The Mandalorian bounty hunter with the tiny alien, Grogu
The Mandalorian and Grogu is the first Star Wars movie to be released in theaters since the poorly received Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker in 2019.
The Mandalorian and Grogu represents the first for Dave Filoni as the new president of Lucasfilms. Originally from Mount Lebanon, Pennsylvania, Filoni took over the reins of the Star Wars franchise this year after Kathleen Kennedy stepped down under a cloud of controversy and lackluster results. The new film is directed by Jon Favreau, a mainstay of Hollywood, who grew up in Queens in a mixed household: his mother was Jewish, his father was Italian and French Canadian.
The Mandalorian bounty hunter with the tiny alien, Grogu
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A Galaxy of Stars
The Mandalorian and Grogu is a continuation of the flagship Disney+ series originally released in 2019. The story of the Mandalorian bounty hunter Din Djarin, played by Pedro Pascal, takes on an apprentice, Grogu, a force-sensitive being like Master Yoda. Set in the galaxy after the Empire’s defeat in Return of the Jedi, the film revolves around the pair hunting down an ex-Imperial warlord for the New Republic known as Commander Coin. The mission puts them in conflict with criminal empires, colosseum battles, and dangerous monsters. Joining Pedro Pascal is a smaller, more restrained cast; including The Bear’s Jeremy Allen White as Rotta the Hutt, son of the iconic Jabba the Hutt, and Sigourney Weaver as Colonel Ward, leader of an elite squadron of pilots who propels the story forward.
The Mandalorian and Grogu is an exciting creature feature helmed by an incredible director in Jon Favreau. He is no stranger to the Star Wars franchise; developing the original Mandalorian Disney+ series with co-writer - and now head of Lucasfilm - Dave Filoni. They understand what made the original season of The Mandalorian so compelling: genre influences drawn from classic American westerns, serialized storytelling, and a commitment to practical effects.
Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau are the Italian American creators of The Mandalorian
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Use The Force
The Mandalorian and Grogu is a continuation of that tradition, serving in many ways as a makeshift fourth season of the show. Many of the film’s set pieces, from the opening ATAT battle on a snowy planet reminiscent of The Empire Strikes Back to the final explosive sequence on Nal Hutta, are crafted with immense care and precision. The music is composed by three-time Academy Award winning composer Ludwig Göransson, who delivers a score that’s wholly unique to Star Wars.
Fans who crave a story connected to the mythos George Lucas built with the original trilogy may leave this film disappointed by the lack of connective tissue. As mentioned, this film is a return to form, telling a serialized story that exists within a vacuum. For me, that’s part of the its appeal. Many of the recent Star Wars projects on Disney+, unfortunately, have felt bogged down by lackluster “connections” to pre-existing material that many casual fans may or may not have seen. The Mandalorian and Grogu is a film that any moviegoer - Star Wars fan or not- can watch and enjoy without feeling the need to do homework.
Pedro Pascal, Sigourney Weaver, Dave Filoni and Kathleen Kennedy at promotional event
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The Lucas Universe
The Mandalorian and Grogu, the first Star Wars film to arrive in theaters since 2019, returns to a wildly different - and struggling - theatrical market. COVID-19, a general decline in the moviegoing experience, and an increase in the cost-of-living has made it difficult for studios like Disney to turn a profit on their theatrical releases. Yet, a turbulent box-office environment is not the only challenge facing The Mandalorian and Grogu. Star Wars itself has been plagued by controversy and uncertainty ever since Lucasfilm was purchased by the Walt Disney Company in October 2012 for a whopping $4 billion. Under the direction of Kathleen Kennedy, who was personally chosen by George Lucas to succeed him as president of the company, the franchise has faced both commercial and critical setbacks, and an overall decline in the brand’s popularity. To Kennedy’s credit, however, The Mandalorian has emerged to be the most successful addition to Star Wars in the Disney era, becoming a key pillar of the brand, through merchandise, theme park attractions and other experiences.
As of May 29, 2026, The Mandalorian and Grogu has accumulated a worldwide gross of $171.8 million. With an estimated breakeven point of $500 million and a crucial second weekend on the horizon, the theatrical future of the Star Wars franchise is more uncertain than ever.
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Editor’s Note: The article was published on May 30, 2026.
The website for Lucasfilm is https://www.lucasfilm.com
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