The Mandalorian and Grogu Plays Better as a TV Movie Than It Did in Theaters

The Mandalorian and Grogu is not a bad film. It just feels like it was meant to be a made for TV movie. I didn't love it when I saw it in the theater, and seeing it again at home, this time with a first time viewer beside me, made that clearer than ever.

The Mandalorian and Grogu is a side adventure, not a step forward

My biggest issue is that it doesn't really further the story of Star Wars at all. It's a side adventure for Mando and Grogu with the Hutts, and as I said when I first saw it: "It's not terrible. It just does nothing to further the lore." My co-host had expected it to link into something bigger, whether that was Thrawn or something else, and it didn't.

Part of the letdown for me was the occasion. This was the first Star Wars movie in theaters since 2019, before Covid. Seeing it on a TV, I kept thinking, "this is what this is intended for." Had it simply dropped on Disney Plus as a new Mandalorian and Grogu movie, I think it would have been great. It was cute. Not bad.

Why I think it struggled at the box office

This didn't do very well in the theater, and I think it's because of those same reasons. Imagine you had never seen an episode of The Mandalorian. You wouldn't know what was going on, and you wouldn't have the same investment.

Grogu, Zeb and the little crew stole the show for her

Her verdict: she liked it, but "I like the shows better, though." She said she liked it because she likes the characters so much. Grogu is her favourite character in all of Star Wars: "Out of everybody. I'm sorry. I just love him so much."

She also enjoyed Rotta the Hutt and took to Zeb, who I pointed out comes from Rebels. She wants to dive into that series, and if she can get through it before we get to Ahsoka, that would be great. The little mechanic crew from the show were another highlight; when asked, she said, "I will watch a full movie of just them."

The Hutts, though, are among the characters that gross her out the most.

What comes next for us in Star Wars

For now, this is the last Star Wars film she'll see until the beginning of next year. There is a show to get to, maybe at the end of this year, and after that there are no more movies until the new Star Wars film with Ryan Gosling. A trailer for that is coming soon, though I don't think it's out yet.

Overall, enjoyable enough. If you love Mando and Grogu, it is a cool side adventure for the two of them. Did The Mandalorian and Grogu deserve a theatrical release, or would it have worked better as a Disney Plus movie?