We’re still not completely sure when Disney+, the streaming service from the biggest movie studio in the world, will launch. All that’s known is that it should be coming in late-2019. So, there’s a chance we’re still a full year away. That being said, it’s unlikely “Star Wars” fans are going to be able to watch the upcoming live-action series “The Mandalorian” for a while still. But never fear, Jon Favreau did his best Santa Claus impression and gave fans a gift on Christmas.
The showrunner of “The Mandalorian” posted a simple behind-the-scenes picture on Instagram that speaks volumes but yet only carries the caption “Merry Christmas.” The picture is of a droid, with no explanation and no title given. However, if you’re a big “Star Wars” fan, particularly of the Original Trilogy, then you know exactly who this nameless droid actually is.
It’s been rumored that at least a portion of “The Mandalorian will focus on the bounty hunters featured briefly in “Empire Strikes Back,” which were hired by Darth Vader to track down the Millenium Falcon. Never seen in the films again, these bounty hunters carry a bit of a cult status among fans as characters they wish were featured more. One of those bounty hunters is none other than the droid featured in the picture – IG-88.
We still don’t know if IG-88 is just a fun background character or one of the supporting roles on the series, which stars Pedro Pascal (and Werner Herzog!) as the lone gunfighter on the planet Mandalore. One thing is for sure – it wouldn’t be a “Star Wars” series or film unless there was a droid featured prominently (gotta sell those toys!), so there’s a chance that IG-88 isn’t just a Christmas Easter Egg and instead, a major player in the bounty hunter series.
As mentioned, it’s likely we have to wait almost a full year until we’ll know for sure what “The Mandalorian” has in store. Until then, let the speculation run wild!
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