The Mandalorian & Grogu Was Exactly What Star Wars Needed For A Movie Comeback (Despite The Criticisms)

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After a lot of debate about whether it would succeed, it’s now obvious that The Mandalorian & Grogu was exactly what Star Wars needed to make a strong return. It had been seven years since a Star Wars film was released in theaters. The previous films, ending with J.J. Abrams’ Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, hadn’t provided a satisfying conclusion to the new series. Meanwhile, Disney was launching its streaming service, Disney+, and needed content – both classic shows and movies, and new stories based on its popular franchises. The Mandalorian, starring Pedro Pascal, was actually the very first project released on Disney+ when the service launched in 2019.

For a while now, Star Wars has really lived on TV with shows like The Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka, The Acolyte, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Andor, and recently, Maul — Shadow Lord. These kept the Star Wars universe alive with both new stories and familiar faces. But honestly, as huge as Star Wars is, it felt inevitable that Disney would eventually bring it back to the big screen. With the sequel trilogy finished and no new ones announced, picking the right story for that return was a huge challenge. I have to admit, even though The Mandalorian did so well on Disney+, when I heard The Mandalorian & Grogu would be the movie to end the seven-year film drought, a lot of fans, myself included, were a bit skeptical.

With the film now released, it’s hard to disagree with Disney and Lucasfilm’s decision. While The Mandalorian & Grogu isn’t flawless and other Star Wars stories might be better, it ultimately succeeded in its main goal, and that was the priority right now.

The Mandalorian & Grogu Is The Perfect Star Wars Summer Blockbuster

The movie struggled from the start, partly because the marketing campaign wasn’t very effective. Beyond a single Super Bowl trailer, there wasn’t much excitement generated by the promotional materials, and many people questioned whether the film would succeed. I myself wasn’t sure it would work. Online, fans debated whether a movie similar to the series Andor would have been a better choice, while others suggested Ryan Gosling should have starred in a Starfighter film instead.

Both projects had potential, but The Mandalorian & Grogu was the ideal summer movie. A film based on Tony Gilroy’s Andor would be amazing, and hopefully Lucasfilm will still consider it, but it could happen later. The Mandalorian & Grogu was a better fit for a big summer release. It was consistently entertaining, exploring relatable ideas like the importance of family and the struggle between good and evil. After three seasons of The Mandalorian on Disney+, it was well-known enough to attract a wide audience—something the newer Starfighter film hasn’t achieved yet. It connected to the larger Star Wars universe without being weighed down by established storylines.

The film was generally well-received and should help Star Wars regain its popularity. Importantly, having Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni lead the project reduced the risk of the production problems that plagued previous films like Rogue One, Solo, and The Last Jedi.

Why Star Wars’ Movie Comeback Needed To Be Safe

As a lifelong Star Wars fan, I feel like the franchise is at a really crucial point right now. Disney bringing it back has been… rocky, to say the least, and honestly, it’s become pretty divisive. The fans are so passionate – which is amazing! – but it also makes things tough for the people actually making the movies and shows. The recent return to theaters after seven years didn’t need to reinvent the wheel, it just needed to be a solid first step, and I think The Mandalorian & Grogu really delivered on that. Now that Star Wars is back in cinemas, Lucasfilm and Disney can take their time building things up, and hopefully set the stage for some really ambitious stories down the line.

The conclusion of The Mandalorian & Grogu paves the way for more adventures with the pair, allowing them to focus on their relationship without getting bogged down in the wider galactic story. Their bond has always been the heart of the show, and it looks like it will be central to the upcoming movie, if one is made.

The Mandalorian & Grogu is now showing in cinemas.

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2026-05-26 18:14