The first big-screen Star Wars movie since 2019 is back, and the first reactions to The Mandalorian and Grogu are already splitting the room. The film opens in theaters on May 22, and early impressions describe it as everything from “a thrilling adventure” and “a perfect summer movie” to “one of the weakest ‘Star Wars’ movies.”
That range matters because The Mandalorian and Grogu is not just another title in the franchise. It is the first theatrical release under new Lucasfilm bosses Dave Filoni and Lynwen Brennan, and the first Star Wars film to return to cinemas since The Rise of Skywalker in 2019. It also continues the Disney+ series The Mandalorian, putting Pedro Pascal’s bounty hunter Din Djarin back at the center of the saga alongside his young apprentice Grogu.
The most enthusiastic early response leaned into the movie’s looseness. Fandango’s Erik Davis called it “less about the lore and more a fun, freaky romp across the galaxy,” adding that he especially liked Ludwig Göransson’s score and the way it nodded to “’80s synth-driven horror and action thrillers.” Scott Mendelson said the film had “a solid line drive past second base, with lots of ‘Neat… haven’t seen that in a STAR WARS before’ charm,” while i09’s Germain Lussier said it felt like “a longer, bigger episode of the show” and praised the new locations and creatures that broaden the story. Those first reactions line up with the general buzz around the film, including earlier coverage of the debut reactions in Mandalorian Movie first reactions praise galaxy-sized fun, split on its rough edges.
There is also a clear strain of skepticism running through the same first wave. Lussier said the movie has “one or two stand out scenes” but seemed more interested in “new locations with new creatures than the characters,” while Peri Nemiroff flagged Rotta the Hutt’s dialogue as “too on the nose” and said he eventually grew on her, even if a more compelling version of his role might have worked better. Jonathan Sim was much harsher, calling it “one of the weakest ‘Star Wars’ movies” and “an emotionless, predictable experience that doesn’t push Din Djarin anywhere interesting.”
That split is not surprising for a franchise that has spent the years since 2019 on streaming, with The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka, Andor and The Acolyte carrying the brand while fans waited for the next film. Jon Favreau, who created the Disney+ series, directs the movie and co-writes it with Noah Kloor and Dave Filoni. The official synopsis says the New Republic has enlisted Din Djarin and Grogu, and the cast also includes Sigourney Weaver and Jeremy Allen White, who voices Rotta the Hutt. Earlier this year, Kathleen Kennedy departed Lucasfilm, making this the first theatrical release to land under the studio’s new leadership.
The question now is not whether The Mandalorian and Grogu will divide opinion; it already does. The real test, when audiences see it on May 22, is whether the movie’s easygoing, creature-filled adventure reads as a fresh big-screen restart for Star Wars or as the same show with a larger budget and a movie ticket price.
