A new report by reputable leakers indicates that Star Wars fans may have already seen the adversaries for Jude Law's upcoming Star Wars release Skeleton Crew.
Despite fans not hearing much about it, Skeleton Crew is still eyeing a 2023 release date, and it seems that Lucasfilm is finally starting to tease this secretive Star Wars Disney+ show.
It is said that the project will have a "Clone Wars" style feel, but it won't be without controversy, having reportedly suffered major production issues only last fall. Crew members criticized a "rough" production period, with one anonymous member claiming it was worse "than all the other Star Wars productions combined."
Still, with Jude Law in the lead and inspired by classic '80s coming-of-age films, fans look forward to what this upcoming release may bring.
Star Wars Skeleton Crew Villain Revealed
Up until this point, Skeleton Crew has been wrapped in a mystery, with very little information shared about the upcoming Disney+ project.
However, a new report suggests audiences may have already seen some of what is to come for Spider-Man director Jon Watts' Star Wars debut.
According to popular Star Wars leakers Bespin Bulletin, the pirates seen in the first chapter of The Mandalorian Season 3 may be the villains in the upcoming show.
More specifically, the premiere won't be the only time Star Wars fans encounter Pirate King Gorian Shard, the pirate covered in green foliage, who may be a leading antagonist for Watts' Skeleton Crew.
The leakers emphasize that details are sparse, but some sources have said that they believe the pirates said to appear in Skeleton Crew may be the same that viewers met in Chapter 17: The Apostate.
These rumors also corroborate with another leak site, MakingStarWars.net, which also heard that a Nikto pirate would be featured in Skeleton Crew, among other classic Star Wars species such as Weequay, Mol Calamarian, Rodians, and more.
This Nikto pirate could indeed be the same who, in a confrontation with Greef Karga and Din Djarin, was adamant that he and his crew must be allowed a drink inside a school on Nevarro, previously the bar used by Karga to dole out payments and missions for prospective bounty hunters when he was still the leader of the Bounty Hunters' Guild.
Has Star Wars Just Teased Skeleton Crew?
An interconnected galaxy is something that Star Wars is increasingly gravitating toward.
Several Star Wars shows have linked themselves to other franchise areas, with some, like Obi-Wan Kenobi, looking to expand on what happened before A New Hope and others, like The Book of Boba Fett, expanding the story of Disney+'s flagship show The Mandalorian - including a side story where Grogu was reunited with his father, Din Djarin. However, many have understandably criticized the move.
Still, it would be no surprise if The Mandalorian has teased Skeleton Crew, especially as the series continues to be the most popular show on Disney's streaming service.
It could be a clever move, leveraging the sheer popularity of the series to acquaint its audience with the antagonists for a separate project. This will surely benefit a show with no big-name character advantage to guarantee viewership otherwise.
Of course, there's a vast difference between a few scenes with Gorian Shand and a highly anticipated project like Obi-Wan Kenobi, featuring a character that generations of movie-goers have repeatedly fallen in love with.
Whether or not these interlinked stories are beneficial is another question. Many have criticized Marvel and Star Wars for producing so much content, all becoming essential viewing and alienating casual audiences who don't have the time to keep up with a film or show every other month.
Still, it would come as no surprise if the pirates in The Mandalorian play a massive role in Skeleton Crew, but only time will tell.
The first two chapters of The Mandalorian Season 3 are streaming now, only on Disney+, with new episodes releasing every Wednesday.
