Dave Filoni has an ending in mind for the Mandoverse.
The multitalented Star Wars director reportedly has his sights set on a film to polish off the arc begun in The Mandalorian and extended through shows like The Book of Boba Fett and, likely, this year’s Ahsoka. The Mandoverse has been growing, and it’s apparently set to eventually make its way to the big screen.
Filoni knows Star Wars better than anyone — some would argue even more than George Lucas, but we get enough hate mail, so you won’t find us among them. Still, he’s one of the vital minds behind the modern Star Wars, and his contributions helped spawn characters like Ahsoka, Captain Rex, and Omega. News that he’s sitting on plans to polish off the Mandoverse with a big-screen release sent a bolt of electricity through the fandom, some of whom have found Mando’s most recent season a bit lukewarm.
This won’t be just any Mando-themed theatrical release, either. According to a tweet from @DiscussingFilm, Filoni’s flick is intended to culminate the events of the Mandoverse. That likely means Filoni’s film will serve as the conclusion to the Mandoverse saga before the expansive Star Wars universe sets its sights on a new target.
Reactions to the news veer between excitement and trepidation. Filoni has created some of the best supplemental Star Wars material out there, but for those unfamiliar with his work in animation, his track record is rocky. Live-action exclusive audiences have only really enjoyed Filoni’s work on The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, the latter of which was largely seen as a disappointment, leaving some with little faith in Filoni’s talents. Those who fell in love with the characters of Ahsoka, Ezra, or Chopper (who doesn’t love Chopper?), however, are of a different mindset and are fully celebrating a Filoni-led film.
A few complaints also call out the fact that, according to the announcement, it seems The Mandalorian — a television show — will conclude with a film, rather than on the show itself. This isn’t guaranteed — the announcement doesn’t say a culmination of The Mandalorian, but of the Mandoverse — but some are taking it as fact, and they take issue with the idea that some of The Mandalorian‘s most vital moments don’t even take place within the show itself. The show’s tendency to let some of its action happen in sister series is classic comic books — without that issue of Winter Soldier, you’ll never understand Black Widow’s upcoming arc — but not everyone is a fan. Complaints about Grogu’s return — which was covered in The Book of Boba Fett rather than The Mandalorian — still abound, and people aren’t looking for yet another story to take place outside of the show itself.
Still, the film is guaranteed to eventually make its way to Disney Plus, so it’s not like it will be difficult to find. And those with faith in Filoni couldn’t be more excited, littering the comments section with proclamations of Filoni’s broad talent. Those with less love for the Star Wars staple might even come around — by the time his big film comes to fruition — just in time to see the ultimate climax of Filoni’s first major live-action project.