Sigourney Weaver is reportedly in talks to feature in The Mandalorian and Grogu movie.
First reported by industry insider Jeff Sneider, and reaffirmed by trade publications including Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, Weaver is seemingly in discussions with Lucasfilm over its next Star Wars movie. The identity of Weaver's character hasn't been disclosed, but Sneider claims the legendary actor will have a "key role" in the film if she signs on.
EXCLUSIVE: The fiercest space warrior there ever was, three-time Oscar nominee SIGOURNEY WEAVER, is in talks to join THE MANDALORIAN & GROGU...https://t.co/kvQjOK5kF2May 11, 2024
If Weaver joins Pedro Pascal (he plays Din Djarin, aka the titular Mandalorian) on the film's cast list, she'll add to her illustrious list of appearances in tentpole sci-fi franchises. Weaver is most famous for playing Ellen Ripley in the first four Alien movies between May 1979 and November 1997, but she also portrayed the Na'vi known as Kiri in 2022's Avatar: The Way of Water and appeared as Dana Barrett in the first two Ghostbusters flicks.
The Mandalorian and Grogu will be the first Star Wars movie to launch in theaters since 2019's The Rise of Skywalker. One of many new Star Wars shows and movies that are in development, it'll follow on from the first three seasons of The Mandalorian TV series, which are all available to stream on Disney Plus.
Lucasfilm and parent company Disney haven't provided any clues about the forthcoming movie's plot. However, it's been suggested that it's retooling key storylines, which would've been used in The Mandalorian season 4, for the movie.
Elsewhere, we also know when we'll be able to watch The Mandalorian and Grogu, which was surprisingly revealed in January and confirmed to be releasing exclusively in theaters. Unfortunately, we've got a long wait on our hands as it's not set to arrive in cinemas until May 2026. Jon Favreau, who co-created The Mandalorian, will direct and executively produce the flick alongside Dave Filoni, who is Lucasfilm's newly installed chief creative officer.
A busy time for that galaxy far, far away
As I mentioned, The Mandalorian and Grogu isn't the only Star Wars project that Lucasfilm and Disney are working on. Right now, up to seven films are at various stages of development, with this flick and a new, Rey-starring Jedi Order movie believed to be the furthest along the developmental pipeline.
On the TV front, Star Wars: The Acolyte will be the next series to debut on Disney Plus, aka one of the world's best streaming services. It's out on June 4 and follows in the footsteps of other Star Wars shows – The Bad Batch season 3 and Tales Of The Empire – that released this year.
A Goonies-style series called Star Wars: Skeleton Crew is also expected to launch before the end of 2024, while the highly anticipated Andor season 2 should air in early 2025. Add into the mix the second season of Star Wars: Ahsoka, which is in the early stages of being made, and it's a busy time for that famous galaxy far, far away.
