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Star Wars fans can argue about all kinds of things in the ever-expanding galaxy far, far away, but there’s one aspect of modern Star Wars everyone agrees on: The Mandalorian is terrific. With its space-Western vibes, Pedro Pascal’s steady drawl, and what may be the cutest sidekick ever conceived of in Grogu, the show combines kick-ass action, plenty of Star Wars flavor, and powerful emotional beats into a story and characters fans adore. If the 24 released episodes and the recent film release aren’t enough for you, don’t worry—there are plenty of books, movies, games, and podcasts that slot into the same pleasure centers in your brain.
The best books like The Mandalorian
Novels are dense—you can get all the thrills, tension, and discovery of an entire season of a TV show in just one book. If you’re looking for The Mandalorian’s unique fusion of gritty Western and emotionally grounded adventure, check out these books.
Kenobi, by John Jackson Miller
If you want to stay in the Star Wars universe, Kenobi is a great choice. Like The Mandalorian, it’s essentially a Western, featuring everyone’s favorite Jedi knight during his early days on Tatooine, keeping an eye on a certain infant boy recently adopted by some moisture farmers. Known to the locals as Ben, Kenobi tries to remain isolated, but when a tribe of violent Sand People threatens a local community, his sense of justice and morality slowly draw him into the fight. If the “reluctant hero” vibe of The Mandalorian is what you miss, read this.
The Expanse series by James S. A. Correy
It’s easy to forget how much impact Star Wars had on science fiction stories, especially the way “futuristic” worlds and technology were depicted. The Mandalorian revels in that lo-fi, dented visual style while offering a complex universe. If that’s your jam, The Expanse series by James S. A. Correy (writing duo Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck) is perfect. It’s got the same Spaghetti-Western-in-space feel, the same sense of reluctance heroism, and a complicated universe that offers plenty of rich world-building and surprising story turns.
The Vagrant, by Peter Newman
One of the most compelling aspects of The Mandalorian’s story is the growing bond between the largely silent Mandalorian and Grogu, his diminutive charge. In Newman’s novel, set in a world ravaged and nearly destroyed by demons, The Vagrant is a silent warrior charged with bringing a sentient weapon called The Malice to the last surviving humans—while protecting a baby also in his care. The story offers the same dynamics as the show, with the same level of emotional impact.
Lone Wolf and Cub, by Kazuo Koike
There’s little doubt that The Mandalorian is heavily inspired by Lone Wolf and Cub, one of the most famous manga ever produced. The story of Ogami Ittō, a betrayed shogun executioner who goes on the run with his son, Daigorō, forced to work as an assassin while he seeks revenge on his enemies, is a powerful story all on its own. As Ittō struggles to stay true to his code while protecting and training his son, you’ll catch plenty of moments in the Lone Wolf and Cub stories that map directly onto many of the stories in The Mandalorian.
Big Damn Hero, by James Lovegrove
When it comes to space Westerns, Firefly is inevitably going to come up. Arguably the most influential and successful failed TV show of all time, Firefly has spawned an impressive fictional universe since its cancellation nearly 25 years ago. Big Damn Hero is a swashbuckling adventure that follows Captain Mal and the crew of the Firefly as they take on a dangerous smuggling mission—and then must rally to save one of their own.
The best movies like The Mandalorian
The Mandalorian manages to make its universe look dusty, gritty, and used-up while telling stories that are violently entertaining. You want more of that? Check out these movies and thank us later.
A Fistful of Dollars (1964)
The classic Man with No Name trilogy of films (including sequels For a Few Dollars More and The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly) is another clear influence on The Mandalorian. In fact, you could argue that the show lifts much of the film’s swagger wholesale. In A Fistful of Dollars, Clint Eastwood stars as, yes, the Man With No Name, a peerless gunfighter with his own personal code who becomes embroiled in the struggle between two gangs vying for control of a struggling town. If you love the Mandalorian as a character, you’ll love this. Stream A Fistful of Dollars on Fubo or rent it on Prime Video.
Hard Boiled (1992)
One of the greatest action films of all time, Hard Boiled is a huge influence on The Mandalorian. John Woo created a masterpiece of kinetic action, and scenes like the iconic tea house shootout are directly referenced throughout the series. They’re also both stories of lone heroes who follow their own rules and stand up against incredible odds while not wasting much time talking. It’s easy to see a direct line from Hard Boiled’s explosive action The Mandalorian’s best action sequences. Rent Hard Boiled on Prime Video.
Logan (2017)
Just like The Mandalorian, Logan is the story of a reluctant but noble warrior protecting a vulnerable child—although maybe vulnerable isn’t exactly the right word for the nearly feral, extremely dangerous X-23 (aka Laura, portrayed by Dafne Keen). With a realistic approach to superpowers and sci-fi technology and a gritty, run-down aesthetic, this movie pairs perfectly with the show. Stream Logan on Disney+ or rent it on Prime Video.
Seven Samurai (1954)
Akira Kurosawa’s 1954 film is so influential, it’s impossible to overstate its impact (and the original Hollywood remake, The Magnificent Seven, is pretty great, too). The story of a desperate village that hires a group of rōnin to stave off bandits who intend to steal the harvest, it’s a story about defending the weak and upholding a code even if it requires violence. Fans of The Mandalorian will recognize the same DNA in both the film and the show. Rent Seven Samurai on Prime Video.
