Disney's Bizarre Mandalorian And Grogu Super Bowl Trailer, Explained

The big game is in the rearview mirror. For football fans, that means Sundays are now free for several months. For film fans, though, it means a whole lot of brand-new footage to pour over. Indeed, the 2026 Super Bowl featured quite a few movie trailers, with everything from "Scream 7" to "Minions & Monsters" unveiling fresh material. However, when it came to "The Mandalorian and Grogu" (the first "Star Wars" movie in nearly seven years), Disney and Lucasfilm tried to do something a little out of the box.

You can watch the "Mandalorian and Grogu" Super Bowl trailer here, but it caught a lot of people off guard. Rather than a traditional preview, viewers were treated to a commercial featuring Mando and Baby Yoda that nods to famous promos from previous Super Bowl events. More specifically, the ad — which shows the film's titular duo riding in a carriage being pulled by Tauntauns and accompanied by a rugged voiceover — is seemingly meant to invoke older Budweiser commercials, among other things.

So, why did Disney spend $10 million to air a, shall we say, unique 30-second spot for the movie, as opposed to a conventional trailer? Here's what Disney's executive VP of creative marketing, Jackson George, had to offer on the matter (per Variety):

"Grogu is more than a character; he's a pop culture phenomenon. Riding alongside the heroic Mandalorian, he brings lightness, humor, joy, and an instant emotional connection that transcends the moment. This Big Game spot celebrates how deeply we love and connect with these characters, reminds us of the fun, heart, and spectacle that defines 'Star Wars,' and offers a bite-sized promise of the experience audiences will get when they see these two beloved icons on the big screen."

"The Mandalorian and Grogu," which is director Jon Favreau's feature-length continuation of his Disney+ series "The Mandalorian," is under a lot of pressure to revive the "Star Wars" film brand in the wake of 2019's "The Rise of Skywalker" (itself perhaps the most complicated billion-dollar box office hit in history). Marking the movie during the Super Bowl makes sense, but doing so in this fashion is a big swing.

Aside from speculation that "Landman" star Sam Elliott narrated the "Mandalorian and Grogu" promo, which hasn't been confirmed as of this writing, reactions on social media are ranging wildly. Case in point: Whereas one Threads user called it a "cute parody of Budweiser" and "hilarious fun," another one simply wrote, "What the f*** was that 'Mandalorian and Grogu' spot?"

As for Disney's intentions, Lucasfilm's marketing brand lead Ryan Stankevich has said that the studio wanted to create something "instantly iconic, cinematic, and quintessentially 'Star Wars'" (via Variety). Stankevich added:

"Our creative and marketing team landed on a unique concept that gave a nod to classic Big Game spots of years past. It captured the warmth, humor, and emotional connection between these two beloved characters and was the perfect next step for our campaign as we lead up to their big screen debut this summer."

Regardless, die-hard "Star Wars" enthusiasts are probably still going to show up for this movie. The theatrical "Mandalorian and Grogu" teaser has promised Baby Yoda on the big screen, which is a good enough sell for "Mandalorian" fans. Meanwhile, this Super Bowl spot was more focused on appealing to casual viewers. Did it work? That remains to be seen.

"The Mandalorian and Grogu" hits theaters on May 22, 2026.