Hideo Kojima Calls THE MANDALORIAN AND GROGU “An Entertainment Spectacle” After IMAX Screening
Reactions to The Mandalorian and Grogu are continuing to roll in, and one of the more interesting responses yet comes from legendary game creator Hideo Kojima.
The Death Stranding mastermind took to X to share his thoughts on the latest Star Wars movie, and he clearly had a great time with what director Jon Favreau delivered.
Kojima explained that his previous experience with The Mandalorian was tied more to the technology being used on the series rather than the story itself. He wrote:
"I watched Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu in IMAX. Back in 2019, I had only seen the opening of The Mandalorian while examining the LED-shot ‘virtual production’ technology, but this time I had no problem diving in."
Then he went into full Kojima mode with an enthusiastic breakdown of everything the movie throws at audiences:
"Action, car chases, close-quarters combat, sword fights, gun battles, death matches, aerial combat, giant monsters, giant mechs. A complete ‘everything versus everything’ showcase. CGI, puppets, special makeup, animatronics, stop motion."
That sounds exactly like the kind of chaotic and wildly entertaining Star Wars adventure fans were hoping this movie would be. Kojima also seemed especially impressed by the practical filmmaking techniques mixed with visual effects, praising how much craftsmanship went into the production.
He continued: "Nearly every element from across the entire history of the Star Wars saga is in as well. An entertainment spectacle made with craftsmanlike skill by Jon Favreau."
That’s some high praise coming from Kojima, who tends to either write incredibly detailed reactions or keep things extremely short and mysterious. Thankfully for Star Wars fans, this review landed in the first category.
The movie also got off to a solid start at the box office over Memorial Day weekend, bringing in around $100 million domestically. That puts it in the same range as Solo: A Star Wars Story when it opened back in 2018.
The bigger question now is whether The Mandalorian and Grogu can build momentum in the weeks ahead and turn that opening into a strong theatrical run.
Either way, between audience curiosity, Grogu’s massive popularity, and reactions like Kojima’s, Lucasfilm has to be feeling pretty good right now.