Fan favorite Star Wars actor lobbied to appear in The Mandalorian and Grogu

Right, time for a bit of a Star Wars shakeup — the kind that gets both diehards and the more casual 'seen-it-all-before' crowd paying attention. If you’ve been to the cinema recently and caught The Mandalorian and Grogu, you might have noticed one notable bounty hunter missing in action. And you wouldn’t be the only one — because even the man behind the helmet was a bit disappointed he didn’t get an invite.

The Bounty Hunter Shuffled Offscreen

Temuera Morrison — yes, Boba Fett himself (well, and every single clone trooper for that matter) — was chatting to a fan at a recent convention. The fan, likely expecting Boba to swagger onto the screen at any moment, was instead left waiting. Turns out, so was Morrison:

‘I was hoping I was, too. I was hoping to pop in there, too. Help them out with something. You never know. They might want him back one day.’

That’s practically the sound of Mandalorian armour creaking from disuse. According to Morrison, he hadn’t actually been asked back for the film, but the hope was definitely there.

A Missed Opportunity, or What?

Here’s the bit that feels glaring to anyone who remembers the messy, fun, occasionally off-the-wall Star Wars TV universe: The Mandalorian and Grogu takes place on the Hutts’ stomping grounds. Given Boba Fett wound up ruling on Jabba’s old throne at the end of his own spin-off, it would have made perfect sense to have Boba rolling in for a cameo — especially with all the Hutts, bounty hunters and crime syndicates floating about. There’s even a plot with Jabba’s son Rotta, and that’s exactly the sort of intergalactic family drama Boba would logically be tangled up in.

The Book of Boba Fett: Short-Lived Reign

Part of the reason, Morrison reckons, is the lukewarm reception The Book of Boba Fett got. That series only lasted the one season, and Morrison says he hasn’t heard a peep about a second go-around. Combine that with mixed reviews and you can see why the character’s been quietly benched, at least for now. According to Morrison, it all adds up to feeling like his run as Boba has come to an end.

• The Mandalorian and Grogu director: Jon Favreau
• Main cast: Pedro Pascal, Jeremy Allen White, Jonny Coyne, Martin Scorsese (yes, really), Sigourney Weaver
• Boba Fett (Temuera Morrison): Not featured in the film (much to Morrison’s disappointment)

The film itself hasn’t exactly set the box office alight, with numbers falling short and pundits pinning it on the usual mix of franchise fatigue, creative head-scratching, and competition from other blockbusters. If you’re holding out hope for a Boba Fett comeback, there’s been no official word. Until then, The Mandalorian and Grogu soldiers on at your local cinema, minus one very recognisable helmet.