‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’ Trailer is here Revealing Big Answers, Returning Faces, and a few new Surprises

The Mandalorian and Grogu trailer delivers what fans hoped for: bigger action, emotional stakes, and the promise that this story deserves the big screen.

In the words of our hero Din Djarin – “Do we run? Or do we fight?”

Din Djarin and Grogu are back on the big screen as the legendary bounty hunters in the official trailer for The Mandalorian and Grogu, teasing Imperial warlords, powerful crime lords, gangsters, and a galaxy on the eve of destruction.

The film directed by Jon Favreau marks the return of Star Wars to theaters on Memorial Day weekend and will feature a much higher-caliber, grander visual theatrical big screen scale than the Disney+ cancelled streaming series.

Favreau recently highlighted that this adventure is designed to “fill the screen,” aiming for a more immersive experience where viewers cannot pause the action.

With the overwhelming skepticism surrounding the film since the first teaser trailer and its Super Bowl TV spot failing to generate the much-needed buzz, Lucasfilm simply had to deliver the goods with this teaser.

Whether or not this movie will actually deliver those goods remains to be seen at this time, but there are plenty of things to be excited about for new and longtime Star Wars fans.

Now I’m not going to get into a full breakdown of the film like several other sites are offering, but what I am going to do is take you through the moments that really caught my attention.

The full trailer for The Mandalorian and Grogu begins with our heroes seen in a new M-111/ST-70 Assault Gunship that is a replacement for his ship that was destroyed in the series, bringing back the classic, rugged bounty hunter aesthetic. While it may not be the exact ship destroyed on Tython in the series, this new vessel serves the same purpose. Although it bears the question, why did it have to be blown up in the first place only to bring it back with the same design, and even the same name? Regardless of the reasons, we’re happy to see the ship back and on the big screen. We know Mando is too.

Speaking of Mando, his side mission in the film finds him collecting information about the whereabouts of the Hutts from a four-armed Ardeenen vendor who is voiced by none other than the famous director Martin Scorsese. Yes, that Martin Scorsese! Lucasfilm announced that the filmmaker has officially joined the world of “Star Wars” after the filmmaker was spotted as a fry cook in a hilarious scene in the trailer.

Numerous famous actors and directors have appeared as uncredited or have had cameo in Star Wars, including Daniel Craig as a stormtrooper in The Force Awakens, Keira Knightley as Padmé’s decoy Sabé in The Phantom Menace, and George Lucas as Baron Papanoida in Revenge of the Sith.

Djarin is shown without his helmet, kneeling before Hutt cousins of Jabba the Hutt, who first appeared in The Book of Boba Fett, seen lounging in a base surrounded by bodyguard droids. The two will be a major, high-stakes enemies in the new film with reports suggesting that they’ve hired the bounty hunter Embo to kidnap Rotta Following Jabba’s death.

Rotta, Jabba’s son, first appeared as an infant in The Clone Wars animated series and is voiced and portrayed via motion capture by Jeremy Allen White. Given his animated history, he’s unlike his father and will most likely serve as an ally to Din against the Twins. But at what cost? Surely he has no love for the Imperials.

Djarin and his counterpart now work for the New Republic government tracking down Imperial remnants who cause chaos throughout the galaxy. Sigourney Weaver joins the adventure as Colonel Ward, who recruites the duo for the high-stakes mission, giving them a playing card marked with a shadowy silhouette, telling them that “It’s not about getting revenge. It’s about preventing another war.” Setting the stage for what’s to come.

Fan favorite Garazeb “Zeb” Orrelios also steps into the spotlight. The character, voiced by Steve Blum, first rose to prominence in the Star Wars: Rebels animated and later in The Mandalorian third season of the series will serve as a pilot for the New Republic Defense Fleet. In the teaser footage, Zeb is shown in a moment with Grogu, exclaiming, “I like this kid!”. Director Jon Favreau recently has indicated the film will “really have fun” with the character, highlighting his “swagger” and “physical ability”.

The Kyuzo bounty hunter Embo makes his live-action debut. The character, previously mentioned above, first appeared in several episodes of The Clone Wars animated series battling the former Sith Lord Maul and Anakin Skywalker. He’s shown here as a formidable antagonist who apparently captures Din Djarin, forcibly removing his helmet in front of the Hutts and subjects him to a vicious life and death situation.

