It has been four years since actressGina Caranowas fired fromThe Mandalorian, and a year since she filed a lawsuit against Lucasfilm andDisney. Now, she is back in the news after settling her case with Disney. The actress was let go from her role as Cara Dune in theStar Warsfranchise after posting a series of offensive tweets, including spreading false information about the COVID-19 pandemic, claiming the 2020 election was interfered with, and mocking the use of pronouns.Carano seemingly tweeted herself out of a job as Disney and Lucasfilm had begun developing a spin-off series,Rangers of the New Republic, for her character.
Carano filed a lawsuit against Disney for wrongful termination, with legal funding by Elon Musk. Disney decided not to go to trial and instead settled with Carano. The exact details of the settlement are unclear, though one comment from Disney in its press release raised some concerns. “With this lawsuit concluded, we look forward to identifying opportunities to work together with Ms. Carano in the near future.”
To some, this seemed like an indication that Carano would return toThe Mandalorianand theStar Warsfranchise. This would be troublesome news to many, particularly as Carano’s conservative views not only clash with many of herStar Warsco-stars but also the franchise itself. DoesStar Warshave a place for someone like Gina Carano?
Gina Carano’s Return Outlook Isn’t Great
Despite settling the lawsuit,it seems highly unlikely that Carano will be returning toStar Wars. Even the phrasing, “With this lawsuit concluded, we look forward to identifying opportunities to work together with Ms. Carano in the near future,” appears to be a professional and polite way of saying the lawsuit is over, and the company wants to move on, including moving on from dealing with Carano.
Unless the lawsuit settlement includes a specific clause guaranteeing Carano’s return to the role of Cara Dune, it seems entirely unlikely she would be asked to come back. Disney and Lucasfilm are still trying to figure outwhat to do withStar Warsitself, and Gina Carano’s place in it is likely the furthest thing from their minds. Disney is still debating the possibility of bringing Johnny Depp back as Jack Sparrow, despite the controversy that would follow, and he was once an A-list movie star who made Disney millions of dollars. It is doubtful that Gina Carano registers as a priority for them at all.
Cara Dune was last seen inThe Mandalorian"Chapter 16 - The Rescue" from December 2020, two months before Carano got fired. Her character, Cara Dune, was briefly mentioned inThe MandalorianSeason 3 premiere as being recruited by The New Republic and no longer serving as marshal of Nevarro.The Mandalorian & Groguhas already finished filming, so don’t expect to see Carano in that, particularly as the role of the Mandalorian’s partner will now be filled by Zeb fromStar Wars: Rebels.AhsokaSeason 2 is currently filming, but it seems unlikely that Carano will return in that season, though anything is possible.
The biggest factor in her return will be whether the talent involved with theStar Warsfranchise wants her.Kathleen Kennedy still runs Lucasfilm, and she may not be keen to work with Carano, particularly as the actress shared multiple tweets aboutSouth Park’s Into the Panderversespecial that aimed at Kennedy. Carano herself might not be eager to work with Kennedy either. Both Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni seemed to enjoy working with Gina Carano onThe Mandalorian, but that was four years ago. A lot can change in that time, including someone’s opinion on another person. Carano’s association with The Daily Wire and Breitbart News has likely harmed her reputation with many of the people involved in creatingStar Warstitles.
It’s Hard To Accept Gina Carano in the Role of Cara Dune
Many conservatives now claim to love Cara Dune as a character, despite initially hating her when she first showed up inThe Mandalorian. At the time, her casting was deemed another case ofStar Wars"going woke" just because she was a strong woman. But for fans, Carano’s Cara Dune was a welcome addition to theStar Warsfranchise, and her character, being an ex-Rebel from the planet Alderaan with no home until she met up with the Mandalorian, was compelling. It was easy to see how her story could grow andevolve inThe Rangers of the New Republicand be a fixture in this corner of the franchise. She had good chemistry with Pedro Pascal (or at least his voice) and her dynamic with the late-great Carl Weathers felt genuine.
That is part of what made her initial post so heartbreaking, because of how many people were rooting for her. While she had the right to express her personal beliefs, they conflicted with those of her character and the widerStar Warsfranchise. You can’t put the genie back in the bottle. It becomes difficult to invest in a character who is supposed to fight for the heroes when the real-life actor’s tweets align more with the thought process of the Empire. It’s the same dissonance that happens whenDean Cain starts working for an organization like ICE, despite playing Superman, a character known as the champion of the oppressed. That becomes hard to shake, and the idea of imagining Cara Dune inThe Mandalorian & Grogusequel or anotherStar Warsproject doesn’t sound as appealing as it might have back in 2020.
The idea that the lawsuit being settled between Gina Carano and Disney immediately signals that she will be reinstated toStar Warsis far too early to call. Unless Carano apologizes for past behavior and some of her hurtful comments, it is unlikely that some Star Wars fans would welcome her back, and Disney and Lucasfilm would risk alienating those fans. They certainly wouldn’t gain any fans by bringing Carano’s Cara Dune back, as they are likely stillmad atStar Warsfor something ridiculous.
Perhaps this lawsuit marks the beginning of moving on. Carano can claim she won a battle and move on to a career where she works with like-minded individuals, and Lucasfilm can move forward withStar Warswithout her. Sometimes it is a healthy decision for everyone to move on instead of putting oneself in a toxic situation where one or both parties will be unhappy. Gina Carano being inStar Warswould make nobody happy.
