We know very little about the plot for the upcoming live-action Star Wars television show, The Mandalorian. But when you think “Mandalorians” you think great warriors. You think bounty hunters. And a character that’s both of those things may be coming to the show.
Series writer and executive producer Jon Favreau took to his Instagram on Christmas to tease fans with this very recognisable image.
That’s an IG series droid, the most famous of which in Star Wars canon is IG-88.
IG-88 is an assassin droid turned bounty hunter famously hired by Darth Vader to track down the Millennium Falcon in during the time period of The Mandalorian.
That said, though Favreau posting this certainly suggests IG-88 is on the show, it can’t be said for certain—at least not yet. Who is to say this IG droid is even an assassin? Or the specifically the assassin/bounty hunter IG-88 from Star Wars lore? It could just as easily be some other droid, just like R2-D2 isn’t the only astromech droid. That said, it’s probably IG-88. In fact, a rumour from the reliable Making Star Wars last week specifically said the droid was going to be on the show. Then Favreau posts this. That would be some coincidence.
The Mandalorian is currently in production, with an impressive set of directors and cast members. It’ll be exclusive to Disney’s upcoming streaming service, Disney+, which will launch in late 2019.