I'm Convinced Star Wars' Next Movie Is A Secret Homage To Empire Strikes Back

The next Star Wars movie, The Mandalorian and Grogu, increasingly looks like the perfect homage to The Empire Strikes Back. Nostalgia has always been a mᴀssive part of Star Wars, and Disney played heavily into that when the House of Mouse launched the sequel trilogy. Star Wars: The Force Awakens riffed heavily on A New Hope, and it was a hit.

Disney’s Star Wars movies stumbled, of course. Solo: A Star Wars Story‘s box office failure basically killed the anthology projects, while the sequels ended with more of a whimper than a bang. We haven’t actually had a Star Wars film since 2019’s Rise of Skywalker, with Lucasfilm instead pivoting to a successful range of Star Wars TV shows.

All that is set to change next year, with the release of The Mandalorian and Grogu. Starring Pedro Pascal’s Din Djarin and the delightful Grogy, this looks set to breathe new life into the troubled franchise. Even better, though, I’m convinced Lucasfilm is playing the nostalgia card a little differently – with a homage to The Empire Strikes Back.

The Mandalorian And Grogu Features The Return Of The AT-AT

The Empire Is Back

Let’s start with the most obvious – and most exciting – parallel. The Empire Strikes Back famously opens with Luke Skywalker and the Rebel Alliance based on the icy planet H๏τh, a supposed sanctuary that is discovered by the Empire. Imperial forces press in using terrifying AT-ATs, lumbering vehicles designed for snowy environments.

Footage from The Mandalorian and Grogu released at D23 last year – and more shown at this year’s Star Wars Celebration – teased the return of the AT-AT. Din Djarin has returned to his career as a bounty hunter, but now he’s only working for the New Republic, targeting the Imperial Remnant. In one scene, he’s shown attacking AT-ATs on a snowy planet.

It seems Din will find new ways to take down AT-ATs, though. The Mandalorian and Grogu footage from Star Wars Celebration showed Din demonstrating his smarts by sneaking aboard one of the Imperial walkers to bring it down. One is subsequently shown blowing up, presumably from charges he’s planted inside it.

Other Empire Strikes Back Connections Are Becoming Clear

We May Be Returning To Bespin Too

The Razor Crest flies alongside the Millennium Falcon towards Cloud City on Bespin in concept art for The Mandalorian and Grogu's storyline on Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run.

Meanwhile, a Mandalorian and Grogu tie-in at Smuggler’s Run, one of the Star Wars rides at Galaxy’s Edge, also appears to be setting up an Empire Strikes Back references. These new Smuggler’s Run rides will allow people to team up with Din himself, on a series of missions across the galaxy – including one to Bespin.

We’ve seen AT-ATs since The Empire Strikes Back, but this is the first time Star Wars has brought back Bespin in any real capacity. It’s unclear whether the Bespin mission will appear in the movie at all, but anyone on the ride is supposed to be flying alongside Din’s new Razor Crest, so the idea can’t be ruled out. Whatever the case may be, though, we’re back in Empire Strikes Back territory.

Is Star Wars Setting Up A Major Twist?

Are These Just Surface Homages?

All this does raise one intriguing question, though; do the homages go further than this? The Empire Strikes Back is best remembered for its phenomenal “I am your father” twist, which turned the entire franchise on its head. Any new Star Wars film invoking memories of Lucas’ classic blockbuster has to go beyond the surface.

I can only hope that this means The Mandalorian and Grogu is like The Empire Strikes Back in another way – with a twist that leaves viewers absolutely stunned. If so, we’ll find out next year.