Sigourney Weaver In Talks To Join Star Wars Movie The Mandalorian & Grogu

"Alien" star Sigourney Weaver is headed back to space, but this time, instead of fighting off aliens, she could be befriending them. The Hollywood Reporter broke the news that Weaver is in talks to take on a role in "The Mandalorian & Grogu," the upcoming "Star Wars" film that will be directed by Jon Favreau.

While "Star Wars" has been pretty prolific on the small screen in recent years, the saga created by George Lucas hasn't actually released a new feature film since 2019's "The Rise of Skywalker." "The Mandalorian & Grogu" was officially announced in January of this year, after years of media focus spent on other potential Lucasfilm works-in-progress, including projects from Taika Waititi and Patty Jenkins. Most of those projects seem to still be in the works according to recent reports, but "The Mandalorian & Grogu" is set to head into production first with a summer shoot scheduled, according to THR.

Details about Weaver's role are still being kept under wraps, but the actor will no doubt be game for whatever the space-set story throws at her. This is the third major science fiction franchise the actor will be a part of after the "Alien" franchise and James Cameron's "Avatar" saga. The movie will be tied in some way to the Disney+ series that made Grogu (a.k.a. Baby Yoda) a household name, and star Pedro Pascal is expected to return in some capacity as bounty hunter and accidental dad Din Djarin. According to the outlet, Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy will produce the new movie, along with Favreau (who created "The Mandalorian") and Lucasfilm's chief creative officer Dave Filoni, who has ushered in much of the Disney+ era of "Star Wars."

In January, Favreau shared his excitement for the new movie, saying: "I have loved telling stories set in the rich world that George Lucas created. The prospect of bringing the Mandalorian and his apprentice Grogu to the big screen is extremely exciting." Kennedy, meanwhile, said that "this new story is a perfect fit for the big screen." In an earnings call in February, Disney CEO Bob Iger laid out a plan for a new era of "Star Wars" movies that will kick off with "The Mandalorian & Grogu," though it's not clear yet exactly which movies will follow it.

The "Star Wars" film world has clearly undergone lots of creative reshuffling in recent years, with pretty much every project listed above being reported as dead at one point before a cast or crew member confirmed that it was actually still in the works. There's also currently a movie in the works from director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, that's set to pick up Rey's story 15 years after viewers last saw her as she attempts to establish a new Jedi order. And of course, the "Star Wars" TV universe continues to be bustling, with "The Acolyte" next up on the release calendar.

"The Mandalorian & Grogu" is set to hit theaters on May 22, 2026.