The trailer also highlights the return of an unmasked Djarin seen facing off against the giant, white-skinned serpent as it rises from the water, likely in a sewer or underground tunnel. It’s possible that the Hutt cousins use a trapdoor of sorts much like Jabba did in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. The snake’s presence also reinforces theories that parts of the film may take place on Nal Hutta, especially as Din is shown being held captive by the Hutts in other parts of the trailer.

With Djarin captured, it appears Grogu may go at it alone, spending a decent portion of this movie attempting to rescue Mando, possibly using the Force to locate him. There seem to be some deliberate parallels to Yoda here, including a visit to a Dagobah-like planet. Grogu looks to be maturing into the powerful Force user we knew he’d become.

Interestingly enough, it sounds like The Twins want to get their hands on Grogu, a hint perhaps that they’ll be revealed as the ones who stole him from Jedi Master Kelleran Beq in the first place in the series. The Hutts understand that Grogu is special and will garner a huge price from the Imperial Warlords throughout the galaxy.

Hemky Madera also returns as a member of the Imperial Shadow Council, reprising his role from the Coucil scene in Season 3 of The Mandalorian. Here he’s seen with a snowy planet behind him, which looks awfully like the same planet where Din is seen taking out Imperial AT-ATs in the original September trailer. This scene most likely takes place at the start of the film, with Mando and Grogu on some sort of a separate mission.

The trailer goes on to highlight some pretty noticeable Star Wars staples: the iconography of X-Wings and Y-Wings silhouetted against a sunset, a cute moment with Grogu pulling a bunch of buttons and levers in the cockpit of the new Razor Crest, a Rogue One Cassian Andor-type U-wing starfighter along with the classic Star Wars unforgettable overtures that score it all.

In my humble opinion, the most significant nugget of all in this trailer is what Mando says about Grogu, signifying the emotional core of their relationship and exploring the challenge of Grogu’s long lifespan. Mando states, “The kid will live centuries beyond me. I won’t always be around to protect him,” knowing that as a human, his lifespan is much shorter. It’s sad to hear spoken especially from the father figure he is, but it definitely opens the door for continued adventures of Grogu in future Star Wars films and series—something, quite honestly, most fans look forward to, including me. Could our little Baby Yoda show up in the further adventures of Daisy Ridley’s Rey Skywalker, announced in the New Jedi Academy movie as a much wiser bounty hunter/force user?

With characters spanning nearly every corner of the Star Wars universe popping up, the door is wide open for even more surprise returns and unexpected destinations across the vast Star Wars galaxy, even for our little Grogu.

One thing is for sure, fans continue to try and wrap their heads around the idea that Lucasfilm is continuing The Mandalorian saga in the form of a spinoff movie rather than a more traditional fourth Season. Initially, it wasn’t even clear whether the movie was replacing it, but now that seems to be the case.

It’s not out of the question that a fourth season could still happen, but it’s probably more unlikely to occur now with the movie heading towards unknown territory at the box office, most likely not reaching the take the studio needs to continue the adventures of the duo. At least not in their own movie or series.

Sadly, so much is riding on its success, which hasn’t been the case with a Star Wars film in this franchise to date. It’s honestly become stressful for most long-time fans, like me, because of the unknown. We can only hope that miracles really do happen and that moviegoers see its value and hit the theaters.

Before Chewie powers down the Falcon. On X, one fan noticed a touching detail hidden within the trailer that paid tribute to the late Carl Weathers, who played Greef Karga in first three seasons of The Mandalorian.

Sharing a screenshot of a sign written in the Star Wars Aurebesh alphabet, the fan wrote: “It says ‘WEATHERS APOLLO’… CARL TRIBUTE,” alongside three crying emojis.

Heartbreaking nevertheless. We won’t forget you Carl.

Watch the full trailer again and again if you haven’t already a hundred times over below: Courtesy of the Star Wars official YouTube channel.

“The Mandalorian and Grogu” arrives exclusively in theaters and IMAX on May 22.

May the Force be with you…..