The Mandalorian: cast, plot and when to watch episode 6 of the Star Wars series on Disney Plus

The on-demand streaming service boasts a back catalogue of Disney, Marvel and Pixar films and TV shows, but it’s the Mandalorian – the channel’s ambitious Star Wars epic – that has caught audience’s attention.

Set in a galaxy far, far away, the TV series was a critical hit in the US and has already received warm praise in the UK.

Fans, however, are frustrated that episodes of the show are being drip-fed, rather than released en-masse.

Here’s everything you need to know about the epic, out-of-this-world series, including release dates, cast and plot.

When is the next episode out?

So far five episodes of The Mandalorian have been made available to UK Disney + subscribers.

Episode six is set to arrive on April 17 at 8am (GMT).

The series runs for eight episodes with one new episode released every Friday, also at 8am.

This is the full schedule:

The Mandalorian episode 1 and 2: Tuesday, 24 March

The Mandalorian episode 3: Friday, 27 March

The Mandalorian episode 4: Friday, 3 April

The Mandalorian episode 5: Friday, 10 April

The Mandalorian episode 6: Friday, 17 April

The Mandalorian episode 7: Friday, 24 April

The Mandalorian episode 8 (finale): Friday, 1 May

What is The Mandalorian about?

Set after the original trilogy but before the events of The Force Awakens, The Mandalorian will centre on a “lone gunfighter in the outer reaches of the galaxy, far from the authority of the New Republic”, according to the show's creator Jon Favreau (Iron Man, The Lion King).

Telling the story of a gun-slinging loner as he wanders a lawless land, the show appears to be heavily Western-inspired.

That genre often featured nameless heroes like Clint Eastwood's famous Man With No Name, and so far the show's hero is known only as “The Mandalorian”.

The eponymous character is of the warrior race which produced the likes of Boba and Jango Fett, Star Wars' iconic bounty hunters.

Who stars in the Mandalorian?

The show's eponymous hero is played by Pedro Pascal – star of Narcos and Game of Thrones.

Those behind the show have spoken a lot about keeping in tune with the original trilogy, so it makes sense that they've cast two men who were famous back when A New Hope came out: the gravel-voiced Nick Nolte and Carl Weathers.

MMA champion and Deadpool star Gina Carano will play Rebel soldier turned gun-for-hire, Cara Dune.

Legendary filmmaker Werner Herzog will venture in front of the camera again to play a character named only as “The Client” while Breaking Bad's Gus Fring (Giancarlo Esposito) will add his own villainous vibes as Moff Gideon.

How much does it cost to subscribe to Disney Plus and how do I watch it?

A Disney+ subscription will cost £5.99 per month in the UK. An annual subscription will cost £59.99 per year, saving customers £11.89 per year.

Those who have subscribed to Disney Plus will be able to stream all content through the Disney+ app (compatible on Android and iOS, including tablets), most smart TVs, Roku, and Chromecast.

It’s also available on gaming consoles (including PS4 and Xbox), with the exception of the Nintendo Switch, which is not compatible with streaming services.

You can also download the Disney+ app on most Android and Apple devices, alongside on your Smart TV or stick, including the Amazon Fire TV Stick.

If you have an Android phone or tablet you can download the app via Google’s Play Store, and if you have an Apple iPhone or iPad you can find the app on the App Store.

You can also get the Disney+ app on your smart TV, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

Disney+ UK has signed an exclusive deal to sell the streaming service through Sky Q set-top boxes, but it is unlikely that there will not be much from Disney on Netflix anymore, as Disney has already decided against renewing its deal with its now rival streaming service.

Disney already currently has a subscription service named DisneyLife, which charges £4.99 per month for access to Disney movies.

However, Disney has now confirmed plans to rebrand DisneyLife into Disney+ when the new service launches.

Those who currently subscribe to DisneyLife have been told that the company will communicate more information about how to transition subscriptions to Disney+ soon.