Disney Speaks Out After Major ‘Star Wars’ Fail, ‘Mandalorian’ Franchise at Risk

As Star Wars charts its return to the big screen, the franchise appears to be quietly recalibrating the streaming storyline that once anchored its Disney+ ambitions.

When The Mandalorian premiered in 2019, it became the stabilizing pillar of Star Wars’ early streaming era. Now, with The Mandalorian and Grogu set for a May 22, 2026, theatrical release, Lucasfilm is bringing those characters into cinemas for the first time since 2019–and marking the franchise’s first big-screen outing led by figures born on Disney+.

Directed by Jon Favreau, the film continues the story launched in The Mandalorian’s three-season run. Set after the polarizing third season, the narrative follows Pedro Pascal’s Din Djarin and his Force-sensitive foundling, Din Grogu, as they navigate a galaxy still reeling from the Empire’s fall. Official materials and Favreau’s comments confirm that lingering Imperial factions operating during the New Republic era will factor into the conflict.

The timeline sits roughly five years after Star Wars: Episode VI—Return of the Jedi (1983), a period Lucasfilm has repeatedly mined to explore the fragile rebuilding of galactic governance following Emperor Palpatine’s defeat. Din’s journey mirrors that broader political shift. Introduced as a solitary bounty hunter chasing credits, he has gradually aligned himself with the New Republic’s ideals–a meaningful transformation that reframes the once-detached warrior audiences met nearly a decade ago.

Sigourney Weaver joins the saga as Admiral Ward, a character reportedly central to the film despite limited screen time. Meanwhile, Jeremy Allen White lends his voice to Rotta the Hutt, Jabba’s son. Early indications suggest Rotta may become a key presence in the story, possibly accompanying Din for part of the adventure.

But for every addition, there are notable absences.

Giancarlo Esposito’s Moff Gideon appears unlikely to return following his apparent death in Season 3. Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff), having reclaimed Mandalore, reached what many consider a natural stopping point. The Armorer (Emily Swallow), once essential to the show’s mythic framework, may not fit into a story more tightly centered on Din and Grogu.

Boba Fett and Fennec Shand seem similarly sidelined. Temuera Morrison has openly questioned whether his character has a future in the current narrative, and without him, Ming-Na Wen’s Fennec lacks narrative grounding. Their storyline largely unfolded in The Book of Boba Fett, and The Mandalorian and Grogu does not appear designed to revisit it.

Cara Dune remains another unresolved thread. Gina Carano was fired from Lucasfilm in 2021 after controversial social media posts. In 2024, she filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against Disney and Lucasfilm, backed financially by Elon Musk, alleging discrimination and retaliation. The dispute was settled last year, with Lucasfilm stating it was looking forward to “identifying opportunities to work together.”

Even so, Cara Dune does not appear positioned to return in the upcoming film. Taken together, these omissions suggest a deliberate narrowing of focus. Rather than staging a reunion of the Disney+ era, Lucasfilm appears intent on crafting a forward-facing chapter built squarely around Din and Grogu.

That doesn’t mean the broader galaxy disappears entirely. Co-writer Dave Filoni reprises his role as New Republic pilot Trapper Wolf. The film also includes Garazeb “Zeb” Orrelios from Star Wars Rebels and members of the Anzellan species first introduced in 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker.

Notably, none of those characters appeared in the project’s first teaser.

Disney and Lucasfilm’s Super Bowl LX spot for The Mandalorian and Grogu sparked swift debate. With the first Star Wars theatrical release in nearly seven years on deck, many expected a full-scale trailer during one of television’s biggest advertising platforms.

Instead, the studio unveiled a 36-second teaser that leaned into tone rather than plot. Din and Grogu were shown traveling across a snowy landscape in a carriage pulled by tauntauns, evoking the feel of a Budweiser Clydesdales commercial. Absent were significant action beats, narrative exposition, or deeper insight into the film’s stakes.

According to Disney leadership, that approach was intentional. Jackson George, Disney Executive VP of Creative Marketing, explained, via Variety, the thinking behind the ad: “Grogu is more than a character; he’s a pop culture phenomenon. Riding alongside the heroic Mandalorian, he brings lightness, humor, joy, and an instant emotional connection that transcends the moment.” The strategy, George indicated, was to rekindle affection for the characters rather than unveil major story details.

Still, fans weren’t universally persuaded.

Eric Goldman (@TheEricGoldman) said:

I get the Super Bowl ad parody they’re doing, but that Mandalorian and Grogu Super Bowl spot was not what this movie needs at this point to help make it look more exciting.

YungJunko (@YungJunko) echoed the above sentiments:

Mando and Grogu marketing is so bizarre. There’s not even an attempt to sell the movie beyond: come see an episode of Mandalorian (and Grogu) on the big screen! Also Sigourney Weaver will be there 🙂

Im willing to bet lot of viewers had no idea the Super Bowl ad was for a movie

Likewise, Oliver Jia (@OliverJia1014) said:

Utterly insane how there’s a Star Wars movie out in 3 months and most people aren’t even aware it’s a thing.

Where the hell is the marketing? That Super Bowl ad was atrocious. Mandalorian was one of the few things people liked about Disney Star Wars too. What are they doing!?

Much of the criticism centers on expectations. With a May 22, 2026 release date, fans anticipated the Super Bowl would ignite a full-scale campaign. Instead, the teaser spotlighted Grogu’s enduring appeal over the film’s scale or stakes. Given that this marks the first Star Wars film since The Rise of Skywalker, some viewers hoped for a more assertive statement about the franchise’s cinematic direction.

Complicating matters is a broader strategic shift.

Not long ago, the interconnected Mandalorian-era projects appeared poised to anchor the franchise for years, with Ahsoka Season 2 in development and Dave Filoni’s previously announced crossover film in the works.

That trajectory may be evolving. “According to insider Daniel Richtman, Lucasfilm is considering potentially moving away from the MandoVerse for future Star Wars projects,” The Direct explains.

“The known scooper shared the news in a new post on Patreon, writing that, as it stands, nothing within that particular section of the Star Wars timeline is planned beyond the upcoming Ahsoka Season 2, and Lucasfilm is waiting to see how the Rosario Dawson-led streaming series performs before committing to anything else,” the outlet added.

The report arrives during significant leadership changes. Kathleen Kennedy is stepping down as Lucasfilm president, with Dave Filoni and Lynwen Brennan stepping in.

Filoni’s expanded responsibilities raise questions about his previously announced Mandalorian-era feature revealed at Star Wars Celebration 2023. With oversight across multiple projects, directing a crossover event may be impractical. Some reports suggest the concept could instead be reshaped into a limited series.

For now, Disney has officially confirmed two theatrical projects: The Mandalorian and Grogu and Shawn Levy’s Star Wars: Starfighter (2027), a standalone film set beyond the sequel trilogy and starring Ryan Gosling.

As Lucasfilm reassesses its long-term roadmap, The Mandalorian and Grogu may represent more than a theatrical return. It could mark a turning point–or a closing chapter–for the era that once defined Star Wars’ streaming future.

How do you feel about the current direction of the Star Wars universe? Let us know in the comments down below!