The Mandalorian & Grogu Director Addresses New Star Wars Holiday Special

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Since its debut in 1978, this installment has always been a divisive one for fans of the series. While a continuation has been considered in recent years – almost five decades later – the project ultimately didn’t move forward.

Following the success of The Mandalorian on Disney+, creator Jon Favreau directed the film Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu. During promotional interviews for the movie, Favreau revealed that a new Star Wars Holiday Special featuring characters from The Mandalorian had been discussed early in the show’s development. Although the idea was considered, there are currently no plans to actually create the special.

A Mandalorian-Themed Star Wars Holiday Special Was Discussed

Jon Favreau hinted at potential storylines for the future, saying, ‘We were discussing something in the first season… there’s definitely potential there.’ He also strongly suggested that the character Peli Moto, played by Amy Sedaris, would be essential to any further development of those ideas, stating he couldn’t imagine doing it without her.

We did briefly consider a holiday special, but it was just a playful idea we tossed around very early in the show’s development, even before it aired. It’s been mentioned, and I expect it will be news, but there are currently no plans to actually create one.

The Star Wars Holiday Special originally aired once on CBS on November 17, 1978, between the first Star Wars movie and The Empire Strikes Back. It starred the original actors and followed Han Solo and the others as they rushed to Chewbacca’s home planet, Kashyyyk, for a Wookiee celebration called “Life Day,” similar to Christmas. The special wasn’t popular with viewers and was criticized for being awkwardly funny, cheaply made, and featuring strange variety show-style segments.

The Star Wars Holiday Special’s Legacy Lives On

Over time, the Star Wars Holiday Special became notorious. Because it only aired once on CBS in the late 1970s, fans could only find it through unofficial recordings. The franchise later acknowledged it with the 2020 LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special on Disney+, an animated story featuring characters from the sequel trilogy. James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, also released on Disney+ in 2022, drew heavily from the original, infamous Star Wars special.

The Star Wars franchise is still going strong. A new movie, The Mandalorian and Grogu, is coming to theaters this month – the first in seven years – and more films are planned. On television, Star Wars recently achieved success with a hit show on Disney+.

The Mandalorian and Grogu will be released in movie theaters on May 22, 2026.

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2026-05-16 03:36