Giancarlo Esposito proves he’s one of the best villainous actors in Hollywood after effectively playing the role of Moff Gideon in Star Wars: The Mandalorian. Sure, he died in the series’ third season finale after being consumed by fire in a battle against Bo-Katan, Din Djarin, and Grogu, but many assume that he’s still alive. Though there’s no way to confirm if he has survived that tragic event as The Mandalorian Season 4 hasn't been officially announced yet, the announcement of the feature film The Mandalorian & Grogu has renewed fans’ hope to see Gideon once again. That said, Esposito himself teases his possible appearance in the upcoming Star Wars movie.
In an interview with Deadline on the red-carpet premiere of his new movie MaXXXine, Esposito was asked about Gideon’s possible return in The Mandalorian & Grogu. Though he didn’t give anything away, his answer was enough to excite fans about the possibility of seeing him as the commander of an Imperial Remnants group again.
“Anything is possible,” he said. “You know, I don't know anything about that at the present, but I put out there that if they need me, I'll be there.”
The Breaking Bad star then expressed his admiration for The Mandalorian creator Jon Favreau, executive producer Dave Filoni, and Disney for their works for the Star Wars series. Though no one knows yet if there’s a chance for him to reprise his role in Din Djarin and Grogu’s movie, he doesn’t shut down the idea of it.
“Who knows? There may be a moment where I can swoop down and take over once again,” he continued.
How can Giancarlo Esposito return in The Mandalorian & Grogu?
It has been a Golden Rule in movies and series that if no one sees a character’s dead body, they aren’t really dead yet. There’s always a chance for them to return in one way or another, especially Gideon, who wears a prototype dark trooper armor made of the nearly indestructible metal phrik when the explosion happened. In a March interview with GQ Magazine, he teased his possible return in The Mandalorian & Grogu.
“Come on. I came back to the third season. I didn't have a mustache,” he teased. “Then you see all these clones. Put it together.”
With the mention of clones, it looks like the Gideon fans see dying in that ball of fire is not the real him. Gideon is known for dabbling in cloning, and he may have used one of his replicas to fight the Mandalorians. Also, though Mando destroyed Gideon’s clones after finding his numerous bacta tanks, it might not be the only stash the villain had. Gideon is known for his intelligence, and as an evil Imperial, he won’t let anyone outsmart him. He may be working secretly without anyone knowing as he prepares to make his epic comeback in The Mandalorian & Grogu.
With his character's importance and a great actor like Esposito, it’s hard to imagine that he won’t be part of The Mandalorian & Grogu or that Gideon is already dead. Lucasfilm is probably brewing something to feature the villain’s triumphant return.
The Mandalorian & Grogu is set to release in theaters on May 22, 2026.
