Movies usually take a while to make the jump from theaters to streaming. Not so for "The Mandalorian and Grogu": it hit theaters in late May, opened for digital rental six weeks ago, and will land directly on Disney+'s lineup on September 2—all in under three months.
This is the movie sequel to "The Mandalorian," the very series that once carried the entire Disney+ platform. The story continues to follow bounty hunter Din Djarin and his Yoda-species companion Grogu—the "looks like a baby but is actually 55 years old" gag that's been a running joke throughout the franchise. Later in the film, Jabba's son shows up too—a hulking, muscular character whose sheer visual absurdity is entertaining in its own right.
According to Engadget's review, the film has gotten a lukewarm reception from critics, with many noting it feels more like several TV episodes stitched together than a fully realized movie. Dialogue is sparse, and with one lead being a puppet and the other fully encased in armor the entire time, the dramatic tension stays pretty straightforward. In other words, it's better suited as easygoing Friday-night family viewing than a Star Wars epic demanding serious discussion.
"The Mandalorian" spawned an entire interconnected Star Wars universe with spinoffs like "The Book of Boba Fett" and "Ahsoka," but there isn't much new on the horizon right now—for now, only an "Ahsoka" Season 2 has been confirmed on the Star Wars side. Marvel's slate looks similarly thin, with a "Vision" series coming in October and "Daredevil: Born Again" Season 3 next year. Whether there's more in the pipeline may become clear this weekend at Disney's D23 event.
