Mandalorian and Grogu Movie Marks a Major Shift for Star Wars

With Star Wars gearing up to make a comeback on the big screen, the fate of its many TV series has grown uncertain. The Mandalorian gave the franchise new life on Disney+, but progress on a new season appears to have stalled. Season 3 ended on a satisfying note, with Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and his young ward, Grogu, earning a much-needed vacation. The future seemed bright for the unlikely duo — and filmmakers close to the series confirmed Season 4 was on the way — but after months of radio silence, it seems unlikely The Mandalorian will be making a speedy return.

Instead, it seems our heroes are set for a cinematic adventure. Lucasfilm has announced an all-new feature film starring Din and Grogu, a project set to go into production sometime in 2024. Directed by The Mandalorian’s own Jon Favreau and produced by Dave Filoni, The Mandalorian and Grogu will continue the adventures of the clan of two.

Given Lucasfilm’s current skittish approach to feature films, The Mandalorian and Grogu might be the first Star Wars film to hit theaters since Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker in 2019. Notably, it’s also the first to drop “Star Wars” from its title. Given The Mandalorian’s status in the zeitgeist, it’s uniquely qualified to stand on his own. The series was such a hit that hardcore fans and novices alike will likely flock to the film without a reminder of the franchise it belongs to.

But what does this mean for a potential Mandalorian Season 4? Will our heroes head back to the small screen after the credits roll? Will another Mandalorian — like Katee Sackhoff’s Bo-Katan Kryze — lead future seasons of the show? Or does The Mandalorian and Grogu signal a permanent shift to films? The latter might be the most probable, as Filoni, the new chief creative officer of Lucasfilm, likely has his hands full now. Apart from directing his own feature film (a rumored adaptation of the Legends novel Heir to the Empire), Filoni is also shepherding a handful of Star Wars series.

But while The Mandalorian may end, Filoni is officially developing a second season of Ahsoka. A follow-up to the 2023 series was far from a sure thing, especially with Ahsoka Tano set to appear in Filoni’s upcoming film. Not even Rosario Dawson, who portrays the ex-Jedi in live action, seemed to know about the future of the series. But things are looking up across the board for Lucasfilm: the franchise took an extended hiatus from film to focus on TV, and now its hit shows could usher in a successful big-screen comeback.