The first reactions to The Mandalorian and Grogu are in, and they are positive! As part of the Star Wars film's promotion, people got to watch the first 25 minutes of the movie in an IMAX sneak preview, and almost everyone agreed that they walked out wanting to see the rest as soon as possible.
The Mandalorian and Grogu stars Pedro Pascal, Sigourney Weaver, Jeremy Allen White, and Jonny Coyne. The film is directed by the creator of The Mandalorian, Jon Favreau. This is only the second time Favreau has directed a Star Wars project, with the first being the premiere episode of the second season of the hit Disney Plus series. Favreau and Dave Filoni have co-written the script, which is separate from the initially-planned fourth season. However, Favreau had to incorporate certain story elements from that fourth season to help the movie fit into the ongoing events during this part of the Star Wars timeline. Because of this, the movie will tie in with Ahsoka season 2, which releases later this year.
We just watched the first 25 minutes of THE MANDALORIAN AND GROGU in IMAX and are blown away by what we saw. Cinematic, epic scale that demands to be seen on the big screen. Ludwig Göransson’s music gave us goosebumps. Had smiles on our faces the entire time watching the footage. pic.twitter.com/RA4lwooZ2v
— Star Wars Holocron (@sw_holocron) May 5, 2026
Based on the reactions from Screen Rant, Star Wars Holocron, and other fans, the film is credited for having the required cinematic feel. The trailers were criticised for lacking a grand, cinematic quality, but it seems that many fans who saw it on IMAX disagree. The film's opening sequence is being hailed as "incredibly cinematic" with action that is "choreographed incredibly well." In fact, "The CGI is worthy of the big screen, which makes the action feel realistic and compelling throughout."
Screen Rant also praised the movie's stunning score, which is composed by the masterful Ludwig Göransson. The music has been praised unanimously by just about everyone who's previewed footage of the movie, particularly for having a special quality that elevates the movie and the story. This is great news for long-time fans of The Mandalorian. Göransson did the music for the first two seasons of the show and composed the theme for spinoff series The Book of Boba Fett. He was absent for Season 3, but he's back with a bang.
We got to watch the first 25 minutes of Jon Favreau's THE MANDALORIAN AND GROGU in @IMAX on this May the 4th and it was such a treat. Already a whole lot of fun. The film looks way better on this huge screen and especially when the aspect ratio expands to the full 1.43. @starwars pic.twitter.com/Nx4fbggZlN
— Yoko Higuchi (@theYokoHiguchi) May 5, 2026
Most fans also seem confident that the story is not as straightforward as the trailers (and the first 30 minutes) seem to imply. Even though the film's opening is heavy on action scenes, a lot is being saved for the remaining 1 hour and 30 minutes. Fans have also pointed out that most of what we've been shown in trailers and teasers is from the start of the film, so there's really no way to know what's being kept a surprise.
The consensus seems to be that The Mandalorian and Grogu is a movie deserves to be seen on the biggest screen possible. Yes, it sounds like Favreau has truly delivered on his promise of translating his beloved Disney Plus TV show into a cinematic spectacle for the entire family. And that is a good thing; after all, that is what Star Wars is all about!
The Mandalorian and Grogu will release in movie theaters on May 22.
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