‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’ Unveils a 1920s Mobster Planet Inspired by Scorsese-Style Crime Cinema

Lucasfilm is adding a new location to the Star Wars galaxy in the upcoming film The Mandalorian and Grogu. The planet, called Shakari, will play a major role in the story and brings a very different tone compared to many familiar Star Wars worlds.

The information comes from a press preview event attended by Polygon, where members of the film’s creative team shared early details about the project. One of the main voices at the event was production designer Andrew L. Jones, who explained that the planet’s design takes inspiration from 1920s-era crime cities, especially Prohibition-era Chicago.

Shakari is described as a dark and rainy urban planet. It is always covered in bad weather, and sunlight never really reaches the streets. The idea was to create a harsh city environment shaped by crime and constant tension.

The film also introduces new technology built specifically for this setting. The design team created a fresh type of blaster weapon that takes visual cues from old gangster-era firearms, especially the Tommy gun. The goal was to connect the Star Wars style with a grounded historical influence while still keeping it futuristic.

There are also some early details about who exists on the planet. A character linked to filmmaker Martin Scorsese is said to live there. This character is not named yet, but he is confirmed to be an Ardennian, the same alien species as Rio Durant from Solo: A Star Wars Story. This detail was shared by Jon Favreau during an interview with Fandango. Favreau is directing The Mandalorian and Grogu and also voiced Rio in the past.

Right now, the full story on Shakari is still unclear. The filmmakers have not revealed what will happen there in detail. However, the amount of work being put into the planet suggests it will not be a small or background location. It may even be the setting for a major action sequence in the film.

One idea being discussed is that Shakari could be the place where a large chase scene happens, something inspired by classic crime films. But this has not been confirmed.

Overall, Shakari looks like a very different kind of Star Wars planet. It mixes crime movie style with sci-fi elements and expands the universe in a new direction.

This is an interesting shift for Star Wars because it pulls inspiration from real-world film history and blends it into the galaxy. It could make the setting feel more grounded and fresh at the same time. What do you think about this new direction for Star Wars and the idea of a gangster-style planet? Share your thoughts in the comments.