The next Star Wars movie, The Mandalorian and Grogu, has a strong foundation in the events of the original trilogy, which poses the question of where our beloved heroes are at this point in the Star Wars timeline. The Mandalorian TV show begins five years after Return of the Jedi, and this movie fits roughly within that same time period.

This means that The Mandalorian and Grogu takes place about four years after the Empire officially fell, and the Rebel Alliance won the Galactic Civil War. Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, and Han Solo are no longer just Rebel leaders and heroes; now, they have new responsibilities they could never have foreseen. But what exactly are they up to?

Luke Skywalker Is Building His Jedi Order

While the New Republic is getting itself in order, Luke Skywalker has his own important task: establishing a brand-new Jedi Order. Luke is constructing his Jedi temple on the planet Ossus, as glimpsed in The Book of Boba Fett.

From seeking out more students to collecting Jedi artifacts, Luke is gathering what he can to learn more about the Jedi Order that came before and begin building a new one from the ground up. His first student was technically his sister, but Leia quickly put an end to her Jedi training after she had a vision about her son.

Luke then acquired Grogu as a student, but this was also a temporary arrangement, as Grogu’s heart wasn’t with his Jedi training – and he instead chose to return to his adoptive father, Din Djarin, to become a Mandalorian apprentice. Luke is thus recruiting students at this time, making good on his title of Jedi Master.

Because Luke has already crossed over into The Mandalorian‘s storyline, it’s quite possible that he could make an appearance in The Mandalorian and Grogu, though it seems unlikely. Star Wars is hesitant to recast an actor as Luke, and his CGI appearances have been met with a less than favorable reception, despite the improvement for The Book of Boba Fett.

There’s also the matter of Star Wars not wanting to rely too much upon its legacy characters. This is a common complaint amongst the modern Star Wars fandom, and although Luke’s return in The Mandalorian season 2 finale was met with plenty of excitement, this movie will undoubtedly be a conscious move away from large-scale cameos.

Leia Is A Key Figure In The New Republic

Meanwhile, Leia is one of the New Republic‘s key figures, assisting the fledgling government in rebuilding after the fall of the Empire. She’s also a mother to Ben Solo, who was born the same year that the Empire fell. She manages all these roles with the grace and determination that makes her the iconic strong character that she is.

Of course, this is a difficult time for the new government, especially when the Empire’s influence is still spread throughout the galaxy. As the leader of the Senate Defense Council, Leia isn’t afraid to do what she can to help close allies, like General Hera Syndulla, lead otherwise unsanctioned missions to investigate potential Imperial threats.

As such a key part of the New Republic at this time, Leia would be a natural addition to the events of The Mandalorian and Grogu, whether it be through a mere mention – as seen in Ahsoka season 1 – or an actual physical appearance. Again, though, the latter seems unlikely, given an overall hesitance to recast.

The New Republic, however, is integral to The Mandalorian and Grogu. Sigourney Weaver’s character, Colonel Ward, has undoubtedly crossed paths with Leia before as a former Rebellion pilot, and her mission to uncover hidden Imperials in the Outer Rim would undoubtedly be of interest to Leia herself, especially as the leader of the Defense Council.

Din Djarin and Grogu are bounty hunting on behalf of Colonel Ward and her sect of Republic rangers through the Adelphi Outpost, which would, in theory, tie them directly into Leia’s interests. She may not appear in The Mandalorian and Grogu itself, but a mention at minimum seems almost inevitable, or at least very possible.

Han’s Role Is A Lot More Mysterious Right Now

Han Solo is a more mysterious figure out of the original trilogy trio. His story in canon is essentially unwritten between the year after the war’s end and the years just before the events of the Star Wars sequel trilogy, which means that he still has quite a blank canvas in front of him.

Of course, Star Wars will likely fill in those gaps for him one day, and who’s to say The Mandalorian and Grogu won’t be an opportunity for them to start doing so? As the beloved scoundrel he is, Han would fit perfectly into a story where the New Republic is using some morally gray area to eliminate lurking Imperial threats.

Han notably has the interest of several bounty hunters, which doesn’t make it impossible to imagine that Din Djarin would already at least know his name. While it would certainly be surprising to see Han in this movie, it’s not necessarily impossible to imagine, especially since Alden Ehrenreich already stepped into the role for 2018’s Solo: A Star Wars Story.

Still, as noted above, Star Wars seems hesitant to bring these legacy characters back into the fold, as they’re trying to move beyond the Skywalker saga for the most part. While it’s not expected that any of our original trilogy heroes will appear in The Mandalorian and Grogu, it’s still good to know what they’re up to.

The Mandalorian and Grogu hits theaters May 22, 2026.