The Mandalorian & Grogu Movie Title Confirms Star Wars Has Learned From Season 3’s Big Mistake

The title for the upcoming The Mandalorian & Grogu movie proves that Star Wars has learned a valuable lesson from one key mistake in The Mandalorian season 3. Announced earlier this year, The Mandalorian & Grogu will be the next Star Wars movie to hit theaters, and the first since 2019’s Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. It is expected to follow Din Djarin and Grogu on their adventures as under-the-table contractors for the New Republic, picking up where The Mandalorian season 3’s ending left off – but with a much better change.

Though The Mandalorian & Grogu title has thus far proven divisive, with many viewers hoping it’s only a working title at this time, it has plenty of significance on its own. What’s most notable about it, however, doesn’t have to do with its connections to the story that inspired The Mandalorian TV show or even the importance of highlighting the arrival of “Baby Yoda” to the big screen. It’s the first part of it that matters most, a direct reference to the TV show from which it’s derived – and, specifically, the character it’s referring to.

The Mandalorian Title Was Too Ambiguous In Season 3

Comments About It Referring To Multiple Mandalorians Left Viewers Confused & Upset

Going into The Mandalorian season 3, it was said by various creators that the story would challenge the title of the show in terms of what it truly means to be a Mandalorian and who “the Mandalorian” really is. This was a poorly received notion by viewers, many of whom had fallen in love with the show because of its focus on the specific Mandalorian, Din Djarin. Shifting the perspective to a broader view took away from the story’s original Western influences, an absence that was heavily felt throughout the season’s overarching story.

While viewers did get to see Bo-Katan Kryze take up her long-awaited leadership mantle during the reclamation of Mandalore, there was already a bitter taste in the mouths of viewers who wanted more for the titular Mandalorian. Audiences rushed to place the blame on Din Djarin actor Pedro Pascal, whose well-deserved rise in fame has caused him to have a notoriously busy schedule, but it was not a decision left up to or because of him. Rather, The Mandalorian season 3 simply broadened the meaning behind its title to justify its ambitious story.

The Mandalorian & Grogu Title Clearly Refers To Din Djarin

There’s No Mistaking That This Movie Will Follow Din Djarin Closely

Now, there’s no mistaking that the titular Mandalorian in The Mandalorian & Grogu is Din Djarin. With the addition of Grogu’s own name, it’s clear this movie title is informing viewers that Din Djarin will have the central role in this upcoming story. This makes any future attempt to broaden its meaning impossible, as audiences know that the only Mandalorian who can be tied so closely to Grogu is his adoptive father. No other Mandalorian can fulfill that role.

This certainly adds a more positive argument to The Mandalorian & Grogu title. Not only is it drawing upon its iconic TV show name, but it’s also re-establishing the importance of Din Djarin in both this galaxy and this story. It emphasizes that, even during the course of The Mandalorian season 3, the identity behind who really was “the Mandalorian” in the title never changed. It’s the same Mandalorian viewers first met nearly five years ago, and that hero will be taking them back to the big screen.

The Movie Will Bring The Focus Back To Its Titular Mandalorian

Din Djarin Is Leading Star Wars’ Next Chapter With Grogu

After The Mandalorian season 3 showcased a broader story of many different Mandalorians, The Mandalorian & Grogu will be moving ahead with the beloved father-son duo that earned its TV show critical and audience acclaim in the first place. Not only that, but Din Djarin will unmistakably be the main – and perhaps even the sole – Mandalorian viewers will see on the big screen. There’s no doubt that it was a thrill to see Mandalorians such as Bo-Katan, Paz Vizsla, and the Armorer all fighting together in season 3, but the movie is learning an important lesson from its biggest mistake.

With a story and a show as character-based as The Mandalorian, a shift away from the titular character will never be received well. This is why Din Djarin’s character arc became one of the most criticized aspects of the season; the time spent looking at other Mandalorians made it feel as if he had no room to grow or do anything he usually would have done in the first two seasons. The Mandalorian & Grogu movie, however, is going to rectify that, and it’s already started this important work with its title.

The Mandalorian & Grogu arrives in theaters May 22, 2026.