May 18, 2026 Edit
The Mandalorian began as one of the defining television experiences of the pandemic era, bringing audiences together at home during a moment of global isolation. Now, with Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu heading to theaters, Pedro Pascal, Jon Favreau and Sigourney Weaver say the franchise is evolving into something even bigger: a cinematic event designed to recapture the communal magic of blockbuster moviegoing.
For Pascal, the transition from streaming phenomenon to theatrical spectacle feels deeply connected to the movies that shaped his own childhood love of cinema.
Pedro Pascal says The Mandalorian and Grogu taps into the magic of classic blockbuster filmmaking
Pascal reflected on how the film reminds him of the larger-than-life movie experiences that first made him fall in love with storytelling.
“I love movies so much,” Pascal said. “I’m more of a fan moviegoer than I am an actor.”
The actor explained that watching Jon Favreau bring The Mandalorian to theaters reminded him of discovering franchises like Star Wars, James Bond and Indiana Jones as a child.
“I remember being a kid obviously seeing Star Wars as early as I can remember,” he said. “And also I remember seeing my first Bond movie and had no idea who James Bond was with all the context of all of these other movies that existed before and other actors that had played the part.”
Pascal added that films like Raiders of the Lost Ark helped shape his understanding of cinematic spectacle and legacy storytelling.
“And of course the first being a kid and seeing Raiders of the Lost Ark and that is sort of the origins of Indiana Jones, but the beginning of an entire sort of legacy,” he said.
For Pascal, The Mandalorian and Grogu works both as a Star Wars story and as a celebration of moviegoing itself.
“And in this, I know that if you love Star Wars, you will love this movie and if you love movies, you will love this movie,” he said. “Or if you just want to try a movie out, you’re going to love the movie.”
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