Familiar face joins The Mandalorian

Jon Favreau has revealed a first glimpse of bounty hunter IG-88 in the new Star Wars television show The Mandalorian. The show already boasts an impressive cast of Pedro Pascal, Gina Carson, Werner Herzog, Carl Weathers, Giancarlo Esposito and Nick Nolte. As well as behind the screen talents of Jon Favreau as showrunner and the likes of Bryce Dallas Howard, Rick Famuyiwa, Deborah Chow, and Taika Waititi, in the director’s chair.

Beyond that, and some bare bones details, not much is known of plot for the first ever Star Wars live action series. IG-88’s appearance doesn’t tell us a lot but, it does show the franchises continuing efforts in world building and continuity. The new canon has shown a great willingness to intertwine novels, comics, books, shows, and movies with varying degrees of success.

While IG-88 had only the briefest of appearances in The Empire Strikes Back it has since become a staple of the EU novels and comics dealing with the Star Wars underworld. This would be its first major appearance in the new cannon.  The assassin droid turned bounty hunter is a smart choice for inclusion into the new series. As a droid it will not age like its counterparts Dengar or Bossk, allowing for a more fluid place in the new canon timeline (as well as appeasing more financial and logistical issues.) By its inclusion, for better or for worse, the Mandalorian is following in the franchises footsteps of circling the original trilogies blueprints.

It is too early to say much one way or the other about IG-88’s appearance in the Mandalorian. This could simply be more unnecessary fan service to keep the franchise rooted in nostalgia. However, it could also be the wiser more inclusive sort of storytelling that kept the EU afloat for several decades. Either way, it is a bit exciting to see the bounty hunting bands ass back in action.

The Mandalorian is expected to debut on the streaming service Disney+ in 2019.