Baby Yoda heads to big screen in new 'Star Wars' movie

[January 10, 2024]  LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Baby Yoda's next adventure will take the young alien, seen only on a hit "Star Wars" streaming series, to movie theaters.

The first feature film inspired by "The Mandalorian" series will start production this year, Walt Disney's Lucasfilm said on Tuesday. The title character, a helmeted bounty hunter, and his companion, known as Baby Yoda or Grogu, debuted on the Disney+ streaming service in 2019.

Baby Yoda items are pictured during a "Star Wars" advance product showcase in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S., February 20, 2020. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri/File Photo

Jon Favreau, creator of the series, will direct the movie called "The Mandalorian and Grogu." Disney did not announce a release date. Pedro Pascal, who plays the Mandalorian in the series, is expected to return to the role.

Disney had paused development of new "Star Wars" films and scrapped a few projects as it worked to figure out a new strategy for the franchise, one of its biggest. The last "Star Wars" film, "The Rise of Skywalker," was released in 2019 and took in nearly $1.1 billion at global box offices.

(Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Richard Chang)

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