First Reactions to The Mandalorian and Grogu Are In — Here’s What Fans Are Saying

Well, they finally did it. Star Wars is back in theaters with The Mandalorian and Grogu, and no — this isn’t another streaming series, it’s a full-blown movie. Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni, who were behind the massive Disney+ hit, are steering the ship once again, with some familiar Lucasfilm support behind the camera. The fact that 'Baby Yoda' is now on a real movie poster is still a little wild to me, but here we are.

Who’s Making It?

If you’ve been following Star Wars at all in the past few years, these names won’t surprise you:

- Jon Favreau: Directing, co-writing, and generally being the guy who rescued modern Star Wars TV. He’s clearly having a great time — he called working in George Lucas’s galaxy 'extremely exciting'.
- Dave Filoni: You know him from everything animated (and nearly everything good since Disney bought Star Wars).
- Kathleen Kennedy: Former Lucasfilm honcho. Still very proud of Favreau and Filoni for giving the franchise 'two new and beloved characters'.

The movie hits theaters May 22 (mark your calendars, because Disney actually seems to want you to show up).

What People Are Actually Saying (Now That People Have Seen It)

The first reactions came in right after the premiere. Not surprisingly, there’s a real split about what works and what doesn’t. I’ll break down the highlights — and the gripes — from the early crowd in one handy list.

• Erik Davis (Fandango, Rotten Tomatoes): 'The Mandalorian and Grogu is a thrilling adventure full of big fights, gnarly creatures and plenty of adorable Grogu moments. It’s less about the lore and more a fun, freaky romp across the galaxy. I really dug that about it.' Also, he gives a special shout-out to Ludwig Göransson’s synth-heavy score (think ‘80s horror movies), and yes, Martin Scorsese pops up in a scene that apparently steals the whole movie. If you want pure Star Wars adventure, Erik’s advice is: 'Treat it like a pulpy Saturday matinee ride and you’ll have a blast.'
• Jonathan Sim (ComingSoonNet, Us Weekly): Not a fan. He calls it 'one of the weakest Star Wars movies.' His main complaints: it’s 'emotionless, predictable,' and doesn’t do anything interesting with Din Djarin (Mando). Sim thought the fight scenes were flat, the monsters were all CGI, and the whole thing felt like a 'colorless made-for-TV movie' rather than a feature film.
• Simon Thompson (Journalist): More positivity here. He says it’s a 'grin-inducing crowd-pleaser' and exactly the 'solid popcorn movie' you’d want for a summer blockbuster. Jon Favreau, he says, plays it safe and steady — nothing mind-blowing, but the kind of blockbuster that will probably make a lot of people happy.
• Germain Lussier (Gizmodo): Sort of on the fence. He thinks it feels like a 'longer, bigger episode of the show,' and while there are standout scenes, it doesn’t care much about deepening the characters — just tossing in new places and weirder creatures. He liked parts, found the rest frustrating.
• Courtney Howard (Variety): Had a great time and calls it 'a ton of fun' and 'a perfect summer movie.' She insists it’s a real movie — 'not episodic', 'fully cinematic', and Grogu, of course, steals the show. See it on the biggest screen you can, she says.
• Chris Killian (ComicBook): Another thumbs-up, though with some caveats. He says the movie is “super FUN” — not perfect, but plenty for fans to love. It basically feels like an extended episode, but with a bigger budget, cranking out one big action scene after another. He’s dead set on IMAX being the way to go if you’re going.
• Josh Weiss (Author): Falls in line with those looking for a good time at the movies. He calls it 'a pure Star Wars delight' (maybe not breaking new ground, but who cares), praising the action, creature designs, practical effects, and the nods for long-time fans. Baby Yoda is still as cute as ever, and yes, Martin Scorsese is here and welcome. Weiss’s vibe: this is exactly what you want in a summer Star Wars movie.

So, What’s the Vibe?

If you still can’t decide if this is the Jedi-movie you’re looking for, here’s how I read the room:

- If you like Star Wars for the big, splashy fun, and don’t need deep Jedi lore or life-changing drama, you’ll probably have a good time.
- If you want something new, bold, or emotionally heavy, and the idea of a 'very expensive, extra-long episode' annoys you, prepare to join the grumpy crowd.
- Everyone seems to agree on two things: Grogu is still adorable, and it’s worth seeing on the biggest screen possible — bonus points for IMAX (and for catching Scorsese’s weird little cameo).

Personally, I can’t help but smile at the idea of Martin Scorsese playing around in the Star Wars sandbox, even if some diehards are already sharpening their review scores. This is Star Wars with the TV safety rails off, for better and worse.