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Star Wars’ new boss, Dave Filoni, says fans shouldn’t compare The Mandalorian & Grogu to what's come before

Dave Filoni wants Star Wars fans to know that they're in for a different big screen experience when the Pedro Pascal/Baby Yoda-starring Mandalorian follow-up hits theaters this May

News by Grant DeArmitt, Staff Writer

Published on Wed Mar 11 2026

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For all you Star Wars out there who want something new - Dave Filoni has good news. For the folks who are headed to The Mandalorian & Grogu this summer to see what they're already familiar with, well, you might want to prepare for some disappointment. Because according to the Star Wars: Clone Wars creator (and new Lucasfilm boss), the next iteration of that Galaxy Far, Far Away on the big screen will be unlike anything that's come before it.

At least, that's what Filoni was telling Empire Magazine when the movie's screenwriter and second-unit director spoke to the scifi-loving outlet. Unlike Star Warses past, this movie has no intention of introducing us to or continuing a big-screen trilogy.

"Episode VII was a completely different entity," he says, "I had dreams of Episode VII since I came out of Return Of The Jedi. You were like, 'After VI comes VII! Where’s VII?' We’re in a completely different era of Star Wars now."

What that "completely different era of Star Wars" looks like, at least for this upcoming film, won't be a grand battle between Jedi & Sith or Rebellion & Empire - rather, it'll be a character-driven story, one that acts as "a big celebration" of the unlikely father-son duo on the marquee.

I guess we'll have to see how fans respond to this introduction to a new cinematic era, but I'll tell you this right now - you put one of those little hamster penguins in there and I'll count it as a win.

The Mandalorian & Grogu comes to theaters May 22, 2026.

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Grant DeArmitt: Grant DeArmitt (he/him) likes horror, comics, and the unholy union of the two. In the past, and despite their better judgment, he has written for Nightmare on Film Street and Newsarama. He lives in Brooklyn with his partner, Kingsley, and corgi, Legs.