment fantasy for parents or prospective parents: "a vision of parenting stripped so thoroughly of all detail and specificity that all that's left are archetypes: the parent, the child".[88]
The Child encounters a handful of other protector figures throughout the first season, including Omera, IG-11, and Peli Motto.[88] Some observers have criticized the series for the fact that the Mandalorian repeatedly leaves the Child alone or in the hands of relative strangers,[85] as well as for making decisions that place the Child in danger. One example is in "Chapter 6: The Prisoner", when he allows a team of dangerous mercenaries to use his ship while the Child is on board, nearly resulting in the Child's death.[85][100] An interaction the Mandalorian has with Peli Motto in "Chapter 5: The Gunslinger" is one of the most overt discussions about the challenges of caring for the Child. When the Mandalorian accidentally wakes the child, who had been sleeping in Peli's arms, she chides him: "Do you have any idea how long it took me to get it to sleep?"[88] She also condemns the Mandalorian for leaving the child alone on the ship, saying: "you have an awful lot to learn about raising a young one".[101]ScreenCrush writer Matt Singer argued the Mandalorian's parenting errors makes the show that much more appealing because making mistakes is a large part of being a parent.[85] Eileen Chase ofToday echoed this: "He is not an ideal parent, just like the rest of us who have to balance parenting and work."[86]
The nature of good and evil and the question ofnature versus nurture is raised repeatedly throughoutThe Mandalorian, perhaps most overtly through Kuiil's reprogramming of IG-11 from a bounty hunter to a nurse droid and protector.[102][103] Even after IG-11 is reprogrammed, the Mandalorian does not believe he has truly changed, because he believes droids have an essential nature and that IG-11's nature remains murderous and untrustworthy.[104] But in reprogramming IG-11, Kuiil nurtures him and helps him to change; Kuiil feels that in the process of learning how to function again, IG-11 gained a new personality.[105] Kuiil insists to the Mandalorian: "Droids are not good or bad — they are neutral reflections of those who program them."[103] Keith Phipps ofVulture wrote of IG-11 and the nature versus nurture theme: "He's not bad. He's just programmed that way, and with care and change he can do a lot of good in the world."[102]
The Kuiil and IG-11 scenes also demonstrate that how the "child" character is raised makes a significant difference in whether the child becomes an asset or a threat to those around him. The droid was a dangerous assassin before Kuiil reprogrammed him, but thanks to the Ugnaught's parenting, he becomes a protector and helper instead.[87] Some writers have likewise suggested the Child is not inherently good or evil,[103][106] but that instead, like all children, he is impressionable and does not fully understand the events occurring around him. He is learning about the world around him and needs guidance as he develops his abilities.[100][103][107] It will largely fall to the Mandalorian to provide this guidance,[100] as when the Mandalorian stops him from strangling Cara Dune.[103]
However, multiple writers have questioned whether the violent acts the Child has repeatedly witnessed throughoutThe Mandalorian are hurting his development and that he is learning to become violent himself as a result.[103][108] Phipps wrote of this: "That look of wonder in the Child's eyes as IG-11 kills and kills again is hilarious, but also a little chilling."[102] One particular scene in "Chapter 7: The Reckoning" led many reviewers and fans to question whether the Child may be demonstratingevil tendencies. During a scene on the Mandalorian's spaceship, the Child observes as the Mandalorian and Cara Dune engage in a friendly arm wrestling match. During the contest, the Child uses the Force to choke Cara, nearly strangling her before the Mandalorian intervened.[106][107][108] Throughout theStar Wars franchise, that ability has been most commonly associated with the Dark Side of the Force, particularly Darth Vader.[108][109][110]
Sarah Bea Milner ofScreen Rant wrote: "The moment is genuinely shocking — and more than a little disturbing."[103] Some reviewers noted, however, that the Child likely mistakenly believed the Mandalorian was in danger and intervened to help.[110][111] Additionally, in the same episode, the Child uses Force healing to save Greef Karga, a power typically associated with the Light Side.[103][106][111] Nevertheless, some writers have suggested viewers had been underestimating the Child's capacity for evil because he is so adorable.[110][109][112] Fans speculated the Child could be presenting a false personality or using the Force to manipulate people into caring about him to help ensure his survival.[108] However, Caitlin Gallagher ofBustle suggested rather than building toward making the Child evil, the show could be suggesting the Mandalorian needs to find a way to raise the Child in a less violent environment.[108]
