The Mandalorian and Grogu

Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu (or simply The Mandolorian and Grogu) is an upcoming American space Western film directed by Jon Favreau and co-written by Favreau, Dave Filoni, and Noah Kloor. Produced by Lucasfilm Ltd. and Fairview Entertainment, and set to be distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is part of the Star Wars franchise and a continuation of the Disney+ television series The Mandalorian (2019–2023). Pedro Pascal stars as Din Djarin / the Mandalorian—who was also portrayed on set by Brendan Wayne and Lateef Crowder—alongside Jeremy Allen White and Sigourney Weaver. In the film, which is set following the fall of the Galactic Empire, Djarin and his apprentice Grogu are enlisted by the New Republic to rescue Rotta the Hutt (White) in exchange for information on a target.

Favreau and Filoni wrote a fourth season of The Mandalorian by February 2023, but production was delayed by the 2023 Hollywood labor disputes. During this time, Lucasfilm re-evaluated their plans for the franchise and decided to prioritize a Mandalorian film over the fourth season. The Mandalorian and Grogu was announced in January 2024 with Favreau directing and co-writing with Filoni and Kloor, and Pascal reprising his role from the series. Filming began in California by August 2024 and was completed by that December. Further casting was revealed around and after filming, including the return of various characters from The Mandalorian and other Star Wars media.

The Mandalorian and Grogu is scheduled to be released in the United States on May 22, 2026.

Following the fall of the Galactic Empire, during a period where remaining Imperial warlords threaten the galaxy, the New Republic enlists Din Djarin and his apprentice Grogu to rescue Rotta the Hutt in exchange for information from the Hutt clan on a New Republic target.

• Pedro Pascal as Din Djarin / the Mandalorian:A Mandalorian and veteran bounty hunter in the outer reaches of the galaxy, whose face is often hidden by a helmet. Pascal said the film was the start of a new chapter after the end of The Mandalorian's third season (2023), which saw Djarin agree to work for the New Republic. Pascal said this gave the character a chance to combine his bounty hunter skills with doing "what he knows is right" by working for "the good guys". After the third season showed Djarin paying penance for removing his helmet, which goes against the Mandalorian creed, the film unmasks the character again. Director Jon Favreau said they did not make this decision lightly and were balancing the established story with their wish to show more of Pascal's face. Pascal felt the unmasking was justified in the film.
  • Brendan Wayne and Lateef Crowder as the on-set doubles for the Mandalorian
• Grogu:The Mandalorian's ward, who is an infant of the same species as Yoda. Grogu is created with animatronics and puppetry, augmented with visual effects. Producer Kathleen Kennedy said the character was a "perfect example of a character that has to emote and you have to feel connected to" them without hearing them speak.
• Jeremy Allen White as Rotta the Hutt:The son of deceased crime lord Jabba the Hutt. White provides the voice for Rotta, speaking in Galactic Basic (represented by English) and Huttese. He took inspiration from Jabba's voice in previous Star Wars media. Unlike previous Hutts, Rotta is a physical threat who participates in gladiator-style fights. Favreau compared him to Adonis Creed from the Creed films, saying both characters live in the shadow of their famous fathers.
• Sigourney Weaver as Ward: A colonel and leader of the New Republic's Adelphi Rangers who previously served as a pilot for the Rebel Alliance

Additionally, reprising their roles from previous Star Wars media are Jonny Coyne as Janu, the leader of a faction of Galactic Empire remnants, co-writer Dave Filoni as New Republic X-wing pilot Trapper Wolf, and Steve Blum as the voice of New Republic pilot Garazeb "Zeb" Orrelios. Other returning Star Wars characters include Jabba the Hutt's twin cousins, Kyuzo bounty hunter Embo, and members of the Anzellan species. Martin Scorsese provides the voice of an Ardennian shopkeeper, while Matthew Willig portrays Hogsbreth.

Director Jon Favreau had pitched an idea for a Star Wars television series featuring Mandalorians to Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy in 2017. Dave Filoni, an executive producer on the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008–2020) and Star Wars Rebels (2014–2018), was also conceiving a Mandalorian-focused series and Kennedy suggested they work together. This led to the creation of The Mandalorian, the first live-action Star Wars television series, which debuted with the launch of the streaming service Disney+ in November 2019. Shortly after the premiere, Walt Disney Studios's chief creative officer (CCO) Alan F. Horn said a film featuring the titular bounty hunter, Din Djarin, could be developed if the series was a success. The next month, Favreau said there was an opportunity to explore the series' characters in Star Wars films or spin-off television series.

The Mandalorian's bounty at the start of the series is "the Child", colloquially known as "Baby Yoda" by viewers, who is an infant of the same species as Yoda. The character is created with animatronics and puppetry, augmented with visual effects. He becomes the Mandalorian's ward, and is revealed in the second season to be named Grogu. In September 2020, The Mandalorian co-star Giancarlo Esposito said the second season lays the groundwork for "the depth and breadth that's going to come in season three and season four". The next month, Favreau and star Pedro Pascal said they were open to the Mandalorian appearing in a Star Wars film, but Favreau was in no rush to do this. Favreau began writing the fourth season by late May 2022, and completed the scripts with Filoni by February 2023. Filming for the season was scheduled to begin that September, but this was delayed by the 2023 Hollywood labor disputes. In November, Filoni revealed that he was now the CCO at Lucasfilm and would be directly involved in the planning of future films and series.

