Pedro Pascal confirms The Mandalorian season 3 hasn't started filming yet. The launch of Disney+ in November 2019 coincided with the arrival of The Mandalorian, the first live-action Star Wars TV show. It was an immediate success with critics and audiences, quickly becoming an integral part of not just Disney+'s original programming lineup, but the Star Wars franchise in general. The Mandalorian season 2 premiered late last year, earning more acclaim.
The success of The Mandalorian galvanized Lucasfilm, and they're making great use of the Disney+ platform moving forward. There are a couple of Mandalorian spinoff shows in development, including The Book of Boba Fett (which debuts this December) and Ahsoka. Of course, Lucasfilm isn't neglecting the main series, as a Mandalorian season 3 is coming through the pipeline as well. It's unknown when it will see the light of day, but if Pascal's latest comments are any indication, it will be a bit of a wait.
Appearing on Variety's "Actors on Actors" with fellow Star Wars star Ewan McGregor, Pascal provided an updated on The Mandalorian season 3. According to him, the cameras haven't started rolling yet. Check out his comments below:
"We haven't shot a third season."
Earlier this year, it was reported The Mandalorian season 3 would begin filming in April, but that obviously didn't pan out. At this stage, it's difficult to gauge when shooting will commence. Pascal is going to be busy with HBO's The Last of Us adaptation, which starts production this summer. It's said principal photography on The Last of Us will run from July 2021 to June 2022, meaning it could be some time before The Mandalorian season 3 moves forward. There's always the possibility the Last of Us shoot runs shorter than anticipated, but for now it sounds like The Mandalorian season 3 won't start production until around fall 2022 at the earliest, which theoretically would put it on track for a 2023 debut.
In a perfect world, Lucasfilm may not want so long a wait between Mandalorian seasons, but with other shows on their TV slate making their way through production, the studio isn't as dependent on The Mandalorian to maintain Star Wars' presence on Disney+. Next year should see the releases of Rogue One spinoff Andor and the highly-anticipated Obi-Wan Kenobi series. Plus, with The Book of Boba Fett on the way and Ahsoka in development, Lucasfilm is finding ways to continue the Mandalorian corner of the Star Wars franchise in the interim - ensuring it doesn't fall out of the public eye. Not every property is built to withstand its flagship show going on an extended hiatus, but Star Wars is an exception.
Source: Variety
