For a while, The Mandalorian and Grogu has had that slightly weird Star Wars-project energy where everyone knows it exists, everyone knows it is important, but it still somehow feels a little abstract. Not anymore. Empire’s May 2026 issue is a full-on world-exclusive preview, built around new imagery and interviews with Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni, Pedro Pascal, Sigourney Weaver, and Jeremy Allen White, and it is very clearly the point where this thing stops feeling like “that Mando movie coming at some point” and starts feeling like an actual event. Empire’s issue went on sale March 12, and Lucasfilm’s official film page still has the release date locked for May 22, 2026. Pedro Pascal Apparently Found Out About the Movie the Same Way We Did The funniest detail to come out of the new coverage might be that Pedro Pascal was not sitting on some giant secret master plan all…
Empire Magazine
THE MANDALORIAN AND GROGU Is Bringing Star Wars Back to Theaters — and Filoni Calls It a “Different Era” Than The Force Awakens
It’s been seven years since Star Wars last hit the big screen. The franchise closed the Skywalker Saga in 2019 with The Rise of Skywalker — and since then, the galaxy has lived on streaming. Now, Star Wars is officially pivoting back to cinemas with The Mandalorian and Grogu, and Empire’s new cover story frames it as a very different kind of theatrical comeback. Dave Filoni’s core point: this isn’t another “Episode VII moment.” It’s a film built around characters the audience already knows — and loves. “We’re in a completely different era of Star Wars now.” Filoni compares the theatrical return to The Force Awakens — but says the situation isn’t the same Filoni directly compares the scale of returning to theaters with The Mandalorian and Grogu to the cultural impact of The Force Awakens, while also stressing that Episode VII carried a unique weight: it was the start…
Andor Season 2 Named TV Show of the Year by Empire Magazine
This isn’t just another accolade. It’s a statement. Empire Magazine has named Andor Season 2 TV Show of the Year, placing a grounded, politically sharp Star Wars series at the very top of television in 2025. For a franchise better known for spectacle than subtlety, that recognition lands with real weight. Why this matters now By the time Season 2 reached its conclusion, Andor had already earned a reputation for doing things differently. No Force mysticism. No legacy comfort beats. Just pressure, consequence, and the slow grind of rebellion. Empire’s decision confirms that approach didn’t just work for Star Wars fans — it worked for television as a whole. What Empire recognized In naming Andor its top series of the year, Empire highlighted the show’s ability to fuse political tension, character-driven storytelling, and moral complexity without losing momentum. Season 2 expanded its scope while keeping its focus tight. Cassian’s arc…