The Mandalorian premiered on the streaming service Disney+ on its United States launch day, November 12, 2019.[45] The second season premiered on October 30, 2020.[48] The third season premiered on March 1, 2023.[113] "Chapter 1: The Mandalorian" aired onDisney's linear networksABC,Freeform, andFX on February 24, 2023, in anticipation of the season three premiere on the service.[114]
The first two seasons ofThe Mandalorian were released onUltra HD Blu-ray andBlu-ray byWalt Disney Studios Home Entertainment on December 12, 2023, with Steelbook packaging, concept art cards, and "never-before-seen" bonus features.[115][116] The third season was released on Ultra HD Blu-ray on December 3, 2024. Bonus features include the featurette "Honoring the Magistrate: A Tribute to Carl Weathers", "Galactic Legacy: The Creatures and Droids of The Mandalorian", and "Forging the Covert: Part Three".[117]
According toNielsen,The Mandalorian's first season amassed 5.42 billion minutes of viewing time during its seven-week run, topping at 1.15 billion minutes during the week its finale premiered.[118] It added 800 million more minutes the week after its finale.[118] According toNielsen, the second season became the most watched streaming television series in the U.S. from December 14 to December 20, with 1.336 billion minutes of viewing time.[119] It also ranked at the fourteenth place on Nielsen's list of most watched streaming television shows and movies of 2020 with 14.5 billion minutes watched during the year.[119] The show became the first non-Netflix show that landed at number one on Nielsen's streaming ranker.[120] According to Samba TV, the show's second season drew 1.04 million households.[121]The Hollywood Reporter reported thatThe Mandalorian lead Disney+'s live action series with the majority minutes (8.4 billion) came from the eight weeks the second season debuted.[118]
| Season | Rotten Tomatoes | Metacritic |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 93% (338 reviews)[122] | 70 (29 reviews)[123] |
| 2 | 93% (451 reviews)[124] | 76 (14 reviews)[125] |
| 3 | 85% (240 reviews)[126] | 70 (14 reviews)[127] |
For the first season, thereview aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes reported a 93% approval rating with an average rating of 8/10 based on 338 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "Action-packed and expertly-crafted—if at times a bit too withholding—The Mandalorian is a welcome addition to theStar Wars universe that benefits greatly from the cuteness of its cargo."[122]Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 70 out of 100 for the season, based on reviews from 29 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[123]
For the second season, Rotten Tomatoes reported a 93% approval rating with an average score of 8.5/10, based on 451 reviews. The site's critical consensus reads: "With fan favorites and fresh faces galore both in front of and behind the camera,The Mandalorian's sophomore season solidifies its place as one ofStar Wars's most engaging and exciting sagas."[124] Metacritic assigned a score of 76 out of 100 based on 14 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[125]
For the third season, Rotten Tomatoes has reported an 85% approval rating with an average score of 7.55/10, based on 240 reviews. The site's critical consensus reads: "Mileage may vary by a couple parsecs asThe Mandalorian becomes more and more about the connective tissue of broaderStar Wars lore, but this remains one of the most engaging adventures in a galaxy far, far away."[126] Metacritic has assigned a score of 70 out of 100 based on 14 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[127]
The Mandalorian has been nominated for sixPrimetime Emmy Awards and forty-twoPrimetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards (winning fifteen Creative Arts Emmys),[128] as well as oneBritish Academy Television Award,[129] oneCritics' Choice Television Award,[130] oneDirectors Guild of America Award,[131] oneGolden Globe Award,[132] sevenHollywood Critics Association TV Awards and fourHollywood Critics Association Creative Arts TV Awards (winning one),[133] threeHugo Awards,[134] threeMTV Movie & TV Awards,[135] oneProducers Guild of America Award,[136] twoTCA Awards,[137] nineteenVisual Effects Society Awards (winning five),[138] and oneWriters Guild of America Award,[139] among others.
