Summary
The Mandalorian & Groguis going back to theStar Warsbasics established inA New Hopein the best way.Star Warsmovies and TV showshave undergone a number of changes since the original trilogy was released nearly fifty years ago. However, as much astheStar Warstimelinehas been updated, the general formula hasn’t changed all that much.
In fact, all ofStar Wars’best moviestend to center on the same things: the Jedi, the Sith, and the Force. Even movies that aren’t in the Skywalker Saga and aren’t explicitly about the Jedi, such asRogue One: A Star Wars StoryandSolo: A Star Wars Storyexist in the context of that saga and the reigns of Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader, two ofStar Wars’most powerful Sith. However, that is about to change inThe Mandalorian & Grogu, which will return toA New Hope’sform in a thrilling way.
Everything We Know About The Mandalorian & Grogu Movie
The Mandalorian’s story will continue with a Star Wars movie. Here’s everything we know about the project, including cast, release, and timeline.
The Mandalorian & Grogu Focuses On Heroes Versus The Empire
Although details aboutThe Mandalorian & Groguremain limited, the basic plot is confirmed to involve Din Djarin and Grogu helping the New Republic tackle the growing threat posed by the Imperial remnants andGrand Admiral Thrawn. While neither Palpatine nor Vader is truly alive at this time (although Palpatine’s story is a bit more complicated),this means thatThe Mandalorian & Groguwill seeStar Wars’heroes facing off against the Empire once again. This is particularly thrilling because this version of the Empire has never been seen before; for once, it won’t be the Sith at the helm.
Moreover, neither Grogu nor Din Djarin is a Jedi. Grogu is Force-sensitive, but he chose to abandon his Jedi path inThe Book of Boba Fett, and he became Din Djarin’s Mandalorian apprentice inThe Mandalorianseason 3 finale. Din Djarin is also quite a unique hero, as he is not only a Mandalorian but also a bounty hunter. In fact, footage ofThe Mandalorian & Grogushared at D23 revealed that Din Djarin will double down on being a bounty hunter in the movie. Given that,The Mandalorian & Groguwill specifically see non-Jedi fighting the Imperialists.
The Mandalorian & Groguwill specifically see non-Jedi fighting the Imperialists.
This Is The First Star Wars Movie To Do So Since A New Hope
As mentioned, there have been a number of movies outside the Skywalker Saga that have theoretically not focused on the Jedi and the Sith. Specifically, bothRogue OneandSolofocus on non-Jedi who are fighting the Empire. Even so, though,fromThe Empire Strikes Backon,Star Warsmovies have all been intrinsically tied to the Sith. Even without Jedi at the forefront, Palpatine’s Empire was built on a Sith versus the Jedi structure.
That wasn’t yet true inA New Hope, though. Yes, Luke Skywalker learned about the Jedi and the Force from Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Darth Vader was the movie’s villain. However,Star Warshadn’t yet established the Sith. In fact, Palpatine was not even present inA New Hope. That movie was much more focused on the people versus the Empire—now,The Mandalorian & Groguwill repeat this formula.
Where Emperor Palpatine Was During A New Hope
Emperor Palpatine is featured in every movie from the original and prequel Star Wars trilogies except for A New Hope – here’s where he was.
The Mandalorian & Grogu, likeA New Hope, will center the fight between the boots-on-the-ground fighters and an Imperial institution. Even more excitingly, this plot will happen without Palpatine and Vader being the major players for once. Instead, Thrawn and his lackeys will take center stage, representing a brand-new threat. While much of this movie remains to be seen, it seemsThe Mandalorian & Groguwill return to a perfect formula established inStar Wars’very first movie.
Emperor Palpatine / Darth Sidious
In truth, this is exactly the move thatStar Warsneeded to make at this point in the franchise. Sadly,the Sith story was becoming a bit redundant, especially following the sequel trilogy. At first, it seemed as though the sequels were on the right path. Yes, they were following the arc of the original trilogy a bit too closely, but Kylo Ren was a compelling villain, and it seemed as though he might become more evil with time, as essentially an inverse of Darth Vader (Adam Driver has since even confirmed this was the original plan).
Sadly, in the end, the sequels opted for a recycled storyline, withPalpatinemaking a bewildering and sudden turn inStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Many viewers were disappointed by this decision, and it remains a sore point in the franchise. In part, this was because it felt rushed, underdeveloped, and a bit like a last-ditch effort to improve the reception of the sequels by bringing back a villain who had already been successful before. However, it also disappointed viewers because it simply wasn’t new.
In fact,Star Warshas consistently struggled to incorporate new villainsthroughout the Skywalker Saga. Although new Sith were introduced in the prequel trilogy—namely, Darth Maul and Count Dooku—in the end, it was Vader and Palpatine who were the trilogy’s main villains, just as they had been in the original trilogy. While the sequels deviated from this very slightly, ultimately, Kylo Ren ended up feeling like a second Vader, and, as mentioned, Palpatine returned.
This Jedi versus the Sith story was beginning to feel overdone.
Even with shows likeThe Acolyteintroducing new Sith, this Jedi versus the Sith story was beginning to feel overdone.Star Warsis an incredibly expansive universe, full of many different villains, Force-sensitive and otherwise. It’s more than time for the franchise to begin focusing on new villain stories beyond the Sith. Now, thankfully, it seemsThe Mandalorian & Groguwill do exactly that.
The Mandalorian and Grogu
Cast
The Mandalorian and Grogu is a Star Wars movie directed by Jon Favreau that continues Disney+’s immensely popular TV Show, The Mandalorian.
Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope
Star Wars is a seminal science fiction film released in 1977 that follows the quest of Luke Skywalker and Han Solo to rescue Princess Leia from the oppressive Imperial forces. They are aided by the droids R2-D2 and C-3PO, as they strive to restore peace to the galaxy.
