‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’s Pedro Pascal on the Genius of Jon Favreau [Exclusive]

The Mandalorian has been one of the most pivotal modern Star Wars entries, if not the defining project for this new era — not just for the franchise, but for the people behind it. And no one is more grateful for that than series lead Pedro Pascal, who had nothing but effusive praise for series creator Jon Favreau during their appearance at Star Wars Celebration 2025 in Japan. Pascal, who stars as Din Djarin (aka Mando), spoke with Collider’s Steve Weintraub about how working with Favreau from day one of The Mandalorian has been one of the most creatively fulfilling experiences of his life — and teased what’s ahead in the upcoming movie, The Mandalorian & Grogu.
“I know everything, everything, everything about the movie,” Pascal joked. “I can tell you that I think Jon Favreau is a genius, which is no surprise to anybody, but that he has this overview of knowing exactly how to transition a series like The Mandalorian into one of the most epic adventure movies that I’ve ever experienced, much less been a part of. That is what I can tell you.”
What Can We Expect to See in ‘The Mandalorian & Grogu’?

And while Pascal remained tight-lipped on plot specifics — we know Sigourney Weaver plays an authoritative figure that sends Mando and Grogu on a quest, and we know Jeremy Allen White is playing Rotta the Hutt, but not a whole lot more outside of that — he shared what it was like reading the film’s script for the first time:

“I remember being locked in a room, quite literally, and reading the script start to finish, and then being let out of the room and seeing Jon immediately, and just asking him, ‘How the hell did you do it?’ He has kept me in the earliest process and creative development from day one of The Mandalorian experience. He is my Jedi Master. He really is.”

Favreau has long been credited with reshaping modern Star Wars storytelling, introducing the world to Grogu and managing to mix the themes of Western movies and stories with Lucasfilm more, but it’s clear his impact on Pascal extends well beyond the role — it’s a full-circle creative bond that continues into feature films and beyond.
The Mandalorian and Grogu hits theaters May 22, 2026. Stay tuned to Collider for more coverage from Star Wars Celebration, which is currently taking place in Tokyo, Japan.

The Mandalorian & Grogu