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Summary
The Mandalorianwas arguably the best thing to happen to theStar Warsuniverse in recent memory. Yet, the series seems to have run its course with no fourth season in sight. The show’s renewal was almost inevitable, but the confirmation ofThe Mandalorian & Grogureserves the future of the space Western story exclusively for big-screen sequels.
Most shows get canceled or forgotten due to declining quality or lack of viewership, but neither applies toThe Mandalorian. Instead, Jon Favreau and Lucasfilm have prioritized cinematic storytelling over episodic formats. This could be a direct result of one specific creative decision taken from Season 3.
What Is Lucasfilm’s “MandoVerse”?
The move to expand the story of Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu beyond its initial scope is a part of Lucasfilm’s broader “MandoVerse” strategy. Much like the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the series started merging smaller storylines from its spinoffs, likeThe Book of Boba Fett,Ahsoka, and the upcomingSkeleton Crew. While this promises a better future forTheMandalorian’scharactersin the largerStar Warsuniverse, it also strays away from what initially made the Disney+ series so appealing. It must feel like déjà vu for Jon Favreau, who hinted at the lessons he carried from his time working onIron Manand the MCU, ina 2020 interview withVariety:
I learned a lot from my experience over at Marvel, where it was very organic, how it would evolve. You’re paying attention to larger story arcs and characters that could come together, but also smaller stories of individual characters […]. The key here is to keep maintaining the quality and never scaling to the point that we’re losing sight of what’s important to us and what people like about the show.
These plans to introduce new characters and spin-off series have been in place from the start. This includes the now-confirmedstandaloneMandalorianmovie, as well as aDave Filoni-directed climactic crossover film. The show’s success exceeded expectations and allowed the showrunners to expand their ambitions beyond streaming. It was all a question of when and how, and the2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikessignaled it was time to rethink their approach. Although season four ofThe Mandalorianwas written, it never got to the filming stage after Lucasfilm decided to take the bounty hunter’s story to the big screen.
The Mandalorian Should Have Remained A Standalone Story
WhenThe Mandaloriandebuted in 2019, it felt like a simple, self-contained series that belonged more in a Western or samurai setting than the typicalStar Warsuniverse. Each episode followedDin Djarinon new bounty hunter missions, and the core focus was his growing bond with Baby Yoda. Over time, the series expanded to includecharacters like Bo-Katan, Boba Fett, and Ahsoka Tano. This shift isn’t something die-hardStar Warsfanswould complain about, but it did signal the end ofThe Mandalorian’sstandalone nature.
This transition came at a cost: it diluted the show’s selling point as a space bounty hunter series with an episodic, “villain of the week” format. The stakes of Din Djarin protecting Grogu initially felt personal and intimate, but the story later shifted to a galactic-scale conflict. Early on, much of the show’s charm was thanks to Baby Yoda’s cuteness, and Din Djarin’s developing father-son bond with him. The show felt small, yet meaningful, rather than being a cog in a broad, interconnected universe.
The first major signs of trouble with the “MandoVerse” expansion showed up when Grogu’s emotional farewell to Din Djarin was undone. At the end of Season 2, Grogu leaves withLuke Skywalkerto train as a Jedi. This was the most fitting end to their journey, and it felt like a strong culmination of Djarin’s efforts to protect the child. However, the show’s popularity andGrogu toys and merchandisesales may have led Disney to rethink the move. The duo had a rushed reunion inThe Book of Boba Fett, which left many fans confused at the start ofThe Mandalorian’sthird season, particularly those who hadn’t watched the spinoff.
Will The Mandalorian Season 4 Ever Happen?
Lucasfilm’s decision tofollow the MCU modelmay have also disconnected audiences unfamiliar with deeperStar Warslore, which wasn’t an issue during the first two seasons. Moreover, given a possible creative drought to explore the characters any further, it’s understandable why the studio decided it was time to cash in their chips and get started with a full-length feature film. It also reflects their confidence in the material and the universal appeal of the Din Djarin-Grogu duo, especially with Pedro Pascal’s meteoric rise to stardom. WhenThe Mandalorian & Groguhits theaters on August 03, 2025, it will mark the franchise’s return to the big screen after a long hiatus followingThe Rise of Skywalker.
Furthermore, if Lucasfilm decides to continue with afourth season forThe Mandalorianafter the movie, it would feel even more unnecessary. The last episodes of both the second and third seasons felt more like series finales than season finales. At the end of Season 3, the Mandalorians unite to reclaim their homeworld fromthe villainous Moff Gideon, Bo-Katan becomes their leader, and Din Djarin and Grogu happily return to Nevarro. This sense of closure sets the stage for these characters to start a new adventure with more significantStar Warscharacters and timelines.
