Lucasfilm Unveils Final Trailer And 17-Minute Preview For The Mandalorian And Grogu At CinemaCon

Lucasfilm used CinemaCon in Las Vegas to unveil the “final trailer” for “The Mandalorian and Grogu,” and it did so with director Jon Favreau on stage and an extended look that went beyond the trailer itself.

“Lucasfilm released the final trailer for The Mandalorian and Grogu last night at CinemaCon, to much applause”

Ars Technica

Ars Technica says Lucasfilm released the “final trailer for The Mandalorian and Grogu last night at CinemaCon, to much applause,” framing the presentation as a major Star Wars franchise moment.

Ars Technica

The Cinema Group reports that Favreau “brought The Mandalorian & Grogu to CinemaCon on Thursday, unveiling a final trailer and an extended 17-minute preview,” describing it as “one of the most closely watched presentations of the event.”

The Hollywood Reporter similarly notes that Favreau “hit the stage at the Las Vegas event” and that after the trailer “the presentation screened the first 17 minutes of the film.”

Multiple outlets tie the event to the film’s theatrical return, with The Cinema Group saying it “represents the franchise’s return to the big screen for the first time since 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker.”

In the middle of the preview, the story begins with Imperial leadership after the Empire’s collapse, and The Cinema Group describes “a tense meeting among Imperial leadership in the aftermath of the Empire’s collapse.”

The same outlet then follows with a rapid escalation into violence and action, before Din Djarin’s entrance and Grogu accompanying him through the sequence.

The 17-minute CinemaCon preview, as described across outlets, is built around a sequence that starts with a council and quickly turns into violence, then shifts into chase and set-piece action across snowy terrain.

Deadline says the film “opens with a message about the evil galactic empire falling and the New Republic beginning to reunite,” and it places Din Djarin hunting “imperial fugitives in the Lawless Outer Rim.”

AV Club

Deadline then describes a council scene where an imperious leader tells the group, “Now for the bad news,” and follows with “I am raising your tribute,” before a council member complains that “trade routes are plagued with pirates and thieves ready to attack.”

Deadline continues with the leader shooting the complaining member dead and “encouraging the group to focus on solutions to their problems, rather than complaining.”

The Cinema Group’s account of the preview similarly begins with “a tense meeting among Imperial leadership in the aftermath of the Empire’s collapse,” and it says the opening “quickly escalates into violence” before Din Djarin arrives.

The Hollywood Reporter adds more specific beats, describing Din Djarin “chasing after an imperial baddie,” dispatching guards, and then scooping up Grogu while chiding him, “What are you waiting for? Hop on.”

Multiple outlets also describe the snowy chase and the use of large walkers, with The Cinema Group saying the duo escapes “into a snowy mountain environment” and triggers “a high-speed chase sequence,” while Entertainment Weekly describes Din Djarin tracking a target into an AT-AT and “mowing down another crop of stormtroopers.”

The preview’s tone is also punctuated by humor and character moments, with The Cinema Group describing Grogu’s “small comedic beats and physical gestures,” and Art Threat’s recap saying Grogu “tapping Pascal’s helmet during combat and sneezing mid-action sequence.”

Across the accounts, the preview ends up setting up Sigourney Weaver’s Colonel Ward and a mission that is framed as containment rather than revenge, with The Cinema Group quoting Ward’s directive as “one of containment rather than revenge.”

Beyond the action, the CinemaCon footage described by outlets connects the opening to a mission structure involving Sigourney Weaver’s Colonel Ward and a new objective tied to Rotta the Hutt.

“Forcing us to ask ourselves the really hard-hitting questions tonight—specifically, “How do you pluralize Babu Frik”

AV Club

The Cinema Group says Ward “assigns Din Djarin a new directive tied to preventing further galactic instability,” and it frames the mission as “containment rather than revenge.”

The Hollywood Reporter similarly reports that when Din Djarin meets Ward, she offers “constructive criticism,” telling him, “Messy, very messy,” and then insisting, “This isn’t about revenge. It’s about preventing another war and protecting everything that the rebellion fought for.”

The Cinema Group also says Ward “directs him toward a new objective involving Rotta the Hutt,” and it describes the exchange as setting up “a broader conflict that expands beyond the immediate Imperial remnants.”

Art Threat’s recap includes the same Ward-to-Din Djarin dynamic and quotes Weaver’s character scolding him with “Messy, very messy,” while also quoting Ward’s mission framing as “preventing war.”

The Hollywood Reporter adds a direct line from Ward to Din Djarin after he hesitates, with Weaver replying, “You don’t want the job, I got nothing for you.”

Deadline’s account of the opening sequence likewise says Ward wants Din Djarin to find “Commander Coin,” describing it as “a figure no one who seen who is believed dead by most,” and it says the route to Coin requires meeting “with the Hutts — led by Rotta the Hutt (Jeremy Allen White).”

Multiple outlets also emphasize that the preview teases Rotta’s role as a threat, with SuperHeroHype saying the clip “teases the antagonism between Rotta the Hutt (Jeremy Allen White), Djarin, and Grogu,” and that Rotta threatens “the latter two’s lives.”

