The Mandalorian & Grogu's latest poster sets up the Star Wars duo's arrival in theaters this May, but it has one obvious issue. Lucasfilm's 2026 theatrical slate is anchored by The Mandalorian & Grogu's, which is the studio's only new movie in cinemas until 2027's Star Wars: Starfighter. Following the cancellation of The Mandalorian Season 4, audiences are eager to see Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu return and continue their adventures from the Disney+ series.
Marketing for The Mandalorian & Grogu is in motion as the movie approaches its May 22 launch, but the latest international poster for the Disney film seems familiar. A new poster released in the Brazilian market for The Mandalorian & Grogu shows a side profile of Din Djarin with Grogu clinging to his back and looking at the audience.
While at first there may be nothing obviously wrong with this poster, looking back at previous posters released for The Mandalorian on Disney+ reveals that the style is very similar. One The Mandalorian poster even featured an almost direct copy of Din Djarin's helmeted side profile.
While the poster isn't one-for-one, The Mandalorian & Grogu is a major theatrical release for Lucasfilm, making it all the more important that it's clear the series is making the jump from streaming to the big screen. By returning to The Mandalorian's marketing style, it becomes harder for audiences to distinguish between the Disney+ show and The Mandalorian & Grogu, which could lead to fewer people going to theaters and more watching it on streaming instead.
The marketing decision to feature only Din Djarin and Grogu on the poster also matches nearly every other The Mandalorian poster released by Disney in the lead-up to a new season of the show on Disney+.
Additionally, the color palette of the international poster, with the blue tones and desolate planet-scape, matches the stark landscapes and muted colors of other The Mandalorian posters, leaving little to differentiate it from being another streaming release.
The release of such a neutral poster for The Mandalorian & Grogu is surprising, given that some of the Star Wars films' previous marketing efforts have given it a classic vintage portrait style, which firmly sets it apart from its streaming counterpart.
Notably, the international poster clearly states that The Mandalorian & Grogu will be released in cinemas, but its aesthetic and its similarity to other posters released for The Mandalorian before don't make it feel like a cinematic event.
The Mandalorian creator Jon Favreau returns to direct the duo's big screen debut, which stars Sigourney Weaver, Jeremy Allen White, and Jonny Coyne, alongside Pedro Pascal. The film will continue on from The Mandalorian Season 3 with a new intergalactic adventure for Din Djarin and Grogu, and will be released in theaters on May 22, 2026.
The Mandalorian & Grogu's Marketing Is More Important Than Ever
As The Mandalorian & Grogu is the duo's first time going from the small screen to a theatrical release, it's vital that Disney markets it as such so audiences know to see it in theaters.
A lot is also hinging on The Mandalorian & Grogu's success, as it will be Lucasfilm's first film release since 2019's Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker, which was a disappointment for fans. The Mandalorian's huge success on Disney+ bought back some goodwill with Star Wars fans, but all eyes are on The Mandalorian & Grogu's box office performance to see if the character's streaming popularity translates to the theaters.
If The Mandalorian & Grogu struggles to find an audience in cinemas, it may spell the end of the journey for the duo and could put future Star Wars TV and film crossover plans in jeopardy. Or, if it's a success, it could be the start of a brand new film franchise in Lucasfilm's repertoire.
