The Mandalorian strikes back in this first look at season 2

Star Wars fatigue may have set in for many on the big screen, but thanks to a successful TV series that featured arguably the most popular 50-year old child in the world at the moment (don’t worry Darryn, you’re still the most lovable man-child younger than that), the hype and interest around The Mandalorian remains high. Few thought that a live-action Star Wars series that required expensive visual effects could work as well as it did, especially now that the series has become a major trump card for luring people onto Disney+.

So what’s in store for season two of The Mandalorian? In true Star Wars fashion, we know surprisingly little, but thanks to a special exclusive from Entertainment Weekly, we have some details of what to expect for the show’s second season along with some first looks at some of the on-screen action. It appears that the second season will increase the stakes, as show creator Jon Favreau revealed:

The new season is about introducing a larger story in the world. The stories become less isolated, yet each episode has its own flavour, and hopefully, we’re bringing a lot more scope to the show.

A bigger scope that they can apparently afford given all the groundwork done to bring this world to life in the first season, meaning more of the show’s gigantic budget can be spent on increasing its storytelling. One of the things that worked with the first season of The Mandalorian was how it wasn’t trying to be too ambitious, but rather kept things simple and focused on a small set of characters that you could get to know and have fun with. This was highly intentional according to Dave Filoni, arguably franchise creator George Lucas’ own padawan who has been the driving force behind the mega-successful Star Wars animated shows and Favreau’s guide on all things Star Wars.

Quite simply: We didn’t overthink things. George started with these very iconic characters whose relationships are very clear, and then introduced what’s at stake — for us, the [fate of] the Child. An audience tends to enjoy a story by sticking to tropes and characters they understand — like a gunslinger in the Old West. So it was a clear story and a fun adventure even if you’ve never seen anything [in the Star Wars universe].

While Disney is still refusing to officially acknowledge some of the more exciting rumoured additions to the cast like Rosario Dawson as Ahsoka Tano, Temua Morris as Boba Fett, or Katee Sackhoff as Bo Katan Kryze (even forcing actors to walk to set wearing large Sith-like robes to hide their identities), a bigger focus on more characters and more of that Star Wars universe should work well if the series doesn’t become too ambitious. That’s something which Filoni – who returns as director and exec producer – reveals they will keep in check by making the story very personal:

Everything gets bigger, the stakes get higher, but also the personal story between the Child and the Mandalorian develops in a way I think people will enjoy.

Favreau, who launched the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Iron Man and thus knows a thing or two about world-building, believes that going bigger will simply open up the series for more stories to tell. Besides for the MCU, the filmmaker reveals he also learned a lot from how the world was captivated by HBO’s Game of Thrones. It’s that approach of differing, overlapping storylines spinning off on their end before tying back together again that Favreau wants to bring to The Mandalorian season two. Hopefully, he remembers to stick the landing better than what Game of Thrones did.

The series may also have more cinematic flavours as well, as an even more eclectic selection of directors has been brought in to helm episodes, including Robert Rodriguez and cast member Carl Weathers. Favreau himself is stepping behind the camera for the first time with the show, as he directed the new season’s first episode which will premiere on Disney+ on 30 October.

So what does this all mean for the upcoming season? As Filoni slyly puts with a nod back to the franchise’s history, “You want The Empire Strikes Back to be better than A New Hope.”

And right now it seems clear that The Mandalorian is just going to get bigger and better and possibly become the flagship of the Disney Star Wars Universe in how it sets up, tells, and introduces us to more of the galaxy than we’ve ever seen before. The article reveals more details of what to expect from the season’s opening episode, as well as how the cast brought to life their now fan-favourite characters while hinting at where they may be heading. So if you can’t wait for the first episode, you can check the EW link to find out a whole lot more.