Gina Carano Breaks Silence: Spoke With Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau After Star Wars Exit

Here’s something I didn’t expect to be writing in 2024: Gina Carano, yes that Gina Carano, just popped back up with some fresh details about her ties to Lucasfilm. You remember the drama — it was about as public and messy as the Star Wars fanbase gets (and that’s saying something). But after a half-decade in exile from anything related to the galaxy far, far away, Carano’s relationship with some of the key figures at Lucasfilm might not be as dead as it looked.

Recap: The Cara Dune Saga

For those of you who somehow missed the headlines (or just blocked out 2021 for your own sanity): Gina Carano played Cara Dune — former Alderaanian shock trooper, slightly smirky ally to Mando, instantly memed character — in seven episodes across seasons 1 and 2 of The Mandalorian. Her role was set to get even bigger: Disney was gearing up for Rangers of the New Republic, basically a whole spinoff show with Carano in the pilot’s seat.

Then came Twitter (now X) posts that swung from borderline conspiracy to a straight-up Holocaust comparison. The backlash was swift, Disney cut ties, and Cara Dune vanished from Star Wars altogether. That would have been enough for most once-promising TV careers, but Carano’s story took another turn.

The Not-So-Quiet Fallout

Since Disney gave her the boot, Carano’s acting credits have been thin — think indie movies, some conservative-backed projects, and not much else. Meanwhile, Cara Dune? Not recast, not even mentioned. And Rangers of the New Republic? Quietly dumped in a drawer when Gina left.

So... About That Relationship Status

This week, things got interesting. Carano went on The Ariel Helwani Show and, out of nowhere, dropped the news that she’s actually spoken recently with two of Lucasfilm’s top names: Dave Filoni (now the head of just about everything Star Wars) and Jon Favreau (the Mandalorian mastermind). If you’re expecting some epic grudge match, well, not so much. Apparently, it was... downright friendly.

'I’ve already had a conversation with Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau. Really lovely. After we settled the lawsuit, we got on a Zoom call. It was really nice. Dave Filoni taking over, CEO of Star Wars. And it’s like, we didn’t even miss a beat, and Jon Favreau was really funny. Got on the Zoom and he’s like, “So, where did we leave off?”'

She didn’t spill any details about rejoining the Star Wars universe — so don’t hold your breath for Cara Dune to suddenly show up in The Mandalorian and Grogu or anything. But the fact that this call even happened, after all the lawsuits and scorched-earth statements, is a pretty weird development. If Disney ever thinks about dusting off Rangers of the New Republic (or any other project in need of a blaster-wielding ex-stormtrooper), the door, bizarrely, may not be quite as bolted shut as we all thought.

The State of Star Wars (And Where Carano Fits In)

• Gina Carano: Not fired for life, but still way out of the orbit for now.
• Cara Dune: Still MIA since her exit, no on-screen mention or replacement.
• Rangers of the New Republic: Abandoned after Carano's firing, hasn’t come back onto the calendar.
• Lucasfilm brass: Now helmed by Dave Filoni, still working with Jon Favreau, and apparently on speaking terms with Carano.
• Upcoming shows: 'The Mandalorian and Grogu' plus 'Ahsoka' season 2 are next on the slate. No sign of a Cara Dune appearance (yet).

Of course, the big question: Could Carano ever actually come back? With Disney? With Star Wars fandom? That’s up in the air, and judging by her post-interview comments, even she doesn’t know what her odds are. But the fact they’re talking at all is not what anyone would have predicted after 2021’s fallout. In Hollywood, never say never — but if it happens, I promise I’ll be just as surprised as you.