The Mandalorian Season 2 trailer: What we want (and don’t want) to see
By Meg Dowell
With The Mandalorian Season 2 just a few months away, Star Wars fans are gearing up for a trailer that will get them excited about the show’s return.
Ever since Jon Favreau announced The Mandalorian Season 2 what feels like too many months ago, Star Wars fans haven’t stopped talking about Din Djarin, Moff Gideon‘s shiny old weapon, and the 50-year-old baby our faithful Mandalorian has to carry across the galaxy.
The closer the new season gets, the more speculation grows. If we have to wait much longer, the fandom will have come up with a hypothetical way for every single main and supporting character to make an appearance in this show’s second season.
Talk of an imminent trailer is the latest buzz keeping The Mandalorian in headlines. The problem? We still don’t know when to expect one.
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The trailer for The Mandalorian Season 1 was as action-focused as much of the show, with only nine words of dialogue spoken throughout — all from The Client (Werner Herzog). But the music and visuals got even the most lukewarm fans talking.
What will this new season’s trailer bring? Here are a few things we want (and don’t want) to see when it finally premieres.
Are we getting a The Mandalorian Season 2 trailer this month?
Since the original trailer for the show dropped on Aug. 23, 2019, fans are speculating the trailer for the second season is just a few weeks away.
Current predictions estimate The Mandalorian Season 2 trailer will drop on either Aug. 21 or 22 during the NBA playoffs.
Premiering trailers during high-demand sporting events is a common tactic for getting as many eyes on the footage as possible, so even if there’s no trailer on those dates, it will likely air when more Americans are likely sitting on their couches watching live TV.
The Mandalorian Season 2 want: Some Baby Yoda – but not too much
The Child is still one of Star Wars’ formerly best-kept secrets. Things leak all the time and even the rumors that don’t end up being true spark fan theories that usually lead to more rumors.
“Baby Yoda” as the internet prefers to call him, wasn’t on anyone’s radar. His surprise appearance at the end of the show’s first episode took The Mandalorian from “a great first Star Wars live-action show” to “even non-Star Wars fans are streaming this content.”
He didn’t appear in any trailers or preview footage. Merchandise was even delayed by months for fear any developments would leak the surprise.
He was the “hook” that no one saw coming – and that’s why the surprise worked.
But they don’t have to keep him a secret anymore. In fact, it’s Baby Yoda and his admittedly adorable face that’s largely (though not exclusively) going to rekindle the hype for the show we’ve been without for almost a year (it feels like much longer, doesn’t it?).
There has to be some kind of balance, though. We would like to see the baby – absolutely. But … in moderation. A smile, maybe a coo or two. Save all the good stuff for when new episodes drop on Disney+, though. Baby Yoda is precious. He is meant to be savored.
The Mandalorian Season 2 don’t want: Too many character reveals
There’s one downside to rumors and leaks. While they’re fun for speculation and can create hype among fans, they also create a lot of inflated expectations and spoil potential reveals that were meant to be kept secret.
There have been rumors upon rumors about Boba Fett and Anakin Skywalker’s former apprentice showing up to fight alongside our Mando this season. And while those wouldn’t be terrible additions to the story (briefly), a trailer shouldn’t confirm or deny anything. That wouldn’t be fair.
The trailer above revealed a lot more characters than I remember – even Moff Gideon in one shot. That’s not a huge deal since we didn’t technically “know” who they were. They were brand-new characters.
But I don’t want to see Ahsoka Tano or Sabine Wren in this trailer, or even strong implications that they’re going to walk through any doors at any point in the show. Let rumors and speculation run wild. Don’t give us confirmation yet – if there’s any to be had.
The Mandalorian Season 2 want: More darksaber footage
I can’t be the only one who has gone deep into the history of the darksaber in preparation for its next chapter in the Star Wars saga.
This ancient Mandalorian saber was in the rightful hands of Bo-Katan Kryze the last time we saw it – before it surprisingly appeared again in Moff Gideon’s menacing grasp within the last moments of the Season 1 finale.
It’s possible this season will reveal at least some of the backstory explaining how the weapon changed hands and why – and there’s no doubt that, at the very least, we’ll see plenty of this blade in action.
But we need a little bit of it in the trailer, too. I need to hear that distinctive sound again. I need to relive the moment I saw it back in December – a series of very audible exclamations that woke up my entire family, my dog, and possibly a neighbor? It was worth it.
The Mandalorian Season 2 want: An official release date
There is still no official release date for The Mandalorian Season 2. First, all we knew was that it would drop sometime in the fall of 2020. Then we were told to expect it in October. But there are still 31 possible days we could expect it.
A trailer is usually when confirmed release dates are announced. So it’s really just a given at this point – right?
It’s unclear why the show’s second season will arrive in October instead of November – more likely than not, it’s just a scheduling issue, and it also means the show won’t run right up to the holiday season like it did last year.
The Mandalorian Season 2 don’t want: To have to wait another month
Disney is as strategic as it gets when it comes to marketing its projects. There is almost always a teaser trailer shortly before the first full preview, and at least two or three alternate trailers that follow the first.
Though it would be on track compared to last year, releasing a trailer for Season 2 of The Mandalorian this month is technically later than it should be. The show premiered in mid-November 2019; Season 2 drops in October.
There’s less time to wait – rejoice! But fingers crossed these rumors have some substance.
We’re lucky filming finished before so many productions had to shut down, otherwise Season 2 likely wouldn’t be happening this year. But with Celebration canceled and no live or even pre-recorded events happening in its place, we’re itching for news, content – anything. Even a 30-second teaser trailer would be enough … for now.
This is the way.
Season 2 of The Mandalorian arrives on Disney+ sometime this October.