The Star Wars universe is preparing for a theatrical comeback with The Mandalorian and Grogu (2026), the franchise’s first big-screen entry since The Rise of Skywalker in 2019.
Early reactions to the first official trailer, released last year, were mixed, with some pointing out that the movie looks more like an extended episode of the Disney+ series rather than a fully cinematic experience.
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Now, while that criticism remains, the second trailer, which premiered last week, seems to have fans excited to see Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu on the big screen for the first time.
Despite their cultural peak in Disney+’s The Mandalorian between 2019 and 2023, Din Djarin and Grogu still command a fair amount of interest among audiences. But what many fans are interested to see is who else will show up in the theatrical continuation.
The Mandalorian (2019) consistently leveraged cameos to surprise and engage fans, from animated-origin characters like Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) and Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff) to legacy figures such as Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Boba Fett (Temuera Morrison), and R2-D2. But will the upcoming film continue that trend?
Confirmed appearances so far include Star Wars Rebels characters Garazeb “Zeb” Orrelios, who made his live-action debut in Season 3 of The Mandalorian and X-Wing pilots Trapper Wolf (portrayed by co-writer and new Lucasfilm President Dave Filoni).
X-Wing pilot Carson Teva (Paul Sun-Hyung Lee) is also expected to appear — at least according to a Star Wars LEGO set reveal.
The latest trailer for the film also confirms the live-action debut of Embo, the skilled bounty hunter from The Clone Wars series, and formally introduces Rotta the Hutt from the 2008 Clone Wars film, now portrayed by Jeremy Allen White.
In addition, the Hutt Twins, first seen in The Book of Boba Fett (2021), are also confirmed.
Watch the official trailer for the film below:
While fan-favorite characters such as Ahsoka Tano and Luke Skywalker remain unconfirmed, their potential inclusion would tie directly into the broader “Mando-Verse” that Lucasfilm is building, possibly even setting the stage for future crossover projects.
Some former supporting characters are effectively ruled out, including Cara Dune and Greef Karga, with Gina Carano having been fired from Lucasfilm in 2021 and Carl Weathers having sadly passed away in 2024.
The Mandalorian and Grogu stars Pedro Pascal (Din Djarin), Sigourney Weaver (Ward), Jeremy Allen White (Rotta the Hutt), and Jonny Coyne (an unnamed Imperial Warlord).
“The evil Empire has fallen, and Imperial warlords remain scattered throughout the galaxy,” the 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 and Grogu is set to release in theaters on May 22.
Are you excited about The Mandalorian and Grogu? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
