By George & Josh Bate
While we’ve found the promotional campaign for The Mandalorian and Grogu to be refreshing in previewing a fun, family-friendly adventure film for moviegoers to enjoy, others have found issue with how the movie has been advertised. One of the complaints we frequently come across is that people don’t really know what the movie is about. Yes, there’s a barebones premise that the trailer suggests (i.e., Mando and Grogu hunting down members of the Empire for the New Republic), but, beyond that, confusions exists as to what the actual plot is. After CinemaCon 2026, we finally have any answer.
The first 18 minutes of The Mandalorian and Grogu were shown exclusively to attendees of CinemaCon 2026. You can read a (very) detailed description of these first 18 minutes here, but, amidst the amazing action and spectacle of the film’s opening, director and co-writer Jon Favreau clues the audience in as to what the main story will entail.
Warning: Light spoilers ahead regarding the first 18 minutes of The Mandalorian and Grogu
Din Djarin and Grogu have been worked with the New Republic for a little while, hunting down key figures of the fallen Empire that now operate from the shadows. After completing a mission, the father-son duo return to Sigourney Weaver’s Colonel Ward, who tasks them with another objective to complete. Ward wants Din Djarin to track down a mysterious Imperial warlord named Coyne (the spelling is unclear, although we suspect that this is the character played by Jonny Coyne. Kind of strange though that the character and the actor share the same name, but nevermind). Ward mentions that no one knows what Coyne looks like, a secret that is implied by the fact that the card she presents Mando is blank.
Ward wants Djarin to journey to Nal Hutta and do a favor for the Hutt Twins from The Book of Boba Fett so that, in exchange, they can lead the New Republic to Coyne. The favor in question? Rescue Jabba the Hutt’s only living heir from the clutches of a rival crime syndicate.
This exchange between Ward and Mando suggests The Mandalorian and Grogu will operate structurally and narratively much like the Disney+ series. There is an ultimate goal that Din Djarin wishes to achieve, but, in order to do so, he must do a favor or complete another objective. We saw this plot structure in Season 2 as he helped Bo-Katan to get information about the Jedi. We saw this plot structure in Season 1 as he helped Kuiil deal with the Jawas in exchange for repairing his Razor Crest. And now we see this plot structure again, except in the context of a theatrically released film.
We’re intrigued by this narrative that the first 18 minutes of The Mandalorian and Grogu sets up. The mystery surrounding Coyne is interesting. Are they someone we’ve met before? Are they a character originally introduced in Legends? Are they someone embedded in the New Republic, covertly working to destabilize the new government? It’ll be fascinating to see how this mystery unfolds.