We’ve only two episodes into The Mandalorian‘s second run, but the wheels are already spinning on the season 3 shoot. Deadline is reporting that pre-production on the third outing – codenamed ‘Buccaneer’ – has taken place over the last few months and Jon Favreau is hoping to get back on set very soon. ‘Soon’ may be an understatement, however, as insiders are hinting that the shoot might commence as early as next week.
This will be music to the Mouse House’s ears. After all, The Mandalorian‘s current season finished filming in March 2020, which is why it wasn’t delayed by the COVID-19 lockdowns and arrived on schedule. This alone saved Disney+ from having a very disappointing 2020, with many of its other much-hyped shows being pushed back into 2021.
Deadline can’t confirm any of this for certain, though they’re sure that something is going on in the Lucasfilm camp. One option that they’re floating is that what’s about to start filming is actually a Mandalorian spinoff starring Temuera Morrison’s Boba Fett. Right now, we don’t know how the character’s season 2 story will end, but it seems they’re confident enough that fans will like it that they’re moving forward with his own show.
Whatever it is that’s going on, I think the swiftness of the shoot is down to the innovative Stagecraft technology used for The Mandalorian. The tech utilizes a 270 degree LED video screen wall that displays real-time rendered backgrounds, allowing directors to quickly set up shots in alien landscapes on the fly. It also means that they don’t necessarily have to worry about scouting locations or weather conditions during the shoot.
If Deadline’s report is accurate, though, then we can expect the third season to premiere roughly a year from now in 2021. However, if those Boba Fett spinoff rumors prove true, we may get to see that even earlier, perhaps in the summer. In any case, watch this space for more.
