One of the most anticipated 2026 movie releases will feature one of the smallest cinematic heroes hitting the big screen, as the upcoming Star Wars feature The Mandalorian and Grogu set to blast into theaters on May 22. That’s just over two months away, which is great, but fans are still somehow still in the dark regarding who the movie’s major villain will be. Unless the answer has been staring us in the face all along, that is.
WIth the final big post-Super Bowl trailer dropping in February, Mandalorian and Grogu may technically be finished revealing new footage ahead of the actual release — save for shortform TV spots and any BTS segments shared via Disney+ subscription or social media. But beyond some seemingly lower-tier antagonists, such as Jeremy Allen White’s Ratta the Hutt, the bigger threats facing Pedro Pascal’s hero are still seemingly unknown. But the theory posed by ScreenRant suggests that the big bad could be the movie’s biggest co-star: Sigourney Weaver.
Could Sigourney Weaver's Colonel Ward Be A Secret Star Wars Villain?
Truth be told, when Weaver was first announced as the newest cast member to join the Star Wars universe for Jon Favreau's first franchise feature, I immediately joked about her being the movie's baddie, but more in line with the pop culture rule of "the most famous guest star in the procedural is always the murderer." Bringing in this level of legend can't just be for a bit role, and I don't see her standing alongside Mando in hero mode throughout the runtime.
Sure, the creative team could have looped Sigourney Weaver into the mix for a role that's solely authoritative, for Din to either obey with loyalty or go against rebelliously. It's not so far out there a notion, since there aren't any other new live-action human characters that have been cast. We will indeed see some returning characters such as co-screenwriter Dave Filoni's Trapper Wolf and Jonny Coyne's faction leader, and there will no doubt be some surprise reveals in store. But Weaver being the marquee new addition could really go either way.
It would be a fantastic shift for Weaver, who has spent the majority of her career playing protagonists, with the Alien franchise's Ellen Ripley being the one she'll forever be synonymous with. Not to downplay other fan-favorite roles such as Ghostbusters' Dana — there is only Zuul? — and Avatar's Dr. Grace and Kiri. At this point, the expectation is always for her to play heroes, or at least helpful side characters.
That said, she did play a crafty and well-spoken villain in Bryan Fuller’s A+ Dust Bunny last year, so perhaps Weaver is currently transitioning into her Villain Era. Which would probably help to make the character's fictional history mean more within the context of the upcoming movie. Weaver has spoken about Ward having a lengthy history with Leia Organa. On the one hand, that will allow the new movie to reference the O.G. heroine without leaping through hoops. But because that connection sets up the expection for the Colonel to be on Mando's side, it's kind of a perfect set-up to eventually upend with a devious twist.
If anyone needed any visual proof of Sigourney Weaver's possible descent into villainy, just look at the disrespect she shows Kate Hudson over the latter's physical interactions with Grogu.
I can't wait to see whether or not Weaver's character calls Pedro's Din a "b---h" at any point during The Mandalorian and Grogu. I will do a cartwheel down the theater aisle if it happens. But if it ends up being General Thrawn? Yeah, that'd be worth a cartwheel or two as well, even if he likely won't be popping up until Ahsoka Season 2.
Find out which baddies Mando and Grogu will be facing off against when the next Star Wars feature hits theaters on May 22, 2026.
