Kathleen Kennedy Shares Major Grogu Update for Upcoming Star Wars Movie

The anticipation for Star Wars’ next theatrical venture, The Mandalorian and Grogu, is reaching a fever pitch. As the release draws near, fans have been treated to a whirlwind of teasers, ranging from a high-octane Super Bowl trailer to a quirky appearance by Martin Scorsese as an alien inhabitant. We’ve even seen a glimpse of a surprisingly muscular Rotta the Hutt. Yet, a primary mystery persists: will the galaxy’s most famous toddler finally graduate from baby coos to articulate speech in his cinematic debut?

In a recent discussion with Variety, Kathleen Kennedy—the legendary producer behind hits like E.T. and the outgoing president of Lucasfilm—touched upon the transition of leadership to Dave Filoni and Lynwen Brennan. Kennedy’s influential tenure at the helm of the franchise is winding down, with The Mandalorian and Grogu and next year’s Star Wars: Starfighter serving as her final projects.

The headline news for those devoted to the spirited little apprentice is definitive: Grogu will not be speaking anything more than his usual babble in the upcoming film.

“[Grogu is] another perfect example of a character that has to emote and you have to feel connected to, and he never speaks a word,” Kennedy remarked when discussing the unique challenge of non-verbal characters. She went on to confirm that the diminutive Force-user will not suddenly “gain the power of speech” for the movie’s May release.

This decision isn’t entirely unexpected. The Star Wars mythos has a rich history of characters who communicate through expression and sound rather than dialogue, yet remain deeply resonant. From the binary chirps of R2-D2 to the distinctive bellows of Chewbacca, the franchise has mastered the art of wordless personality. Furthermore, keeping Grogu in his “infant” state likely supports the massive merchandising machine surrounding the character. Nevertheless, it remains a point of contention for some enthusiasts who hoped for verbal growth to better understand his internal perspective.

While Grogu might not have found his voice just yet, his silence won’t hinder him and Din Djarin as they face off against Imperial remnants and criminal kingpins. Ultimately, his actions will continue to speak for themselves.

The Mandalorian and Grogu arrives in theaters on May 22.

Source: Polygon