“I didn’t really stop to consider [the pandemic], because, unfortunately, the news has for me been causing alarm in so many different ways that it was almost just another version of that,” Pascal told Variety during his interview for the Oct. 14 cover story about the actor. “I can’t say that I totally didn’t see it coming, because unconsciously I sort of snapped to it in a way that must have been somewhat prepared. What I wasn’t prepared for is” — his eyes went wide — “six months.”
Soon enough, Pascal will slip on his character’s signature helmet once more. Executive producer and showrunner Jon Favreau told Variety that “The Mandalorian” is “on schedule” to start production on Season 3 of the series “before the end of the year” — after Pascal wraps shooting in Europe on the feature film “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” with Nicolas Cage.
“We’re operating under the assumption that we’ll be able to go forward,” Favreau said. He noted that the innovative production technique pioneered for “The Mandalorian” — with wall-sized video panels for location backdrops — puts the show in a unique position within the industry.
“We’re in very small situations and oftentimes we have a lot of characters in masks,” he said. “And we also have a lot of digital work that augments things. So we’re a show that’s probably well-equipped to be flexible based on the protocols that are emerging surrounding work restarting.”
Those methodologies have allowed “The Mandalorian” to employ the same vast sense of scope as the “Star Wars” feature films while operating within the leaner budget and footprint of a TV production. The results have been nothing short of sensational..