The Mandalorian was ripped from its comfortable home on Disney+. The Star Wars show's leads, Din Djarin and Grogu, were seized from the medium of television due to the characters' big-screen potential. Lucasfilm replaced the series that shepherded in its streaming presence with a feature film called The Mandalorian & Grogu. Because of the movie, The Mandalorian, which has not aired a new episode since April 2023, is now all but confirmed to be on indefinite hiatus. It's important to note that The Mandalorian & Grogu is filling in for a Season 4 of the streaming show, as a proper fourth season is not happening on Disney+.
Because Star Wars movies typically last around two hours, The Mandalorian & Grogu will kneecap a beloved part of the TV show. Din is repeatedly caught up in side adventures to fulfill a goal, often to obtain whatever spare part or deliver a MacGuffin to the person who wanted it, only for that character to pull a "Thank you! But the princess is in another castle," which launches him into a subsequent mission. Part of the fun was sensing Din's resigned contempt in the face of yet more fetch quests. Season 3 may have narrowed the narrative bandwidth, but the series' first two seasons remain favorites, partly because of this specific story structure. It was akin to a revival of the weekly adventure serials from Hollywood's early days, which inspired Star Wars in the first place.
Lucasfilm has not uncovered any major plot details from The Mandalorian & Grogu. Logically, though, a collection of self-contained journeys for Din and Grogu to complete doesn't make for a quality, big-budget action blockbuster.
Crucially, not all of The Mandalorian's multi-million-strong audience was satisfied by its episodic plotting. Detractors seemed to find this brand of storytelling tedious (although, when Season 3 essentially told one serialized tale, viewers didn't like that either). Nonetheless, The Mandalorian's initial approach was unique, especially in live-action Star Wars media. Abandoning it now is like tossing a prized heirloom in the garbage.
Still, longtime fans should keep an open mind. The Mandalorian was certainly never cut down to appease its special effects budget; The show always looked like a million bucks. But The Mandalorian & Grogu will be able to deliver an even grander spectacle, replete with vast and varied landscapes, vehicles, and CGI aliens. After all, Lucasfilm has never spared any expense for a Star Wars movie.
Having wrapped in late 2024, The Mandalorian & Grogu hits theaters on May 22, 2026. This means that Star Wars will finally take back its trademark, start-of-summer release slot after the sequel trilogy was exiled to the Holiday season. The film stars the ever-present Pedro Pascal reprising the voice of Din Djarin (it's unclear if Pascal will be back on-set and in-armor, a potential consequence of the performer's tight schedule).
The Mandalorian and Grogu's supporting cast includes The Bear's leading man, Jeremy Allen White, who will lend his vocal talents to Rotta the Hutt, son of Jabba. Sigourney Weaver is also on board as Ward, a veteran Rebel pilot. Not to mention that Zeb Orrelios will play a role via mo-cap and voice actor Steve Blum's signature rasp.
What Does The Mandalorian's Future Look Like?
Disney and Lucasfilm are rumored to be hopeful that The Mandalorian & Grogu will launch a film trilogy. These plans for expansion likely hinge on the first installment bringing in enough revenue to justify the production of more.
Meanwhile, The Mandalorian has not been pronounced dead yet, though its vitals appear to be fading. But there's always the possibility that Lucasfilm will resuscitate the series if The Mandalorian & Grogu sputters at the box office. Even then, it feels as though the defibrillator is encased in glass labeled with "Only break in the event of an emergency."
Lucasfilm is hungry for a taste of theatrical profit again after years stuck on Disney+, as the studio axed multiple movie developments like a slasher villain. The Mandalorian and Grogu is being banked on for success, which is lucky news since Lucasfilm seems to have thrown many of its chips into this movie.
And fortunately for shareholders, Star Wars films always bring in big bucks (barring 2018's Solo: A Star Wars Story). If history is any indication, Bob Iger and company will probably get some shut-eye during The Mandalorian & Grogu's opening weekend.
