The Mandalorian and Grogu: What Those First 17 Minutes Showed Us

Well, Star Wars fans, you didn’t have to dig through leaked set photos or wild Reddit threads this time—Disney just straight-up dropped the final trailer for ‘The Mandalorian & Grogu’ at CinemaCon. Not only that, but folks in the audience also got to watch the first 17 minutes of the film. (Yes, I’m jealous too.) So, here’s everything you actually want to know about the movie, what went down in that footage, and why this particular Star Wars project has some interesting new faces in the mix.

What’s This Movie, Anyway?

‘The Mandalorian & Grogu’ is Disney’s big next Star Wars adventure, headed for theaters May 22, 2026. It’s a direct continuation of the Disney+ series you probably already watched (or at least scrolled past a million times). Jon Favreau is still in the director’s chair, and yep, Pedro Pascal is back as Din Djarin (try not to get too excited, internet). As for the plot: Mando and the adorable green marketing machine that is Grogu get recruited by the New Republic. Their job? Help stop what’s left of the Empire from mucking up the galaxy all over again. So, your classic Star Wars—bad guys still can’t take a hint.

Trailer Highlights

Favreau hit the CinemaCon stage for the reveal and got surprisingly nostalgic about how the original Star Wars movies got him into filmmaking. He told the crowd:

'I hope that our enjoyment and excitement and love of Star Wars translates to fans seeing it for the first time.'

The final trailer definitely leans into the Mando-Grogu parent/kid dynamic. There’s also Pedro Pascal’s Din teaming up with a new character named Ward (played by Sigourney Weaver, which—honestly—raises the movie’s cool factor by about 50%). Action? Plenty. We’re talking escapes from AT-AT Walkers, scenic flight sequences, and some tense faceoffs.

The new villain of the week is Rotta the Hutt (played by Jeremy Allen White). Yes, that’s Jabba’s kid from the cartoons, now all grown up and apparently in a terrible mood. The preview teases plenty of friction (and threats of violence) between Rotta, Mando, and Grogu.

What CinemaCon Audiences Saw

Here’s a rundown of that early 17-minute sneak peek—no spoilers, just enough details to get you curious:

• The film kicks off by reminding everyone the Empire fell and the New Republic is trying to put everything back together (easier said than done).
• Din Djarin is out in the Outer Rim, hunting down leftover Imperial troublemakers.
• Cut to a dark, tense council of Imperial types. The boss of the group starts griping about how expensive things have gotten now that the Empire isn’t footing the bill anymore, so he’s raising the tribute. (This could be the “bureaucratic evil” corner of the story.)
• One guy pushes back, complaining about pirates and thieves making their jobs impossible. The leader responds in the usual polite Empire way—by straight-up killing him in front of the group.
• Mando eventually enters the scene, efficiently takes out a bunch of armed goons, and leaves with Grogu through snowy mountain terrain (riding what looks like a new robot creature—expect merchandise).
• Din meets up with Ward (Sigourney Weaver), who wants him on a mission—not for payback, but because the galaxy needs protecting. She points out that if they don’t act, everything the Rebellion fought for could end up wasted.
• So Din’s sent to track down a missing commander, but first, he has to deal with Rotta the Hutt. Din’s not thrilled about this. Ward’s response: 'You don’t want the job, I got nothing for you.'

Why This Is Worth Watching

In case you lost track of who’s who: you’ve got Pedro Pascal back in the helmet, Sigourney Weaver bringing her usual gravitas, and Jeremy Allen White (of ‘The Bear’ fame) as a menacing Hutt. That’s not your standard Star Wars cast list. If nothing else, the movie is probably going to have a different energy just based on this line-up.

So, that’s the rundown. The trailer’s out, CinemaCon got an exclusive preview, and Favreau seems genuinely hyped. Moral of the story? Star Wars is still milking the Mandalorian-Grogu dynamic, but with enough fresh faces—and maybe a bit more edge—to keep things interesting for another go-around.