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Mandalorian Movie, Smugglers Run Mission Debut May 22, 2026

Joshua
Written by Joshua Posted
Mandalorian Movie, Smugglers Run Mission Debut May 22, 2026

Smugglers Run riders have been stealing coaxium for Hondo Ohnaka for over five years. Thankfully, we only have to do it for another 14 months. Starting May 22, 2026, Galaxy’s Edge guests on both coasts will fly a new mission featuring the Mandalorian and Grogu. Jon Favreau and Imagineers Leslie Evans and Asa Kalama shared the news during today’s Future of World-Building at Disney panel at SXSW.

The Mandalorian and Grogu movie debuts the same day as the new mission. While diehard Star Wars fans will probably book a Thursday night showing before ropedropping Galaxy’s Edge the next day, it’s not necessary for those wanting to avoid spoilers. The mission and movie storylines are separate. Jon Favreau, The Mandalorian’s creator, confirmed the independent stories: “This isn’t going to retell what happens in the movie – it’s more like participating in something that’s happening just off-camera from what you see in the film.”

Smugglers Run Mandalorian and Grogu concept art. Copyright Disney.

So what’s the mission? Nobody’s telling us, but we do know the workflow. Favreau and his creative team came up with the movie’s plot before sharing it with Disney Imagineering. Developing movie and theme park content simultaneously is new ground for filmmakers and Imagineers. Imagineer Asa Kalama explained how important collaboration is in the process:

Opening an attraction and such a massive movie on the same day wouldn’t be possible without the relationships we have inside Disney. Jon and [The Mandalorian executive producer] Dave [Filoni] have shared their story with us, and now we’ve all worked together to come up with a new mission for Smugglers Run that plays into this narrative.

BDX droids make big screen debut

BDX droid standing next to a piece of machinery

The collaboration works both ways. BDX droids, developed originally for Disney Parks, will be featured in the Mando movie. They’ll be joined by an Anzellan named Otto. If he’s anything like Babu Frik, he’ll be a hit. We know the droids will be.

Smugglers Run mission concept art

Disney also shared three concept art pieces for Smugglers Run. Old school Star Wars fans will love seeing Bespin, Tatooine, and a destroyed Death Star above Endor. Will all three settings be used on the ride? I hope so. Smugglers Run is only a 4.5 minute attraction, but the Falcon is the “fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy.” I’m sure it can be done.

Smugglers Run concept art showing the Millennium Falcon flying over Bespin
Smugglers Run concept art showing a sand crawler on Tatooine
Smugglers Run concept art showing the second destroyed Death Star floating over Endor

The concept art also shows zero coaxium canisters. Maybe Hondo finally has enough?

Speaking of Hondo, his role in the Smugglers Run preshow will need to change. He’s an awesome Audio-Animatronic, but I wonder if he’s removed altogether. I’m not going to get too deep into the timeline strangeness that surrounds Galaxy’s Edge, but it would be a hard sell to have him running the Millennium Falcon during Mando’s timeline (9-11 years after the Battle of Yavin) and the coaxium story timeline (set between Episodes VIII and IX, 35 years after the first Death Star blew up).

I’m fully prepared for Star Wars experts to tell me I’m wrong. Or right.

At this point, I don’t care about timelines. I just want a compelling, exciting, and fun Smugglers Run mission. I have faith Jon Favreau and Imagineers will deliver.