Is Landman Star Sam Elliott Joining The Star Wars Universe?
Let's not dance around it: "The Mandalorian and Grogu" trailer might be the worst "Star Wars" spot we've ever seen. It only features Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu riding a cart pulled by a pair of tauntauns in a snowy landscape that might well be Hoth — the iconic winter planet from "Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back."
However, there's one particular aspect of the trailer that does seem pretty interesting, and it has nothing to do with what we see on the screen. The trailer's voiceover waxes poetic about paths, journeys, and bonds. It also sounds for all the world like none other than "Landman" star Sam Elliott.
While Elliott's role in the movie hasn't been officially confirmed, many fans remain convinced that he's behind the voiceover. "Sam Elliott and Tauntauns. Brilliant marketing for The Mandalorian and Grogu," user @diservations wrote on X, previously known as Twitter. "Was that Sam Elliott narrating the Mandalorian?" @aristein wondered. User @TaimurODar summarized the thoughts of many: "Did not have Sam Elliott narrating MANDALORIAN & GROGU commercial on my #SuperBowl bingo card."
Sam Elliott would be a natural fit for the Western-themed corner of Star Wars
It would obviously be exciting to see Sam Elliott join "Star Wars" in any capacity. However, it's doubly more interesting if he picks the very particular pocket of "The Mandalorian and Grogu" to do so. After all, "The Mandalorian" is easily the most Wild West-coded corner of "Star Wars," and Elliott is one of the genre's notables. While he's never been exclusively a Western guy, he's always been a reliable hand in that game — from his recent hits like "The Ranch" and "1883" to the 1993 gem "Tombstone."
The Academy Award-nominated actor has a history with genre movies, too. He's known for portraying Thunderbolt Ross in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" director Ang Lee's "Hulk" (2003), Lee Scoresby in Chris Weitz's 2007 adaptation of "The Golden Compass," and the Caretaker in the same year's Nic Cage superhero film "Ghost Rider." Combine this with his history of quality Western roles, and he'd be a natural addition to the cast of "The Mandalorian and Grogu."
It's worth noting that this is also meant to be a parody of classic Budweiser Super Bowl commercials, so maybe Sam Elliott has nothing to do with the actual movie at all? Who knows!
"The Mandalorian and Grogu" hits theaters on May 22, 2026.