There’s a certain kind of “Star Wars” storytelling that only really works when it’s forced to commit—when the scale isn’t a weekly promise but a two-hour pact, and the adventure has to justify the room. The new trailer for “Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu” leans into that shift, taking Din Djarin and Grogu’s roaming bond and reframing it as a full-throttle theatrical mission built for the big screen.
The Lucasfilm feature is directed by Jon Favreau (“The Mandalorian,” “Iron Man”) and stars Pedro Pascal (“The Last of Us”), with Sigourney Weaver (“Alien,” “Avatar”) and Jeremy Allen White (“The Bear”) also on board. Favreau produces alongside Kathleen Kennedy, Dave Filoni, and Ian Bryce, with Ludwig Göransson returning to compose the score.
The premise keeps the franchise in its post-Imperial cleanup era: the Empire is down, but the galaxy is still full of sharp edges, with scattered warlords and a New Republic trying to stabilize what’s left. Din—legendary Mandalorian bounty hunter turned reluctant guardian—gets enlisted to help, with Grogu now firmly positioned as apprentice and partner, not just precious cargo.
Favreau has described the leap from TV to theaters as a real escalation in intent and execution, not simply a bigger container for the same thing. “So the challenge becomes okay, we presented a cinematic experience on the small screen, we gotta up our game now for the movie theater.” He’s talked about that “up the game” mandate in practical terms, too—premium-format scale like IMAX, physical builds that can withstand that scrutiny, and storytelling that keeps an audience locked in without the comforts of pausing, drifting, or half-watching.
“Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu” opens exclusively in theaters on May 22, 2026. Watch the trailer below.
Rodrigo Perez is the founder and editor-in-chief of The Playlist, which he launched in 2008. He has worked in entertainment journalism since 2000, including at MTV, and has written for SPIN, IndieWire, Pitchfork, Complex, Magnet, and various music, film, and entertainment publications over the past two decades.
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