The actor behind The Mandalorian’s formidable villain, Moff Gideon, hinted at the character’s potential return in a future Star Wars project. The last time fans saw Giancarlo Esposito’s Star Wars character, Moff Gideon, he was engaged in a fierce battle with Din Djarin. He nearly defeated Mando, but Bo-Katan Kryze intervened and saved him. However, Moff Gideon loses the upper hand in the fight. Thanks to Axe Woves’ crashing ship from above, the two (and Grogu) manage to escape. Moff Gideon appears to be thrown off the ledge and engulfed in the ensuing inferno, but no body is ever seen.
Giancarlo Esposito's Moff Gideon May Return
During a panel at L.A. Comic Con 2024, actor Giancarlo Esposito, known for his role as Moff Gideon in The Mandalorian, hinted at his character’s return. When a fan asked if he would consider being part of a potential Season 4, he expressed his interest but mentioned that he is unsure if there will be another season of the show.
“Well, I would love to. I don’t know much about what’s going on. I know they’re making a film. I don’t know if they’re going to return to the show or not, but anything is open. And I certainly left the best opening ever for Moff Gideon to come back. I love it when you see a character go over the edge, but you don’t quite know what happens.”
After sharing a humorous anecdote about his interaction with producer Jon Favreau on set, the actor confidently stated that he can “almost guarantee” that “Moff Gideon is still hiding out somewhere.”
“I remember in our last season, when I came to set, I had a different haircut because I figured I was in prison for a while and had no moustache. And then before I started shooting Jon Favreau came down, he kind of looked at me, and he went, scratched his head. He went, no moustache? And I went, no moustache. And so it leaves it open with all of those clones that there’s a possibility that Moff Gideon is still hiding out somewhere, waiting to come back and take over. I can almost guarantee it.”
Giancarlo Esposito wasn’t the only Star Wars actor at L.A. Comic-Con this year. Ewan McGregor also appeared at the event, where he confirmed his desire to return for Obi-Wan Kenobi Season 2.
How Could Giancarlo Esposito Return as Moff Gideon?
Giancarlo Esposito’s Moff Gideon could return to the Star Wars universe after The Mandalorian Season 3 in a few ways. For one, perhaps Moff Gideon did not die as everyone thought, since fans never saw a body. Furthermore, plenty of Star Wars characters have had it worse and somehow made it back to the land of the living. Just look at Darth Maul or Emperor Palpatine.
Another possibility, as mentioned by Esposito himself, is that fans may see a clone of Moff Gideon appear. This wouldn’t be too surprising, considering that Moff Gideon’s last significant plot point in the series involved the reveal of his personal cloning advancements in The Mandalorian Season 3. The bigger question regarding Moff Gideon’s potential return is where exactly it would take place.
Currently, The Mandalorian Season 4 seems very unlikely. With the greenlighting of The Mandalorian and Grogu (which also features the return of Star Wars Rebels character Zeb), all indications suggest that Lucasfilm is officially done with the original Disney+ series.
The most likely place for Moff Gideon to appear again would be in the 2026 theatrical release. Another possibility is Dave Filoni’s big Mandoverse crossover film, which currently does not have a release date. “Mandalorian and Grogu” is expected to be released on May 22, 2026, in theaters worldwide.
