Ever since news broke of The Mandalorian as the first live-action Star Wars TV show, fans have speculated that Boba Fett would at least appear in the new show. After all, the fan-favorite character is generally depicted as wearing Mandalorian armor, had his movie reportedly shelved so Star Wars could focus on the show, and the show will take place after Return of the Jedi and likely away from larger galactic conflicts. It's pretty widely accepted by a lot of fans that he escaped the Sarlacc Pit from Return of the Jedi; could The Mandalorian be his triumphant return?
According to The Mandalorian executive producer Jon Favreau, the answer to that question is a definitive no. Maybe he's as dead as he seemed back in Return of the Jedi when he got swallowed by the Sarlacc Pit! There is some good news for fans who were dying to see the legendary bounty hunter meet up with Pedro Pascal's lone gunfighter on the series, though. Let's start with the bad news on the Boba Fett front.
When asked if Boba Fett would appear on The Mandalorian, Jon Favreau said this:
Boba Fett is not. They're all-new, original characters... I'm at a time frame that there's a 30-year stretch of storytime that hasn't been explored at all, except in the Extended Universe.
For all that Boba Fett has become a beloved part of the Star Wars universe ever since he debuted in the original trilogy era, he's really not that significant of a character. Should we be glad if it is someday confirmed on screen that his death wasn't that undignified fall into the Sarlacc Pitt in Return of the Jedi? Sure. Does he have to be part of The Mandalorian for The Mandalorian to be awesome? Definitely not.
Jon Favreau's comments to CBR about original characters means fans will have whole new characters to love (and love to hate). Besides, there's always hope that Boba Fett could turn up in another Star Wars project.
There are standalone movies undoubtedly in the works, a Rogue One prequel series, and quite possibly an Obi-Wan Kenobi-centric series starring Ewan McGregor. Boba Fett would have been active in the pre-Rogue One era and could even feasibly still be kicking around the universe by the time an Obi-Wan show popped up, and those series obviously wouldn't be comprised of entirely original characters.
The Mandalorian will be must-see TV for any Star Wars fan as it becomes the franchise's first live-action series, and if the reported massive budget for each episode is on the money, then it should be no surprise when the special effects are way better than those in the prequel trilogy.
And there is some good news on the Boba Fett front with regard to The Mandalorian, even if the bounty hunter himself won't appear in the flesh. Easter eggs are on the way! Jon Favreau also said this:
Even the rifle with a forked end on it, the bayonet on the end, was from the holiday special with Boba Fett in it -- the original time you saw him. So we have lots of deep cuts in the show and I can't wait for people who love Star Wars to see it.
Original characters played by a killer cast -- now including an Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. star on top of the Game of Thrones alum and many more -- combined with Easter egg nods to the movies, all in an unexplored era of the Star Wars saga? What's not to love about that! Jon Favreau revealed one Easter egg -- which is admittedly pretty obscure, as the holiday isn't really one of the most relevant bits of Star Wars canon -- and there are more to come.
The Mandalorian launches with Disney+, which goes live on November 12. If that still feels like forever away, be sure to check out our fall TV premiere guide for some of what you can watch in the meantime!
