The Star Wars galaxy is full of diverse, life-sustaining planets, from the icy world of Hoth to city planets like Coruscant to whatever the heck was happening on Exegol. Now, with a new Star Wars movie on the way, the galaxy is expanding with at least one more planet, which will feature prominently in The Mandalorian and Grogu.
At a press preview event attended by Polygon, Lucasfilm shared new details about The Mandalorian and Grogu and one of its key locations, the planet Shakari. Production designer Andrew L. Jones told us that Shakari was inspired by Prohibition-era Chicago. It’s a crime-ridden city planet where it’s always raining and the sun never shines.
To lean into that 1920s gangster vibe, the team behind The Mandalorian and Grogu designed a brand-new type of blaster inspired by the Tommy gun design favored at that time. The result is a cool new weapon that, like all the best things in Star Wars, blends the familiar with the fantastical to create something both new and recognizable.
Shakari is also notably where Martin Scorsese’s unnamed alien character resides and operates a food truck selling sandwiches. While we don’t know the character’s name, we do know that he’s an Ardennian, the same species as Rio Durant in Solo: A Star Wars Story. Jon Favreau, who voiced Rio and directed The Mandalorian and Grogu, revealed this detail in a recent interview with Fandango.
As for what exactly will happen on Shakari, we don’t know much. But considering the investment put into bringing this new Star Wars planet to life, we have to assume it will play a big role in the movie. Maybe this is where that chase scene Favreau based on The French Connection takes place?
The Mandalorian and Grogu releases in theaters on May 22.
