Who directed the first episode of The Mandalorian?

Dave Filoni directed the first episode of The Mandalorian, titled “Chapter 1: The Mandalorian.” The episode premiered on Disney+ on November 12, 2019, and marked Filoni’s live-action directorial debut.

Before The Mandalorian, Filoni was best known for his work in animation. He served as a major creative force behind Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels, developing characters, histories, and conflicts that expanded the Star Wars universe. His knowledge of Mandalorian lore made him a natural creative partner for series creator Jon Favreau.

Filoni also appears in the series as New Republic pilot Trapper Wolf and served as an executive producer. He directed another first-season episode, “Chapter 5: The Gunslinger,” as well as episodes in later seasons.

Jon Favreau is sometimes mistaken for the director because he created the series, wrote the premiere, and later directed episodes. Deborah Chow and Rick Famuyiwa also directed episodes of the first season, but neither directed the opening chapter.