The China Mail - Baby Yoda gets his own 'Star Wars' movie

Fan favorite Baby Yoda will co-star in a new Star Wars movie entitled "The Mandalorian & Grogu," Lucasfilm announced Tuesday.

The film will be directed by Jon Favreau, who created the hit Disney+ streaming show "The Mandalorian," in which the character was first introduced.

That series followed mysterious bounty hunter Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal), aka The Mandalorian, as he was tasked with delivering an adorable, tiny green creature called Grogu to a sinister client.

Instead he formed a close bond with the creature -- who appeared to be the same alien species as Yoda in the original Star Wars movies, earning him his nickname among fans.

"I have loved telling stories set in the rich world that George Lucas created," said Favreau in a statement.

"The prospect of bringing the Mandalorian and his apprentice Grogu to the big screen is extremely exciting."

It is not confirmed whether Pascal will reprise his role for "The Mandalorian & Grogu," which will begin production later this year.

The movie is expected to become the first new Star Wars film since 2019's "The Rise of Skywalker," which earned $1 billion at the global box office despite poor reviews.

Since then the big-screen future of the franchise has been in flux, with Disney boss Bob Iger having signaled a desire to slow the output of Star Wars films, and directors joining and then leaving mooted new projects.

No release date has been announced for "The Mandalorian & Grogu," although the next Star Wars film on Disney's calendar is earmarked for May 2026.

Other Star Wars films are in the works from directors such as Taika Waititi, best known for "Jojo Rabbit" and two Marvel superhero "Thor" films, and James Mangold, who helmed the recent "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny."

Another upcoming Star Wars movie will see Daisy Ridley reprise her role as Rey, the hero of the franchise's most recent big-screen trilogy.

But other previously announced Star Wars films, which were to be directed by Kevin Feige -- the producer behind the entire Marvel superhero universe -- and Patty Jenkins ("Wonder Woman") have been quietly shelved.

In Tuesday's statement, Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy said Favreau and "Mandalorian" co-creator Dave Filoni had "ushered into Star Wars two new and beloved characters," calling the new story "a perfect fit for the big screen."

L.Johnson--ThChM