Sigourney Weaver told GamesRadar+ in London that Avatar, Alien and Star Wars “really couldn’t be more different,” and that she appears in the new Star Wars feature The Mandalorian and Grogu as Colonel Ward, a leader of the New Republic’s Adelphi Rangers. The film, directed by Jon Favreau and starring Pedro Pascal and Weaver, opens exclusively in theaters on May 22, 2026.
Weaver, a 76-year-old, three-time Academy Award nominee, spelled out the contrasts in blunt terms: "They really couldn’t be more different. Alien is a particularly hostile world, a not very nice alien. Avatar, it’s the humans who are the bad guys. And in this, you have the Mandalorian, who is a hero, and this little, absolutely adorable, wise-seeming little person." She confirmed her casting as Colonel Ward — a former Rebel Alliance soldier now leading the Adelphi Rangers for the New Republic — and described a small on-screen moment fans will notice: "I had asked Jon [Favreau] if I could have a scene with Grogu, because that’s the delight of being in this picture, and he was kind enough to make this happen." The Mandalorian and Grogu is produced by Favreau, Kathleen Kennedy, Dave Filoni and Ian Bryce, with music by Ludwig Göransson.
Weaver’s appearance places a familiar franchise actor into Star Wars’ current theatrical rollout. She led the Alien series in the 1980s as Ellen Ripley and later portrayed Dr. Grace Augustine and Kiri in the Avatar series; she also appeared in Ghostbusters II and Alien 3. The film’s setup, Weaver noted in interviews about the project, follows a galaxy where the evil Empire has fallen but Imperial warlords are scattered; the New Republic has enlisted Din Djarin and Grogu to help protect what the Rebellion fought for. Weaver has been visible on the festival and awards circuit in the past year — photographed at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2025, attending the world premiere of Avatar: Fire and Ash in December 2025, and posing backstage with Pascal at the 98th Oscars in March 2026 — a run that builds to May’s theatrical release.
The more human detail in Weaver’s comments is the surprise she felt working opposite Grogu. "I’ve done a lot of movies, and I’m just astonished by how evolved he is," she said, adding: "It’s very hard for me to realize that there isn’t a real person inside of him." That line exposes the friction at the center of high-end franchise filmmaking: actors respond emotionally to crafted creatures and engineered moments, and the audience’s willingness to accept the illusion becomes part of the film’s currency. Weaver called the experience "cool," praising Favreau and saying she enjoyed working with Pascal and his co-star.
Even as she praised the film and its players, Weaver pushed toward more. "Well, in an ideal world, I'd love to make another Mandalorian and Grogu, because it was so much fun to work with Jon Favreau," she said, later adding, "And I really like my character, and I'd love to do more work with Pedro and his sidekick." She closed on a note of possibility rather than promise: "So, I think that, secretly, we're all hoping maybe this could produce another one that would take us further into the Outer Rim and more adventures."
Weaver’s comments leave little mystery about her own appetite: she sought the moment with Grogu, Favreau obliged, and she has openly said she would return. With The Mandalorian and Grogu scheduled to open May 22, 2026, Weaver’s brief but deliberate participation both underscores the film’s strategy of folding veteran franchise names into Star Wars’ theatrical push and signals that, at least from the actor’s side, more Mandalorian adventures would be welcome.
