Rumor Control: Is Pedro Pascal Leaving ‘The Mandalorian’?
While many know Pedro Pascal as Din Djarin on The Mandalorian, he is becoming increasingly well-known outside of the role, as well. Dubbed Hollywood’s new “It Boy,” Pascal has been popping up everywhere, including in one of HBO’s biggest hit series, The Last of Us, and the recent Nic Cage comedy The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent. Pascal also routinely breaks the internet for things like ordering coffee with a nearly lethal dose of caffeine in it or even just posing for a photoshoot. Given Pascal’s skyrocketing popularity, there’s always been a bit of fear in the minds of The Mandalorian‘s fans that he’ll outgrow the show and leave us behind for something bigger.
As a result, there have been numerous rumors over the years of Pascal’s departure from The Mandalorian. Recently, these rumors have picked up a lot of traction—but not because of Pascal’s stardom or even his busy schedule. After all, considering he has body doubles to portray Djarin in his armor, The Mandalorian is a pretty flexible gig that doesn’t necessarily require him to be on set constantly.
Instead, rumors suggest that creative differences or a change in the show’s direction could be responsible for removing Pascal from The Mandalorian.
Is Pedro Pascal leaving The Mandalorian?
There has been no official confirmation that Pascal is leaving The Mandalorian. However, rumors of Pascal’s departure were recently discussed on The Hot Mic podcast on April 6. In the episode, reporter Jeff Sneider claimed that creative differences are occurring on The Mandalorian between executive producers Jon Favreau and Kathleen Kennedy. Sneider, who mostly deals in getting “scoops,” further claimed that Pascal had a big “blow up” with Disney during The Mandalorian season 2. This is allegedly why Pascal wasn’t on set for much of season 3 and why his role hasn’t been as prominent. According to Sneider’s sources, Pascal’s Djarin may not return after season 3 and could be written out of the show or die in the season finale.
These rumors aren’t confirmed, but they do align slightly with developments that we’ve been seeing. After all, a major fan complaint with The Mandalorian season 3 is that Djarin doesn’t have a big enough role. He has largely been sidelined while Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff) has taken the spotlight by reuniting the Mandalorians and wielding the Darksaber, leading some to question if the show is building up to Pascal’s departure. The Mandalorian director Rick Famuyiwa further added to the rumors by teasing that Djarin isn’t even the titular Mandalorian anymore. He stated:
I think that’s been interesting as we’ve been on the journey of the show, and now that we’re at this point, is that, what does that title mean? Who is the Mandalorian at this point? And so I think it could be anyone. And I think that’s what they’re trying to define in many ways, is what does that mean to be Mandalorian?
Famuyiwa’s statement, combined with Djarin’s decreased role in season 3, does seem to suggest that The Mandalorian doesn’t necessarily need to feature him to continue. However, viewers should wait until the season 3 finale before accepting the latest rumors as fact, especially considering that “rumors” about Pascal departing the show have cropped up from time to time for years, with racist undertones driving them, and we wouldn’t want to lend that any legitimacy. The finale is just a week away and will hopefully provide some indication of Djarin’s future on the show.
(featured image: Disney+)
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