The Mandalorian: Jon Favreau praises Ahmed Best at Star Wars Celebration

The team behind The Mandalorian appeared onstage at Star Wars Celebration today, to spill the beans regarding the future of the series, with Jon Favreau taking the opportunity to praise Ahmed Best’s return to the franchise.

Star Wars Celebration is taking place at the Excel Centre in East London at the moment. Over the next four days there are panels on everything from collectables and cosplay to Andor and Ahsoka.

Today, during Lucasfilm’s Studio Showcase, The Mandalorian took center stage. Which is good timing as the show is currently midway through its third season on Disney+.

The creative duo behind the show – Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni – took to the stage to reveal all about what’s next for Mando and Grogu while giving a shoutout to the newest Jedi Master.

Jon Favreau praises Ahmed Best’s return to the Star Wars franchise

Favreau shared some love for Ahmed Best, who famously first appeared in the Star Wars universe as the much-maligned Jar Jar Binks in the prequel movies. The actor made his return in The Mandalorian Season 3, only this time playing a Jedi Master.

Speaking about Best on stage today, Favreau said: “He’s just been somebody who has been around and a fan for a long time.

“Who was going to be the one who rescues baby Grogu? Who could it be? Who should it be? Someone who cares about Star Wars… I don’t think there’s anybody better than Ahmed.”

Favreau also addressed the love and support Best was shown by the fans upon the news that he’d taken on a role in The Mandalorian, saying: “It was a tremendous outpouring of appreciation that was as much fun as the episode itself.”

Giancarlo Esposito’s Moff Gideon to return in The Mandalorian Season 3 Episode 7

During Lucasfilm’s Studio Showcase, guests were also treated to a special screening of the first eight minutes of The Mandalorian’s next episode – Season 3 Episode 7 – which included a sneak peek of Giancarlo Esposito’s return to the series.

Esposito’s Moff Gideon is the main antagonist of The Mandalorian, although we last saw him in the New Republic’s custody after losing the Darksaber.

Since then, fans have been waiting to find out if/when he’d be back, and this all changed today when we finally got confirmation.

This means big news for Bo-Katan (Katee Sackhoff), Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal), and Grogu, as the big bad of the show will no doubt scupper the plans to finally retake Mandalore. 

The Mandalorian Season 3 Episodes 1-6 are streaming on Disney+ now. Check out the rest of our coverage here.