First 18 minutes of ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’ revealed

At a glance:

• The opening 18 minutes were shown at Disney’s CinemaCon presentation and an IMAX screening in Los Angeles.
• The sequence features a secret Imperial meeting, a showdown with Snowtroopers, and a massive AT‑AT battle.
• New characters include Colonel Ward (Sigourney Weaver) and a bounty‑hunter named Rotta, voiced by Jeremy Allen White.

What the opening shows

The first 18 minutes of the upcoming The Mandalorian and Grogu film were screened publicly during Disney’s CinemaCon event in Las Vegas and later at an IMAX showing in Los Angeles. The footage includes the full opening credits, a large‑scale action set‑piece, and the initial plot beats that tie the story to the existing Star Wars timeline—set after the fall of the Empire (post‑Return of the Jedi) and before the rise of the First Order (The Force Awakens).

The secret Imperial meeting

The segment opens with two paragraphs of on‑screen text that orient viewers unfamiliar with the three‑season TV run. An Imperial officer repeatedly declares “Long live the Empire” while demanding higher protection fees from local leaders. One leader, whose nose appears smashed, protests that trade routes are already overrun by pirates. The officer shoots him, triggers an alarm, and Snowtroopers are ambushed from the shadows. A silhouette of the Mandalorian (Mando) appears, systematically taking out the troopers. The officer dispatches a polar mouse droid to investigate, declares a Code Red, and arms his subordinates before attempting to flee in an elevator, which Mando sabotages with explosives.

Grogu’s force‑lift and the AT‑RT chase

A mouse droid scurries through a corridor when Grogu Force‑lifts it and destroys it, mirroring trailer moments. The scene shifts to 1.4:3 IMAX as a Snowtrooper in a small AT‑RT walker pursues Grogu, who hides until Mando intervenes, knocks out the trooper, and invites Grogu onto the walker. The duo races down a snow‑covered cliff, evading three AT‑ATs waiting at the bottom. Mando rockets onto one AT‑AT’s leg, blows it up, and proceeds to the cargo bay where 20‑30 troopers arm themselves. In a long take reminiscent of Darth Vader’s entrance in Rogue One, Mando clears the bay, while the AT‑AT’s captain watches in shock.

The AT‑AT showdown

After the first AT‑AT is destroyed, the Imperial officer escapes in a pod resembling a mini AT‑AT head, leaving behind a cache of thermal detonators that begin counting down. Mando climbs onto the bridge of a second AT‑AT, uses its front guns to target the escaping officer, and wrestles with the ticking detonators. Grogu urges Mando to fire; once the charges detonate, Mando and Grogu are propelled skyward and rescued by a U‑wing piloted by Zeb. Zeb remarks that the Imperial was supposed to be captured alive for interrogation, but Mando explains that was impossible.

New Republic base and the Razor Crest reveal

The film’s credits roll over sweeping shots of X‑Wings at sunset and a New Republic base—identified as Adelphi, the same location seen in The Mandalorian season three. Colonel Ward (Sigourney Weaver) oversees the base and discusses the mission’s motives: preventing another war rather than seeking revenge. She offers Mando a brand‑new Razor Crest, rebuilt from a vintage collector’s vehicle, as an advance payment. Ward also hands him a faceless bounty and mentions a mysterious figure named “Coyne,” whose identity is known only to the Hutts.

The Hutts’ proposition and the next mission

Ward explains that the Hutts will provide information on Coyne if Mando helps rescue Rotta, the last surviving heir of Jabba the Hutt, who is being held captive. Mando is reluctant to work with gangsters again, but Ward stresses the strategic necessity. Zeb, Grogu, and Mando board the Razor Crest; Grogu fiddles with the controls, causing minor mishaps before the trio departs. The preview ends here, leaving the remainder of the two‑hour‑plus film undisclosed.

Additional hints from the credits

Director Jon Favreau confirmed the film runs just over two hours, implying significant story beyond the opening sequence. In the end credits, Pedro Pascal is listed first, as expected, but Jeremy Allen White—voicing Rotta—is listed second, hinting that Rotta may play a larger role than initially suggested.