Sigourney Weaver says she never really thought about joining the Star Wars franchise, but when she was offered a role in the upcoming movie The Mandalorian & Grogu, there was one teeny tiny thing that made her sign on: Baby Yoda.
"I get to have scenes with a little Grogu which is probably why I did the movie," Weaver tells 12DOVE. "And he's a little badass too. It's going to be wonderful for people to see what Grogu is up to now because he's grown up a little bit and is capable of much more than maybe we think just watching the series."
As Weaver did not appear in The Mandalorian series, we still don't know for sure who her character is, although it has been reported that Weaver is playing a New Republic Colonel Bishop in the film. When asked for more on her mysterious role, Weaver replies, "I play a wonderful character who is, you know, in a position of authority. And I have to send the Mandalorian out on a mission on the Outer Rim where all the bad stuff happens."
With so much experience working on big sci-fi franchises like Alien and Avatar, it is surprising that Weaver didn't join the galaxy far, far away sooner. "I admire [Star Wars], but I don't sit around wishing I was in another franchise, because I've been so lucky to be in some wonderful ones," Weaver adds. "But at the time, when I was offered it, I was delighted. I'm a great fan of John Favreau. I was already a great fan of The Mandalorian."
Directed and written by Jon Favreau, the movie welcomes back Pedro Pascal as bounty hunter Din Djarin who embarks on an exciting new adventure with his apprentice Grogu. The Mandalorian & Grogu hits theatres on May 2026.
But before Weaver makes her big Star Wars debut, the Ghostbusters actor stars in Scott Derrickson’s genre-bending horror slash romance movie The Gorge. The movie follows two highly-trained operatives (Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy) as they are appointed to guard opposite watchtowers overlooking a misty and mysterious gorge, "protecting the world from an undisclosed, mysterious evil that lurks within," reads the synopsis from Apple TV Plus.
The Gorge premieres globally on Apple TV Plus on Friday, February 14, 2025. For more, check out our list of the best sci-fi movies, or keep up with upcoming Star Wars movies and shows heading your way.
