Star Wars Actor Explains Reason a Major Character Missed The Mandalorian Season 3

This Star Wars article contains spoilers for The Mandalorian.

Even though Boba Fett was presumed dead after falling into the Sarlacc pit in Return of the Jedi, The Mandalorian found a way to bring him back with Jango Fett actor Temuera Morrison now playing the role. What started out as a guest appearance in season 2 ultimately led to Boba Fett getting his own spinoff show, The Book of Boba Fett, which showed both how he escaped the Sarlacc and his rise to power on Tatooine.

Boba has become an important character in this era of the Star Wars timeline, unofficially dubbed the “Mandoverse,” and one of Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu’s most valuable allies. So why didn’t Morrison return for The Mandalorian season 3?

During a Q&A at the SUPANOVA Comic Con and Gaming convention in Melbourne, Australia (via The Direct), Morrison speculated that his absence could have something to do with Disney budget cuts, saying, “I think there is a few changes going on. We also come under the big umbrella known as’Disney now too. So it’s one of the last few conversations we had in L.A. The conversation started like, ‘Oh look, we’re having a few changes. We’re having a few cutbacks.’ And when you hear that at the other end of the line, it’s no good trying to negotiate any more money, that’s for sure. So we’ll see what happens.”

But despite these alleged budget cuts, Morrison was still under the impression that he was supposed to return as Boba Fett for this season of The Mandalorian. He told the same audience (via ComicBook) that “I was supposed to be in The Mandalorian season 3 but nobody rang me. I was waiting for the phone call in New Zealand, waiting and wanting to give up.”

Considering how much of The Mandalorian season 3 was focused on Bo-Katan’s (Katee Sackhoff) journey to reclaim Mandalore, and how little time Djarin and Grogu had to spend on Tatooine this season, it does make sense that Boba wasn’t a part of this season. However, given that he was sidelined in his own show to make room for the big emotional payoff of Djarin and Grogu’s reunion, it’s also fair that Morrison would expect to make an appearance of some kind in The Mandalorian again.

Morrison also addresses the Din Djarin and Grogu arc in The Book of Boba Fett, somewhat jokingly, saying, “Well that Mando guy stole a few chapters of my book. It was painful watching him turn up with some black new lethal sword. And the way he turned up in my Book of Boba, he just destroyed everybody. I’m sure this guy is… ah… ruining my show. But I couldn’t say anything. I’m not the writer, so I have to bear it I guess.”

Even though Boba may not have gotten the full arc that Morrison thought his character deserved in The Book of Boba Fett, it remains to be seen if the character figures into future Mandoverse plans, including the upcoming film that will be directed by Dave Filoni. It would be great to see the world’s greatest bounty hunter back on the big screen!

The Mandalorian season 3 is streaming now on Disney+.