Prospect (2018)
Is Pedro Pascal your favorite part of The Mandalorian (even though you have to imagine he’s there for much of the show)?. Check out Prospect, a 2018 film starring Pascal as a desperate prospector named Ezra on a dangerous moon. As mercenaries and prospectors struggle against each other for resources in a lawless place that’s extremely hostile to human life, Ezra finds himself teaming up with the young daughter of a man he killed, and struggling with the morality of his decisions. It’s a low-budget gem that Mandalorian fans will enjoy. Stream Prospect on Hulu or rent it on Prime Video.
The best video games like The Mandalorian
One of the best aspects of The Mandalorian is the film-quality, cinematic action it delivers. If you want your Mandalorian-adjacent experience to be more kinetic and hands-on, check out these video games.
Star Wars: Bounty Hunter
It’s an older title, but if your goal is to play as a Mandalorian, this is the way—especially since a remaster in 2024 gave the game better visuals and improved, modern controls. In Star Wars: Bounty Hunter, you play as none other than Jango Fett, hired by Darth Tyranus to wipe out a crime syndicate. You can also take on other bounties along the way, so you can fully live the dream of living as a bounty hunter in the Star Wars universe. The levels can be a bit sprawling, but this just gives the game a big, open feel—and you can use your jetpack, which covers up a lot of gameplay sins.
Platforms: PlayStation, Xbox, Steam
Star Wars: Outlaws
Sticking with actual Star Wars games for a bit, another great choice if you love The Mandalorian is Star Wars: Outlaws. If you love the way The Mandalorian explores the criminal underbelly of the galaxy, you’ll love this RPG. Set in the time between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, the game lets you play as an aspiring criminal. You can travel between several planets and take on different crimes for different criminal organizations—including Crimson Dawn and the Hutt Cartel. As you play, your reputation will determine how these different groups treat you, which has an impact on the game.
Platforms: PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Steam
The Outer Worlds
If you love the freewheeling, Wild-West feel of The Mandalorian, check out The Outer Worlds. You play as a passenger on a long-lost colony ship that crashed onto one of the six planets in a distant system. You’ve got to try to revive the rest of your crew, explore the system, and deal with the various settlements people have built under the oppressive rule of a corrupt corporation. It’s got that flavor of dangerous discovery and negotiating with unpredictable locals that fans of the show will appreciate.
What do you think so far?
Platforms: PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Steam
Starfield
An open-world exploration game, Starfield is pretty vast, with more than 1,000 planets, moons, and space stations ready to visit as you search for mysterious alien artifacts. It’s great fun by itself, but what makes it an ideal choice for fans of The Mandalorian is the Star Wars: Genesis mod. This transforms the game into the Star Wars universe, changing the planets, species, weapons, ships, and slang into Star Wars versions. It combines one of the most robust open-world games with the world of The Mandalorian in a seamless way that mimics the loose, exploratory storytelling from the show.
Platforms: PlayStation, Xbox, Steam
The Last of Us Part 1
One of the most famous—and most successful—games based on the classic “lone wolf and cub” dynamic, The Last of Us is a great choice for fans of the show. It’s a different fictional universe, of course, but the dynamics of the game will be familiar to Mandalorian fans: You play as Joel, a rough-around-the-edges smuggler with a buried heart of gold who must escort a young girl through what’s left of the U.S. after a fungus-fueled zombie outbreak destroyed civilization. It’s a terrific and influential game on its own, and a perfect choice if you want to mimic the challenge of ferrying Grogu through danger.
Platforms: PlayStation, Steam
The best podcasts for fans of The Mandalorian
Part of the joy of getting into a show like The Mandalorian is talking about the show and listening to other folks over-analyze it. If that’s the extra experience you’re looking for, check out these podcasts.
Children of the Watch: A Star Wars After Show
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What’s great about Children of the Watch (hosted by Alex Maxwell and Mac Lacey) is the energy: These guys approach each episode of the show with wild positivity and excitement. Then they dig into the lore, the Easter eggs, and other aspects of each story with gusto. They’re not afraid to criticize the show when it’s warranted, but at the end of the day they love this show as much as you do.
Bounty Buddies
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For a slightly more professional and critical approach to The Mandalorian breakdowns, Bounty Buddies (part of the GeeklyInc network) is a great way to spend an hour or so of your time. They dig into every episode, excavating the callbacks, Easter eggs, and little details, and they analyze the plot and character development with an eye toward predicting coming events. It’s a great way to get extra insight into every episode.
Starcalled
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Want a similar fictional experience? Starcalled is a fantastic narrative podcast set on the edges of the galaxy. Shortly after a devastating war, various characters (many of them aliens) stumble onto a conspiracy that might spell the end of everything. It’s a sprawling universe filled with criminals, military officers, and alien creatures that will satisfy your need for more layered sci-fi storytelling set in a lawless, unpredictable world. Plus, it’s got top-notch audio design and voice acting.
Vega
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This sci-fi narrative podcast follows the adventures of Vega Rex, a professional government assassin who has never failed a mission—until now. It’s got an unusual approach to story that almost feels like it’s being invented on the spot—but the slick production and sound design says otherwise. If you love the sci-fi anti-hero-ness of The Mandalorian, you’ll probably love Vega.
The Strange Case of Starship Iris
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In the 22nd century, the science ship Iris is destroyed, leaving just one survivor: Biologist Violet. She’s rescued by a clan of smugglers, and finds herself living a dangerous criminal life while she attempts to find out why her ship was targeted—and comes to realize the all-powerful Republic is behind it. The grimy criminal underworld, the oppressive government, the sprawling adventure all make this narrative podcast an ideal choice for anyone jonesing for more Mandalorian.
