Why I’m unimpressed by the trailer for The Mandalorian and Grogu

Luca Fontana

23-9-2025

Translation: Katherine Martin

The first trailer for The Mandalorian and Grogu has been released. But instead of movie magic, all I’m feeling is TV series energy. I can’t help but wonder whether Lucasfilm is overstretching its favourite duo’s charm.

Din and Grogu are back. And no, not for season four of The Mandalorian. That’s been unceremoniously cancelled. Instead, the dynamic duo will be making their comeback on the big screen. Now that the first trailer for The Mandalorian and Grogu has been released, I’m left with one question. Is it really a film? Or just a dressed-up version of a drawn-out TV episode?

I have a bad feeling about this.

From western adventure to galaxy building block

Of course, I’m looking forward to seeing Din and Grogu again. The chaotic duo were the reason why the first two seasons of The Mandalorian were so acclaimed. Featuring small, almost intimate adventures with a Western vibe and a bounty hunter who reluctantly becomes a father, the series started as a cross between Léon: The Professional and Star Wars.

However, the cracks began to show in season three. The story became bigger and more convoluted, while the Mandalorian was relegated into a supporting role at times. With that, a minor series about a man and his foundling suddenly turned into a mere building block in the galaxy-wide war.

And now this very series has become a film. The transition to the silver screen inevitably means a transition to something bigger, more impactful and more dramatic. But that’s precisely where the danger lies. The Mandalorian was always at its strongest when, rather than being about the fate of the galaxy, it was simply about two characters stumbling through space together, having their «adventure of the week». Appearances by Star Wars heavyweights such as Luke Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano should stay as the exception, not become the rule.

Instead of dispelling my concerns that a feature film wouldn’t be fitting of The Mandalorian, the trailer reinforces them. That criticism goes for the visuals too. It looks more like a decent but drawn-out episode of a series, not a prelude to a major Star Wars film. When I sent my colleague Phil a WhatsApp message saying I wasn’t blown away by the trailer for the new film, he replied with, «Oh, it’s a film?!»

I don’t blame him.

Even the action scenes, such as an AT-AT toppling over in what’s supposed to be spectacular fashion, feel more like budget streaming fare than cinema. Honestly, though, if the Empire’s really using walkers on a steep mountain path, it’s already lost the war anyway.

The big Mandoverse and a «little» contradiction

That being said, the context stretches wider than this trailer suggests. The Mandalorian and Grogu effectively replaces the planned fourth season of the TV series. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the script was already finished by the time Lucasfilm pivoted to film following the major writers’ and actors’ strike in 2023.

The studio’s also working on the so-called Mandoverse, with series such as The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka and Skeleton Crew eventually set to come together in a cinema finale. The return of Grand Admiral Thrawn as the new leader of the defeated Empire in Ahsoka has already set things in motion – and this is exactly where the Mando film will have to fit in.

But that’s exactly the contradiction I’m talking about. Although the characters, especially Din Djarin and Grogu, actually work best on a small scale, they’re now to become part of a cinematic epic that’ll shape the future of Star Wars. Right now, I feel like Disney itself still hasn’t figured out how to master this balancing act.

More streaming fare than cinema

Maybe I’ll be surprised in the end. Perhaps director and The Mandalorian creator Jon Favreau will succeed in turning The Mandalorian and Grogu into a film that’s more than just a series disguised as cinema. As things stand today, however, it looks like Lucasfilm simply took the scripts for season four and stretched them out until it had a wannabe feature film at the ready.

The problem is, you can get away with a solid TV look and charming characters on Disney+. On the big screen, however, different rules apply. Star Wars films need to look like films. Not like something you could just watch on the couch after the fact. All the more so if this is what’s supposed to be the big cinematic comeback after the sequel mess that created a disturbance in the Force (and I don’t mean that as a compliment) six years ago.

The trailer doesn’t live up to this expectation. In fact, I can’t help but fear that Lucasfilm is overstretching the brand. Yet again. Instead of presenting a clear vision for the future of the Mandoverse, The Mandalorian and Grogu comes across as filler. While it might be enjoyable to watch, it could do more harm than good to the Star Wars films.

Luca Fontana

Senior Editor

Luca.Fontana@digitecgalaxus.ch

I'm an outdoorsy guy and enjoy sports that push me to the limit – now that’s what I call comfort zone! But I'm also about curling up in an armchair with books about ugly intrigue and sinister kingkillers. Being an avid cinema-goer, I’ve been known to rave about film scores for hours on end. I’ve always wanted to say: «I am Groot.» more

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