(Getty Images/Disney)
Elon Musk has indicated his desire to go into space someday, either for a trip around the moon or a visit to Mars, but he may end up among the stars before either of those happen.
Recent social media posts from the SpaceX/Tesla CEO and film director Jon Favreau have fueled speculation that Musk will be making a cameo in the upcoming Disney+ streaming Star Wars show, “The Mandalorian.”
Musk tweeted an image of himself on Sunday holding a giant, double-barrel gun of some sort on what looked to be either a set for a science fiction film or a prototype for one of his company’s starships.
It turns out that it was the former, as showrunner Favreau on Thursday posted a photo to Instagram of the two of them “discussing hyperdrive technology on set.”
It wasn’t the first time they were on a movie lot together. Musk made a cameo in the Favreau-directed “Iron Man 2,” in a scene where he has a quick conversation with Tony Stark about SpaceX’s Merlin rocket engines and Musk’s idea for an electric jet.
Unfortunately, Musk didn’t have time to sell Stark a new Tesla. The character has almost exclusively driven Audis in the Marvel films and is going to be behind the wheel of its new Tesla Model S-rivaling electric e-tron GT sedan in this summer’s “Avengers: Endgame.”
As far as the Star Wars universe is concerned, Musk has said the original film is his favorite movie of all time, and the recent installments have all included celebrity cameos. Daniel Craig and Simon Pegg are among those appearing on screen -- albeit behind masks-- while even Prince William and Harry filmed a scene as Stormtroopers that didn’t make the final cut.
Whether or not Musk will be in “The Mandalorian” has not been confirmed, but another fan-favorite cameo has been.
It’s R5-D4, the astromech droid that Luke and his uncle bought from the Jawas in “A New Hope” before it broke down and they returned it for R2-D2.
What’s pretty certain is that at 6-foot 2-inches tall, Musk is probably not going to be playing it.