CinemaBlend participates in affiliate programs with various companies. We may earn a commission when you click on or make purchases via links.
Disney+’s The Mandalorian has proven to be an impressive piece of television, expanding on the Star Wars universe while also bringing impressive talents to the franchise. Of course, this talent is just as prevalent behind the camera as it is in front of it. Over the course of its two seasons, the show has brought in top-notch directors like Bryce Dallas Howard, Robert Rodriguez and Taika Waititi. One director, however, who unfortunately hasn’t been able to direct Pedro Pascal’s bounty hunter is Star Wars: The Last Jedi’s Rian Johnson, and reports suggest this will continue to be the case come Season 3.
While speaking to our own ReelBlend podcast back in 2019, Rian Johnson expressed interest in helming an episode during The Mandalorian’s second season. Unfortunately, things didn’t pan out in his favor. Now, ahead of Season 3, author and journalist Sariah Wilson has spoken to Johnson and reportedly learned why he cannot join the show right now:
I asked Rian if he'd ever consider doing an episode of The Mandalorian. He said he was dying to, but that for him it's all about scheduling. He's been writing KO2 and now he's going to go directly into filming it. So it would be a matter of finding time to break away and do it.
So based on Sariah Wilson’s series of Twitter posts, it would seem that Rian Johnson just doesn’t have the time to helm an episode of The Mandalorian due to other creative obligations. It’s understandable but, with Johnson also working on a third Knives Out film and a new streaming series, there’s no telling when he might be able to join the Jon Favreau-led series.
Rian Johnson has emerged as a unique voice in the Hollywood landscape, having dabbled in genres like science fiction and whodunits. When it comes to the Star Wars franchise, The Last Jedi proved to be pretty divisive among fans, but it received plenty of praise from critics. You can revisit or check out the film for the first time by streaming it on Disney+, which you can sign up for using the link below.
Regardless of how you may feel about The Last Jedi, it’s hard to deny just how talented Rian Johnson is. Whether it be through Looper on the big screen or Breaking Bad on the small screen, he has a flair for providing major spectacle and intimate character moments.
Rian Johnson may not be joining Season 3 of The Mandalorian, but fans can still be excited that more episodes are indeed on the way. And who knows, maybe Johnson will get the chance to sit in the director’s chair before the show finishes out its run.
