We are less than 100 days away from Star Wars returning to the big screen. and when The Mandalorian and Grogu hits theaters on May 22, 2026, it will not only mark another chapter for the franchise: it will be the first time that the iconic Clan de los Dos makes the leap from streaming to cinema.
The Mandalorian It was a launch title for Disney+ and quickly became a global sensation. Din Djarin and Grogu (formerly “Baby Yoda”) are now among the most recognizable Star Wars characters. But going from the living room to the multiplex is not an easy leap, and director Jon Favreau knows it.
Speaking during a fireside chat with Disney chief creative officer Bobby Kim at an event celebrating newly revealed toys tied to the film, attended by TechRadar, Favreau reflected on what that transition requires.
“So the challenge is good, we present a cinematic experience on the small screen, now we have to up our game for cinema.”
The Mandalorian on Disney+ has already surpassed technical limits while maintaining big-screen-level visuals. Much of it was shot on a state-of-the-art virtual production set, helping to blur the line between television and theatrical film.
“Well, I was very lucky that when we started The Mandalorian and Disney Plus was starting, that medium allowed us to tell a very cinematic story,” Favreau said. “And we innovated on some new technologies and leveraged existing workflows around CG that had been developed while we were doing it at the same time as the sequels. So we plugged into this ILM machine that is extremely good at executing the work at a high level, and because it’s Star Wars, we had to execute it at the same level.”
Industrial Light & Magic helped ensure The Mandalorian looked and felt cinematic from day one. But for a theatrical release, the bar is raised higher.
“Now we have to up our game for film,” Favreau continued. “And that means higher aspect ratios for IMAX, building sets that take full advantage of that, creating visual effects of the quality and caliber that, you know, we have to improve on everything. And then also the storytelling.”
IMAX screens, larger buildings and elevated visuals are part of the equation, but Favreau also understands the storytelling side.
“We want to take you on an adventure,” he said. “And that adventure has to fill the screen.”
In an era where streaming dominates and attention is constantly divided, theatrical films must justify the trip.
“In this time when there are so many things competing for your attention, you’re going to stop what you’re doing and you’re going to go to a movie theater, and you’re not going to be able to pause it, and you’re not going to be able to eat the food in your refrigerator, and you have to go there and then you have to have such a good experience that you say, ‘this, this was worth it, let’s go again, I want to bring you, you should go see that.'”
That is the real change from streaming to cinema. At home, you can multitask. In a theater, the story has to dominate the room.
Favreau, who has been working in the Star Wars universe for seven years, described the move to a theatrical feature film as more personal.
“Being able to take the plunge and do it as a film feels like the culmination of what I’ve been working on. It’s been a great moment and I’m so excited for people to see what we have in store.”
While fans are still waiting for the first full trailer for The Mandalorian and GroguFavreau offered some concrete hints about what’s to come, and he certainly got the room excited.
“There are some things that people may have gotten clues about,” Favreau began, noting that the Razor Crest has returned.
“Now it’s on the Razor Crest, which is the ship it originally had… it’s on the same model ship.”
In other words, Din Djarin is once again piloting the same model of ship that defined the early days of The Mandalorian, and the Clan of Two is once again traveling together.
Grogu, meanwhile, has evolved.
“Grogu has leveled up a little bit,” Favreau said. “We saw that he trained with Luke, time has passed, so he has a bit of Jedi influence, and he’s also a Mandalorian apprentice. So now it’s time for Dad and his master to take him on adventures with him.”
More clues will emerge soon, Favreau joked.
Still, the message is clear: the leap from streaming to theaters is not just about scale, but about offering an experience worthy of the big screen.
“There will be a few more clues in the world very soon,” Favreau said.
Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to receive news, reviews and opinions from our experts in your feeds. Be sure to click the Follow button!
And of course you can also follow TechRadar on TikTok for news, reviews, unboxings in video form and receive regular updates from us on WhatsApp also.
