Will Giancarlo Esposito Appear In The Mandalorian And Grogu? Here’s The Latest From The Actor
Giancarlo Esposito played the villainous Moff Gideon in The Mandalorian, but will he make it into the movie?
![Giancarlo Esposito in The Mandalorian.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/vJgzcv5fY9ZxUEw6ia6Amc-320-80.png)
There are few franchises quite as popular and beloved as Star Wars. While fans are still waiting for it to return to theaters with upcoming Star Wars movies, the franchise keeps expanding with live-action shows that are available with a Disney+ subscription. The Mandalorian was the first of these shows, and it'll be getting a movie adaptation directed by Jon Favreau. But will Giancarlo Esposito be back as Moff Gideon in that blockbuster? Here's the latest from the actor himself.
What we know about The Mandalorian and Grogu is slim, as the project is still very much in the development stage. Fans are eager to see the beloved characters go from TV to to the big screen, and how the story might be wrapped up. While in an interview with GQ, Esposito spoke about his possible future in the galaxy far, far away, offering:
I love the Star Wars universe. I don't have any plans because they haven't called me. [I] love Moff Gideon because you have something I want.
Interesting. Esposito admitted that he hasn't been contacted by Favreau or Lucasfilm to reprise his role for the forthcoming Star Wars movie. But he seems to love his role as Gideon, and would be down to clown. Are you listening, Kathleen Kennedy?
A ton of Star Wars projects were announced in the years since Disney acquired Lucasfilm, many of which have since been scrapped. But it sounds like The Mando movie its actually happening, especially with the Jon Favreau behind the camera. It's just unclear what the story will be, especially as The Mandalorian Season 4 is expected to arrive before the property pivots to the big screen.
Of course, the biggest question surrounding if/when Giancarlo Esposito returns to Star Wars is whether or not a version of Moff Gideon is still alive. While he seemingly perished in The Mandalorian's Season 3 finale, it was also revealed that he was attempting to clone himself. In the same interview, the Breaking Bad actor addressed this question, offering:
Come on. I came back to the third season [of The Mandalorian]. I didn't have a mustache. Then you see all these clones. Put it together.
There you have it. It sounds like Esposito thinks he was actually portraying a clone in the Season 3 finale, and that Moff Gideon might still be alive and well. This would certainly make sense, and would allow for a more epic conclusion when he once again battles Mando and Grogu. We'll just have to wait and see what Lucasfilm is cooking up for the beloved series.
The Mandalorian and Grogu is currently expected to arrive in theaters on May 22nd, 2026, so fans are going to have to be patient. In the meantime, check the 2025 movie release dates.
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Corey was born and raised in New Jersey. Graduated with degrees theater and literature from Ramapo College of New Jersey. After working in administrative theater for a year in New York, he started as the Weekend Editor at CinemaBlend. He's since been able to work himself up to reviews, phoners, and press junkets-- and is now able to appear on camera with some of his favorite actors... just not as he would have predicted as a kid. He's particularly proud of covering horror franchises like Scream and Halloween, as well as movie musicals like West Side Story. Favorite interviews include Steven Spielberg, Spike Lee, Jamie Lee Curtis, and more.