All 8 Things We Just Learned About The Next Star Wars Movie, The Mandalorian & Grogu

The Mandalorian & Grogu has received a focus at Star Wars Celebration 2025 in Japan, with Lucasfilm revealing much about the 2026 film. The upcoming Star Wars movie is set for a theatrical release in May of next year, with Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni spearheading its production. Naturally, as the last big event before the film’s release date, the panels of Star Wars Celebration 2025 were expected to reveal plenty of details about the project, as well as the other movies, TV shows, printed publications, and video games set in a galaxy far, far away.

Where the story of The Mandalorian & Grogu specifically is concerned, little was known about the movie before the event. It was confirmed that Pedro Pascal would return to voice the former of the titular characters, with some footage shown at previous conventions confirming the return of Garazeb Orelios, a character from Star Wars Rebels. Now though, thanks to the focus on the movie that was presented at Star Wars Celebration 2025, we have much more knowledge about the next-released Star Wars movie: The Mandalorian & Grogu.

8

The Mandalorian & Grogu Is Inspired By Akira Kurosawa

As Was The Original Star Wars Movie

Every Akira Kurosawa Samurai Movie Ranked seven samurai yojimbo throne of blood

At The Mandalorian & Grogu‘s Star Wars Celebration panel, one of the first reveals from Jon Favreau linked back to the origin of Star Wars. Favreau outlined just how much he was influenced by legendary Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa during production on the first three seasons of The Mandalorian, and how The Mandalorian & Grogu continues this. As many well know, Kurosawa was a big influence on George Lucas’ creation of the original Star Wars trilogy, meaning Favreau and his upcoming movie are harkening back to the earliest days of the franchise and its inspirations.

7

The Razor Crest Officially Returns In The Mandalorian & Grogu

Din Djarin’s Beloved Ship Is Back

Din Djarin holds Grogu and his blaster in poster art for The Mandalorian season 3, edited over the Razor Crest flying over Maldo Kreis

Custom Image by Ana Nieves

Towards the ending of The Mandalorian season 2, Din Djarin’s starfighter – and, indeed, his home – was destroyed. Moff Gideon bombarded the Razor Crest, forcing Din to receive an N1 Starfighter in The Book of Boba Fett and The Mandalorian season 3. Finally, though, Din’s original home and one of the best Star Wars ships returns, with the Razor Crest appearing in several pieces of footage released for The Mandalorian & Grogu during Star Wars Celebration 2025.

The Millennium Falcon and the Razor Crest edited together over clouds and an orange planet

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How exactly the Razor Crest returns, however, was left unconfirmed. It is likely that Din simply commissioned someone to build a new version of the ship after his original one was destroyed. As many have pointed out since Din obtained an N1 ship, the smaller starfighter likely hindered his bounty-hunting operations. With The Mandalorian & Grogu featuring the titular heroes hunting down Imperial bounties, the return of the Razor Crest is highly logical.

6

Sigourney Weaver Is Confirmed As A New Republic Operative In The Mandalorian & Grogu

More About Her Character, Though, Is Yet To Be Revealed

Din Djarin and Sigourney Weaver at Star Wars Celebration

Custom image by Yailin Chacon

One of the expected reveals about The Mandalorian & Grogu‘s cast expected at Star Wars Celebration 2025 was the role of Sigourney Weaver. Aside from Pascal, Weaver is undoubtedly the biggest addition to the film since it began production in 2024. While more widespread details about Weaver’s role in the movie were left unanswered, it was at least confirmed that she works for the New Republic.

Given that the film is set in Star Wars‘ New Republic timeline, this makes sense. Weaver’s character was spotted donning New Republic clothing, talking to Din Djarin as a leader would to an underling, hinting that she is the one responsible for assigning the Mandalorian missions against the Imperial remnants of the galaxy. One image revealed at Star Wars Celebration 2025 also showed Weaver wearing an iconic X-Wing pilot uniform, hinting that she may have a more active role in the film’s action sequences.

5

Din Djarin Is Taking His Helmet Off Again In The Mandalorian & Grogu

Pedro Pascal Will Be On-Screen

Although Pedro Pascal has long been known to voice Din Djarin, Brendan Wayne and Lateef Crowder have tended to portray the physicality of the character. Din Djarin rarely takes off his helmet, meaning the latter two stunt actors are integral to how he is portrayed. Pascal has only physically appeared a few times throughout The Mandalorian‘s three seasons, meaning many were unsure of the extent of his role in The Mandalorian & Grogu. As revealed at SWCJ, though, Din will remove his helmet once more, allowing the film to capitalize on the star power of Pedro Pascal.