While production on the fourth season was delayed by the labor disputes, Lucasfilm re-evaluated their plans for the franchise and decided to prioritize a Mandalorian film instead. The studio announced the film, titled Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu, in January 2024. Favreau was set to direct, co-write with Filoni, and produce with Kennedy, Filoni, and Ian Bryce. Noah Kloor also contributed to the script after co-writing the spin-off series The Book of Boba Fett (2021–22) and an episode of The Mandalorian with Favreau. Filming was expected to begin in June 2024, making it the first Star Wars film to move forward since Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019) ended the main "Skywalker Saga" film series. Pascal celebrated the film's announcement by sharing concept art for it on Instagram. He was expected to reprise his role as the voice of the Mandalorian, but it was unclear whether he would be physically portraying the character—whose face is generally hidden with a helmet—and some questioned whether his busy schedule had room for the production.

It was unclear at the time of the film's announcement whether the fourth season would still be made because there was potential for future Mandalorian stories to instead be told through film sequels if the first film was a success. Favreau later said he still had all the scripts for the fourth season and the film had become "more of its own thing" due to the changes needed to fit a film structure rather than that of a weekly television series. James Whitbrook at Gizmodo said the existence of scripts for a fourth season did not mean one would be made, and if the season did get made it was unclear whether re-writes would be necessary to work around the film. During an earnings call in February 2024, Disney CEO Bob Iger said the film would likely be released in 2026 and would start a new slate of Star Wars films. Explaining the decision to move forward with The Mandalorian and Grogu as the next Star Wars film, Kennedy said they had built an audience for the film through the success of The Mandalorian on Disney+ and she believed young audiences would consider the film to be "their Star Wars" and not feel pressure to watch the entire franchise to see this entry. Filoni—who later replaced Kennedy as co-CEO of Lucasfilm—said The Mandalorian and Grogu did not have the same pressure as Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015), which was similarly the first Star Wars film in years, because it was not the start of a new trilogy or introducing new characters. He described the film as a "big celebration" of the title characters.

Also in February 2024, California allocated the production $21,755,000 in tax credits from the state's filming tax incentive program, one of the biggest allocations in the program's history. The film was expected to be entirely produced in the state, a first for a Star Wars theatrical film, and would generate over $166 million in qualified expenditures and below-the-line wages there. In April, Disney scheduled the film for release on May 22, 2026, filling the May 2026 date that the studio previously reserved for an untitled Star Wars film. Sigourney Weaver was in talks to join the cast a month later. Production designers Doug Chiang and Andrew L. Jones returned from The Mandalorian and its spin-offs, while costume designer Mary Zophres reunited with Favreau after working on his film Iron Man 2 (2010).

Principal photography was scheduled to begin in June 2024 in California, under the working title Thunder Alley, and was expected to last for 92 days. The film had approximately 54 cast members, 3,500 background extras, and 500 crew members. David Klein returned as cinematographer from the third season of The Mandalorian, and Filoni directed the second unit. Favreau and Filoni said in early August that filming had begun several weeks earlier. At that time, the character Garazeb "Zeb" Orrelios from Rebels was revealed to be appearing along with the Anzellan species from The Rise of Skywalker, after both appeared in The Mandalorian's third season. A new version of the Razor Crest, the Mandalorian's ship that was destroyed in the second season, was also set to appear. Weaver confirmed her casting at the end of August. Favreau and Filoni said the action, spectacle, and practical effects would be expanded from the series, but they felt the characters connecting with audiences was more important. Around 49 minutes of the film were filmed in the full-frame IMAX ratio. Filming wrapped by the start of December.

Rachel Goodlett Katz edited the film, after working on the third season of The Mandalorian. In mid-December 2024, Jonny Coyne was revealed to be reprising his role as the Imperial Warlord Janu from the third season of The Mandalorian. By then, Jeremy Allen White was cast to provide the voice of Rotta the Hutt, a character first introduced in the animated film Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008). At Star Wars Celebration Japan in April 2025, Weaver was revealed to be portraying New Republic colonel Ward, while Filoni was revealed to be reprising his role as New Republic pilot Trapper Wolf from The Mandalorian. The film's official trailer, released in February 2026, confirmed that Steve Blum was reprising his role as the voice of Zeb, Martin Scorsese was providing the voice of an Ardennian shopkeeper, The Clone Wars character Embo would appear, and Jabba the Hutt's twin cousins from The Book of Boba Fett would also be returning. Tippett Studio provided stop motion animation for the film. The film features opening credits, a first for a Star Wars film.

