Next year’s The Mandalorian & Grogu will feature the big-screen debut of a fan-favorite Star Wars character who has appeared on the TV show. Speaking with Good Morning America while at Star Wars Celebration Japan, Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni revealed that the latter will reprise New Republic pilot Trapper Wolf in the upcoming movie. In the interview, Filoni jokingly blamed Favreau for his acting career, as Favreau felt it was “important” for Filoni to be on camera at some point. Favreau, who’s directing The Mandalorian & Grogu, then shared Filoni has a role in the film.
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“Jon’s really taught me a lot about performance,” Filoni said. “It’s his fault I wound up an X-wing pilot, because he felt it was so important to get in front of the camera.”
“And we can give an exclusive here,” Favreau added. “He’s in the film.”
[RELATED – The Mandalorian & Grogu Reveals New Characters Set to Appear in the Film]
The Mandalorian & Grogu is scheduled to hit theaters in May 2026, becoming the first new Star Wars movie since 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker. It was one of many projects Lucasfilm promoted during the Celebration festivities. It’s unknown if the film means The Mandalorian Season 4 won’t happen. Speaking with ComicBook at Celebration, Favreau said he’s focused on the movie right now and couldn’t comment on the TV show’s future.
Filoni has portrayed Trapper Wolf on four episodes of The Mandalorian across the show’s three seasons. He isn’t the only character affiliated with the New Republic set to appear in the film. Sigourney Weaver shed light on her Mandalorian & Grogu character, revealing she plays a Rebellion veteran. Weaver’s unnamed pilot is an authoritative figure who sends Din Djarin out on his mission.
Filoni, who is now the chief creative officer at Lucasfilm, has been heavily involved with Star Wars for nearly two decades, joining the franchise to help spearhead The Clone Wars. Not only has he continued to have a vital role in the studio’s animation department (Star Wars Rebels, The Bad Batch, etc.) he’s also made the leap to live-action, helming episodes of The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, and Ahsoka. Over the years, his passion for Star Wars has made him a beloved figure among the fan base. With that in mind, it will be fun to see him on the big screen. Trapper Wolf likely won’t have a major part in The Mandalorian & Grogu, but will be nice for Filoni to get this moment after all the contributions he’s made to the franchise. It’s Favreau’s way to pay respects to his collaborator.
Trapper Wolf might not be the only character Filoni plays in The Mandalorian & Grogu. Rumors have suggested the bounty hunter Embo — who Filoni voiced on The Clone Wars — will make his live-action debut in the film, serving as the movie’s main antagonist. Pitting Din Djarin against another bounty hunter would make for a fascinating story, and it’ll be interesting to see how all these elements come together. Filoni is also busy developing a New Republic era movie that’s dependent on storylines from The Mandalorian and Ahsoka. Perhaps Mandalorian & Grogu will lay some of the foundation for that as the New Republic prepares to deal with Grand Admiral Thrawn.
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