Premiering Nov. 12 on the Disney+ streaming service, The Mandalorian will be the first live-action series set in the Star Wars universe. While the characters and locations are new, the trappings will be familiar to fans of the blockbuster franchise.
Set five years after the fall of the Galactic Empire, with the destruction of the second Death Star and the Battle of Jakku, but before the rise of the First Order, The Mandalorian unfolds in the outer reaches of the galaxy, where an unnamed bounty hunter plies his trade far from the influence of the New Republic.
The Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal)
The titular character of the series is a fresh take on an old classic. Although much of the look and reputation of the character harks back to the Boba Fett, there are some clear differences at work here. While Boba was largely self-serving and had no problem working for the Empire, the Mandalorian actor Pedro Pascal has indicated his unnamed bounty hunter may operate in a more morally gray area.
IG-11 (Taika Waititi)
Although mistaken for the droid bounty hunter IG-88, the assassin droid turned bounty hunter introduced in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, IG-11 has been described by voice actor Taika Waititi as "very innocent and naive and direct and doesn’t know about sarcasm and doesn’t know how to lie." "It's like a child with a gun," he said.
The director of Thor: Ragnarok, who also played the fan-favorite Korg in the Marvel Studios sequel, specializes in bringing an innocent humor to a character, which will make IG-11 stand in stark contrast to the world The Mandalorian creator Jon Favreau describes as a "much more unforgiving landscape, where survival is difficult."
Cara Dune (Gina Carano)
A Rebel shock trooper turned mercenary, Cara Dune brings her background as a veteran to the morally gray world of The Mandalorian. With the series positioned to further flesh out a universe that the Star Wars films have only touched upon, Cara will provide an opportunity to get a boots-on-the-ground perspective of galaxy-spanning conflicts.
Greef Carga (Carl Weathers)
Leading the bounty hunter's guild that provides the Mandalorian's assignments is Greef Carga. Played by Carl Weathers, he'll provide much of the impetus for the first season's action, as he recruits the title character to track down a "valuable asset."
Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito)
It takes two to tango, of course, and even the ethically foggy world of The Mandalorian needs an antagonist to unite against. The "Moff" title is an utmost military rank in Star Wars, both in the former Empire and in the First Order that emulated it. Played by Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad), Moff Gideon was a governor under the Empire whose leadership was upset in the wake of the Rebels' victory in Return of the Jedi.
While the destruction of the second Death Star was a climactic moment of joyousness for many in the galaxy, Gideon comes at it from the angle of someone who saw his world go up in flames.
Werner Herzog
Details about his role -- not even his character's name! -- haven't been revealed, but cinephiles certainly recognized director/actor Werner Herzog, and his unmistakable voice, in The Mandalorian trailer. Considered by many to be one of the greatest directors of all time, Herzog is no newcomer to acting. With roles dating back 30 years, he has worked more frequently in recent years, and it will be fascinating to see what he does here.
Created by Jon Favreau, The Mandalorian stars Pedro Pascal, Gina Carano, Carl Weathers, Giancarlo Esposito, Emily Swallow, Omid Abtahi, Werner Herzog and Nick Nolte. The series debuts Nov. 12 on Disney+, the same date as the streaming service's official launch.