It’s the end of one era and the beginning of another for the beloved Star Wars franchise.Credit: LucasfilmA major milestone is on the horizon for Star Wars fans. On May 22, 2026, Lucasfilm and Disney will bring The Mandalorian and Grogu to theaters, marking the saga’s first theatrical release in nearly seven years—and the next evolution for two of its most cherished characters.In January 2024, Lucasfilm decisively shifted its direction by putting Din Djarin and Grogu front and center in its cinematic lineup. That pivot followed Kathleen Kennedy’s reveal of three distinct film projects during 2023’s Star Wars Celebration, signaling a recalibrated vision for the franchise.Credit: LucasfilmBut the pivot sparked its fair share of questions. Would this new movie take the place of a fourth season of The Mandalorian? And what did it mean for Dave Filoni’s planned crossover event that would bring the “Mando-Verse” together? Fans were left in the dark—until an October 2024 piece from The Hollywood Reporter offered a key update on the studio’s evolving strategy.“Instead of a fourth season, Disney decided to pivot The Mandalorian to launch its first Star Wars feature film since The Rise of Skywalker,” the outlet reported.Credit: LucasfilmThe move mirrors Disney’s broader reassessment of how Star Wars content is delivered, though it’s come with growing pains. Season 3 of The Mandalorian generated mixed reactions, partly due to its shifting storytelling priorities.Changes behind the scenes and onscreen were felt: the exit of Cara Dune (Gina Carano), increased emphasis on Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff), and a more limited on-set presence for Pedro Pascal as Din Djarin all contributed to a different rhythm in the third season.Credit: LucasfilmEven so, talk of Season 4 hasn’t disappeared completely. “According to a report from The InSneider, The Mandalorian Season 4 may not be dead at Disney+,” The Direct reported in December 2024. “He noted that the follow-up remains ‘in development’ for streaming, but The Mandalorian and Grogu will ‘arrive first’ in theaters.”That said, a subsequent report from Daniel Richtman claimed that the big screen endeavor has officially replaced the Mandalorian TV show and that the franchise’s future will depend on how it performs at the box office.Director Jon Favreau recently shared his thoughts on how the film aims to reach both seasoned fans and newcomers to the franchise.Credit: Lucasfilm“A lot of people know these characters who haven’t seen the show. So it’s not just that there are people who saw the show and people who don’t know the characters–there’s a big range,” Favreau explained to Collider. “We want to reward people who’ve been there since the beginning, but also invite new audiences in.”Favreau noted the production’s use of IMAX as a game-changer in how they crafted the visual scope of the movie, suggesting audiences can expect a theater-sized spectacle. And with Filoni preparing for his own directorial debut, the franchise’s future continues to take shape.Credit: LucasfilmBut who will fans actually get to see in this IMAX glory? Multiple characters have been confirmed for The Mandalorian TV show’s replacement, as well as a handful of newcomers.Returning to the feature film are Din Djarin and Din Grogu. Pedro Pascal will return to his role as the titular Mandalorian for Favreau’s film, but word is still out on how much time he will spend in the beskar armor. Brendan Wayne and Lateef Crowder filled out the suit for most of The Mandalorian Season 3.Credits: LucasfilmJoining the pair will be Dave Filoni’s Trapper Wolf and Star Wars Rebels icon Garazeb Orrelios (Steve Blum), AKA Zeb. The Anzellans are also due to appear in the movie. While the cast still needs to be fleshed out, perhaps with characters like Katee Sackhoff’s Bo-Katan Kryze and Rosario Dawson’s Ahsoka Tano, it is clear who will not appear.Gina Carano’s Cara Dune was replaced for the third season of The Mandalorian following her firing after Season 2. The MMA fighter turned actress will soon be heading into court after suing Disney and Lucasfilm with the help of X owner Elon Musk.Sigourney Weaver, Jonny Coyne, and Jeremy Allen White will also star in The Mandalorian and Grogu.Credit: LucasfilmA New Chapter for Din GroguThe Grogu audiences will meet on the big screen won’t be exactly the same as before. During Star Wars Celebration in Tokyo, Jon Favreau spoke with Collider about how the beloved character has grown.“You wanna have progression, so it’s not just the same situation over and over again,” Favreau said. “So, on one front, the relationship between Mando and Grogu has evolved. He’s now an apprentice. Now he’s a family member and adopted by him.”Credit: LucasfilmFavreau elaborated further, explaining the character’s transformation within the story:“And now, as they go off, as it said at the end of the last season, it’s his job to train him. And they have to go out on adventures and they have to work together. And so there’s apprenticeship that’s happening between the two of them. But also, Grogu is becoming more comfortable as– remember, he was trained by none other than Luke Skywalker. And the path of the Force is a lifelong path, and so, we wanna have evolution, and as the story gets bigger, the screen gets bigger, we wanna have Grogu grow into that.”Credit: LucasfilmKnown affectionately by fans as “Baby Yoda,” Grogu (now Din Grogu) has become one of the most talked-about characters of the Disney-era Star Wars content. In Season 3, audiences got a deeper look at his origins and the survival of Order 66.In “Chapter 20: The Foundling,” Jedi Master Kelleran Beq (Ahmed Best) was revealed as the one who rescued Grogu during the fall of the Jedi Temple, as Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) and clone troopers launched their attack on Coruscant.Credit: LucasfilmThe New Republic and Beyond the Star Wars Sequel TrilogyAt Star Wars Celebration 2025, Lucasfilm officially confirmed that Shawn Levy’s Star Wars: Starfighter, starring Ryan Gosling and Mia Goth, will be the next film following The Mandalorian and Grogu. The film, set for release in May 2027, takes place five years after The Rise of Skywalker.Filoni’s plate is full as well. In addition to his upcoming film, Ahsoka Season 2 is now in production. During the celebration event, he unveiled the first look at Rory McCann (Game of Thrones), who steps into the role of Baylan Skoll following Ray Stevenson’s tragic passing in 2023.Are you ready to see this cast take on the big screen? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments!The post Multiple Characters Coming Back for ‘The Mandalorian’ TV Show’s Replacement appeared first on Inside the Magic.