❚ We may earn commission from links on this page. Our editorial is always independent (learn more).

The Mandalorian and Grogu early Rotten Tomatoes score revealed as first reviews drop for new Star Wars film

The film is coming to cinemas this month.

Pedro Pascal stars in The Mandalorian & Grogu; in this scene, Din Djarin is looking up at someone with anger and disgust

Lucasfilm / Disney

Published: Tuesday, 19 May 2026 at 4:41 pm

Subscribe to Radio Times: 10 issues for £10

The first big screen Star Wars movie since 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker has earned a lukewarm Rotten Tomatoes score.

Ad

The Mandalorian and Grogu, which is set to land in cinemas on Friday 22 May, picks up with Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal), aka Mando, and Grogu after the events of the Disney+ series, following the pair as they work with the New Republic to track down and find Imperial warlords causing chaos across the galaxy.

Along the way, they meet a new friend in Colonel Ward (Sigourney Weaver), as well as a new nemesis in Rotta the Hutt (voiced of Jeremy Allen White).

The film is directed by the show’s creator, Jon Favreau, and is written by Favreau and new Lucasfilm co-president Dave Filoni.

The review embargo for the film lifted on Tuesday morning (19 May) and, at the time of writing, it's score on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes sits at 63 per cent based on 68 reviews – indicating a mediocre reception from critics.

The Mandalorian in full armour and Grogu sitting behind him in a space ship cockpit.

The Mandalorian and Grogu. Lucasfilm

In our own Radio Times review, we gave the film 3 stars, with critic Patrick Cremona calling it "a diverting romp that doesn't quite have the scale or grandeur of the best entries in the franchise".

The review added that, while there are "some fun scenes" and "a few endearingly touching moments", "it seems unlikely this is the film that will truly reignite the success of Star Wars on the big screen".

Want to see this content?

This page contains content provided by Google reCAPTCHA. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as Google reCAPTCHA may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow Google reCAPTCHA and its required purposes.

Accept and continue

Elsewhere, the film also scored 3 stars in The Guardian, while it was awarded 2 stars in The Independent, and 2 in The Telegraph.

Alongside Pascal, Weaver and White, the film also stars Jonny Coyne, Dave Filoni, Steve Blum, and the iconic filmmaker Martin Scorsese.

Director Scorsese, whose works include Goodfellas, Gangs of New York, Taxi Driver and Killers of the Flower Moon, was revealed to be part of the movie's cast in a trailer back in February, and is voicing an alien owner of a food van.

Watch trailer

The Mandalorian and Grogu is coming to cinemas on 22 May.

Ad

Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.

Authors

RadioTimes.com senior trends writer Molly Moss. She is sitting outside wearing a black top, holding a white teacup with a smily face on it to her mouth

Molly MossTrends Writer

Molly Moss is a Trends Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest trends across TV, film and more. She has an MA in Newspaper Journalism and has previously written for publications including The Guardian, The Times and The Sun Online.

Ad

Ad

Subscribe for £1 per week

Too much to watch this autumn? Let Radio Times magazine and app do the choosing, with expert picks across TV, streaming and film.

Subscribe now

Loading...

Ad

Loading...