The Mandalorian & Grogu recently finished filming and is scheduled for release in May 2026. While many Star Wars fans are excited about this new installation to the galaxy, others are not so sure about the title. Here we explore why the title is bad, but also how it may be fitting.
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Why The Mandalorian & Grogu Is So Bad
As Din Djarin and Grogu are set to take center screen, it promises to be “Great News for Star Wars.”
With director Jon Favreau, the filming was reportedly smooth, and the movie is on track to bring “two popular Disney+ characters to the big screen for the first time.”
The Mandalorian & Grogu also pursues the centered timeline as of late, positioned alongside The Mandalorian series, Ahsoka, and Skeleton Crew.
However, these tidings of good filming may encounter difficulties with the movie’s name.
Since it breaks with tradition by not including “Star Wars” in the title and is recognizable to a wide audience, we could argue that the title has its merits.
It may even allow the movie to “carve its own” in the franchise. Yet, many fans disagree.
Beyond its awkward sound, fans protest against this title because it’s redundant, given that Grogu is now a Mandalorian. It may have been better to call the movie The Mandalorians instead.
Others see the title as “a sign of the [poor] direction the series is going” since Mando and Grogu “reunited” in The Book of Boba Fett.
Others concur and voice disapproval of the “creative thought,” or lack thereof, put into the series and then the movie.
A few comments from the above discussion recognize how Dave Filoni has been inspired by Lone Wolf & Cub for “making Mando” and that the movie title follows that inspiration.
This article comments on how this Japanese Samurai series showed its influence in The Book of Boba Fett and The Mandalorian. So, the title is following that line of creativity.
Another article dives deeper and shows how The Mandalorian was inspired by 20 movies. As with Star Wars and George Lucas, this list includes Akira Kurosawa’s samurai films, but also Sergio Leone’s A Fistful of Dollars.
Many fans saw these connections in The Mandalorian series, as well as the influence of Lone Wolf & Cub, which centers on “a lone samurai warrior who travels feudal Japan with his three-year-old son” who he trains into a warrior. This parallel is “incredibly similar to Din Djarin and Grogu.”
We may find this parallel objectionable, though. In other words, we can recognize the thought process behind The Mandalorian & Grogu title, but not agree with the outcome.
That is the case with these fans who think it’s “a lazy name” for the movie that does not convey much creativity.
Is The Mandalorian & Grogu a Good Title?
Then again, does the title have merits? As referenced above, some articles have praised the title for its departure from previous Star Wars films.
That originality may provide a basis for arguing the title is actually good.
Likewise, using the backdrop of the Japanese media and titles for the name of this movie could make sense. We could say that the creators are keeping their creative intentions consistent.
The commercial considerations are another and probably the best reason for this title.
Tapping into younger and older audience members and those completely new to Star Wars could help justify the title. Yet, titling the movie Mandalorian & Grogu has bigger implications.
As this article explores, there are several reasons why it took five years to complete the filming of the next Star Wars movie.
A major one is the shift to Disney+ and the strategy of focusing “content for [this] streaming platform. As such, Lucasfilm needs to transport the success of The Mandalorian, even the stumbles of Season 3, to the big screen.
That potential success is partially predicated on a title that almost everyone will recognize. For fans that object, the creators may be counting on the content to win them over.
The Mandalorian & Grogu Title
We may have issues with The Mandalorian & Grogu title and even think it’s bad. There are good reasons to feel this way, including its awkward wording, its repetitive nature, and lack of creativity.
Yet, there are ways to see the title as good or at least justifiable, not the least of which is trying to prevent another misstep at the box office.