Those hoping to see Boba Fett back on the big screen when The Mandalorian & Grogu opens next summer are bound to be disappointed by Temuera Morrison’s latest update. Speaking with Nerd Reactor in an interview to promote his new film In the Fire of War, the Star Wars veteran was asked if he was excited about The Mandalorian & Grogu‘s impending release. In his response, Morrison revealed that he does not have a role in the film. He also noted that a second season of The Book of Boba Fett isn’t in the works yet, but he remains appreciative for the opportunity to be part of the franchise.
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“I’d be more excited if I was in the movie,” Morrison said. “No one called me … I’m still sort of waiting for the phone call. But, look, I’m just blessed that I had the opportunity there to come back. How many people in their career play Jango Fett, and 20 years later come back to play the clone son Boba Fett? It’s been an amazing journey, and I’m very, very grateful. I really enjoyed The Book of Boba Fett. But they’ve had a lot of changes lately … I was hoping for a Season 2 of Boba Fett, but there’s no phone call just yet. And I know [The Mandalorian & Grogu] is coming out, and I’m very excited for the movie.”
After making his Star Wars debut as Jango Fett in 2002’s Star Wars: Attack of the Clones, Morrison returned to the galaxy far, far away in The Mandalorian Season 2, portraying an adult Boba Fett. Morrison had a key supporting role, as Boba worked alongside Din Djarin to rescue Grogu from Moff Gideon. Following The Mandalorian, Morrison headlined the spinoff The Book of Boba Fett, which chronicles the bounty hunter’s attempt to seize control of the Tatooine underworld.
Morrison isn’t the only Book of Boba Fett actor fans won’t see in The Mandalorian & Grogu. His co-star Ming-Na Wen confirmed she won’t reprise Fennec Shand in the film, though she expressed hope that character will return at some point. Lucasfilm has yet to announce a full Mandalorian & Grogu cast, but the movie does feature Sigourney Weaver as a New Republic pilot and Jeremy Allen White as the voice of Jabba’s son Rotta the Hutt.
Given Din Djarin’s history with Boba Fett, some fans were probably hoping the two would cross paths again, perhaps with the former enlisting the latter’s help during a crucial part of his next mission. It would have been entertaining to see Boba back on the big screen, an opportunity to give the character the spotlight in an action set piece. Since so little about The Mandalorian & Grogu is known, it’s hard to say why Boba will be absent, but it’s clear director Jon Favreau felt there wasn’t a place for Fett in the story. Rather than force his inclusion (which could have come off as a bit of fan service), Favreau decided it would be better to keep the character on the sidelines. The Star Wars franchise has been guilty of leaning heavily on nostalgia before, so hopefully this is a creative choice that pays off for The Mandalorian & Grogu. Viewers will get to meet new characters who could go on to become fan-favorites.
While it probably makes sense that Boba Fett isn’t in The Mandalorian & Grogu (Boba is busy running a criminal empire, after all), it does raise the question of when audiences will see him next. The Book of Boba Fett earned a more mixed reception when compared to The Mandalorian, so a second season may not be high on Lucasfilm’s list of priorities. The studio has Ahsoka Season 2 on the way, but after that, its live-action TV slate is a mystery. Disney told Andor showrunner Tony Gilroy that “streaming is dead,” meaning the future of Star Wars on Disney+ is a murky one. If Boba doesn’t return on screen, maybe his story will continue in a novel or comic series detailing his underworld exploits.
