Credit: LucasfilmDisney and Lucasfilm confirmed on January 9 that a new Star Wars movie titled The Mandalorian & Grogu (TBA) is going into production this year, with The Mandalorian (2019) creator and executive producer Jon Favreau on board as director.
The news came as a huge surprise to Star Wars fans as it wasn’t on the franchise’s original slate of upcoming films, which includes the sequel to Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker (2019) and an anthology film that will revolve around the origins of the Force.
While The Mandalorian Season 3 received mixed reviews, leaving many feeling disenfranchised with the “Mando-Verse,” there’s suddenly a buzz within the fandom again. But there are also some questions about the film that need to be answered.
If you’re looking for some of those answers, “this is the way”…
The Mandalorian & Grogu
What’s The Mandalorian & Grogu about?
The press release for The Mandalorian & Grogu doesn’t include a synopsis so we don’t know whether it will form part of a larger story or serve as an independent adventure featuring everyone’s favorite bounty hunter and Force-wielding child.
However, looking at the last three seasons of The Mandalorian, many would probably agree that the show works best when its episodes are stand-alone, even if there’s usually an overarching storyline at play.
Simplicity is one of the critical components to making the new film a success; burdening it with larger storylines or overlapping it with other Star Wars shows could be a turn-off for many.
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Where will it fit into the Star Wars timeline?
Though it’s never wise to assume, the odds are that The Mandalorian & Grogu will follow on from the events told in The Mandalorian Season 3. That said, The Mandalorian Season 4 may arrive before the film, which doesn’t have a release date yet.
Either way, the film is unlikely to take place before the end of Season 3. So far, The Mandalorian has been told in chronological order (as have the other Mando-Verse shows), so there’s no reason to think the film will break this tradition.
The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett (2021), and Ahsoka (2023) take place during the New Republic era, with The Mandalorian Season 1 — the first installment in the Mando-Verse – picking up five years after the last film in the original Star Wars trilogy, Star Wars: Episode VI — Return of the Jedi (1983).
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Is it replacing Dave Filoni’s Mando-Verse movie?
Jon Favreau’s The Mandalorian & Grogu and Dave Filoni’s untitled Mando-Verse crossover movie are two completely separate projects. How the two will tie in together remains to be seen, but we know both films are heading to movie theaters.
Filoni’s film will unite characters from the Mando-Verse shows; The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, and Ahsoka. It may include characters from Skeleton Crew (2024), which is also set during the New Republic era and will premiere on Disney+ later this year.
Favreau’s film, on the other hand, as the title suggests, will be focused on the titular bounty hunter and his little green friend, making it a direct film adaptation of the flagship series as opposed to a shared universe-inspired crossover of any kind.
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Will we still get The Mandalorian Season 4?
The Mandalorian Season 4 is still happening, but there’s no release date and it isn’t on Lucasfilm’s 2024 schedule. This year will see the release of at least four new Star Wars shows: Skeleton Crew, The Acolyte (2024), Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi Season 2, and Star Wars: The Bad Batch Season 3.
Along with the news about The Mandalorian & Grogu, Ahsoka Season 2 has also been confirmed. Ahsoka is the first live-action Star Wars series set in the Mando-Verse to have a follow-up season announced, as there’s still no word on The Book of Boba Fett Season 2.
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What other Star Wars characters will appear?
The Mandalorian & Grogu may feature other characters from the Mando-Verse.
There’s The Mandalorian‘s Greef Karga (Carl Weathers), IG-11 (Taika Waititi), The Armorer (Emily Swallow), and Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff), The Book of Boba Fett‘s Fennec Shand (Ming-Na Wen), and Ahsoka‘s Rebel characters, for starters. And that doesn’t even include any of the leads.
With that said, the film will likely keep some distance from Dave Filoni’s Mando-Verse crossover by not featuring the likes of Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) and Boba Fett (Temuera Morrison), at least not too much.
Related: Grogu May Join a New Bounty Hunter Before ‘The Mandalorian’ Season 4
Will The Mandalorian & Grogu be available on Disney+?
The Mandalorian & Grogu will get a theatrical release, but whether or not it will also be released onto Disney+ at the same time remains to be seen. But if not, as with any Disney movie, The Mandalorian & Grogu will be released onto the streaming service sometime after its theatrical run.
When will it be released in theaters?
There’s no release date for The Mandalorian & Grogu or any other upcoming Star Wars films.
Check out the official trailer for The Mandalorian Season 3 below:
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The Mandalorian stars Pedro Pascal (Din Djarin/The Mandalorian), Giancarlo Esposito (Moff Gideon), Gina Carano (Cara Dune), Nick Nolte (Kuiil), Taika Waititi (IG-11), Carl Weathers (Greef Karga), Katee Sackhoff (Bo-Katan Kryze), Emily Swallow (The Armorer), and Amy Sedaris (Peli Motto).
The Mandalorian seasons 1 — 3 are now streaming on Disney+.
What are your thoughts on The Mandalorian & Grogu movie? Is this the way for Star Wars in theaters, or have fans already lost interest in the Mando-Verse? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below?