With The Mandalorian & Grogu heading to theaters in just a few months, I’m very excited about the possibility of Grand Admiral Thrawn making his big-screen Star Wars debut. With the upcoming movie expected to pit Pedro Pascal’s Din Djarin against the Imperial Remnant directly, my excitement is definitely building for the major big bad.
Following some new reveals from the recent Mandalorian & Grogu trailer, the biggest question is starting to get raised: Will Grand Admiral Thrawn make an appearance in the first Star Wars theatrical release since 2019’s Rise of Skywalker?
The Mandalorian & Grogu Will See Din Djarin Tracking Down Imperial Remnant Warlords
Trailer footage from The Mandalorian & Grogu confirms that Din Djarin is being tasked by the New Republic’s Col. Ward (Sigourney Weaver) with hunting down Imperial Remnant warlords still clinging to power in the Outer Rim after the Empire’s fall.
As such, the prominent warlord featured in the trailer (played by Jonny Coyne) was first featured in The Mandalorian season 3, having been part of the Imperial Shadow Council preparing for Thrawn’s return and the hope for a resurgence of their military might.
In the interim between The Mandalorian season 3 and this upcoming Star Wars movie, Ahsoka season 1 was released. Not only did the New Republic series serve as Thrawn’s live-action debut, but it also saw his multi-year exile in another galaxy come to an end.
Successfully returning to the main Star Wars galaxy by Ahsoka season 1’s ending, Thrawn is now regrouping on Dathomir with the Nightsisters, presumably consolidating power and preparing for a major strike against the New Republic.
Having been positioned as the major big bad of Lucasfilm’s New Republic Era projects, it’s easy to imagine Thrawn having some kind of presence in The Mandalorian & Grogu, especially if Din Djarin is taking out key leaders of the Imperial Remnant.
I’m Expecting Thrawn To Make His Big-Screen Debut (Even If It’s Just To Set Up Ahsoka Season 2)
While The Mandalorian & Grogu likely won’t center on Thrawn, a cameo feels incredibly likely, however brief it might be. It could be as simple as a quick final scene reveal, positioning Thrawn even further as the true Imperial threat behind all the scattered warlords Din has been tracking.
Any appearance from Thrawn would naturally tee up this year’s Ahsoka season 2 as well, which is expected to feature a major space battle between Thrawn and Admiral Ackbar (confirmed by Dave Filoni himself).
There’s also the Zeb factor, as the classic Rebel hero is confirmed to appear in both The Mandalorian & Grogu and Ahsoka season 2 this year, making him a natural bridge between Din Djarin and the New Republic heroes who have major history with Thrawn.
Regardless of whether Thrawn appears in The Mandalorian and Grogu or not, it’s all building toward Dave Filoni’s upcoming New Republic crossover, which is widely expected to draw inspiration from Legends’ Heir to the Empire, a story that can’t be told without the Grand Admiral himself. As such, it’s a big reason why a big-screen debut for Thrawn this year feels likely, as he’s basically become Star Wars’ Thanos.
The Mandalorian & Grogu releases in theaters on May 22nd from Lucasfilm.