The Mandalorian: Did this underrated film set Pedro Pascal up for this role?

Pedro Pascal has amassed quite the career over the past decade with tons of acting credits to his name Though, a very rarely-mentioned movie might have prepped him for the lead role in Disney Plus’ The Mandalorian.

If you’re not already familiar with Pedro Pascal, now’s the right time to get acquainted with his name. The talented actor is making waves as he plays the titular character in The Mandalorian, which will be back for a sophomore season in 2020.

Pascal’s voice is the main component of the role, but he’s given life to the Mandalorian in a way that not many actors can. His voice alone captures the intensity of Mando when he recites his mantra of “This Is The Way,” and we’re starting to think no one else could match up. Pascal’s ability to have such a profound effect on audiences is why we’re diving into his acting history.

You might not have seen it, but back in 2018, Pascal starred in a sci-fi western entitled Prospect. It received quite a bit of attention on the film festival circuit, garnering several awards and nominations. Unfortunately, the movie failed to hit the mark with general audiences.

In Prospect, Pascal stars opposite Sophie Thatcher as her unlikely companion on a hostile planet they’re trying to escape from. Their journey is somewhat of a suspense-thriller as Pascal and Thatcher’s characters race to beat the clock, hoping to land a big score before leaving the planet.

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What’s so intriguing about Prospect is that the setting is like a parallel version of Star Wars, albeit with a slight western theme mixed in. We’re not saying the directors copied the Star Wars franchise in any way, Caldwell and Earl simply developed a sci-fi adventure that mirrors the unique quality of George Lucas’ universe.

The similarities between these separate properties are important to acknowledge because Prospect provided fans with a look at what  Pascal could do in this Disney-owned property given the opportunity. But more than anything, Pascal’s character Ezra gave Jon Favreau and the team behind The Mandalorian an hour-long audition to look over.

Now, we can’t claim Prospect is the reason Pascal landed the lead in The Mandalorian, but it seems to have helped out. Pascal’s performance in the film proved that he knows how to play a mercenary, and that presumably attributed to his casting. Favreau and Sarah Finn likely took other factors under consideration, but Pascal’s part as a sci-fi cowboy in Prospect appears to have had a profound effect.

All things considered, it makes sense that Favreau and Finn would cast Pascal as the titular character in The Mandalorian. He’s acted in the ideal projects to prepare him for the part and Pascal knows how to sway audiences in his favor, even if he’s portraying a killer for hire.

What are your feelings about Pascal playing the Mandalorian? Let us know in the comments.