The Mandalorian season 4 was expected to go into production shortly before 2023's Hollywood strikes closed down the film and television industry. Scripts had been written, but the downtime led to Disney deciding Din Djarin and Grogu's next adventure should be a feature instead.
Given their popularity and the way season 3 ended, it's not overly surprising that Disney is eager to cash in on The Mandalorian's success by shifting focus from streaming subscribers to box office revenue.
It's also been over six years since The Rise of Skywalker. So, getting Star Wars back into theaters—after Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy essentially turned it into a small screen property—has become a priority for Disney CEO Bob Iger.
Moana 2 was originally a Disney+ TV series and grossed over $1 billion last year; Lilo & Stitch was similarly destined for streaming, only to break box office records over Memorial Day weekend.
Starting with two hugely popular characters is a smart move, but as of now, we don't know what the future holds in store for them both beyond The Mandalorian and Grogu movie coming to theaters next year. However, a new rumour doubles down on their streaming adventures being over.
Insider Daniel Richtman has reiterated past reports that "there won’t be a Season 4 of The Mandalorian." He added, "If the movie succeeds, a sequel will be made. However, if it flops, it will serve as the final chapter for Mando and could also put [Dave] Filoni's movie at risk."
Ahsoka season 2 is in production, and the expectation is that this era of storytelling will conclude with Filoni's planned movie. Much was once said about that setting the stage for the sequel trilogy by explaining how Supreme Leader Snoke and the First Order gained power. Instead, it appears Filoni is forging his own path with a story about Grand Admiral Thrawn and the Mortis Gods.
Lucasfilm's plans for the Star Wars franchise remain unclear; in fact, it's hard to say whether there even is one. While Filoni is seemingly responsible for creating a cohesive narrative, it's played out at a glacial pace.
At Star Wars Celebration last month, Jon Favreau largely dodged questions about The Mandalorian season 4. "Right now, I'm focusing on the feature because we still have another year of the story," he said. "You discover so much as you edit a film and put it together with visual effects. Right now we're really locked in on the big screen story that's coming."
"A lot of people know these characters who haven’t seen the show," he said of how the shift to theaters will change his storytelling approach. "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. We want to reward people who’ve been there since the beginning, but also invite new audiences in."
Starring Pedro Pascal, Sigourney Weaver, Jeremy Allen White, and Jonny Coyne, The Mandalorian and Grogu is directed by Favreau and produced by him, Kennedy, Dave Filoni, and Ian Bryce.
This exciting new adventure in the Mandalorian and Grogu's journey is currently in post-production and arrives in theaters on May 22, 2026.