Ludwig Göransson was confirmed in September 2025 to be composing the score for the film, returning to the franchise after he composed for the first two seasons of The Mandalorian and provided themes for the third. Scoring sessions took place during the first half of January 2026 at the Fox Studio Lot in Los Angeles. A soundtrack album featuring Göransson's score is being released digitally by Walt Disney Records on May 15. A 12-inch vinyl album with 13 cues from the soundtrack will be released on June 5, and a special edition 10-inch vinyl in the shape of the Mandalorian's helmet, featuring two new score cues, will be released on May 22.

Pedro Pascal, Sigourney Weaver, Dave Filoni, and Kathleen Kennedy promoting the film at Star Wars Celebration Japan in April 2025

Favreau and Filoni presented initial footage from the film at Disney's D23 convention in August 2024. More footage was shown at D23 Brazil that November, with Favreau and Filoni appearing via a video message from the film's set. A panel for the film was held at Star Wars Celebration Japan in April 2025, where more footage and first-look photos were shown. Favreau, Filoni, Kennedy, Pascal, and Weaver discussed the film and were joined on stage by an animatronic Grogu.

A teaser trailer was released online in late September 2025. It was originally planned to be released the previous week, but was repeatedly delayed amid Disney's controversial decision to suspend its ABC late-night talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live! The teaser's release before the suspension was resolved led to comments from fans and commentators who believed it was being used by Disney to distract from the controversy. Matt Patches at Polygon said the teaser should have felt like a "massive event" but instead felt like Disney was attempting a Jedi mind trick. Discussing the teaser for The Verge, Andrew Webster said it made the film look like a combination of the "adventurous vibe of the original trilogy and the cuteness" of The Mandalorian, while Polygon's Michael McWhertor said it "promises lots of action". James Hibberd at The Hollywood Reporter said the teaser was a "different vibe for a Star Wars film, and feels very lighthearted and family friendly". He noted the focus on Grogu and the fact that only one human face (Weaver) is clearly seen among creatures, droids, and masked characters. Also writing for The Hollywood Reporter, Richard Newby said the teaser and other early marketing had not distinguished the film from the series and left some questioning why a fourth season had not been made instead. While Newby praised The Mandalorian, he believed a theatrical Star Wars film should feel different from watching a Disney+ series.

A television spot was released during Super Bowl LX, showing Din Djarin and Grogu riding on a wagon pulled by tauntauns with a voice over by Sam Elliott. The spot is a parody of classic Budweiser Super Bowl ads featuring the Budweiser Clydesdales. Lucasfilm's marketing team felt this was a unique and creative way to pay tribute to past Super Bowl ads while reminding audiences "of the fun, heart, and spectacle that defines Star Wars". Omar L. Gallaga, writing for the Los Angeles Times, ranked it ninth in a list of the best Super Bowl LX ads and said it was clever to copy the style of the Budweiser ads. Gallaga stated, "Even if you're not that excited about seeing Baby Yoda on the big screen, you can't deny that this ad sure felt like it belonged on the Super Bowl." Eric Diaz at Nerdist described the spot as wholesome and adorable, comparing it to a Christmas card. Other responses were less positive, and there was confusion about why a parody spot was released instead of an actual trailer. Ryan Scott and Pauli Poisuo at /Film called it "the worst Star Wars spot we've ever seen", while Polygon's Aimee Hart was disappointed and bored by it and felt Lucasfilm and Disney should have made a greater effort to promote the film during the Super Bowl. James Whitbrook at Gizmodo was confused about the film's overall marketing campaign. He said the series' marketing had always relied on "vibes" over giving away specific plot details, and the film's marketing had been consistent with that, but questioned whether that approach made sense for the first Star Wars film in years. A few months from the film's release, he said the marketing had yet to justify why audiences should see the film in theaters and why a fourth season was not being made instead.

The official trailer was released online in mid-February. Multiple commentators expressed relief to finally have a full look at the film. Whitbrook said the trailer "still keeps its cards close to its chest, [but] it certainly gives us a bigger look at what to expect" from the film. Moments that were commonly highlighted include the reveal that Din Djarin would be unmasked, showing Pascal's face; the appearance of Embo; and the casting of Scorsese, with Patches discussing Scorsese's history of public comments regarding blockbuster films and suggesting that his casting in this film was an attempt to find "common ground" with blockbuster fans. Favreau promoted the film at CinemaCon in April, debuting the final trailer and showing the first 17 minutes of the film to attendees. The trailer was released online soon after. Whitbrook said the final trailer was a "much better look at the film than anything we've had before", noting the action shots and the use of John Williams's themes from the previous Star Wars films. Den of Geek's Joe George said the film could be a "crowd-pleaser, finally washing away the stink" of The Rise of Skywalker, if Favreau was able to bring together all the different elements shown in the trailer. He highlighted the return of the Anzellans, as did William Hughes at The A. V. Club who named them and Weaver as selling points for casual viewers who were not already fans of The Mandalorian.

The Mandalorian and Grogu is scheduled to be released in the United States on May 22, 2026. The film is expected to be released in IMAX.

• Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu at StarWars.com
• Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu at Disney Movies
• Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu at IMDb
• Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu on Wookieepedia, a Star Wars wiki