Gina Carano is hinting at a possible return to the Star Wars universe, saying she recently had a “really nice” conversation with key creatives behind The Mandalorian—a development that’s quickly drawing attention as she rebuilds her career following years of public controversy.
In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Carano confirmed she reconnected with director Jon Favreau and Lucasfilm President Dave Filoni over Zoom earlier this year. While she stopped short of confirming any official plans, she described the exchange as meaningful.
“For me, it was an important conversation,” she said. “To see each other, to mend whatever, to make sure everybody was good. And everybody was good.”
The update signals a potential shift in Carano’s relationship with the Star Wars franchise, where she previously played Cara Dune, a fan-favorite character introduced in The Mandalorian. At the time, the role was expected to expand into a larger storyline before her departure halted those plans.
Lucasfilm announced her removal at the time, stating that posts “denigrating people based on their cultural and religious identities are abhorrent and unacceptable.” The fallout also led to the cancellation of a planned spinoff expected to feature her character.
Three years later, Carano filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against Disney and Lucasfilm, alleging discrimination tied to her political views. The case was backed by Elon Musk and ultimately settled in 2025 for an undisclosed amount.
In a notable shift, a Lucasfilm spokesperson said after the settlement that the company looked forward to “identifying opportunities to work together with Ms. Carano in the near future,” and described her as someone who was “well respected by her directors, co-stars, and staff.”
Carano pointed to that statement as a key moment. “It’s such a remarkable contrast from that first very horrendous statement,” she said, emphasizing that she’s focused on moving forward. “I love peace. When all parties can be happy, we can move on.”
The conversation with Favreau and Filoni appears to reflect that tone. Carano noted that she has always respected both creators and maintained that they were never adversarial figures during the fallout. However, she stopped short of sharing specifics about whether a return to Star Wars was discussed.
At the same time, Carano is preparing for a different kind of comeback. She’s set to face Ronda Rousey on May 16 in a high-profile MMA bout at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, marking her first fight in 17 years.
