‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’ Movie Won’t Have This Villain

This post contains SPOILERS for The Mandalorian Season 3.

Surprisingly, one of the most scheming villains from the last season of *The Mandalorian* won’t be appearing in the upcoming *Star Wars* movie based on the show, *The Mandalorian and Grogu*. The actress who played the villain confirmed this herself.

Katy O’Brian, the actress who plays Elia Kane in the popular Disney+ series, recently told MovieWeb that her character won’t be appearing in the upcoming film. It seems Elia Kane won’t have a role this time around.

“I’m not in the movie,” she confirmed.

Though fans are excited for the new *The Mandalorian and Grogu* movie, many will be disappointed to learn Elia Kane won’t be appearing in it. She started as a minor character in Season 2, but her role grew significantly in Season 3, where it was revealed she was secretly working against the New Republic as a mole for what remained of the Empire, pretending to be a changed Imperial officer.

While secretly working for Moff Gideon, Elia committed several dishonest acts. Disguised as an Amnesty Officer, she tricked Doctor Pershing into continuing his cloning experiments. Eventually, she intentionally caused his capture and had his memory erased, preventing him from sharing his research with the New Republic.

The series *The Mandalorian and Grogu* continues the adventures of Din Djarin, known as the Mandalorian, and his young apprentice, Grogu. Together, they work to protect the New Republic from the increasing danger posed by powerful Imperial leaders throughout the galaxy.

This movie takes place after the stories of *Return of the Jedi* and the third season of *The Mandalorian*. It’s set after the Galactic Empire has fallen, but before the First Order appears and the events of *Star Wars: The Force Awakens* begin.

The new movie, *The Mandalorian and Grogu*, featuring Pedro Pascal, Sigourney Weaver, and Jeremy Allen White, will be released in theaters on May 22, 2026.

Every Star Wars Movie, Ranked From Worst to Best

12. Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008)

The movie *The Clone Wars* feels more like a test run for a TV show than a complete film, and honestly, the animation is pretty rough – some of the worst I’ve seen in a movie theater. (It’s even made me fall asleep a few times!) It’s particularly frustrating that Netflix has this movie but none of the eight *Star Wars* saga films – it feels like a deliberate tease.

11. Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002)

Let’s get to the real question: is *Attack of the Clones* or *The Phantom Menace* the worse *Star Wars* film? I think *Clones* is the weaker of the two. Hayden Christensen isn’t as good as Jake Lloyd, especially in those awkward scenes with Natalie Portman, the plot is confusing, and the Jedi seem incredibly clueless about who’s really in charge. Plus, I really dislike sand, and this movie features a lot of it, which just makes it worse.

10. Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999)

While *The Phantom Menace* had a potentially compelling story about a powerful, corrupt politician exploiting chaos to gain control and undermine democracy, it was overshadowed by less engaging elements. Things like tedious trade negotiations, Jar Jar Binks’ slapstick humor, and the confusing concept of midi-chlorians detracted from the core idea. Thankfully, the podrace sequence and the final duel with Darth Maul were exciting and well-executed.

9. Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)

Despite a strong finish, this movie feels a lot like a retread of the *Han Solo* origin story, and sometimes even more bogged down in unnecessary details than the widely disliked *Star Wars* prequels. It’s filled with excessive backstory, puzzling cameos, and caters heavily to fans.

8. Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005)

Okay, let’s be real – *Revenge of the Sith* is the best of the prequels, but that doesn’t exactly mean it’s a masterpiece. It’s more like it’s the *least* bad of a bunch. The way Anakin becomes Vader, and then basically a robotic monster, feels a little clumsy, not the grand tragedy Lucas was aiming for. But, honestly, those final shots of Vader and the Emperor looking over the Death Star? They still give me chills. And in a world of relentlessly cheerful blockbusters, I almost appreciate that this one doesn’t pull any punches and just…kills off or corrupts almost everyone. It’s dark, and I respect it for that.

7. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019)

While an improvement over the earlier Star Wars prequels, The Rise of Skywalker still left many fans feeling disappointed. J.J. Abrams, who successfully relaunched the series with The Force Awakens, delivered a final film that relied too much on action and appealing to fans without offering much new. Compared to the more daring ideas presented in The Last Jedi, The Rise of Skywalker felt predictable and lacked originality.

6. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)

I appreciate Lucasfilm’s attempt to create a more mature and intense *Star Wars* film, and *Rogue One* definitely has some powerful and visually impressive scenes. (The opening shot, for example, initially seems like a standard Imperial ship flying over, but cleverly reveals itself to be the rings of an alien planet viewed from an unusual perspective.) However, director Gareth Edwards excels at depicting large-scale threats and action more than he does relatable characters, and this ultimately means *Rogue One* doesn’t have the charming and memorable heroes that fans expect from a *Star Wars* movie.

5. Return of the Jedi (1983)

Okay, the Ewoks might be a little too cute, but they seem incredibly sophisticated when you compare them to some of the annoying aliens in the prequel movies. *Return of the Jedi* doesn’t have a very complex story—Luke and his friends rescue Han from Jabba the Hutt and destroy another Death Star—but it really pays off the character arcs established in the first two films, especially the relationships between Luke, Darth Vader, and the Emperor.

4. Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)

Following three disappointing prequels, *The Force Awakens* surprisingly revitalized the *Star Wars* franchise. Some feel the film was too similar to *A New Hope*. However, successfully recreating elements of such a beloved classic – and introducing a new cast of characters to replace iconic ones – was a remarkable achievement.

3. Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017)

Following up on *The Force Awakens*, this *Star Wars* sequel took a surprisingly dark turn. It threw both new and familiar heroes into their most challenging situation yet, and shockingly depicted Luke Skywalker as a disillusioned and broken man. Despite being the darkest of the sequels, it also had moments of levity, like Poe Dameron playfully taunting the Empire and Luke’s unusual habit of drinking milk directly from an alien creature.

2. The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

The other big question is whether *A New Hope* or *The Empire Strikes Back* is the better film. It really depends on what you like – groundbreaking originality or polished perfection. My ranking probably gives away my preference, but honestly, you can’t go wrong with either one.

1. Star Wars (1977)

Still the original and, in my opinion, still the best. Even after 40 years, the dynamic between the characters, the thrilling adventure, and the spectacular final battle with the Death Star remain unmatched – and many have tried to recreate it, often by simply copying it. It’s not a perfect measure of quality, but if I had all these films in front of me right now, I’d choose Star Wars without hesitation.

2025-10-16 23:57