Nearly seven years after Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker closed the Skywalker saga in 2019, the galaxy far, far away is making its long-awaited return to the big screen with Star Wars: The Mandalorian & Grogu, opening exclusively in theaters and IMAX on May 22, 2026.
Directed by Jon Favreau and written by Favreau, Dave Filoni, and Noah Kloor, the film brings the fan-favorite “Clan of Two” – bounty hunter Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and his young apprentice Grogu from Disney+ into cinemas for a high-stakes adventure. With a reported runtime of approximately 2 hours and 12 minutes and filmed with IMAX in mind, the movie aims to deliver spectacle while remaining accessible to newcomers.
The story picks up in the aftermath of the Galactic Empire’s fall, as seen in Return of the Jedi. Imperial warlords still threaten the galaxy, and the fledgling New Republic enlists the legendary Mandalorian and Grogu for a critical mission.
Central to the plot is the rescue of Rotta the Hutt -Jabba the Hutt’s son, now grown into a muscular gladiator voiced by The Bear star Jeremy Allen White, who has been captured and forced into deadly fights in the criminal underworld.
This marks a full-circle moment for the character, who first appeared as an infant in the 2008 animated film Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Expect bounty hunter action, Mandalorian lore, Force moments with Grogu, clashes with lingering Imperials, and classic Star Wars set pieces.
Pascal reprises his breakout role, with Brendan Wayne and Lateef Crowder assisting in helmeted and stunt sequences. Sigourney Weaver joins as Colonel Ward of the New Republic’s Adelphi Rangers. Additional voices and appearances include Steve Blum as Garazeb “Zeb” Orrelios, Jonny Coyne as an Imperial warlord, and even a cameo voice from Martin Scorsese as an Ardennian shopkeeper.
Music comes from Ludwig Göransson, returning from the series, while producers include Favreau, Kathleen Kennedy, Dave Filoni, and Ian Bryce.
Box Office Outlook
Early reactions from press screenings have been divided. Some critics call it a “thrilling adventure” and “perfect summer movie” that leans into fun, freaky galactic romps and the heartfelt Mando-Grogu bond. Others describe it as feeling like an extended, high-budget episode of the Disney+ series – “predictable,” “emotionless,” or even “one of the weakest Star Wars movies.”
Current Rotten Tomatoes scores hover in the low-to-mid 50s to around 60%, placing it near Solo: A Star Wars Story territory for the franchise.
Box office expectations reflect tempered optimism. Disney is eyeing a domestic opening in the $70–90 million range over the four-day Memorial Day weekend (with some forecasts climbing toward $80M+ or even $105M including Thursday previews).
That would trail some recent hits but benefit from family appeal and the holiday window. Long-term projections suggest a domestic total around $220–240 million, helped by a reportedly modest budget in the $166 million range for a Star Wars film.
This positions the movie as a lower-risk entry compared to past tentpoles, focusing on one of the franchise’s most popular recent duos rather than trying to launch an entirely new saga immediately.
Success could pave the way for more Mandoverse theatrical outings, while a softer performance might shift emphasis back to streaming or other projects like the upcoming Star Wars: Starfighter.
The Mandalorian series redefined live-action Star Wars for a new generation when it debuted in 2019, turning Grogu into a global phenomenon (initially known as “Baby Yoda”). The film capitalizes on that goodwill while expanding the universe with elements like Hutt politics, gladiatorial combat, and New Republic bureaucracy.
As Favreau and Filoni have emphasized, this is designed as a big-screen event that honors the spirit of classic Star Wars adventures.
With summer blockbusters heating up and recent hits like Project Hail Mary and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie proving audiences are showing up, The Mandalorian & Grogu enter the fray at a pivotal time for Hollywood and the iconic franchise.
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