'Mandalorian' Star Gina Carano Reportedly in Talks to Return to Disney+ Series

Could Gina Carano be returning to the Star Wars universe? After Lucasfilm fired Carano in February and said "there are no plans for her" to be employed by the studio in the future over several controversial social media posts, including one that likened the experience of Jews during the Holocaust to the U.S. political climate, a new rumor suggests the powers that be are considering bringing Carano back to Disney+'s The Mandalorian.

The rumor comes from YouTuber Overlord DVD. According to We Got This Covered, the YouTuber recently alleged that "Hollywood agents" informed them that Disney is currently quietly in talks with the actress about the "possibility" of her returning to not only reprise her role as former Rebel Alliance soldier Cara Dune on The Mandalorian but also in various spinoffs. The outlet notes that the claim should be taken "with a pinch of salt," and Overlord DVD also cast some doubt, suggesting that Carano may not be willing to return even if the chance arose, stating, "Disney certainly must have offended Gina" when they fired her.

However, nobody linked to Lucasfilm has made any indication that Carano will ever return to the series, and Overlord DVD's claims contradict those of one insider who said in April that the actress would "never return" to the Star Wars universe. According to that April report from We Got This Covered, the studio's decision to fire the actress is final. When Lucasfilm confirmed Carano's firing in February, they said in a statement that the actress "is not currently employed by Lucasfilm and there are no plans for her to be in the future." The studio went on to label her social media posts "denigrating people based on their cultural and religious identities" as "abhorrent and unacceptable."

Carano starred in The Mandalorian as Cara Dune since the show's premiere on the streaming service back in 2019. Her character instantly becoming a fan favorite, and according to sources, Lucasfilm planned to unveil Carano as the star of her own Disney+ series during a December investor's day presentation. However, those plans were scrapped following her November social media posts, which sparked the hashtag "Fire Gina Carano." Addressing the firing shortly after, Walt Disney Co. CEO Bob Chapek said Disney stands "for values that are universal: Values of respect, values of decency, values of integrity and values of inclusion. And we seek to have the content that we make reflective of the rich diversity of the world we live in. And I think that's a world we should all live in harmony and peace."