The Mandalorian & Grogu debuted its entire opening at CinemaCon. Disney came to play at this year's CinemaCon in a big way, putting the spotlight on Lucasfilm's next Star Wars flick, The Mandalorian & Grogu, which hits theaters in just over a month's time on May 23. The lucky attendees were shown an exclusive sneak peek at the first 18 minutes of the movie, which, of course, wasn't released for online viewing, but The Direct was present and has the full scoop.
Warning - This article contains spoilers for The Mandalorian & Grogu.
The Mandalorian & Grogu opens in a meeting room of the surviving Imperial remnants' leaders, who declare, "Long live the Empire." One of the Empire's loyalists declares that he is raising their tributes as they are operating at a loss.
That leads to objections from one individual, which the leader takes as an insult to the competence of their protection, and the leader shoots the troublemaker on sight, leaving only five remaining opposite him.
As the alarms sound in the Empire base in the snowy mountains, it is clear that Pedro Pascal's Din Djarin is on the scene. The Mandalorian tears through snowtroopers, eventually making his way to the Empire meeting room, igniting the ground with his flamethrower to provide cover as he takes out the guards.
While the Empire leader escaped down an elevator shaft, he ordered his five remaining lessers to lay down covering fire. However, they immediately lay down their arms and surrendered as Mando tossed a bomb down the elevator shaft toward the fleeing Imperial foe.
Throughout the scene, a recon droid is scooting about on wheels, which Grogu (aka Baby Yoda) deals with by imploding it using the powerful force abilities that he presumably learned under Luke Skywalker after The Mandalorian Season 2.
Leaving the compound, Mando manages to take out an unsuspecting snowtrooper atop an AT-ST and steal it to charge down the cliffside of a mountain with Grogu. Eventually, Mando dismounts on his way down the cliffside, running through the legs of multiple enemy AT-ATs as he takes fire from them.
The Disney+ hero narrowly dodges being stepped on by the giant walkers, escaping thanks to his jetpack with Grogu in hand. Mando takes out one of the AT-ATs with explosives around the ankle, leading it to collapse and fall off the cliff.
Giving reason to the chase, it becomes clear that the villainous Empire leader who fled the scene earlier was aboard the AT-AT. Having taken out all of the other walkers in truly epic fashion and one-shot style, Mando boards the last AT-AT, only to find his target escaping in a newly designed shuttle.
Taking control of the AT-AT gunner, Mando shoots down the fleeing pod, but not without being consistently pestered by Grogu, reminding him of the explosives that are timed to go off behind him imminently.
Mando and Grogu are picked up by their familiar pilot, Star Wars: Rebels' Zeb, jetting them off into the skies as The Mandalorian & Grogu's title card appears.
As Zeb's X-Wing lands on a New Republic base with Mando and Grogu aboard, they meet with Sigourney Weaver's Colonel Ward. She walks him out to a refreshed version of his Razorcrest ship with a brand new assignment.
Ward and the New Republic require a professional, Mando, to go with the Hutts to rescue Jeremy Allen White's muscly Hutt character, Rotta, who is being held hostage by an Imperial crime syndicate.
While the hero is initially hesitant, saying he only hunts down Imperial war criminals, Ward isn't backing down. Zeb boards the Razorcrest, telling Mando that he "may as well have a look around," offering to let the titular icon pilot.
The footage ends as Mando turns on the ship, Grogu begins playing with the buttons, and they take off into the depths of space on their new mission.
