The Mandalorian could go on to feature fan-favorite Star Wars Expanded Universe characters. Jon Favreau has his eyes set on making the show expansive and huge, which is clear right from the start of the first trailer for the series. But could characters like Thrawn and Mara Jade make it into the series? That's a question Favreau did not want to fully answer. He had this to say.

"I don't want to talk about anything that might be fun for people to discover. We do have conversations. Part of what's fun to see if we could merge the worlds of the original trilogy, the prequels, the sequels, The Clones Wars, and what's been considered canon up to this point and what's been considered part of Legends.

I think this show offers an opportunity to bring in all those elements so no matter what your flavor of Star Wars ice cream you like there will be something to enjoy. But you're asking the right questions."

While Jon Favreau didn't explicitly state that Thrawn and Mara Jade are coming to The Mandalorian, he did seem to hint that it could possibly happen at some point down the line. Favreau definitely has some tricks up his sleeve for the show, but we're going to wait and see how the first season pans out. Boba Fett is not one of those characters who will be making an appearance, since Favreau already confirmed that bit of information. Grand Admiral Thrawn was last seen in Star Wars Rebels and is very much still alive, according to showrunner Dave Filoni. It's entirely possible that Thrawn could have helped to build the First Order, considering all of his military experience.

As for Mara Jade, that would be huge for Star Wars fans. The Expanded Universe character has a massive history, from working for Emperor Palpatine to later marrying Luke Skywalker. After Disney and Lucasfilm struck the Expanded Universe from the record, there are a lot of possibilities for new storylines, though some Star Wars fans are still angry about the switch. Regardless, Jon Favreau may be able to bring back some fan-favorite characters for The Mandalorian.

Actress Ming-Na Wen has been cast in a secretive role in The Mandalorian and there has been a lot of speculation about who she could be playing. When asked about the actress and her role, Favreau wouldn't say much. Favreau would only say, "We take full advantage of her acting and her action ability." So, we still have no idea who she is playing and whether it's a new or old character.

Jon Favreau recently spoke about The Mandalorian season 2 and confirmed that work has already started, though Disney has yet to formally announce it. The first season shows a variety of different directors tackling each episode, like Bryce Dallas Howard, Taika Waititi, and Dave Filoni. Favreau didn't have any time to direct the first season due to a scheduling conflict, but he will be carving out some time for season 2. He explains.

"We're working on season 2, writing, prepping with the directors and getting ready to direct myself, actually. I didn't get a chance the last time around because I was doing Lion King. So I'll step in for one of them."

The Mandalorian is all set to premiere in November with the debut of the Disney+ streaming platform. The first trailer was finally released online during the D23 expo and it looks like Jon Favreau is really trying to make something special for Star Wars fans. While it's still unclear which characters will be introduced or reintroduced, it looks like the series will be a fan-favorite piece of the franchise moving forward. The interview with Jon Favreau was originally conducted by Entertainment Weekly.