Credit: LucasfilmThe Mandalorian and Grogu (2026) will be docking with theaters in May, marking the franchise’s return to the big screen six years since Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker (2019).
As the film nears, the hype is finally starting to build; however, it got off to a rocky start with audiences, following a lukewarm reception to the original trailer that premiered last year and backlash to the Super Bowl ad. Nevertheless, complaints that The Mandalorian & Grogu looks like an extended episode of the Disney+ series remain. Watch the latest trailer below:
Related: Lucasfilm Confirms New ‘Star Wars’ Era Launching This Year, Finally Leaves Sequel Trilogy Behind
What’s The Mandalorian and Grogu About?
The Mandalorian and Grogu is a big-screen continuation of The Mandalorian, which premiered on Disney+ in 2019 and ran for three seasons before seemingly concluding in 2023.
“The evil Empire has fallen, and Imperial warlords remain scattered throughout the galaxy,” the film’s official synopsis on StarWars.com reads.
It continues: “As the fledgling New Republic works to protect everything the Rebellion fought for, they have enlisted the help of legendary Mandalorian bounty hunter Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and his young apprentice Grogu.”
As the title and all the marketing confirms without question, The Mandalorian & Grogu sees the return of bounty hunter Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and the Force-wielding child, Grogu.
Will Any Other Characters From The Mandalorian Return?
Unfortunately, the film abandons several characters from the Disney+ series, including The Armorer (Emily Swallow), Peli Motto (Amy Sedaris), IG-11 (Taika Waititi), Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito), Fennec Shand (Ming-Na Wen), and Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson).
The only familiar Mandalorian characters besides Din and Grogu are Garazeb “Zeb” Orrelios (the Star Wars Rebels character who had a small cameo in The Mandalorian Season 3), New Republic X-Wing pilot Trapper Wolf (new Lucasfilm Chief Creative Officer and co-President Dave Filoni reprises his minor role), and fellow pilot Carson Teva (Paul Sun-Hyung Lee), although he currently remains unconfirmed.
New characters include Colonel Ward (Sigourney Weaver) and Rotta the Hutt (Jeremy Allen White).
Related: Mando and Grogu May Be Replaced in Season 4 of Disney+ Series, as ‘Mandalorian’ Film Struggles
The Film Brings One Character Back From the Dead
While surprise cameos are likely, certain characters from the Disney+ can be instantly ruled out. These include Cara Dune, as Gina Carano was famously fired by the company in 2021, and, of course, Greef Karga, with Carl Weathers having sadly passed away in 2024.
Meanwhile, Boba Fett actor Temuera Morrison recently said that Lucasfilm told him his character has “been put on the shelf” for now, while Katee Sackhoff, who plays Bo-Katan Kryze, revealed last year that she has struggled to find work following her time on the series.
With all that said, the word “character” can often have a much broader meaning, especially where a galaxy far, far away is concerned. The Millennium Falcon, for instance, is as equally iconic as its smuggler pilot Han Solo. Now, fans will be pleased to know that one such character from The Mandalorian series will appear in the upcoming film: the Razor Crest.
Somehow, the Razor Crest Has Returned…
The Razor Crest appeared in the first trailer for the film, which premiered last year. And unsurprisingly, fans were quick to point out that Din’s iconic ship was blown to smithereens in Season 2 (he probably should have given it some of that Beskar armor), and was replaced by the smaller, sleeker, and more practical N-1 Starfighter, courtesy of Tatooine mechanic Peli Motto. So, why — and how — is the stoic bounty hunter now back in his old cockpit?
During an appearance at New York Toy Fair in February, The Mandalorian & Grogu director Jon Favreau addressed the ship’s return. Per GeekTyrant, he said, “[Din’s] in the Razor Crest now, which is the ship he originally had,” adding, “He’s in the same model of ship.”
A new LEGO set for the film also confirms that it’s simply “Razor Crest” — not Razor Crest II or 2.0, just the original designation, albeit with some yellow stripes along the hull. So, it’s the exact same model — although this still doesn’t explain how Din has acquired another one.
Either way, it makes sense given the fact that The Mandalorian & Grogu picks up where Season 3 left off to find Din hunting down Imperial remnants for the New Republic — he’d have trouble freezing them in carbonite and storing them in the back of the N-1 Starfighter.
The Mandalorian and Grogu releases in theaters on May 22.
Are you excited about The Mandalorian & Grogu? Let us know in the comments!