The Mandalorian & Grogu Doesn't Build on Disney+ Show for a Smart Reason

The Mandalorian and Grogu might be based on characters from the Disney+ show, but director Jon Favreau is opting to craft a self-contained movie instead. Choosing not to build directly off the series in favor of creating a new story is a smart decision for the Star Wars franchise.

Favreau understands the pressure of directing the first Star Wars movie in theaters since 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker. Favreau believes the movie needs to exist on its own and not necessarily be a stand-in for The Mandalorian Season 4.

“When you’re doing a movie, especially when it’s the first movie in seven years, this is a different type of experience,” Favreau told GamesRadar. “You have to connect with the throughline for those fans who’ve been with it since the beginning. I mean, that’s your core. That’s why I get to do what I do, and those of us who are making it are in that group. But Star Wars is also about bringing new people into the Star Wars community, and by telling a story that was self-contained, you can drop in in the middle of the story.”

Why The Mandalorian & Grogu being a self-contained movie is the right decision

Favreau has written Season 4 of The Mandalorian, which would help set up Ahsoka Season 2. However, Favreau had to scrap those plans when conceiving The Mandalorian & Grogu movie.

Most audiences do not want to do homework before entering the movie theater. Look at the Most audiences don’t want homework before entering the movie theater. Look at the problems Marvel has had post-Avengers: Endgame. The abundance of Disney+ shows caused superhero fatigue at the box office. Look at what happened to The Marvels, which flopped critically and financially.

As the first Star Wars movie in seven years, The Mandalorian & Grogu must attract new fans in addition to the diehards. Making a movie that doesn’t require too much knowledge of The Mandalorian is the right approach.

Many families simply want to enjoy a night out at the movies. Favreau hopes that a self-contained movie will help create new Star Wars fans.

“Because when you go to the movie theater, and you bring somebody with you who’s curious about it, as a Star Wars fan, you want to have them have a great experience too,” Favreau added. “And then once the bug bites them, then you bring them in, and then you start showing them everything that surrounds it, and they understand how much respect all the storytellers have for the overall arc of the story.”

The Mandalorian & Grogu opens in theaters on May 24, 2026.