‘The Mandalorian & Grogu’ Doesn’t Look Suitable for ‘Star Wars’ Newcomers

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After nearly ten years, a new Star Wars movie, The Mandalorian & Grogu, is coming to theaters in May 2026. While fans will be excited to see Star Wars back on the big screen, there’s a potential issue with this film. Disney has had success with Star Wars shows since buying Lucasfilm in 2012, but the Star Wars movies have been quite controversial. Many fans are looking forward to the new film, but it’s hard not to wonder if Disney has made a significant misstep.

Over the years, the Star Wars franchise has often been presented as making a return with new films. While the 1999 release of The Phantom Menace launched a new trilogy, those films still benefited from the involvement of original creator George Lucas. However, when considering the potential for failure with The Mandalorian & Grogu, it’s really 2015’s The Force Awakens that offers the most relevant comparison. The Force Awakens wasn’t a failure by any means – it was a huge box office success and generally liked by both fans and critics. But looking back, it perhaps relied too heavily on one aspect, a similar issue that The Mandalorian & Grogu is currently facing with its production.

‘The Mandalorian & Grogu’ Doesn’t Seem Accessible to New ‘Star Wars’ Fans

Disney+’s Star Wars series have kept the franchise relevant after some disappointing theatrical releases. With a new movie on the way – the first since 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker – there’s a lot of pressure to make it a hit. It would make sense for the film to be accessible to everyone, even those new to Star Wars. However, the upcoming story, featuring The Mandalorian and Grogu, seems geared more towards existing fans than attracting newcomers to the galaxy far, far away.

To fully understand the new movie, you’ll likely need to watch all three seasons of The Mandalorian. The trailer hints that knowing more about the wider Star Wars universe will also enhance the experience. A key example is the appearance of Zeb, a character from the animated series Star Wars: Rebels. While he made a quick appearance in Season 3 of The Mandalorian, it wasn’t enough to understand his background or the Lasat people he belongs to.

The biggest concern with this new Star Wars movie is that, while it seems designed for fans of The Mandalorian, the overall Star Wars fanbase has been shrinking. Even Season 3 of The Mandalorian received criticism, suggesting a decline in quality. While the movie will likely make money, it feels like a risky move to focus solely on existing fans when the first Star Wars film in years should have prioritized attracting new ones.

‘Star Wars’ Made the Opposite Mistake When ‘The Force Awakens’ Brought the Franchise Back to the Big Screen


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It’s tricky to define who The Force Awakens was really for. It wasn’t a complete restart of the Star Wars story, but it felt like one to many longtime fans. The plot closely followed the original A New Hope, but with enough new elements to feel fresh while still continuing the story of the original trilogy. While the Clone Wars TV series added a lot to the Star Wars universe, The Force Awakens wisely didn’t try to include references to it, as it was a lengthy animated series.

When The Force Awakens came out in 2015, it was simple for new viewers to understand the story, even if they hadn’t seen Star Wars before. While familiar characters like Han Solo were well-known, the movie didn’t exclude those who were just discovering the franchise. This approach successfully brought in a new generation of fans. However, some longtime fans felt it didn’t offer enough new material for them.

Those who watched A New Hope will find The Force Awakens remarkably similar, and the same goes in reverse. This led to some disappointment for many viewers when The Force Awakens was released in 2015, as it didn’t feel particularly new. They had to wait until 2017’s The Last Jedi for the story to really move forward—though that film proved divisive. Despite this, The Force Awakens is enjoyable; its close resemblance to A New Hope was likely a necessary step to revive the franchise.

A 2027 ‘Star Wars’ Movie Will Be a Better Test for How the Franchise Is Doing


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It’s getting harder for movie theaters to attract audiences away from streaming at home. Releasing a movie that’s essentially a longer episode of The Mandalorian is a smart move, as it might encourage fans to go to theaters for a new experience. However, it doesn’t really show how much Star Wars fans want to see full-length movies again. Plus, people who only casually enjoy Star Wars probably won’t see The Mandalorian & Grogu if they haven’t watched the series first.

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While Daisy Ridley’s return as Rey in the planned New Jedi Order movie might show how much interest there is in future Star Wars films, it helps to already know the character’s story. However, the 2027 film Star Wars: Starfighter won’t have that problem. Set after the recent, and sometimes controversial, sequel trilogy, this new movie starring Ryan Gosling will introduce completely new characters and storylines. It’s the freshest start Star Wars has had in theaters for a long time, and the audience turnout next year will be a strong indicator of the franchise’s current appeal.

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2026-02-09 20:05