Jon Favreau explains how The Mandalorian and Grogu's unlikely Martin Scorsese cameo came to be

Martin Scorsese is one of the true masters of cinema, and a living legend amongst filmmakers. He's also known for his occasionally harsh words when it comes to blockbuster movies, famously describing Marvel Studios films as "theme parks" in 2019. So it was perhaps surprising to learn that the great auteur has a cameo in upcoming Star Wars movie, The Mandalorian & Grogu, where he will be voicing an alien shopkeeper – as seen in the movie's trailer.

"I know him, and I'm friendly with him when I see him," director Jon Favreau told SFX magazine, in a feature on the upcoming new film. "But also I'm a fan, so I get a little tongue-tied, to be honest with you, when I'm around him and his generation of filmmakers that were so influential on me."

The cameo came about because of the recently departed Lucasfilm president (and producer) Kathleen Kennedy. "She knows him well, she socialises with him, and she's like a gold-star producer, so this was an easy one for her," Favreau explained. "She called him up, he said yes and I got to direct him. He was improvising, and we recorded his whole performance, which we then gave to the CG animators. Boy, it's quite impressive what they were able to do. It's one of the funnest parts of the film. It works well for the story, as a fan of Marty and as a fan of Star Wars."

Anyone who has followed Scorsese's career closely will know that, in fact, the director's antipathy towards blockbusters has been somewhat exaggerated, with him previously expressing admiration for Sam Raimi's original Spider-Man.

For more on the next Star Wars film check out SFX #404, which features Stranger Things: Tales From '85 on the cover. The Mandalorian and Grogu arrives in cinemas on May 22. For everything else the galaxy far, far away has in store, check out our guide to all the upcoming Star Wars movies and shows.