The Mandalorian was the first production to be filmed using real-time rendering for realistic, parallax environments.[74] Favreau believed that the StageCraft technology developed for the series would have a significant impact on the production of films and television series moving forward.[75] He attributed the breakthroughs made with the technology to the support of Kathleen Kennedy, who was in charge of both Lucasfilm and ILM, as well as to his drive for innovation, and to previous work done by George Lucas on new technology for theStar Wars films. Favreau also acknowledged that much of the technology involved in StageCraft is not proprietary and is readily available to others, it just had not been combined in this way before.[74] Favreau invited other filmmakers and studios to visit the series' set and see how the new technology was being used, noting that Lucas and other filmmakers such asJames Cameron had done the same when they had been working on innovative film projects. Favreau added that the companies working on the series' new technologies—including ILM, Epic, and MPC—were being encouraged to share their work and develop the technology further beyond the requirements of the series.[3] Several actors working on the series, including Carl Weathers and Giancarlo Esposito, gave high praise to the technology and the way it allowed them to act within the environment rather than pretend in front of a green screen.[74] After learning lessons about the technology during the production of the first season ofThe Mandalorian, ILM was able to make several advancements beginning with the second season. This included transitioning StageCraft to a fully in-house product utilizing ILM's game engine, Helios, rather than Epic's Unreal Engine.[76] In February 2020, ILM announced that it was making its StageCraft technology available to all filmmakers and production studios as a complete end-to-end solution,[75] and that December, it was announced that three additional StageCraft volumes–in Los Angeles, London, and Australia–were being built.[140]
In November 2019,Walt Disney Studios CCOAlan Horn said if the series was successful, a film featuring the Mandalorian could be developed.[141] The next month, Favreau said there was an opportunity to explore the series' characters in otherStar Wars films or television series.[3] Bob Iger said in February 2020 that spin-offs ofThe Mandalorian were being considered, and there was potential to add more characters to the series to then give them their series.[142] Favreau said in October that as more characters are introduced in the series, "we are beginning to explore where we could go". He felt Lucasfilm could be "more responsive" to audience reactions in determining potential spin-offs due to the faster production time for television series than films. Favreau looked to his experience working in theMarvel Cinematic Universe, where smaller stories exist within the larger narrative, as a potential guide for spin-offs. Additionally, both Favreau and Pascal were open to the idea of the Mandalorian appearing in aStar Wars film, but Favreau was in "no rush" to do this.[143]
In December 2020, the spin-off seriesRangers of the New Republic,Ahsoka, andThe Book of Boba Fett were announced,[144][145][146] with all three series developed by Favreau and Filoni, set withinThe Mandalorian's timeframe and planned to culminate in a "climactic story event".[147] Before Lucasfilm announced that Carano was no longer employed by the company in February 2021,The Hollywood Reporter had reported that there was potential for her to star inRangers of the New Republic.[63] Active development on the series had not begun by that May,[148] and it was still on hold in November when Kennedy said the development had not reached a point where scripts were written. She said there was potential for ideas from the series to be incorporated intoThe Mandalorian's "next iteration".[149] A new series,Skeleton Crew, was announced in May 2022 after being developed byJon Watts andChristopher Ford. Favreau and Filoni were revealed to be serving as executive producers on the series,[150] which is also set in the timeframe ofThe Mandalorian andAhsoka.[151]
Favreau discussed the spin-offs in August 2022, explaining thatThe Mandalorian,The Book of Boba Fett,Ahsoka, andSkeleton Crew were all set in the same timeframe—during the 30 years betweenReturn of the Jedi andStar Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)—which had "a lot of room for us to tell stories, and there are a lot of characters that are in play because we know who's around at that time". He noted that they were usingThe Mandalorian to remind fans of these characters or introduce them to unfamiliar audiences before they appeared in the spin-off series, which created interconnected stories and characters within a "very rich fabric for us to explore".[152]
A spin-off miniseries focused on Boba Fett was reported in November 2020.[153] It was officially announced asThe Book of Boba Fett a month later and was already in production by that point. Favreau, Filoni, and Robert Rodriguez executive produced, with Morrison and Wen reprising their respective roles as Fett and Fennec Shand.[146] Pascal, Swallow, Sedaris,[154] Olyphant, Dawson, and Hamill also reprise their roles,[155] along with Favreau as the voice ofPaz Vizsla,Paul Sun-Hyung Lee as Carson Teva,[154] andW. Earl Brown as the Weequay bartender.[156] Grogu also appears.[155] The seven-episode series was released from December 2021 to February 2022.[157]
