The Mandalorian and Grogu has brought Star Wars back to the big screen, but the first film reactions landed on opposite sides of the Force. The movie, which opens in theaters on May 22, drew praise from some early viewers for its energy and its old-school sense of fun, while others called it thin, predictable and too much like an extended episode.
That split matters because this is the first theatrical Star Wars release since 2019, when The Rise of Skywalker closed out the franchise’s last run in cinemas. In the years since, the galaxy has mostly lived on streaming, through The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka, The Acolyte and Andor. Now the franchise is trying to prove that its Disney+ era can still scale up for a movie audience, with Jon Favreau back to direct and co-write alongside Noah Kloor and Dave Filoni.
Favreau created the series that introduced Pedro Pascal’s bounty hunter Din Djarin, and the film continues that story with Grogu at his side. The official synopsis says the evil Empire has fallen, but Imperial warlords remain scattered across the galaxy, and the New Republic has enlisted Din Djarin and Grogu. Sigourney Weaver joins the cast, along with Jeremy Allen White, who voices Rotta the Hutt. It is also the first theatrical release under new Lucasfilm bosses Dave Filoni and Lynwen Brennan, following Kathleen Kennedy’s departure earlier this year.
The early praise centered on the movie’s looseness. Fandango’s Erik Davis called it “a thrilling adventure,” “a perfect summer movie” and “a lot of fun,” adding that it is “less about the lore and more a fun, freaky romp across the galaxy.” He also said Ludwig Göransson’s score stood out, especially the parts that echoed “80s synth-driven horror and action thrillers,” and wrote that it reminded him “how fun ‘Star Wars’ can be when it stops worrying about canon homework and just cuts loose.” Puck News’ Scott Mendelson was similarly warm, calling it “a solid line drive past second base, with lots of ‘Neat… haven’t seen that in a STAR WARS before’ charm.”
Not everyone came away impressed. Germain Lussier of i09 said the film feels like “a longer, bigger episode of the show,” adding that it has “one or two stand out scenes” but is more interested in “new locations with new creatures than the characters.” Collider’s Peri Nemiroff said live-action Hutts are difficult to pull off and that Rotta’s dialogue was often too direct, though she added that “he did grow on me.” Jonathan Sim was harsher still, calling it “One of the weakest ‘Star Wars’ movies” and “an emotionless, predictable experience that doesn’t push Din Djarin anywhere interesting.”
That divide may end up defining the film’s run: a return to theaters that clearly has scale and nostalgia, but also the burden of proving the Mandalorian formula can work beyond streaming. The first verdict is not unanimous. It is that Star Wars is back in cinemas, and this time the argument begins before opening day.
The Mandalorian And Grogu heads to theaters with a galaxy in transition offers more on the film’s place in the franchise, while The Mandalorian And Grogu: premières réactions avant l’arrivée des critiques tracks the early reaction phase.
