The other day, when my family and I went to see The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (which is STILL killing it at the box office, by the way), there was this giant display for The Mandalorian & Grogu.
Upon seeing it, my wife said, “We have GOT to see that,” but all I could think was: I have no desire whatsoever to watch that. How can that be? If you had told me five or six years ago that there was going to be a movie based on The Mandalorian, it would have been my most anticipated film of the year!
Now? I doubt I’m even going to see it. So, I wondered why. Well, this is what I came up with.
I Seriously Haven't Thought About The Mandalorian Since 2023 When The Last Season Came Out
One thing that really bugs me - and I’m sure I’m not alone - is huge gaps in-between seasons. Back in my day (listen to me), there would be a new season every year for shows that I liked, and I looked forward to it. Strangely enough, in the age of streaming, lengthy gaps between seasons are pretty common. For instance, I was never really into Stranger Things, but I remember how long it took to get to that show’s series finale.
People made all kinds of jokes about how old the kids had gotten since the show had first debuted, and a lot of that was because of the long gaps in-between seasons. I think this may be the same problem with The Mandalorian, as I honestly haven't thought about the show since the last season came out, and that was all the way back in 2023!
That's an insane gap of time to expect people to stay invested, but that's what Disney's asking us to do. They expect us to still care about a show that hasn't had a new episode IN YEARS. And, like, what? Are they kidding?
Perhaps they should have made a fourth season rather than a movie, but do you know what? Maybe they shouldn't have, because now that I think about it…
I Didn't Even Finish Season 3
As I mentioned at the start, I used to be DEEPLY into The Mandalorian. In fact, I had Disney+ on day 1 back in 2019, and watched the very first episode on the day it came out. Being somebody who's always appreciated Star Wars, but was never really into all that Jedi stuff, The Mandalorian was a breath of fresh air, and a direction I could jive with. In a lot of ways, it kind of saved Star Wars for me since I wasn't the biggest fan of the sequels (even though in a lot of ways, I think they were better than the prequels).
However, Season 2 wasn't as enjoyable for me as Season 1. For one thing, it had a whole episode titled “The Jedi” (Uh, thanks, but no thanks) which introduced the live-action version of Ahsoka, and then, it also featured a deepfake version of Luke Skywalker at the end of the season. So, by that point, I was kind of checked out of the series. Like, seriously. Why did they have to include the Jedi in my bounty hunter show?
By Season 3, I was falling asleep. I don't quite know what episode I stopped on, but it was pretty early. I remember that much. The show just didn't register for me anymore, and I genuinely couldn't care less about any of these characters.
So, to think that I would want to pay up to $100 just to take my family out to see a movie based on a show that I couldn't even finish on TV? Well, that's a pretty big ask, Disney.
I Also Truly Think Andor Spoiled Me Since I Don't Like The More Kid-Friendly Version Of Star Wars Anymore
Before Andor, I was a moderate Star Wars fan, at best. But, after Andor? Well…I'm still a moderate Star Wars fan. But boy howdy, did I ever love Andor. In fact, the serious tone of that series is what convinced me that the world of Star Wars could be so much more than something that was mainly meant for children.
Actually, I knew that with Rogue One, too, as that's my favorite Star Wars movie. Andor cemented that fact for me. However, that’s not to say that I didn’t like certain kiddy aspects about Star Wars, as I’ve always found Grogu cute. I mean, I’m not a monster.
That said, I don't really find Grogu all that cute anymore. In fact, Grogu kind of represents what I dislike the most about Star Wars these days, which is its childish nature and the rampant merchandising. I don't want this in my Star Wars anymore.
I want the gravitas and seriousness of an Andor from now on. I don't want shootouts in tight corridors. Nor do I want Grogu shutting his eyes, raising his hands, and levitating some massive ship. What I want is challenging monologues, boardroom discussions, and complex protagonists who make questionable decisions.
Also, I'm Used To Star Wars Being On Television Now
Here's probably the biggest issue. Disney has TRAINED me to associate Star Wars with a small screen. How small, you ask? So small that I've watched Star Wars on my cell phone at the gym! In fact, I've watched a few episodes of The Mandalorian on my phone. So, the prospect of seeing it on a big screen doesn't excite me in the slightest.
In a lot of ways, this isn't only a Star Wars issue. I feel this way about Marvel, too. Ever since WandaVision debuted, the movies just don't feel like an event anymore, which is a huge problem.
There's also the issue that I feel like I need a reason to even keep my Disney+ subscription these days, and that reason is movies coming to the platform only months after release. Again, I go back to Marvel. Though I did see the latest Fantastic Four movie in theaters (it’s because I love all of the Fantastic Four movies), the last Marvel flick I saw before that in theaters was 2024's Deadpool & Wolverine. And, it’s just because I feel I can wait to watch Marvel movies at home now, as Marvel/Disney has conditioned me to do that.
The same goes for Star Wars. I honestly have no desire to see The Mandalorian & Grogu in theaters, which sucks, since the trailer looks kind of fun. That said, it’s not fun enough for me to leave my house to go see it. Oh, well.
What do you think? Will you be seeing The Mandalorian & Grogu in theaters coming to the 2026 movie schedule on May 22nd? I'd love to hear your thoughts.
