Star Wars fans have seen 25 minutes of The Mandalorian and Grogu – and early reactions say it reminds them of season 1, but the CGI still needs work

Pedro Pascal unmasked as Din Djarin in The Mandalorian and Grogu — (Image credit: Disney/Lucasfilm)

Ahead of its release later this month, Star Wars fans have been treated to 25 minutes of The Mandalorian and Grogu. Footage from the new movie debuted at several fan events around the world – and the early reactions are pretty positive.

According to attendees, the opening sequence showed Din Djarin and Baby Yoda on a new mission as well as introducing the Hutts and Sigourney Weaver's Colonel Ward. Among the first reflections were a lot of praise for the scale of the action sequences as well as praise for the vibe of the original show.

Critic Zach Pope wrote on X that it was "very entertaining" adding it "reminds me a lot of the 1st season + the OG Star Wars trilogy in terms of story structure & feel. Action is MASSIVE, the Hutts have a huge part, & I can’t wait to see the rest!"

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Star Wars podcaster William Devereux added: "Din Djarin is arguably the coolest he’s ever been, and Grogu is as adorable as always. While the movie’s stakes aren’t the highest, a lot of what the trailers show is from early in the film. So hopefully we’ll get some fun surprises. I love this duo and can’t wait for May 22nd!"

However, film reviewer Tyler Disney was a bit more mixed on what they saw. "The opening scene deserves credit, it's genuinely cool. The CGI still needs some polish, but if the film keeps that momentum, it could easily turn into a hit," they wrote on social media. "I wouldn’t say I didn’t like it, but something felt off when the opening credits rolled, it didn’t quite feel like a Star Wars movie. It came across more like a streaming TV film than a big-screen experience."

The 25 minutes felt like a first episode of a new season. It's also great to Mando kicking ass on an #imax screen. If you're only gonna see once in theater, do imax. Sound & scope of the opening action sequence was great. Ludwig's score 🔥 #themandalorian #themandalorianandgrogu pic.twitter.com/GftUfN94LmMay 5, 2026

I watched the first 30 minutes of #TheMandalorianAndGrogu: I really liked what I saw. It has vibes of the original trilogy, the action looks great (especially in IMAX), the plot sounds interesting, and there's a mystery at its core that caught my attention. I'm really excited! pic.twitter.com/n2b5nWGeGYMay 5, 2026

We just watched the first 25 minutes of THE MANDALORIAN AND GROGU in IMAX and are blown away by what we saw. Cinematic, epic scale that demands to be seen on the big screen. Ludwig Göransson’s music gave us goosebumps. Had smiles on our faces the entire time watching the footage. pic.twitter.com/RA4lwooZ2vMay 5, 2026

The Mandalorian and Grogu brings Star Wars back to the big screen for the first time in seven years as it follows Din Djarin and Grogu as they're enlisted by the New Republic. Their mission is to attempt to rescue Rotta the Hutt in exchange for information from the Hutt can on a mystery target.

The movie releases on May 22. You can also check out all the other upcoming Star Wars movies and shows on the way as well as our detailed guide to the Star Wars timeline.

I’m the Deputy Entertainment Editor here at GamesRadar+, covering TV and film for the Total Film and SFX sections online. I previously worked as a Senior Showbiz Reporter and SEO TV reporter at Express Online for three years. I've also written for The Resident magazines and Amateur Photographer, before specializing in entertainment.