Sigourney Weaver may soon be returning to deep space for a role in the next Star Wars movie, The Mandalorian & Grogu.
The acclaimed actress, best known for her heroics in the classic sci-fi horror film Alien and three of the sequels, is in talks to join the cast for what’s being billed as a ‘key role’, according to Deadline.
Directed by Jon Favreau and produced by Favreau alongside Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy and Dave Filoni, the new feature is expected to focus on the adventures of Din Djarin and Din Grogu.
Production is slated to start later this year in advance of an expected release date of May 22, 2026.
So far, the details of the plot and storyline, as well as the character Weaver will be playing, are being kept under wraps.
Sigourney Weaver, 74, is in talks to join the cast of the upcoming Star Wars film The Mandalorian & Grogu for a ‘key role’; she is pictured on May 1 in New York City
The Mandalorian & Grogu will mark the first Star Wars movie to go into production since Star Wars: Rise Of Skywalker (2019).
The new production will have a lot to live up to in terms of its commercial success at the box office after its predecessor, directed and co-written by J.J. Abrams with Chris Terrio, grossed a whopping $1.077 billion while working from a budget of $411 million.
The Mandalorian series launched in November 2019 as the flagship series for Disney+, with the story beginning five years after the events of the film Return Of The Jedi (1983).
Pedro Pascal leads the series as Din Djarin, a lone Mandalorian bounty hunter in the outer reaches of the galaxy who cares for Grogu.
A second season of the series was released in October 2020, with Katee Sackhoff joining the cast in a recurring role, which was then a main character by the third season in March 2023.
The cast also features the late Carl Weathers, Werner Herzog, Omid Abtahi, Gina Carano, Giancarlo Esposito, Nick Nolte, Taika Waititi, Emily Swallow, Amy Sedaris, Temuera Morrison, Misty Rosas, Mercedes Varnado, Ming-Na Wen, Katy M. O’Brian, Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, Simon Kassianides and Tait Fletcher.
The series has received largely positive reviews from critics and several accolades, including Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Award for all three seasons.
A fourth season had been in development, but it’s now unclear if it that will in fact proceed following the announcement that Favreau has signed on to direct The Mandalorian & Grogu film.
Production on The Mandalorian & Grogu is slated to start later this year in advance of an expected release date of May 22, 2026
Directed by Jon Favreau and produced by Favreau alongside Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy and Dave Filoni, the new Star Wars feature is expected to focus on the adventures of Din Djarin and Din Grogu; star Pedro Pascal is seen with Favreau in February 2023
The acclaimed actress is best known for her heroics in the classic sci-fi horror film Alien, which was from acclaimed filmmaker Ridley Scott
During her illustrious career Weaver also starred in three of the Alien sequels through 1997
Pascal is expected to return as Djarin, but it’s unclear how large of a role he will have and in what capacity, considering the actor has already committed to full work schedule that includes the shoot for The Fantastic Four beginning at the end of July.
Weaver (born Susan Alexandra Weaver), 74, rose to fame starring as Ellen Ripley in Ridley Scott’s science fiction film Alien (1979), which ultimately turned into a successful franchise that included James Cameron’s Aliens (1986), Alien 3 (1992) and Alien Resurrection (1997).
She later reunited with Cameron for Avatar (2009) and again for the sequels Avatar: The Way of Water, as well as the upcoming Avatar 3, which is set to premiere in December 2025 and Avatar 4 that has a release date for December 2029.
Her storied film career actually dates back to a small role in Woody Allen’s Annie Hall (1977), along with Alien (1979), Ghostbusters (1984), Aliens (1986), Gorillas In The Mist (1988), Working Girl (1988), Ghostbusters II (1989), The Ice Storm (1997), The Village (2004), Avatar (2009), Exodus: Gods And Kings (2014), Finding Dory (2016), My Salinger Year (2020) and Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021).