Ars Technica and The Cinema Group both list additional cast and characters that the trailer and footage are expected to include, with Ars Technica naming Sigourney Weaver as Ward, Jeremy Allen White as Rotta the Hutt, and Dave Filoni as New Republic X-wing pilot Trapper Wolf.

While the core beats of the CinemaCon reveal are consistent across coverage, the outlets emphasize different angles—ranging from production details and ticketing to tone and character focus—creating visible divergence in how the same trailer is presented to readers.

Ars Technica frames the release as a Star Wars franchise milestone, saying the trailer has “all the elements that mark the best of the Star Wars franchise,” and it foregrounds the franchise’s continuity by tying Grogu’s appeal to “the first season of The Mandalorian” and the relationship between Grogu and Din Djarin.

Deadline

The Cinema Group, by contrast, leans into the event format and the footage breakdown, describing “one of the most closely watched presentations of the event” and focusing on how the opening sequence moves from Imperial leadership to “a high-speed chase sequence” and then to Ward’s mission directive.

AV Club’s coverage takes a more playful tone, centering on the trailer’s “weird little mechanic dudes” and asking “How do you pluralize Babu Frik?” while also noting that the CinemaCon audience got “the first 17 minutes of the movie.”

The Hollywood Reporter emphasizes the emotional and character beats of the opening, highlighting Favreau’s personal remarks—“Star Wars made me fall in love with movies”—and then describing the preview’s action in terms of Din Djarin’s pursuit and Grogu’s reactions, including “sneezing and frolicking down a flight of stairs.”

Star Wars News Net frames the release as a practical consumer update, stating that “the final trailer for The Mandalorian and Grogu has now been released online” and that “tickets will go on sale tomorrow, Friday, at 6am PT,” while also adding technical and format notes like “40 minutes of expanded ratio scenes” and a “full sequence that was animated with stop motion.”

Deadline similarly mixes narrative with production specifics, quoting Favreau’s “joy and love of Star Wars translates to a new generation” and then describing “over 49 minutes of expanded aspect ratio sequences created specifically for Imax and other large-format theaters,” along with “stop-motion animation for creature work” and “motion control miniatures.”

Even the release timing differs by outlet, with The Cinema Group saying the film “is scheduled to hit theaters on May 22,” while The Walt Disney Company France Newsroom says it will be “released in France on May 20” and that “In theaters May 20 exclusively,” and it also states “Pre-sales will open on Tuesday (April 22).”

These differences show up alongside other promotional details, including soundtrack release dates and formats, where ComicBookMovie says the “Original Motion Picture Soundtrack” will be available on “May 15” and that a “12-inch vinyl album” with “13 score cues” is set for “June 5,” while Star Wars News Net repeats the same May 15 and June 5 details and adds that the film was “recently rated PG-13 by the MPA.”

The CinemaCon reveal is paired with a detailed rollout plan that multiple outlets connect to the film’s theatrical strategy and to how audiences will experience it in large-format theaters.

“Disney and Lucasfilm have offered a new extended look at The Mandalorian and Grogu, their Star Wars film marking the first in the franchise to hit theaters since The Rise of Skywalker in 2019, unveiling the entire opening sequence with director Jon Favreau in attendance”

Deadline

The Cinema Group says “The Mandalorian & Grogu is scheduled to hit theaters on May 22,” while The Hollywood Reporter also states “hits theaters on May 22,” and Star Wars News Net repeats that “debut[s] in theaters on May 22.”

Disneyphile

Deadline adds that “Tickets go on sale tomorrow” and that “The Mandalorian and Grogu is slated for release on May 22,” while also describing the film’s expanded-format emphasis, including “over 49 minutes of expanded aspect ratio sequences created specifically for Imax and other large-format theaters.”

Star Wars News Net provides a different figure for the same concept, saying Favreau “said that the film contains 40 minutes of expanded ratio scenes,” and it also mentions “a full sequence that was animated with stop motion.”

The promotional schedule extends into music releases, where ComicBookMovie says the “Original Motion Picture Soundtrack” with “a score by Academy Award-winning composer Ludwig Göransson” will be available on “Walt Disney Records across all digital platforms on May 15,” and it adds that “The 12-inch vinyl album, featuring 13 score cues, is set for release on June 5.”

Star Wars News Net repeats the same “May 15” and “June 5” details and adds that “A special limited edition Mandalorian helmet shaped 10” die-cut vinyl, which includes two new score cues from the film, will be out May 22.”

The Walt Disney Company France Newsroom also ties the release to local timing, stating “In theaters May 20 exclusively” and that “Pre-sales will open on Tuesday (April 22).”

Beyond release logistics, the preview’s stakes are framed through the mission language used by Colonel Ward and through the threats posed by Rotta the Hutt and Imperial remnants.

The Cinema Group’s synopsis says “The New Republic works to protect everything the Rebellion fought for,” and it says they “have enlisted the help of legendary Mandalorian bounty hunter Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and his young apprentice Grogu.”

The official synopsis quoted by Star Wars News Net echoes that framing, stating, “The evil Empire has fallen, and Imperial warlords remain scattered throughout the galaxy,” and it positions Din Djarin and Grogu as the New Republic’s enlisted help.