I’m not sure why I’ve been getting rumors / leaks for Star Wars more than usual in the past weeks. Maybe things are heating up with Lucasfilm now that Kathleen Kennedy has her contract extension and the Favreau-Filoni team are hard at work on a cinematic Star Wars universe? I’m still voting we call it the Favroni Universe.
Before going any farther, this article isn’t about Gina Carano or her character, Cara Dune. I know some people may click this article thinking that’s the big reveal… unfortunately I can’t really fix that problem because I don’t want to spoil anything in a title. In fact, I’m holding from revealing anything at the beginning of this article to give people time to go back and not spoil Season 3 if that’s important to them. So apologies if this comes across as click-bait because you thought it was about Gina.
Today’s article is in serious rumor territory. You know how I often post “rumors”, but they’re generally from solid sources and I’m relatively confident they’re rock-solid? This article isn’t one of those. So if possible-but-not-definite rumors and leaks aren’t your cup of tea, this is your chance to bail…
Potential MAJOR Mandalorian Season 3 Spoilers Ahead…
You’ve been warned…
Alright, so what I’m hearing from some sources (these being a bit new) is that Lucasfilm has been trying to work out a deal with Frank Oz to reprise his role as Yoda’s puppeteer and voice actor for the third season of The Mandalorian. Supposedly, Yoda will participate in training Grogu. However, I am also hearing that this may not work out at all because Frank Oz has a deteriorated relationship with The Walt Disney Company over their treatment of The Muppets… as well as their treatment of him as a Muppet performer. Should Oz decline to participate, the question then becomes: do they recast Yoda to someone like Eric Jacobson, or do they jettison the plan altogether?
There is a hook here if Jon Favreau should wish to pursue Oz’ return to the role. Mark Hamill is good friends with Frank Oz, and Hamill is very appreciative of the positive return for Luke Skywalker in the Season 2 finale. If Hamill returns for Season 3 in any capacity, and if that capacity might include a scene(s) with Yoda, there’s a shot here that he could get the legendary puppeteer to join in.
One other prediction to take stock in: if Boba Fett underperforms on Disney+, the likelihood this happening goes up. Why? Because Disney executives are ready to lose their minds if Boba Fett does poorly. They need Disney+ subscribers going up and FAST.
Don’t expect the third season to be all about Grogu, Luke Skywalker, and Yoda though. This is still The Mandalorian, not a series all about “the child”. You can bet, however, that Lucasfilm and Disney are eager to make much of the future of Star Wars all about the Baby Yoda that sells merchandise like nobody’s business.
He even makes Baby Groot jealous at this point…
All of this is rumor, though. It’s not like I leaked CGI Luke before his appearance in last season or anything. So have fun and speculate in the comments below: would you be excited to have Yoda return once more, this time in The Mandalorian? Or would you prefer that they leave the legacy characters alone for fear they might damage their lore?
I knew it wasn’t going to be Cara Dune, but my heart just didn’t want to believe it couldn’t be Cara. You know what I mean? Either way, your warning in the second paragraph was much appreciated.
Anyway, Yoda is not a bad consolation prize. Baby Yoda and Big Daddy Yoda together at last haha
Man, Chapek and gang are more incompetent than I believed if they think Yoda’s return is going to be some needle mover like Luke’s return was. People know Yoda is going to be dead and we need less force ghost shenanigans going forward, not more. If these folks are serious about driving Disney+ subscribers then Gina’s return is mandatory.
All paths leads to the sequels. Star Wars is DEAD
Force ghost Yoda? I wouldn’t mind seeing that in a non-tarnished series. That said… I’m getting sick of CGI de-aging. That technology is so limiting and needlessly complicated. They need to recast Luke now, not later… and move on without it.
Only the hardcore faithful care about Gina Carano, not the mainstream. Yoda, on the other hand, is a beloved mainstream legacy character whose “return” makes sense within the narrative given Grogu’s importance. His return to the franchise might actually bring in subscribers just as Luke’s or even Sam Jackson as Mace Windu would.
Gina Carrono is a mafia princess. She’ll be fine.