dir. Jon Favreau, 2026
Cast:
Pedro Pascal as The Mandalorian
Jeremy Allen White as Rotta the Hutt
Johnny Coyne as Janu Coin
Sigourney Weaver as Col. Ward
It’s been seven years since the last theatrical Star Wars outing, after the underwhelming The Rise of Skywalker and Solo - coupled with the pandemic and shift to small-screen productions - put the brakes on Disney’s cinematic ambitions for the venerable sci-fi franchise. Yet it’s this small-screen legacy that’s provided a way back into theaters, with The Mandalorian and Grogu, a continuation of the wildly successful Disney+ series.
Some time after the events of The Mandalorian season 3, Din Djarin (or “Mando” as everyone tends to call him) and his adopted son Grogu are working for the New Republic (under Sigourney Weaver’s Colonel Ward), bringing in Imperial warlords left over after the Empire’s defeat at Endor. His latest mission has him contracted to rescue Rotta the Hutt, son of Jabba, on behalf of his concerned aunt and uncle “the Twins”. If this sounds familiar, you’re probably remembering the Clone Wars pilot movie from 2008, which was based around this exact premise - even down to the same Hutt kid being kidnapped. But it’s now 30 years later in-universe, and Rotta has grown from a helpless baby Hutt into a huge, muscular pit-fighter. Mando finds himself first duking it out in the ring with him, and later on the run and in deep trouble with the other Hutts because of him.
Mando is, of course, the star. Played once more by Pedro Pascal and two body doubles, he’s developed from a “lone stranger” Eastwood-style anti-hero into a fully-fledged classic action hero. Unlike the modern trend of a bumbling, quipping “accidental hero” archetype, Mando projects total competence, as befits his imposing appearance. Watching him walk with utter confidence into crime lord Coin (Johnny Coyne)’s inner sanctums - twice - and mop up wave after wave of bad guys was a delight. Heroes like Mando don’t need to be flawed or realistic, they’re there to kick ass and look cool doing it, and at this he’s a great success.
But the movie also takes great pains to justify its “and Grogu” subtitle. Grogu isn’t a helpless baby either - as a nascent Jedi, he can defend himself with telekinetic tricks, a tiny set of armour, and just general cuteness, as seen when he first meets the Rotta and charms the hulking Hutt into feeding him! Grogu’s antics with a group of diminutive Anzellan engineers in the second half of the movie provide a lot of comic relief, from their mumbling, self-aware commentary (as Grogu doesn’t speak, this is often the only dialogue in scenes without Mando) to their tiny spaceship that is of course just the right size for Grogu to hitch a ride on. Both Grogu and the Anzellans are live-action puppetwork rather than CGI, a great choice in an era that’s often dominated by generic computer-generated gremlins.
That’s not to say that the CGI is bad, of course - like the series, most of the sets and characters are fully digital, rendered onto the next-gen green-screen “Volume” technology, and for the most part it looks natural enough to convince. The production is also enhanced by a score by resident composer Ludwig Göransson; he develops his leitmotifs and themes from the series, which were often understated and used to punctuate key moments, into a sweeping score to rival John Williams’ efforts.
Some viewers may breathe a sigh of relief at how self-contained the movie is; you don’t need to have seen or know anything about The Mandalorian before watching, and there’s no “Easter eggs” or hints dropped for future Star Wars productions. This bare-bones style of adventure feels simultaneously like an outdated relic of the past, and a welcome break from the relentless franchise-building partworks that have characterised Disney’s output for the last 15 years. For better or worse, it’s a simple story where the good guy takes on the bad guys and wins the day through skill, luck and courage. It’s got no narrative heft or emotional depth, but then it isn’t really trying for any.
The Mandalorian and Grogu is full of of action and excitement, from its opening scene on an icy mountain to its conclusion on the muggy swamps of the Hutt’s planet, but doesn’t leave much of a lasting impression. If you enjoyed the depth and rich texture of the TV series, you may be disappointed, but if you’re just looking to spend some more time in the Star Wars universe in the company of likeable characters and enjoy the spectacle, then it’s a perfectly good way to occupy a couple of hours.