Years after her firing, Gina Carano has shared a positive update on her Star Wars future.Having started her career as a martial artist, Gina Carano rose to mainstream prominence in Star Wars as Cara Dune, a former Rebel shock trooper turned marshal on Nevarro in The Mandalorian. The fan-favorite character played a key role alongside Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal), appearing across Seasons 1 and 2 of the Disney+ series.Credit: LucasfilmWhile she may have generated a passionate fanbase, Carano’s stint in a galaxy far, far away was mired with controversy – but it seems like the actress is now on the cusp of a return, having even spoken to Lucasfilm’s new co-president, Dave Filoni, about the idea.Gina Carano’s History of Controversy at LucasfilmBacklash started building in 2020 when Gina Carano added “beep/bop/boop” to her social media bio, a move widely interpreted as mocking preferred pronouns. After backlash, she apologized and said co-star Pedro Pascal – whose younger sister, Lux Pascal, is transgender – helped her better understand the issue.Credit: LucasfilmThat same year, Carano drew further criticism for posts downplaying mask use during the COVID-19 pandemic and amplifying claims of voter fraud in the 2020 U.S. election. Those views echoed rhetoric pushed by Donald Trump following his loss to Joe Biden.The situation escalated in 2021 after Carano compared political division in the U.S. to the persecution of Jews during the Holocaust. The post prompted swift backlash, with Lucasfilm announcing her exit in a statement shared with NPR, calling her posts “abhorrent and unacceptable.”Carano has since publicly criticized Lucasfilm leadership, including then-president Kathleen Kennedy, and successfully pursued legal action against The Walt Disney Company over alleged “wrongful termination.” The actress has continued to position herself as outspoken on political issues in the subsequent years.Credit: LucasfilmActress Confirms Return TalksWith Kennedy now out of the picture, some theorized that Carano could make her Star Wars return.Carano has now confirmed that it’s a possibility, revealing in an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show that she has spoken to both Filoni and The Mandalorian showrunner Jon Favreau about reprising the role of Cara Dune.“We got onto a Zoom call,” Carano said. “It was really nice. Dave is taking over as CEO of ‘Star Wars.’ We didn’t miss a beat. Jon Favreau got on Zoom and was really funny. He was like, ‘So, where did we leave off?'”The next chapter of the so-called MandoVerse heads to the big screen in May with The Mandalorian & Grogu, though Gina Carano is not expected to return.Recent reports have suggested Lucasfilm may be cooling on the post-Return of the Jedi era. Not only was Season 4 of The Mandalorian axed – despite Favreau claiming that its scripts were complete – but Dave Filoni’s planned crossover movie may also be repurposed as a Disney+ series.A strong box office performance could quickly shift those plans. However, the early signs aren’t looking particularly positive.Based on pre-release ticket sales, The Mandalorian & Grogu is currently tracking for an opening weekend of just $71 million. For context, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019) opened with $176 million domestically and $374 million globally. Even Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018), the franchise’s first box office bomb, made an estimated $83.3 million in its three-day opening weekend.Fans React to Potential Cara Dune ReturnStar Wars fans are divided on Carano’s potential return.Some loyal fans claim The Mandalorian‘s slightly-less-positively-received Season 3 struggled after Carano’s exit. “The Mandalorian fell off a cliff as soon as Disney canned her,” one X, formerly Twitter, user wrote. “Not like it was necessarily because of her absence but [it]s definitely karma.”Another wrote, “Gina doesn’t need Star Wars. Star Wars needs Gina. It’s been hot garbage for years. Rangers of the Republic incoming.”Credit: LucasfilmOthers insist that Cara Dune’s story doesn’t need to continue.“[Lucasfilm] bend[s] over backwards to please the most toxic faction of the fandom that hasn’t watched anything Star Wars since the acquisition and review bombs it all anyway,” one X user wrote. “The people that pretend to care about her character? Qimir was an actually interesting character. Bring HIM back.”And for some, Carano’s endorsement of conspiracy theories remains enough to keep her out of Star Wars.“Why would you ever let this talentless moron near anything ever again?” one user wrote. “Let her back in just so she can start claiming gravity is a government hoax or some nonsense?”Credit: LucasfilmOne wrote, “Trash decision. Was annoying she turned out to be a freak once upon a time, but as her time at Daily Wire has clearly shown… she isn’t very good. And is still a freak.”Even without Star Wars, Carano has a lot on her plate right now.On May 16, the star is set to break a 17-year MMA hiatus with a fight against Ronda Rousey at California’s Intuit Dome.Would you like to see Gina Carano return as Cara Dune?The post Gina Carano’s ‘Star Wars’ Return Imminent Amid ‘Mandalorian’ Cancellation Talks appeared first on Inside the Magic.