The galaxy far, far away is gearing up for a theatrical return, and it’s doing so with two of its most popular faces leading the charge. The Mandalorian and Grogu is set to hit theaters on May 22, 2026, becoming the first Star Wars film to arrive since 2019’s Star Wars: Episode IX–The Rise of Skywalker.
Helmed by Jon Favreau, the upcoming feature marks a major turning point for Lucasfilm, which is now placing theatrical storytelling at the center of its evolving strategy.
The film’s announcement raised plenty of questions—chief among them: what does this mean for The Mandalorian Season 4? Ever since the end of Season 3, speculation around the show’s future and Dave Filoni’s larger Mando-Verse narrative has only intensified.
Back in January 2024, Lucasfilm formally declared that The Mandalorian and Grogu would be leading the franchise’s live-action efforts. The move signaled a shift away from the three film projects previously teased by Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy at Star Wars Celebration in 2023.
Speaking to StarWars.com, Kennedy praised the creative team behind the characters’ journey: “Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni have ushered into Star Wars two new and beloved characters, and this new story is a perfect fit for the big screen.”
But even as fans celebrated the return of Din Djarin and Grogu, uncertainty took hold. Would the film serve as a continuation of the show or a replacement for its fourth season? And how would this pivot affect Filoni’s long-teased crossover movie that’s supposed to bring the Mando-Verse threads together?
For months, answers were scarce—until The Hollywood Reporter shed light on the situation in October 2024, reporting a major strategic redirection at the studio.
“Instead of a fourth season, Disney decided to pivot The Mandalorian to launch its first Star Wars feature film since The Rise of Skywalker,” the outlet wrote.
This move is part of a broader recalibration by Disney, aimed at reinvigorating its theatrical Star Wars pipeline. Still, the decision wasn’t without its share of growing pains. Season 3 of The Mandalorian received a mixed response from fans and critics alike, due in part to shifting narrative priorities and behind-the-scenes adjustments.
The departure of Gina Carano’s Cara Dune, a heightened focus on Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff), and a reduced on-screen presence from Pedro Pascal—who now mostly lends his voice while stunt doubles wear the Din Djarin armor—left the season feeling markedly different. High-profile guest stars like Lizzo and Jack Black divided viewers even further, and while interest in a potential Season 4 remained, it was clear that momentum was being redirected toward the big screen.
Then came a December 2024 update that offered a glimmer of hope to longtime fans of the Disney+ series.
“According to a report from The InSneider, The Mandalorian Season 4 may not be dead at Disney+,” The Direct wrote. “He noted that the follow-up remains ‘in development’ for streaming, but The Mandalorian and Grogu will ‘arrive first’ in theaters.”
Fast forward to Star Wars Celebration in Tokyo, where Jon Favreau provided a rare update while speaking to Collider. The filmmaker confirmed that—for now—the focus is entirely on the film.
“Right now, I’m focusing on the feature because we still have another year of the story,” Favreau explained. “You discover so much as you edit a film and put it together with visual effects. Right now we’re really locked in on the big screen story that’s coming.”
Favreau also touched on how The Mandalorian and Grogu is being developed to resonate with a broad audience—not just fans who’ve followed the Disney+ series from day one.
“A lot of people know these characters who haven’t seen the show. So it’s not just that there are people who saw the show and people who don’t know the characters — there’s a big range,” he said. “We want to reward people who’ve been there since the beginning, but also invite new audiences in.”
And while crafting the movie, Favreau revealed that the production leaned heavily into IMAX technology to shape the film’s cinematic style—another signal that this story is aiming for scale and spectacle beyond what audiences saw on streaming.
Still, the question of what happens to The Mandalorian series lingers—and even those involved are waiting to see how it all plays out. Temuera Morrison, who portrayed Boba Fett in both The Mandalorian and his own Disney+ spinoff, opened up about the uncertainty during a recent interview.
“I think we’re just put on the shelf for a little bit. Maybe we come off the shelf later,” Morrison said candidly.
He also mentioned that he doesn’t expect to appear in the upcoming film. With The Book of Boba Fett in limbo and no official continuation announced, the character’s future remains unclear—mirroring the broader ambiguity that now surrounds the Mando-Verse.
Despite all that, excitement for the upcoming movie remains high. Production on The Mandalorian and Grogu is complete, and Dave Filoni has expressed his enthusiasm. At the Skeleton Crew premiere, he reflected on the evolution of Grogu’s character and how far the technology has come.
“It was great seeing Grogu. He’s become such a star, and it’s amazing how it’s evolved, what we can do now with the puppetry compared to Season 1,” Filoni shared.
The reveal of Favreau’s film arrived less than a year after Kennedy previewed three additional Star Wars films during Celebration 2023. None of those projects currently have locked-in release dates, and the removal of a previously scheduled December 2026 Star Wars film has only fueled more speculation.
Still, there is clarity on what’s next: At Star Wars Celebration 2025, Lucasfilm confirmed that the follow-up to The Mandalorian and Grogu will be Star Wars: Starfighter, directed by Shawn Levy and starring Ryan Gosling. Set five years after the events of The Rise of Skywalker, that film is currently slated for May 2027.
Meanwhile, Filoni is continuing to expand the New Republic-era tapestry. Ahsoka Season 2 has officially started filming. The second season will continue threads from both Star Wars Rebels and Ahsoka Season 1.
As Lucasfilm charts its next cinematic chapter, the future of The Mandalorian series remains in flux. But even as the focus shifts to theaters, there’s no shortage of passion from fans eager to see where Din Djarin and Grogu’s journey leads next—whether that’s on Disney+ or the silver screen.
With new entries like Tales of the Underworld in the pipeline and Simon Kinberg’s mystery trilogy still in development, the Star Wars franchise stands on the brink of a creative reshuffling. And at the heart of that lies The Mandalorian and Grogu, which will star Pedro Pascal, Sigourney Weaver, and Jeremy Allen White.
How do you feel about the future of The Mandalorian Season 4? Let us know in the comments down below!
