GeraldFootage from the first Star Wars film in seven years, The Mandalorian & Grogu, has finally been revealed, and met with rousing applause at the ongoing Star Wars Celebration Japan 2025 at Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Japan.
Director and co-writer Jon Favreau (Iron Man, Iron Man 2) and co-writer Dave Filoni (The Mandalorian, Ahsoka) took to the stage at the opening panel of the three-day fan and public event, to reveal new details, as well as premiere the official teaser of the upcoming film that serves as a sequel and continuation to Disney+’s The Mandalorian, as well as other interconnected Star Wars streaming shows, including The Book of Boba Fett.
This marks the first time the popular characters Din Djarin aka The Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal, The Last of Us) and Grogu aka Baby Yoda will make their big-screen Star Wars appearance.
Announced in January 2024, the film marks the first in a series of upcoming live-action Star Wars movies that will move away from the Skywalker Saga, and will be the first Star Wars movie since Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker in 2019.
As Pascal stepped onto the stage to a roar of applause from the rabid Star Wars fans, he kicked things off by stating he knew right from the start that the Mandalorian would connect to the people in a massive way.
“The first day that I got to sit down with John and Dave in the writer’s room, they showed me a wall to wall story illustrations of the first season of the Mandalorian. I remember just seeing the greatest sort of visual storyboards that I had ever seen. Did I feel like people would connect? Yeah, I did. I knew that would because of these guys. You.”
Cue screams and cheers from the audience as Pedro pointed into the crowd as he delivered the line.
Joining Pascal are new stars to the massively popular Star Wars franchise, including Sigourney Weaver (Aliens, Avatar), and Jeremy Allen White (The Bear), the latter who plays Rotta the Hutt, son of the crime lord Jabba the Hutt. Returning from the streaming series are Johnny Coyne, who returns as an Imperial Warlord, and voice actor Steve Blum as Garazeb ‘Zeb’ Orrelios, from Star Wars Rebels.
Weaver’s entry to the franchise was as smooth as it could be, as all it took was a Zoom call with Favreau and Filoni get the ball rolling but it would take more to seal the deal.
“I got really lucky and I just want to say what a thrill it is to see everyone here. Jon and Dave invited me to zoom with them and they gave me an assignment to watch it (The Mandalorian). And, when I watched it, I fell in love with all the characters but especially this man,” as Weaver tapped Pedro on his shoulder to the delight of the crowd.
But it would take more to tip Weaver over to the side of The Force, and that came in the form of Mando’s companion.
“May I just say, Grogu, like all of you, stole my heart.”
While the Celebration teaser trailer didn’t reveal any plot details, it will see Din Djarin and Grogu going on a new adventure and meeting new friends along the way. The movie started as a planned fourth season for The Mandalorian, but after delays caused by the Hollywood writer’s strikes, Lucasfilm decided to shift gears and turn it into a film.
Filming happened entirely in California, and marks the first time a Star Wars movie has filmed in one location, and will premiere on May 22, 2026.
The teaser at Star Wars Celebration Japan opens up with a scene inside an AT-AT, where the commander orders his squad to forge ahead.
The camera turns to the rear entrance and the door blasts open with Mando blasting his way in.
It’s a corridor fight and in such tight space, Mando makes quick work of at least 10 Imperial forces using the full range of his armaments to dispatch his foes.
As Mando completes the job, we cut to the exterior of a snowy mountain as the AT-AT collapses and explodes.
We then cut to Weaver’s character who seem to play as Mando’s handler and she says ‘Messy… so messy’ which could have been directed to the recent AT-AT mission.
She then quickly says “No” to Grogu who was trying to Force Pull a bowl of snacks toward by grabbing the bowl mid motion.
Next, we see a hypercut of various scenes and an appearance of Zeb as Mando walks with him in a hangar.
Grogu is now very much in control of his powers and he Force Crushes a mouse droid effortlessly and he seemed proud of his feat with a small chuckle.
The teaser ends with a Hutt roaring in an arena but we’re not sure if it might be Jeremy Allen White’s new character and the close off with Grogu cheering and eating a snack.
The presentation for The Mandalorian & Grogu at Star Wars Celebration Japan was not just about showing cool footage. It showed that Star Wars is ready to return to movie theaters in a big way. This film is the first time characters from a Star Wars streaming show are taking the lead in a movie. With Favreau and Filoni steering the ship, the movie is being made for both longtime fans and newcomers. It could even be a first Star Wars experience for a new generation.The details and footage revealed today give us our best look yet at what is ahead. It also helps connect the dots with other shows like Ahsoka and The Book of Boba Fett. Din and Grogu’s journey from bounty hunter and foundling to movie heroes has officially begun.
This is the way… from a galaxy far, far away to a cinema near you.
Gerald currently straddles between his love of video games and board gaming. There’s nothing that interests him more than trying out the newest and fanciest gadget in town as well. He dreams of publishing a board game sometime in the future!
Natalie
Yonk
