One of the Super Bowl commercials last weekend was technically for The Mandalorian and Grogu, but fans hoping for footage from the upcoming Star Wars movie didn’t get it. Instead, the ad leaned into a nostalgic, old-school Super Bowl commercial vibe, complete with narration by Sam Elliott, leaving many viewers disappointed. Perhaps as a result, an all-new trailer is set to drop tomorrow, with Lucasfilm releasing a tease you can see embedded above.
Lucasfilm’s marketing brand lead Ryan Stankevich told Variety that they wanted a Super Bowl spot that felt “instantly iconic, cinematic, and quintessentially ‘Star Wars.’“
“Our creative and marketing team landed on a unique concept that gave a nod to classic Big Game spots of years past,” Stankevich said. “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.”
Jackson George, Disney’s executive VP of creative marketing, added, “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.”
It isn’t immediately apparent that the Super Bowl commercial is for Star Wars. It opens with an obscured wagon being pulled through the snow by creatures we can’t quite see. “Sometimes we choose our path,” said Elliot’s voiceover. “Other times the path chooses us. Through it all, we keep pushing forward, driven by a deeper purpose, guided by an unseen Force. The journey never gets any easier. The bond just gets harder to break. This is the way.” It’s then revealed that a pack of Tauntauns are pulling Din Djarin and Grogu, and that’s… pretty much it.
Here’s the “controversial” spot in question:
It was cute, but for fans anxious to see more from the film, it was definitely a disappointment. That said, I’m sure tomorrow’s trailer will be more exciting. The Mandalorian and Grogu is set to hit theaters on May 22.