Since The Rise of Skywalker took its bow in 2019, the galaxy far, far away has lived almost exclusively on our television screens. And while The Mandalorian essentially built Disney+, since the film was announced, there’s always been that nagging question: can these characters carry a $200 million theatrical tentpole?
After seeing the new footage Disney just screened at CinemaCon, I think Jon Favreau is trying to answer that with a resounding yes.
The new trailer for The Mandalorian and Grogu—which looks like it’ll be the final big push before the May 22nd release—is all about scale. If the previous teasers focused on the heart and the “bond” between Din Djarin and his apprentice, this one is about the war that’s coming to their doorstep.
The biggest takeaway from the footage isn’t just seeing Din Djarin back in the cockpit of a modified N-1. It’s the scope of the world around him. We saw a sequence involving a New Republic fleet—properly realized with a budget that makes the Season 3 finale look like a fan film.
Disney and Lucasfilm are facing a skeptical box office. The tracking is currently hovering around a $70M-$80M opening, which is solid, but they want Top Gun: Maverick numbers. By showing this level of cinematic polish, they’re trying to shed the “TV movie” stigma.
