Exclusive: Taika Waititi Returning In The Mandalorian Season 3
We've exclusively learned that Taika Waititi will be in The Mandalorian season 3.
Update: This Giant Freakin Robot exclusive was confirmed, and Taika Waititi made a cameo in The Mandalorian Season 3.
There are a few names in Hollywood that shock people with how prolific they are. Taika Waititi is definitely among them. As a director, writer, and actor he is constantly hopping from project to project. One role that no one expected him to return to was his part on The Mandalorian. He voiced the robot IG-11 in the first season of the Disney+ series, ultimately meeting a fatal end. However, this is a Star Wars show, and anything goes, especially for resilient robots. Now, thanks to some work from one of our trusted and proven inside sources, we’ve exclusively learned that Taika Waititi will be playing IG-11 in The Mandalorian season 3.
We were able to learn that IG-11 will definitely be in the third season but were unable to confirm details about his story for the return. When Taika Waititi first appeared on the show, the robot was a skilled bounty hunter set out to kill The Child, more commonly known as Baby Yoda. After IG-11 was destroyed, he was then repaired, reprogrammed, and became an ally ready to fight to the death for The Child alongside The Mandalorian. This gave him an amazing story arc to watch. As a robot, his character somehow managed to tug on heartstrings and create a character arc that ended with a heroic sacrifice. While the robot sometimes sounded inhuman, he also had touching moments that made him a character that has stayed in fans’ hearts.
After such a heroic end to his arc in season one, how will The Mandalorian season 3 bring him back in an exciting way? Will Taika Waititi’s character be the same IG-11 that audiences saw at the end of season one? It seems unlikely that they would bring him back to go through the same redemptive arc again. But could it be as easy as having him return as a protective friend for The Child? Bringing the robot back to life likely means that they have a brand new idea for the character moving forward.
Before we see Taika Waititi return for The Mandalorian season 3, Disney+ is going to release The Book of Boba Fett. This is a separate series, but is considered season 2.5, because it will continue some of the same overall story for the universe. It will be interesting to see if any characters appear in Boba Fett that might show up in season 3 for The Mandalorian. This may hint at more details before IG-11’s return.
While Taika Waititi didn’t return for The Mandalorian season 2, his character wasn’t forgotten by fans or the show’s team. In the second season, IG-11 was seen as a statue in the background. This was an easter egg for fans. Now, it reads like a hint that he’d eventually be returning to the show.
Taika Waititi has clearly developed a strong relationship with Lucasfilm. Following his appearance as IG-11 in season one of The Mandalorian, he signed on to direct his own Star Wars movie. Now, he’s returning to the world yet again as the beloved robot. Here’s hoping his new story arc doesn’t do anything to lessen his sacrifice in season one.
