It’s now common knowledge that, in February 2021, actress Gina Carano was fired from the live-action Star Wars television series The Mandalorian (2019) by Lucasfilm for a string of social media posts she shared that they deemed offensive.
Former MMA (mixed martial arts) fighter Carano played the tough-but-tender ex-shock trooper Cara Dune in The Mandalorian for two seasons, starring opposite Pedro Pascal (Din Djarin). However, Season 2’s “Chapter 16: The Rescue” marked her final appearance.
Gina Carano Strikes Back
But in February 2024, three years after her firing, Carano filed a lawsuit against Lucasfilm, alleging wrongful dismissal and sex discrimination.
The suit was funded by world-famous billionaire businessman Elon Musk (best known for his leadership of Tesla, SpaceX, X/Twitter). Disney motioned to have the case dismissed, but it was denied by U.S. district judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett.
Carano, a talented actress who, before embarking on her faraway galaxy adventure, appeared in blockbuster films such as Fast & Furious 6 (2013) and Deadpool (2016). But she hasn’t appeared in any major projects, whether movies or TV shows, since her firing.
However, she has amassed a large following of loyal fans, with many continuing to show her support on X, along with the hashtags #JusticeForGinaCarano and #CaraDuneDay, with the latter relating to a day (January 30) dedicated to celebrating her character.
Related: A Bold Move for TMNT: Why Gina Carano Is Perfect for New R-Rated Movie
What Happened to Cara Dune in Star Wars?
Cara Dune is a fan-favorite Star Wars character, but since her appearance in The Mandalorian Season 2 finale, she hasn’t really been seen anywhere in the franchise.
She is briefly mentioned in Season 3’s “Chapter 17: The Apostate” by Greef Karga (Carl Weathers), who tells Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) that she’s no longer marshal of the planet Nevarro, having been recruited by New Republic Special Forces after handing in Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito). But, of course, all of this took place off screen.
Dune was expected to lead the spinoff series Rangers of the New Republic, with Carano reprising her role, but in late 2021, Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy told Empire that the series had been canceled, which many speculate was due to Carano’s firing.
Has Cara Dune Returned Without Gina Carano?
To date, outside The Mandalorian series, Cara Dune has only appeared in video games such as “LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga” (via DLC), “Disney Magic Kingdom,” and as an unlockable character in the mobile RPG game “Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes”, and in The Mandalorian graphic novels.
But since Lucasfilm cut ties with the actress, her character hasn’t appeared anywhere.
Naturally, many fans were deeply hurt and frustrated that Carano had been fired from the show, but nothing angered them more than when Hasbro seemingly halted the production of the popular Cara Dune Star Wars Black Series action figures.
According to The Hollywood Reporter in 2021, the retailer BigBadToyStore was forced to cancel pre-orders for the Cara Dune action figure, which has Carano’s likeness, after learning that Hasbro would halt production of the toy, allegedly due to the controversy.
Since then, there have been no more Cara Dune toys.
So, it seems Cara Dune is well and truly gone. Whether the character will ever return to the faraway galaxy, which would most likely be with a new actress, remains to be seen. As for Carano herself, her next action-packed Star Wars battle will take place later this year, with “Gina Carano v. The Walt Disney Company“ reportedly beginning in September.
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