Today marks one year until the premiere of The Mandalorian and Grogu on May 22, 2026, and Star Wars’ next movie couldn’t be coming at a more perfect time for the franchise. First announced in January 2024, The Mandalorian and Grogu‘s story is supposedly usurping that of The Mandalorian season 4, officially transferring the mᴀssively successful TV show onto the big screen instead of the small screen.

As the first Star Wars movie to hit theaters since 2019’s Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, The Mandalorian and Grogu has a big responsibility on its shoulders. This is especially true in light of the franchise’s current state; with the completion of Andor season 2 earlier this month, the only other live-action property that’s currently in production is Ahsoka season 2, which isn’t slated for release until after The Mandalorian and Grogu has already premiered.

The Mandalorian and Grogu is thus more than a simple continuation of The Mandalorian‘s story, or even a byproduct of this sub-franchise’s huge success. It’s a chance for the Star Wars franchise to essentially reset itself and make a return to its original form, learning how to balance the Star Wars of old with that of new. In just a year’s time, The Mandalorian and Grogu will prove to be the franchise’s most important project in many years, and here’s why.

Star Wars Needs Another Movie After All Its Live-Action TV Shows

TV Has Allowed For An Inconsistency In Quality

After six years of constant live-action television trailblazed by The Mandalorian itself, The Mandalorian and Grogu‘s arrival in a year’s time is absolutely key for the Star Wars franchise. These TV shows have varied wildly in terms of reception, both by critics and by audiences, with their scores on Rotten Tomatoes reflecting that intense variation (see below). There’s been quite an inconsistency in quality between these shows that has left audiences missing the franchise’s big screen days.

No Star Wars fan will insist that this influx of content in recent years hasn’t been thrilling, especially in a franchise that’s often used to taking at least 10-year-long hiatuses between movies, but it’s undeniably had an impact on how the quality of Star Wars live-action is viewed. A movie of The Mandalorian and Grogu‘s scale is needed to remind viewers of the fact that Star Wars is a movie franchise first and foremost, even if some of the TV shows can indeed compare.

The Mandalorian And Grogu Is The Perfect Way To Bring Star Wars Back To The Big Screen

It’s A Classic Star Wars Adventure Story

It’s hard to think of a better way that Star Wars can bring the franchise back to the movie theater than with The Mandalorian and Grogu. Everything about their story encapsulates the true spirit of Star Wars: a found family, father and son, going on adventures to fight the Empire – or, more specifically in this case, the Imperial Remnant – and protect the innocent. Taking place just a few years after Return of the Jedi, it will bring audiences back to the franchise’s starting point nearly 50 years later.

Stepping outside the usual comfort zone of Star Wars media can be refreshing, something Andor especially has done extraordinarily well, but a return to the original spirit of the franchise is also a breath of fresh air, especially in its original format. As someone who got to see the exclusive The Mandalorian and Grogu trailer at Star Wars Celebration Japan, the cheers from the audience and the spectacles on the big screen brought me right back to seeing classic Star Wars at the theater again.

This Movie Will Be The Perfect Experiment For Star Wars’ Future

Will They Be Successful At Interweaving Movies & TV Shows?

The Mandalorian and Grogu will mark a first for Star Wars, though, in an exciting and interesting way: it’s the first movie to derive from a TV show, instead of vice versa, as was the case for the animated Star Wars: The Clone Wars saga, Andor, and the like. This upcoming movie is already making history, and it has the potential to continue doing so, especially where its future success in terms of box office and more are concerned.

The Mandalorian is already a mᴀssive sub-franchise for Star Wars, with its characters being nearly inescapable in merchandise, video games, promotional materials, and more. This movie certainly has the potential to become one of the most successful Star Wars has ever made, and perhaps one of the most successful movies to ever be made from a TV show. The Mandalorian and Grogu is thus the perfect experiment to see if the franchise ought to continue interweaving between movies and TV.

The Mandalorian and Grogu hits theaters May 22, 2026.