Seven long years after the release of Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker, Disney released The Mandalorian & Grogu movie in theaters on May 22, 2026. Following the beloved Disney+ series The Mandalorian, the film provides a wonderful experience for both new and lifelong fans.
One of the biggest fears people have about watching Star Wars is that they won’t be able to follow the plot, either by getting lost or by failing to connect the dots across the different movies. However, The Mandalorian & Grogu is extremely easy to follow. While connections to the broader Star Wars universe exist, they won’t affect the plot or a person’s understanding of the film. The fact remains, you don’t even have to watch the series before watching the movie—unless you want that extra background information. Nonetheless, the film explains vital details through character dialogue for fans who may not know the background but would still like to follow along.
The story follows the adored little green alien Grogu—mistakenly called Baby Yoda—and the Mandalorian, Din Djarin, played by Pedro Pascal. Likewise, one of the older connections found in the movie is the character Rotta the Hutt. The Hutts have been an active part of Star Wars films since Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. This family is known as a powerful syndicate of crime lords who control much of the criminal underworld, and in this film, Rotta, son of Jabba the Hutt, plays a major role.
While I loved seeing this storyline come to life on the big screen, I was surprised that the movie didn’t perform as well as expected at the box office. While it received a 62% on the Tomatometer and 87% on the Popcornmeter, it grossed roughly $81.6 million domestically and $165 million globally over its initial release window. However, by the second week, ticket sales dropped by 70%, with the movie only making $25 million domestically.
I believe that the biggest reason tickets dropped so drastically is due to the timing, as highly anticipated movies like Backrooms and Obsession came out at the same time period. Likewise, many fans noted they would rather wait a few weeks to watch the film for free at home, building up to the lack of theater participation.
Other complaints came from the fact that the movie feels standalone, a bit more disconnected from the rest of the Star Wars galaxy. With that in mind, fans say that the story could have been made into another season of the show instead. Personally, I disagree, as I thoroughly enjoyed watching the storyline as a movie. Watching how much Grogu has grown through his time with Mando, alongside the skills he has picked up, and the characteristics he has kept–like his constant eating–was extremely fun to watch.
Watching the development of characters was also enjoyable, like seeing Grogu adapt to the world around him in the scenes without the Mandalorian there to guide him, allowing us to see the film’s characters adapt to difficult moments. The evolution of Grogu’s growth moved the plot forward, allowing the audience to see more than a little green alien that likes to eat.
It was also extremely heartwarming to see additional characters like Zeb Orrelios from the show Star Wars Rebels, which I grew up watching. The same can be said for the bounty hunter Embo from The Clone Wars, an animated series covering the three-year fight between the Galactic Republic and the Separatist Confederacy.
Not to mention, the fan reception in theaters was great—audiences laughed, kids brought lightsabers, and the popcorn buckets were extremely creative. Those who attended the premiere at AMC IMAX were also given two limited-edition collectible card packs that advertised cards for the Star Wars: Unlimited trading card game.
While I was a little disappointed there was no post-credit scene, I had to keep in mind that this is a Lucasfilm movie and not a Marvel one. My main disappointment happened when the film ended—I wanted it to keep going!
Even though the movie didn’t have a post-credit scene nor a single lightsaber, I truly believe that The Mandalorian & Grogu is a must-watch, whether you are a new fan or a lifelong follower.