New Mandalorian & Grogu Stills Reveal Colonel Ward Mission, Shadow Council Threat, And More

New images from The Mandalorian & Grogu have been released, and the latest details reveal a bigger, stranger, and more theatrical next step for Din Djarin and Grogu.

Empire Magazine has rolled out multiple covers and new looks at the upcoming Star Wars movie, while Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni, Pedro Pascal, Sigourney Weaver, Jeremy Allen White, and Ludwig Göransson tease what fans can expect when the Disney+ duo makes the jump to the big screen.

The big takeaways: Mando and Grogu are taking on a dangerous first mission for the New Republic, the Imperial Remnant is still active, Rotta the Hutt is back in a very different form, and Favreau says the movie is designed as a fresh start that won’t require a ton of homework.

Mando Gets A New Republic Mission

The story picks up with Din Djarin working for the New Republic out of Adelphi Base, where Sigourney Weaver’s Colonel Ward brings him in for a major new assignment.

Weaver says Ward is taking a chance by relying on the Mandalorian, calling the job a “very hard commission” and “very tricky.”

That lines up with where Season 3 left Din and Grogu. After helping reclaim Mandalore and taking down Moff Gideon, Din settled into a quieter life on Nevarro. But as Pedro Pascal points out, that finale was not the end of the road.

Pascal describes it as the close of one chapter, with Din now able to use his bounty-hunting skills “working for the good guys.”

The Shadow Council Is Still A Problem

Moff Gideon may be gone, but the Imperial Remnant is not finished. The movie will continue dealing with the Shadow Council, which was introduced in The Mandalorian Season 3 as the Empire’s scattered factions worked behind the scenes in the Outer Rim.

That also means Jonny Coyne is back as the mysterious warlord seen in Season 3, with Favreau teasing that fans will like the character’s name when it is finally revealed.

The larger timeline also remains in play. This is still the fragile post-Return of the Jedi era, where the New Republic is trying to keep control while the seeds of the First Order are quietly being planted.

Rotta The Hutt Is All Grown Up

One of the biggest surprises is the return of Rotta the Hutt, Jabba’s son from The Clone Wars. Only this time, he is no longer the baby Hutt fans remember.

Jeremy Allen White voices Rotta in the movie, and the new version of the character sounds like a major reinvention. Favreau says Rotta is in “top form” and has been fighting in the pits as a gladiator of sorts.

White says there will be some Huttese, but most of Rotta’s dialogue will be in Basic. He also says he revisited Jabba’s scenes to help shape the performance, with his speaking voice changing for the role.

Favreau compares Rotta’s situation to Adonis Creed, with the character trying to build his own identity while living under the shadow of a famous family name. White adds that Rotta is trying to get out from under the Hutt legacy and become his own man.

Favreau Says It Is A Fresh Start

Favreau is also making it clear that The Mandalorian & Grogu is not supposed to feel like homework for general audiences.

The movie is being positioned as a fresh start for Din and Grogu, while the heavier New Republic-era mythology will continue to be explored elsewhere, including Ahsoka Season 2.

Filoni says the movie does not carry the same pressure as launching a new trilogy and instead calls it “a big celebration” of Din and Grogu.

He also says spectacle alone is not enough. The action only works if the audience believes in the characters and feels the tension through them.

Bigger Sets, Puppets, And IMAX Scale

Favreau also addresses the question of whether Star Wars can still feel like a true theatrical event.

According to Favreau, moving from television to theaters meant a different kind of production. The Disney+ series relied heavily on the Volume LED stage because of speed and budget, but the movie uses larger practical sets, more puppets, Phil Tippett studio stop-motion work, and expensive CG characters built for IMAX.

Pascal even teases that he filmed one of the “craziest” practical sets on his phone, despite not being supposed to.

Composer Ludwig Göransson says Grogu also has a much bigger presence this time. He describes Grogu as more grown up, more independent, and far more central to the movie than he was when the series began.

Season 4 Was Written Before The Movie Took Priority

Favreau also reveals that he wrote an entire Mandalorian Season 4 after Season 3 and still has the scripts.

Plans changed after the 2023 actors’ and writers’ strikes, with the theatrical movie becoming the priority instead. In a post-Covid environment where theaters were again in play, Lucasfilm shifted Din and Grogu’s next chapter from streaming to the big screen.

Cast And Release Date

Jon Favreau directs The Mandalorian & Grogu.

The film stars Pedro Pascal as Din Djarin, Sigourney Weaver as Colonel Ward, and Jeremy Allen White as Rotta the Hutt.

The Mandalorian & Grogu opens in theaters on May 22, 2026.