A new rumor about The Mandalorian's future couldn't have come at a worse time

A new, unconfirmed rumor that The Mandalorian series is ending with The Mandalorian & Grogu is unfortunate timing for Star Wars. Mando fans are understandably worried but don't expect Lucasfilm to do anything to ease their concerns.

(L-R): Grogu, Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Paz Vizsla (Tait Fletcher) in Lucasfilm's THE MANDALORIAN, season three, exclusively on Disney+. ©2023 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.
(L-R): Grogu, Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Paz Vizsla (Tait Fletcher) in Lucasfilm's THE MANDALORIAN, season three, exclusively on Disney+. ©2023 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.

A new, unconfirmed rumor from Daniel Richtman claims The Mandalorian & Grogu will be the final chapter of The Mandalorian, and there won't be any future seasons of the show.

Richtman claims Din Djarin will appear in future projects, but his show ended with Season 3. These reports are unconfirmed so far. Unlike news of The Acolyte not returning for Season 2, official news sites like Variety and The Hollywood Reporter haven't reported anything regarding this rumor.

True or not, fans are worried, and that's not great for The Mandalorian & Grogu. This should be an exciting time for Mando fans, as the movie is confirmed to be filming and premieres in May 2026. Lucasfilm will undoubtedly remain tightlipped regarding any rumors, but their silence may hurt the hype. The Mandalorian & Grogu is a future project, but The Mandalorian has been Disney+'s flagship series since 2019.

The Mandalorian is Star Wars' biggest success story since Disney brought Lucasfilm. The show's impressive awards haul includes multiple Emmy wins and nominations, cementing its status as a Disney flagship series. This is why Disney and Lucasfilm must clarify what plans are for the show; they owe it to the fans. Anything apart from complete honesty and transparency will be damaging to the show. In light of these rumors, many fans who are upset have admitted that they plan on canceling their Disney+ subscriptions if the series is over.

After Favreau's confirmation that he's written Season 4, everything about the show's future has become uncertain. Sure, there's a movie on the way, but if the purpose of the movie is to end Din Djarin and Grogu's story, then the idea of watching them on the big screen seems less exciting. Din Djarin and Grogu debut in 2019, in a franchise that hasn't let go of the Skywalkers after decades, so ending a successful show makes no sense. We barely know anything about Din's past, but he deserves a fully fleshed-out story like Ahsoka Tano, Bo-Katan Kryze, Ezra Bridger, and Kanan Jarrus.

The Mandalorian season 2 finale
The Mandalorian season 2 finale

Apart from the injustice to fans who've watched the heck out of the show, catapulting it to the top of Nielsen's Streaming Charts consistently, ending the series makes little sense financially. Forbes recently confirmed The Acolyte's budget far exceeded an estimated $180 million and cost somewhere close to $250 million. In comparison, every season of The Mandalorian cost roughly $120 million, but more than makes up for the budget as it's a colossal streaming and commercial success for Disney. Mando's brand dominance and sold-out merchandise demonstrate its enduring appeal, making it a low-risk, high-reward decision for Lucasfilm to continue the series.

Waiting for the movie's box office results to determine The Mandalorian's future seems misguided, given the show's consistent success and critical acclaim. If the movie is to end Din Djarin's solo journey, this seems pretty rushed and will be an absolute letdown. I'm not expecting the movie to be able to neatly wrap up everything about this character while setting up a promising future for him. The movie is most likely just a cash grab, and if plans are to end the series, it's better to keep expectations low. Din Djarin will end how he started as a bounty hunter, and we'll lose out on more of his bond with Grogu and, perhaps, Grogu's childhood.

All good things come to an end, but after years of floundering here and there, the franchise finally found something that appeals to audiences beyond the Skywalker saga. If the rumor is true, it suddenly seems like Lucasfilm is in a puzzling hurry to get rid of The Mandalorian as quickly as possible, and only they know why.

The Mandalorian is streaming on Disney+.