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As the fan excitement wanes post-finale of Disney+'s critically acclaimed The Mandalorian season 3, the production of The Mandalorian season 4, the next installment of this Star Wars flagship show, is already underway.
Creator Jon Favreau confirmed wrapping up the writing phase while season 3 was still under post-production. Although next season's arrival could be a while away, let's explore what fans can expect from the upcoming The Mandalorian season 4 on Disney+.
The Mandalorian season 4 could release in the latter half of 2024
Disney has so far been silent about the premiere date of The Mandalorian season 4. However, given the astounding popularity of the series, it seems probable that Disney would want to release it sooner rather than later.
Initially, production for season 4 was slated to commence in September. However, this schedule faced a hurdle when the WGA launched a strike on May 2. The strike could delay the onset of filming unless a resolution is reached with the film studios.
Current developments hint at studios like Disney maintaining their stance and waiting until the striking writers are compelled to return due to their work needs. Insider speculation suggests this could occur around late fall, possibly at the tail end of October or around Christmas.
Given these circumstances, if the strike concludes between the end of October and Christmas, filming for The Mandalorian season 4 may not commence until early 2024. However, the scripts for season 4, completed by Jon Favreau in February 2023, are already on hand.
Even though the scripts are ready, onset rewrites a common occurrence, are currently at a standstill due to the ongoing strike. Further complicating the situation is the ongoing strike by the SAG-AFTRA.
It's hard to predict when the actors' strike will be resolved, but if it concludes simultaneously with the WGA strike, season 4 production might be pushed to January 2024, resulting in a four-month delay from the initial plan.
If all goes well, filming should wrap up around June 2024, leading to a potential release around mid-2024. However, if strike delays persist, we might only see The Mandalorian season 4 in the latter half of 2024, possibly towards late August.
The Mandalorian season 4: Who will be back?
Season 4 is expected to bring back many familiar faces from the original cast, including the primary characters and actors from previous seasons.
Pedro Pascal as The Mandalorian (Din Djarin)
Pedro Pascal plays Din Djarin, the Mandalorian hero. Season 3 saw Din formally adopting Grogu as a Mandalorian foundling, wrapping up his fatherly arc. The duo will likely face fresh perils in season 4 as they continue their journey.
Katee Sackhoff as Bo-Katan Kryze
Katee Sackhoff, first introduced in live-action in season 2, played a significant role in season 3. The last we saw of her was uniting the Mandalorian clans as their ruler.
Emily Swallow as The Armorer
Emily Swallow's character, The Armorer, dispelled fan theories of disloyalty by helping defeat Moff Gideon and his Imperial remnant in season 3. She also formally gave Grogu the Din family name.
Carl Weathers as High Magistrate Greef Karga
Greef Karga, played by Carl Weathers, has rebuilt the town of Navarro to become its High Magistrate between seasons 2 and 3. With Din and Grogu settling on Navarro, Greef might have a larger role in season 4.
Paul Sun-Hyung Lee as Carson Teva
Carson Teva, a recurring character, has developed a strong relationship with Din, hinting at more screen time in season 4.
Giancarlo Esposito as Moff Gideon
Giancarlo Esposito's return as Moff Gideon in season 4 is a coin toss, given the apparent defeat of the character at the end of season 3. But Disney and Lucasfilm could easily stage his return with a clone storyline, especially considering Esposito's expressed desire to continue the role.
The Mandalorian season 4: What to expect?
The end of season 3 was akin to a series finale, with Din Djarin and Grogu looking into the Navarro sunset before the credits rolled. While the scene does not hint at the plot of season 4, it does suggest the closing of an initial chapter in the Din Djarin and Grogu saga.
The sense of closure from season 3 implies that season 4 may introduce a fresh storyline for the show's characters. The introduction could involve a time jump and even a talking Grogu.
Moreover, season 4 might serve as a bridge for the MandoVerse narrative before interconnecting shows start building towards Thrawn and the Heir to the Empire-esque feature film directed by Dave Filoni.
Anticipation builds for a major plot twist at the end of season 4, potentially tying Ahsoka to The Mandalorian and setting up Thrawn. This interplay of characters could heighten fan excitement for the forthcoming film.
Moreover, Jon Favreau's hint of a significant crossover with the Skeleton Crew series characters could indicate an impending expansion of the universe.
Will we see Pedro Pascal's face in The Mandalorian season 4?
With each new season, fans speculate about the appearance of Din Djarin's face beneath his helmet. While leveraging the popularity of Pedro Pascal for marketing makes sense, it might detract from the show's essence and the significance of earlier helmet removal scenes.
The previous instances of revealing Pascal's face were monumental, suggesting that a similar emotional intensity would be required to justify his face's exposure in season 4.
Is The Mandalorian season 4 the last installment?
Given the show's popularity on Disney+ and its interconnectedness with a broader universe, it's unlikely that season 4 will be the final season. Jon Favreau has expressed that there are "a lot more stories to tell" with Din Djarin.
The Mandalorian forms the cornerstone of a larger universe called the MandoVerse, which includes The Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka, and Skeleton Crew. With the culmination of these shows in a feature film still some years away, it seems improbable for season 4 to mark the end of The Mandalorian.
There are rumors of a potential rebranding after season 4 due to significant changes in the series. However, The Mandalorian season 4's specifics will likely be released sometime in 2024.
How many episodes will The Mandalorian season 4 have?
With each new TV series comes the inevitable speculation about the number of episodes. The Star Wars universe, in particular, has seen some variability in its episode count per season.
So far, the first three seasons of The Mandalorian have each boasted eight episodes. In contrast, The Book of Boba Fett contained seven episodes, Andor had a more extensive 12-episode season, and the upcoming Ahsoka is set to present a concise narrative in six episodes.
While it might seem odd that the Star Wars shows offer varying episode counts, we can make an educated guess for The Mandalorian season 4 based on its history. Given that each of the first three seasons has been delivered in eight episodes, it seems safe to presume. Season 4 will follow suit.
Series creator Jon Favreau seems comfortable with this eight-episode structure, suggesting that future seasons will likely stick with this format, assuming it continues to serve the narrative well.
For those who wish to refresh their memories or dive into the universe for the first time, the first three seasons of The Mandalorian are currently available for streaming on Disney+.
