You can still expect to see The Mandalorian season 2 on Disney Plus this October, because Disney’s CEO Bob Chapek has apparently told CNBC that the series will not be delayed by the pandemic. That’s according to a tweet from CNN’s Frank Pallotta, who was tweeting out key points from the interview with Chapek.
Here’s a link to the interview on CNBC, but here’s what Chapek said on the matter. “Take for example Mandalorian. Mandalorian was shot before Covid really hit. And so we’ve been in post-production, and there will be no delay with Mandalorian.”
An October release date for The Mandalorian’s follow-up year was confirmed during a Disney earnings call in February, but a lot has happened since then.
Ever since the global health crisis hit the world of TV and film, it’s been unclear what impact this would have on upcoming shows that finished filming but required extensive effects and audio work after the fact. Star Trek: Discovery season 3 is being slowed down by the challenges of remote working, for example.
Look forward to the return of Baby Yoda on Disney Plus later this year, then.
The challenges of remote effects work
The Mandalorian is facing logistical challenges on finishing its many effects shots. In an interview with Variety, animation supervisor Hal Hickel said a typical season of the show features just less than 4000 effects shots, more than you’d see in a summer blockbuster. Right now, that’s being worked on remotely.
“We’re in the middle of that tsunami now, but we’re going to get it all done, people are going to get their Baby Yoda, I promise.”
Other shows that have finished filming, but are still in post-production, include The Umbrella Academy season 2 on Netflix. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, another Disney Plus original, didn’t finish filming before the crisis kicked off.