The Time The Mandalorian Set Was The Victim Of Grand Theft Camera
The following article contains spoilers for "The Mandalorian."
"The Mandalorian" has finished its third season on Disney+, and it's hard to remember a time when we didn't have little Grogu to love. His big eyes, pointy ears, and adorable little coat got us all through the pandemic. If you're having a bad day, just watch a video of him stealing candy and using his Force powers to spin his chair around or the clip of him attempting to hug the Anzellans ("bad baby, no squeezie"), and you're probably going to feel better immediately.
Back in October 2018, however, we only knew that a new series was on the way for a Disney streaming service from Jon Favreau. All we had was the logline, which is kind of fun to read now:
"After the stories of Jango and Boba Fett, another warrior emerges in the Star Wars universe. The Mandalorian is set after the fall of the Empire and before the emergence of the First Order. We follow the travails of a lone gunfighter in the outer reaches of the galaxy far from the authority of the New Republic"
No mention of a tiny green cuddle bug who will grow to love his new Papa Mando. The surprise of it all was a delight in a world full of spoiler reveals on social media. However, it could have gone down differently in terms of leaks. Shortly after the October 3, 2018 announcement of the series title (more than a year before the premiere), a theft happened on the show's Manhattan Beach, California set.
Let's blame this on the pirate Vance, shall we?
The theft was originally reported by The Blast, which reported a source saying that a bunch of "expensive equipment" was stolen from the set and that it was believed to have happened at night after shooting was done for the day. The report states that investigations were launched by both Lucasfilm and the local police and that the people questioned on set were the ones dealing with camera equipment. The site added that the fear was the disappearance of "sensitive information," and one could assume that would be footage that might have shown us the little green guy, or other spoilers.
A report from THR the next day (October 25, 2018) stated that police had been called on Thursday, October 20, 2018, at 11 am about "grand theft" and were sent to investigate. What was taken was not confirmed by the police, and no statement from Lucasfilm was made. We know that no footage got out to the public, and there doesn't seem to have been any follow-up.
I contacted the Manhattan Beach Police Records Department to ask about the investigation results. I was told that while they couldn't disclose the details "pursuant to Government Code section 7923.660," they had some information. They stated:
"The property was returned and the Studios did not pursue the matter any further. There was no arrests made and our investigation has concluded."
While we may never know exactly what was taken, whether it was accidental or just handled internally, at least the surprise was upheld.
"The Mandalorian" is currently streaming on Disney+.