Star Wars is one of the most popular franchises of all time, with entire generations brought up on the galaxy far, far away. The property is always expanding, including shows that are available with a Disney+ subscription. That trend started with The Mandalorian, which will be pivoting to the big screen in the upcoming Star Wars movie The Mandalorian and Grogu. And while that movie's Super Bowl trailer got some backlash upon its release, it might have also confirmed a fan theory. Let's break it all down.
What we know about The Mandalorian and Grogu is limited, but it'll be the first Star Wars movie in theaters since The Rise of Skywalker's ending. The Super Bowl trailer was super brief, showing the two title characters riding a cart that's moving forward thanks to the help of some Tauntauns. And as such, fans think this might be a sly confirmation that the project will indeed bring the property back to the ice planet of Hoth.
Hoth was a major location in The Empire Strikes Back, widely considered one of the best movies in the entire Skywalker Saga. That's where the famous AT-AT battle occurs, and where Han splits open a Tauntaun in order to keep Luke warm and alive. So that creature's inclusion in the new teaser has fan convinced we're heading back to the frozen planet.
Obviously this is still just a theory at this point, but seems purposeful that the Mandalorian and Grogu clip would feature Tauntauns so prominently. Those monsters never got another live-action appearance after Empire Strikes Back, so the hardcore fandom was going to connect the dots. Let's just hope that Baby Yoda gets some winter gear to stay warm if he and Din Djarin do make their way to Hoth.
Star Wars fans are definitely curious to see how The Mandalorian and Grogu comes from the small to the silver screen, and how that format change might impact its storytelling. It seems like Jon Favreau's movie might wrap up the narrative of the beloved live-action series, especially as the studio decided to shoot a movie rather than working on a fourth season. And there are plenty of lingering questions about the story that folks are hoping to get closure on.
It's wild to think that it's been so many years since Star Wars was in theaters, but that's about to change. In addition to The Mandalorian and Grogu, Shawn Levy's Starfighter is also in the can and heading to the big screen. As for the new trilogy, it's unclear when we might actually see it begin shooting.
The Mandalorian and Grogu is set to be released on May 22nd as part of the 2026 movie release list. While the Super Bowl ad got some backlash, I assume we'll get more actual footage from the movie soon.