A limited series titledAhsoka, featuring Dawson reprising her role as Ahsoka Tano, was revealed in December 2020 with Filoni writing and executive producing alongside Favreau.[145] The series premiered on August 22, 2023.[158] Lee reprises his role as Carson Teva in the series,[159] while Brendan Wayne appears as Lieutenant Lander.[160] A second season was announced to be in development with Filoni in January 2024.[161]
A new series,Skeleton Crew, was announced in May 2022 after being developed byJon Watts andChristopher Ford. Favreau and Filoni were revealed to be serving as executive producers on the series,[150] which is also set in the timeframe ofThe Mandalorian andAhsoka.[151] The series premiered on December 2, 2024.[162] Marti Matulis reprises hisMandalorian role as the Nikto pirateVane.[163]
In January 2024, Lucasfilm announced a film,The Mandalorian and Grogu, that would continue the stories established in the series. Favreau was announced to direct, co-write with Filoni, and produce the film with Kennedy and Filoni.[164][57] Filming began by August 2024,[165] and the film is scheduled to be released on May 22, 2026.[166] Garazeb "Zeb" Orrelios and the Anzellan species from the third season appear along with a new version of theRazor Crest, the Mandalorian's ship which was destroyed in the second season.[167][168]
In December 2020, it was revealed thatThe Mandalorian and its related series were planned to culminate in a "climactic story event".[147] AtStar Wars Celebration London in April 2023, it was announced that Filoni was directing a feature film that would serve as the conclusion to the interconnected stories ofThe Mandalorian,The Book of Boba Fett, andAhsoka, among others.[169] Filoni is expected to begin work on the film following the second season ofAhsoka.[161][57]
| Season | Episodes | Originally released | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First released | Last released | |||
| 1 | 8 | May 4, 2020 (2020-05-04) | June 19, 2020 (2020-06-19) | |
| 2 | 2 | December 25, 2020 (2020-12-25) | August 25, 2021 (2021-08-25) | |
| 3 | 1 | June 28, 2023 (2023-06-28) | ||
A documentary series,Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian, features interviews with the cast and crew ofThe Mandalorian, behind-the-scenes footage, androundtable conversations hosted by Favreau that explore the production of the series. The first season premiered on Disney+ on May 4, 2020,Star Wars Day.[170] An hour-long special covering the second season was released on December 25, 2020,[171] with a second special episode covering the season two finale released on August 25, 2021.[172] A special covering the third season was released on June 28, 2023.[173]
Lucasfilm announced a publishing campaign of tie-in books and comics for the series in June 2020. The campaign was announced to includeThe Art of The Mandalorian (Season One) by Phil Szostak, an original adult novel written byAdam Christopher and published byDel Rey Books, a visual guide written byPablo Hidalgo and published byDK, a junior novelization of the first season written byJoe Schreiber, and comic books inspired by the series to be published byMarvel Comics andIDW.[174] One month later, the novel by Christopher was delayed from December 2020 to November 2021, before both it and the visual guide by Hidalgo was canceled in March 2021.[175][176] Hidalgo stated in December 2021 that the publishing program had been put on hold to avoid any potential contradictions or restrictions that may have arisen between the published material and the spin-off series in development.[177]
A manga adaptation illustrated by Yūsuke Ōsawa began serialization inSquare Enix'sMonthly Big Gangan magazine on May 25, 2022.[178] The manga adaptation is licensed in English byViz Media.[179]
In November 2020,Minecraft releasedStar Wars-themeddownloadable content which included locations and characters fromThe Mandalorian.[180] Din Djarin and Grogu appear as unlockable cosmetics inZero Point,Fortnite Battle Royale's Chapter 2 event. Djarin's sniper rifle and jetpack were also available as usable items.[181] Some of the characters in the series are playable characters inDisney Magic Kingdoms.[182] Characters from the first two seasons of the series were made available asdownloadable content forLego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga.[183]
Two pinball adaptations of the series were released in 2021. The first is a virtual pinball table designed byZen Studios and among eight tables featured inStar Wars Pinball VR, released on April 29;[184][185] this same table was released forPinball FX on March 31, 2022.[186] The following month,Stern Pinball released its own physical pinball adaptation, based on the first two seasons ofThe Mandalorian featuring the Razor Crest and Grogu characters with voice callouts by actorCarl Weathers and music from composerLudwig Göransson.[187]
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