4

The Mandalorian & Grogu Will Feature Battles Against Imperial Remnants

A Small Trailer Was Shown For Those In Attendance

Din Djarin looks to the side on Plazir-15, edited with Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito) looking towards the camera on his Mandalorian season 3 character poster.

Custom Image by Ana Nieves

Given that the film is still over a year away, a trailer for The Mandalorian & Grogu was not released to the world during Star Wars Celebration 2025. That said, a small teaser was shown to those in attendance, Screen Rant included. The trailer began with a long clip of Din Djarin fighting his way through Imperials inside an AT-AT walker. The long, continuous take showed Din utilizing his full Mandalorian arsenal, before blowing up the walker and flying away with Grogu in tow.

3

Grogu Will Take A More Active Role In The Mandalorian & Grogu

The Lovable Baby Is Growing Up

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Where the latter character of The Mandalorian & Grogu is concerned, the reveals about the movie at Star Wars Celebration 2025 confirmed his more active role. The footage shown for those in attendance highlighted Grogu taking a more active role in proceedings, including shots of him swimming through water. Another section showed him using the Force to dismantle a droid.

Grogu has now grown up and has the power and agency to help out his adopted father more actively…

Throughout The Mandalorian‘s three seasons, Grogu has been more of a passenger. While he has had his moments of Force-imbued heroism, there is no denying that his younger age meant Grogu was secondary to Din Djarin. As evident by the upcoming film’s title and the footage shown at Star Wars Celebration, however, this is changing, as Grogu has now grown up and has the power and agency to help out his adopted father more actively.

2

Jabba The Hutt’s Son Confirmed To Return In The Mandalorian & Grogu

Confirming Rumors About The Movie

Ahsoka Tano holding Rotta The Hutt Star Wars The Clone Wars Movie

December 2024 saw one of the most bizarre rumors about The Mandalorian & Grogu be reported. Many claimed that Jeremy Allen White was cast in The Mandalorian & Grogu, coming off of his success in The Bear. White was rumored to play Rotta the Hutt, the son of Jabba the Hutt who was first introduced in the animated Dave Filoni movie, Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

While White’s involvement remained unconfirmed, Star Wars Celebration 2025 at least solidified the appearance of Jabba the Hutt’s son in The Mandalorian & Grogu. One scene from the footage shown at the convention highlighted a Hutt present at an arena, seemingly confirming the rumors that surfaced in late 2024. How Rotta plays into The Mandalorian & Grogu remains to be seen, but his inclusion is as exciting as it is peculiar.

1

The Mandalorian & Grogu Is Still Set For Release In May 2026

As The Next Star Wars Movie

Star Wars Celebration Japan 2025 logo With The Mandalorian And Grogu

Custom image by César García

The final thing we learned about The Mandalorian & Grogu at Star Wars Celebration 2025 is more of a reconfirmation than anything. For a while, it has been common knowledge that The Mandalorian & Grogu will be the next theatrically released Star Wars movie. At SWCJ, this was reaffirmed.

The Mandalorian & Grogu is still set for release on May 22, 2026, just over a year after the panel at SWCJ took place. This means that the next 13 months can be expected to feature a great many more reveals about the film, including the first trailer released worldwide. When this will happen is unclear, but if The Mandalorian & Grogu‘s Star Wars Celebration 2025 reveals confirm anything, it is that production has gone very smoothly on the next theatrical Star Wars film.

The Mandalorian and Grogu Upcoming Film Logo Placeholder

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The Mandalorian & Grogu

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Sci-Fi

Adventure

Action

Release Date

May 22, 2026

Director

Jon Favreau

Writers

Dave Filoni

Sequel(s)

Dave Filoni’s Untitled Mandalorian Movie

Franchise(s)

Star Wars

Cast

See All

  • Headshot Of Pedro Pascal In The 30th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards

    Pedro Pascal

    Din Djarin / The Mandalorian

  • Headshot Of Jeremy Allen White In The 30th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards

    Jeremy Allen White

    Rotta the Hutt

  • Jonny Coyne

    Jonny Coyne

  • Headshot Of Sigourney Weaver In The James Cameron And Jon Landau Handprints And Footprints Ceremony.

    Sigourney Weaver

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