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Credit: LucasfilmThe Skywalker Saga has long been the center of gravity for Star Wars in film.
The Original Trilogy
The franchise launched with George Lucas’ Star Wars in 1977 (later titled A New Hope), which introduced Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Han Solo (Harrison Ford), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew), C-3PO (Anthony Daniels), R2-D2 (Kenny Baker), Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness), and Darth Vader (voiced by James Earl Jones).
The 1977 film was followed by The Empire Strikes Back in 1980 and Return of the Jedi in 1983, which continued with Luke’s journey to help save the galaxy from the evil Galactic Empire and his battle against the dark side, including his father, Darth Vader (AKA Anakin Skywalker).
The Prequel Trilogy
After the original trilogy ended, audiences had to wait 19 years for the prequels. That series started with 1999’s The Phantom Menace, which introduced a young Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd) and Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor). Attack of the Clones (2002) continued Anakin’s storyline several years later, with Hayden Christensen now playing the character and McGregor returning alongside him.
Revenge of the Sith (2005) marked Anakin’s long-awaited fall to the dark side. He became Darth Vader (James Earl Jones) and the galaxy fell into darkness at the hands of Vader, Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid), and the newly formed Galactic Empire.
The Sequel Trilogy
The Force Awakens (2015) arrived in theaters a decade later, launching the long-gestating sequel trilogy, this time under Disney, which had acquired Lucasfilm in 2012. It introduced a new generation of characters, including Rey (Daisy Ridley), Finn (John Boyega), and Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), while bringing back legacy heroes such as Luke, Han, and Leia as supporting characters.
The Last Jedi (2017) continued continued Rey’s journey toward becoming a Jedi and her battle against Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) and the First Order, and The Rise of Skywalker (2019) marked the end of the sequel trilogy and the Skywalker Saga.
That film was also the last time Star Wars was in theaters. While Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s untitled Rey Skywalker-focused film is reportedly still in development (although there has been no update for some time), other projects have been given priority.
That project was announced at Star Wars Celebration 2023 and is expected to see Daisy Ridley reprise her role in a standalone story 15 years after the events of The Rise of Skywalker, focusing on Rey as she rebuilds the Jedi Order. So, even if it happens, it won’t be a Skywalker Saga film.
Related: Disney Removes Violence From ‘Star Wars’ as ‘Mandalorian and Grogu’ Made Child-Friendly
The Mandalorian & Grogu Marks a “Different Era”
The same can be said of any Star Wars film from here onwards, especially the next two on the slate, both of which have been locked in for theatrical release. The first is The Mandalorian & Grogu (2026), which releases on May 22. As such, marketing for the big-screen continuation of the hit Disney+ series is starting to ramp up, as we’ve now had two official trailers, a Super Bowl ad, and most recently, an Empire exclusive with Dave Filoni.
Filoni, who was recently announced as Lucasfilm’s new co-president with Lynwen Brennan, taking over from Kathleen Kennedy, is co-writer on the film alongside director Jon Favreau. He told Empire that the sequel trilogy opener The Force Awakens was “a completely different entity” to The Mandalorian & Grogu, adding that, without the constraints of the Skywalker Saga, “we’re in a completely different era of Star Wars now.”
Star Wars would do well to launch a new era that has little to no relation to the sequel trilogy, whose last two films were widely panned and divided the fanbase in unprecedented ways.
The Mandalorian & Grogu is also the first Star Wars movie based on a TV series. Filoni describes the film as “a big celebration” of Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu, who shot to stardom with the launch of The Mandalorian on Disney+ in 2019. The series ran for three seasons between 2019 and 2023, and the iconic duo hasn’t appeared on the screen since.
However, it hasn’t been smooth sailing for the project in recent months. Not only did the first trailer fail to excite audiences, the Super Bowl ad faced backlash for its style and tone.
Most recently, a report claimed that executives and marketing teams weren’t impressed with early promotional efforts, including the Super Bowl ad.
Fans have also been critical of the fact that the film is a continuation of a series whose third season received mixed to negative reviews and also ended three years ago. Many have also pointed out that the film looks like an extended episode of the Disney+ series and lacks the “glow up” of a theatrical release. The reported budget for the film is also surprisingly low for a Star Wars movie.
Related: Report: Lucasfilm Rethinks ‘Star Wars’ Future, Will Abandon Hyped Film
Whether the film succeeds remains to be seen, but either way, it’s a big moment for a franchise that has relied on the Skywalker Saga storyline for so long, especially in theaters.
Other Non-Skywalker Saga Star Wars Movies
Of course, Star Wars hasn’t always been strictly Skywalker Saga-focused.
In 2008, the film made its animated debut in theaters with The Clone Wars, which spawned the long-running series of the same name. In 2016, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story became the franchise’s first-ever spinoff on the big-screen while also serving as a prequel to A New Hope. And in 2018, Solo: A Star Wars Story gave audiences a Han origin story, with Alden Ehrenreich picking up the keys to the Millennium Falcon, taking over from Harrison Ford.
But The Mandalorian & Grogu will be the first theatrical Star Wars film since the Skywalker Saga ended in 2019. That series is now over, and a new era in the galaxy far, far away is about to begin. The standalone spinoff trend is also set to continue next year with Shawn Levy’s Star Wars: Starfighter (2027), a standalone movie that stars Ryan Gosling in the lead role and takes place five years after The Rise of Skywalker.
Related: Report: Disney “Concerned” About ‘Star Wars,’ Gives up on ‘The Mandalorian & Grogu’
The Mandalorian & Grogu Cast and Synopsis
“The evil Empire has fallen, and Imperial warlords remain scattered throughout the galaxy,” the film’s official synopsis on StarWars.com reads. “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.”
The Mandalorian & Grogu stars Pedro Pascal (Din Djarin/The Mandalorian), Sigourney Weaver (Ward), Jeremy Allen White (Rotta the Hutt), and Grogu.
Characters from the Disney+ series such as The Armorer (Emily Swallow), Peli Motto (Amy Sedaris), IG-11 (Taika Waititi), Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito), Fennec Shand (Ming-Na Wen), Cara Dune (Gina Carano), Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson), Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff), and Boba Fett (Temuera Morrison) are not expected to return.
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