Five years after Gina Carano’s abrupt departure from The Mandalorian sent shockwaves through the Star Wars fandom, the actress may once again be inching toward Lucasfilm territory.
As Carano prepares for a heavily promoted MMA return against Ronda Rousey this weekend, renewed discussion surrounding her Disney lawsuit settlement and recent conversations with Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni has reignited questions about whether Cara Dune could re-enter the galaxy far, far away.
Carano’s journey with Star Wars began during the launch era of Disney+. Cast opposite Pedro Pascal in The Mandalorian, the former MMA fighter quickly became part of one of Lucasfilm’s most successful live-action productions. Her character, ex-Rebel shock trooper Cara Dune, emerged as a recurring ally to Pascal’s Din Djarin as the series evolved into Disney’s centerpiece streaming franchise.
The show’s popularity surged thanks in large part to Grogu, the small Force-sensitive companion who became internationally recognized as “Baby Yoda.” At the same time, Lucasfilm used The Mandalorian to reconnect audiences with familiar Star Wars figures and legacy performers.
Rosario Dawson entered the franchise as Ahsoka Tano, Katee Sackhoff returned as Bo-Katan Kryze, Ming-Na Wen portrayed Fennec Shand, and Temuera Morrison reprised Boba Fett. The series also generated massive fan response during its Season 2 finale with Mark Hamill’s return as Luke Skywalker.
But as The Mandalorian expanded, scrutiny surrounding Carano’s public comments intensified.
The actress became increasingly outspoken online regarding political and cultural issues, resulting in mounting backlash across social media. In February 2021, Lucasfilm officially cut ties with Carano, releasing a statement that described her online activity as “abhorrent and unacceptable.”
The decision immediately sparked fierce debate online. Supporters of Lucasfilm praised the company’s response, while others argued Carano had been unfairly punished for expressing personal opinions. The controversy rapidly spread beyond the actress herself, drawing Mandalorian executive producer Jon Favreau and star Pedro Pascal into public discourse as fans debated the studio’s handling of the situation.
The aftermath continued to follow Carano long after her Star Wars exit. She remained active professionally through appearances on Running Wild With Bear Grylls and films including Terror on the Prairie (2022) and My Son Hunter (2022).
During the height of the controversy, fellow Mandalorian actress Emily Swallow briefly addressed Carano during a 2021 convention panel. Swallow spoke kindly about her former co-star while emphasizing that she had no insight into Lucasfilm’s internal decisions.
The situation soon expanded beyond fandom arguments and became part of a wider cultural conversation involving speech, politics, and the entertainment industry accountability. Carano repeatedly maintained that she believed individuals should not face career repercussions because of political viewpoints shared online.
At the same time, her departure forced Lucasfilm to rethink elements of its Star Wars television strategy. Cara Dune had reportedly been expected to receive a larger spotlight in the interconnected Mando-Verse, including the planned Disney+ series Rangers of the New Republic. The project was ultimately canceled before production moved forward.
Tensions between Carano and Disney escalated significantly in 2024 when the actress filed a lawsuit against Disney and Lucasfilm, alleging wrongful termination and discrimination. The case, financially supported by Elon Musk, claimed the actress had not been treated equally compared to male actors within the franchise who publicly discussed political topics.
The legal conflict eventually ended in a settlement between the parties, although the details were never disclosed publicly. Lucasfilm later praised Carano’s professionalism in an official statement, leading to speculation that relationships behind the scenes may have improved.
Now, Carano herself has confirmed communication with two of the most important creative figures tied to The Mandalorian.
Ahead of her upcoming MMA event, the actress revealed that she recently spoke with both Jon Favreau and Lucasfilm Chief Creative Officer and co-President Dave Filoni through a Zoom call. According to Carano, the conversations were positive and even included a discussion about where Cara Dune’s story may have left off.
“I’ve already had a conversation with Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau. We got onto a Zoom call. It was really nice. Dave is taking over as CEO of Star Wars. We didn’t miss a beat. Jon Favreau got on Zoom and was really funny. He was like ‘So, where did we leave off?'”
Carano also reflected on the lawsuit and the professional risks she faced by taking legal action against Disney. Speaking publicly about the dispute, she framed the case as an effort to challenge what she sees as increasing corporate control over public expression.
During a May 14 press conference promoting her MMA matchup against Rousey, Carano addressed the settlement directly.
“I don't think we should take their livelihood from them,” Carano told the press (per Fox News) ahead of her MMA fight against Rousey, which will be shown live from Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, on Netflix this weekend. “We should be able, in America, to set the precedent of freedom. And I'm not sorry one bit, and it turned out well. Disney settled, and I'm proud of that. That was a huge victory for me.”
Whether those conversations ultimately lead anywhere remains an open question. Lucasfilm’s interconnected Mandalorian-era storytelling appears to be approaching a transition point with The Mandalorian and Grogu scheduled for release in 2026 and Ahsoka continuing with its second season.
Still, Carano’s renewed ties to Favreau and Filoni have already sparked renewed interest in Cara Dune’s future and the possibility—however unlikely—of reviving Rangers of the New Republic in some form.
For now, the actress’ next major appearance will take place inside the cage rather than on Disney+. Gina Carano’s return to MMA in MVP MMA: Rousey vs. Carano streams live on Netflix on May 16 from Inglewood, California.
Even years after her removal from Star Wars, Carano’s firing continues to stand as one of the defining controversies of Disney’s streaming-era Lucasfilm expansion. As the franchise moves into its next chapter, the debate surrounding Cara Dune and the fallout from The Mandalorian shows little sign of disappearing.
What did you think of the cancellation of Rangers of the New Republic? Let us know in the comments down below!
