Lucasfilm’s upcoming film The Mandalorian and Grogu (2026) is shaping up to be a pivotal moment for Star Wars, but it arrives during a period of significant change for the franchise’s Disney+ era. Not only that, but other studios are also taking on their own sci-fi stories.Credit: LucasfilmSet to hit theaters on May 22, 2026, the movie continues the story of Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu, who first became fan-favorite characters when The Mandalorian debuted in 2019. The series helped define Star Wars on streaming and launched a wave of interconnected shows, including The Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka, and Skeleton Crew, all tied to what many called the Mando-Verse.However, that larger shared storyline now appears to be shifting. Reports suggest several New Republic-era projects have slowed or been reconsidered, and with leadership changes at Lucasfilm, the long-term plan for this interconnected narrative may no longer be intact. At present, The Mandalorian and Grogu and Ahsoka Season 2 are among the few New Republic projects still firmly moving forward, with no confirmation of The Mandalorian Season 4.Credit: LucasfilmDirector Jon Favreau has clarified that the film is not simply a continuation of the series. While scripts for Season 4 do exist, the movie tells a separate story, signaling a transition from episodic streaming storytelling to a theatrical format.The film will run approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes, placing it in line with recent Star Wars theatrical releases. Despite its cinematic scope, the film is not expected to debut at the Cannes Film Festival. According to reports, Lucasfilm is unlikely to pursue a high-profile festival premiere, instead opting for a more traditional release strategy.The Mandalorian and Grogu also marks the first Star Wars film to arrive in theaters since Star Wars: Episode IX–The Rise of Skywalker (2019). Directed by Favreau and co-written with Dave Filoni and Noah Kloor, the story follows Din Djarin and Grogu as they work alongside the New Republic while facing lingering Imperial threats.Credit: LucasfilmPedro Pascal returns in the lead role, with Grogu brought to life once again through practical effects. The cast also includes Sigourney Weaver, Jeremy Allen White as Rotta the Hutt, and Jonny Coyne reprising his role as an Imperial warlord. With its move to theaters, a streamlined focus, and uncertainty surrounding the broader Mando-Verse, The Mandalorian and Grogu stands as both a continuation of a popular story and a test of how Star Wars evolves beyond its streaming success.But will the beloved duo translate on the big screen?A lone wolf and an alien sidekick may describe the main protagonists of The Mandalorian and Grogu, but it could also easily describe the leading duo in Amazon MGM Studios’ Project Hail Mary (2026).Credit: LucasfilmAmazon Releases Its Own Sci-fi Movie Starring an Unlikely DuoThe movie, which is adapted from Andy Weir’s bestselling sci-fi novel of the same name, stars Ryan Gosling as microbiologist and middle school teacher Ryland Grace as he is tasked with helping save the human race from extinction.While already having a big following due to Weir’s novel, the movie–directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, and written by Drew Goddard–has blown past expectations, netting a major $140.9 million at the global box office since its release on March 20, 2026.Ryan Gosling’s latest sci-fi outing, Project Hail Mary, is already making a powerful impact at the global box office, quickly becoming the biggest opening of the year so far as fans celebrate the adaptation. Joining Gosling are Sandra Hüller as Eva Stratt and James Ortiz as the voice and puppeteer of Rocky.Credit: Amazon MGM Studios“The new release zoomed past Scream 7, this year’s previous biggest seller overall, and also overtook Creed III in having the fastest start for a production by Amazon MGM Studios,” the BBC wrote. “In a statement seen by Variety, Amazon MGM’s distribution boss Kevin Wilson said the novel had given them ‘a powerful foundation’ before the directors ‘created a visually stunning, heart-gripping film'”.The film’s early success signals a strong appetite for ambitious science fiction on the big screen, while also underscoring the draw of major Hollywood talent leading original, large-scale stories. Project Hail Mary now has one of the biggest non-franchise, non-sequel movie openings ever, along with other titles like Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer (2023).While Project Hail Mary is rooted in the real world, the comparisons to the Star Wars universe’s Mandalorian franchise are clear. The pairing of a lone human with an alien being is the biggest similarity between the two, with Gosling’s Ryland Grace and Pedro Pascal’s Din Djarin both becoming companions to non-native alien beings–Rocky and Grogu, respectively.Credit: Amazon MGM StudiosBoth also serve as tales of survival, with The Mandalorian and Grogu finding the titular duo facing off against the Imperial Remnant to protect the New Republic, while Project Hail Mary pits Grace and Rocky against a microorganism called Astrophage, which is dimming the Sun.And while Grogu was once more helpless and in need of Din Djarin’s help, the new movie positions the character as increasingly autonomous as he comes into his own power. This growth is similar to how Rocky, while relying on Ryland’s help, is a very skilled and reliable character.With both being science-fiction movies and Project Hail Mary having a strong box office opening, comparisons between the two’s performance will be inevitable–especially with so much riding on Lucasfilm’s grand return to the big screen. Gosling will also make his own Star Wars debut in 2027 with Shawn Levy’s Star Wars: Starfighter.How do you feel about this year’s big science-fiction blockbusters? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!The post Amazon Releases Its Own “Mandalorian and Grogu” Movie, Fans Celebrate appeared first on Inside the Magic.