The Mandalorian & Grogu will break a standard Star Wars rule when it releases in Summer 2026. The next film from the galaxy, far, far away, marks the big screen debut of Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and his young companion Grogu, who were first introduced to audiences in the Disney+ series The Mandalorian. The Mandalorian & Grogu also marks the first Star Wars film release since 2019's The Rise of Skywalker, but it will differ significantly from that film and all previous Star Wars movies in a key way.Since Star Wars began over 47 years ago in 1977 with Episode IV: A New Hope, it has consistently remained relatable by placing human faces at the center of its stories. Unlike other major sci-fi franchises, such as Star Trek or Avatar, extraterrestrial species, although featured heavily in Star Wars films, have never been the face of the franchise. Over the subsequent 11 live-action films, keeping human characters at the forefront of the narrative has become a core rule of Star Wars, maintaining an element of accessibility for the franchise's massive audience. This rule will be broken when The Mandalorian & Grogu is released. The trailer for Jon Favreau's new Star Wars prominently featured Grogu (an alien species) and the Mandalorian/Din Djarin (a human whose face is hidden behind his helmet), highlighting a noticeable lack of human faces for audiences to connect with. Read full article on The Direct.