Ever since Star Wars Rebels concluded in 2018, Star Wars fans have been itching to not only see their favorite characters in live-action but on the big screen, which will now be possible in The Mandalorian and Grogu. With a whole slew of upcoming Star Wars movies, it’s known that at least one Rebels character will be making their big screen debut, though it’s not who you would expect. Star Wars Celebration 2025 gave us a good indication of what to expect from a galaxy far, far away in the next few years.

As someone who loves Rebels and thinks of it as one of my favorite Star Wars тιтles, I always thought about which characters would be best suited for a film. Most often, I kept thinking it would be a Jedi like Ezra Bridger or Kanan Jarrus, but I could see how characters like Hera Syndulla would factor into a film set during the age of the Rebellion. However, Star Wars seems satisfied with focusing on the New Republic era and beyond for their next batch of films – and one key Rebels New Republic figure.

Zeb Looks Like He’ll Have An Important Role In The Mandalorian And Grogu

Which Is A Step Up From His Live-Action Cameo

When the first footage of The Mandalorian and Grogu was shown at D23, it was confirmed that Steve Blum would return to play Zeb Orrelios in Star Wars’ first film since 2019. Zeb had previously made his live-action debut in The Mandalorian season 3, where he briefly met up with Captain Carson Teva on Adelphi Base. It’s still not clear exactly how large of a role Zeb will have in The Mandalorian and Grogu, but it’s clearly not some simple cameo.

Until now, the only other Ghost crew member to appear in a Star Wars movie is Chopper, who appeared briefly in the background of a scene in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. However, with The Mandalorian and Grogu, Zeb seems to actively be a part of the adventure. This suggests Rebels fans are already getting more than we ever have in a live-action Star Wars movie. While many people, including me, didn’t think Zeb would be the first Ghost crew member to appear in a Star Wars film, I can’t be mad about it.

Zeb’s Live-Action Movie Record Is Surprising, But Great

Surprising, But Not Undeserved

When Zeb appeared in The Mandalorian season 3, it was odd, because the last thing we knew was that he had taken former ISB Agent Alexsandr Kallus to meet his people on Lira San, not training New Republic pilots. However, it’s now clear that his cameo was a clear setup for The Mandalorian and Grogu. Still, when thinking of Rebels characters we would want to see in an action movie like The Mandalorian and Grogu, Zeb isn’t the first character to come to mind.

If only for the time and work it takes to create Zeb’s physique in live-action, it’s surprising Lucasfilm didn’t opt for a different character like Sabine Wren, who would have a Mandalorian connection to Din Djarin. Despite this, Zeb is totally worthy of the spot. He was a great and well-rounded character in Rebels, and pairing his exterior gruffness with Din Djarin seems like a match made in heaven.

More Rebels Characters In Live-Action Movies Seems Likely

A Real Dream Come True For Rebels Fans

All members of the Ghost crew have made their live-action debuts except for Kanan Jarrus, who died in Rebels season 4. As announced at Star Wars Celebration 2025, the Ghost crew will be reunited in Ahsoka season 2, making it feel inevitable that they will all appear in a movie together at some point. Zeb stepping into a role on the big screen first is a great way to test-run how audiences feel about beloved animated characters making their way into live-action films.

With Dave Filoni’s unтιтled film still in the works at Lucasfilm, he’ll likely be the one to reunite all of these characters on the big screen. Filoni’s film will likely revolve around Grand Admiral Thrawn and is said to be concluding the arcs from Star Wars shows like The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, and Ahsoka. With Zeb, Hera, Sabine, and Ezra having all previously faced off against Thrawn, it would be odd if they were missing from a film meant to show his likely final defeat.

While audiences will still have to wait more than a year until we can see Zeb in The Mandalorian and Grogu, it’s good to know that Ahsoka season 2 is now in production, meaning all the Ghost crew members being together isn’t too far away. Though Rebels may have ended in 2018, the stories continue for Star Wars’ beloved found family.