Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni Debate What 'The Mandalorian & Grogu's Popcorn Bucket Should Look Like [Exclusive] -

Star Wars Celebration is finally winding down after Lucasfilm delivered some exciting looks at future movies and TV shows. One of the biggest projects to have some exciting developments was The Mandalorian & Grogu, which is coming to theaters on May 22, 2026. Star Wars has delivered some iconic merch over the years for droids and creatures, and the latest subject of gear is Grogu, the adorable green Force user who first debuted in The Mandalorian. At Celebration, Collider’s Steve Weintraub sat down with The Mandalorian & Grogu writer/director Jon Favreau and Star Wars visionary Dave Filoni, and asked what a potential popcorn bucket for the film could look like. Favreau mentioned that the potential for toys and collectibles factors into character designs, but that they haven’t reached a verdict on the popcorn bucket. Favreau told Collider (at 5:06 in the video above):

“That’s a great question that has not been reached yet. Subject has not been broached yet I mean, Star Wars, as you could see from walking the floor, as much as it’s, we grew up at a time when you got to see it in the movie theater, and when it was out of the movie theater, all you had was the album and the toys. And toys were a big part of it. And when we plan new designs, we think about what’s it going to be like as a collectible or as a toy. Yeah. And also, we think about what was a collectible or a toy that was never really in the movies. And we get a lot of inspiration from that. Now the popcorn bucket has become a thing. So I don’t know. “

Whether Favreau is playing coy or the team hasn’t begun that part of the marketing process remains to be seen, but with Grogu and other critters likely to have a role in the film, merchandise will certainly be bountiful. Favreau also shared that he thinks things like popcorn buckets and merchandise are “part of what brings people to theaters, which is important.” While there are plenty of options for popcorn buckets, such as a Mandalorian Helmet, a Darksaber handle, or even a pilot’s helmet, Filoni weighed in on a design, saying that “It’s got to be Grogu, right? Sitting there with popcorn in front of him, and the bucket’s the pram.”

Grogu is the most recognizable figure from the movie, so it stands to reason that he’ll be the subject of the popcorn bucket. Favreau even joked that “Grogu is eating popcorn in the movie,” and although Filoni tried to silence him with a “Spoilers Jon, spoilers,” Favreau jokingly pushed back by confirming there’s a shot of him eating popcorn in the trailer. The two also went back and forth about whether they think they’d get any input on the design, and even tried to recall what started the popcorn bucket craze, which was Dune: Part Two’s infamous sand worm bucket.

Grogu Will Evolve Even Further in ‘The Mandalorian & Grogu’

Collider’s Steve Weintraub also had the chance to chat with Favreau about The Mandalorian & Grogu earlier at Star Wars Celebration, and he spoke about what fans can expect to see from the little green guy on the big screen next year. Now that Grogu has left Luke Skywalker’s (Mark Hamill) care and is back with Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal), he teased that he’s “a family member” who is “now an apprentice.” Grogu may have started as just “The Child,” but he’s now saved Din’s life on more than one occasion. As he grows more in tune with the Force, he will certainly become more of an asset in the war against the resurging Empire and First Order.

The Mandalorian & Grogu hits theaters on May 22, 2026. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates on the film and more news out of Star Wars Celebration. You can watch the first three seasons of The Mandalorian on Disney+.