After a seven-year hiatus from theaters, the Star Wars franchise is returning with The Mandalorian and Grogu (2026), but it seems the film has abandoned its Disney+ origins.
While Pedro Pascal reprises his role as the titular bounty hunter Din Djarin alongside Grogu, the supporting cast from The Mandalorian (2019) is absent.
Characters like The Armorer (Emily Swallow), Peli Motto (Amy Sedaris), IG-11 (Taika Waititi), Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito), and Fennec Shand (Ming-Na Wen) are not expected to appear, leaving space for new faces and a reshaped story.
Of course, Dune's absence is easily explained, as Gina Carano was famously fired by Lucasfilm in 2021. As for Greef Karga, actor Carl Weathers sadly passed away in 2024.
Check out the latest trailer for the film below:
While Din and Grogu are back, the film introduces new characters, such as Sigourney Weaver's Colonel Ward, Jeremy Allen White's Rotta the Hutt, and Jonny Coyne's unnamed Imperial Warlord.
However, while it seems no other characters from the series will return, we know that Garazeb “Zeb” Orrelios from Star Wars Rebels, who has a cameo in The Mandalorian Season 3, is confirmed (he's in the trailers), with actor Steve Blum expected to reprise his role.
Now, in addition to Zeb, it seems Carson Teva, who was pivotal throughout the third season, will also appear.
Per Jay’s Brick Blog (via Star Wars News Net), a new Star Wars LEGO set based on the new film seemingly confirms that the New Republic pilot, who was played by Paul Sun-Hyung Lee in the Disney+ series, is also back.
While he's yet to appear in any of the trailers, the description of the “New Republic X-Wing Starfighter” set states “as seen in The Mandalorian & Grogu.”
Meanwhile, fan reactions to early footage of the upcoming film have been mixed.
Some have criticized the trailers for looking more like a lengthened episode than a feature film, pointing out the modest changes to Din’s armor and the Grogu puppet. Even a recent Super Bowl ad attracted criticism for its unusual tone, featuring a tauntaun-led carriage and a voiceover some compared to a beer commercial.
It remains to be seen how the new trailer that recently dropped (February 17) will be received.
With a reported $166.4 million budget, the film appears to be a modest for a Star Wars theatrical release, which would likely explain those visuals.
The official synopsis on StarWars.com reads: “The evil Empire has fallen, and Imperial warlords remain scattered throughout the galaxy. 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 hits theaters on May 22.
Are you excited about The Mandalorian and Grogu? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
