Baby Yoda is heading to the big screen in a film inspired by Star Wars spin-off series The Mandalorian.

Lucasfilm said production would start this year – five years after the release of the last film in the franchise, The Rise of Skywalker.

The Mandalorian and Grogu will be directed by Jon Favreau, creator of the hit TV show.

Pedro Pascal, who plays Din Djarin – aka the Mandalorian on the small screen, is expected to stay in the role.

The Disney+ series tells the tale of a helmeted bounty hunter protecting Grogu – a toddler member of the same species as Yoda – from the remnants of the imperial forces.

It debuted in 2019, with the third series released in 2023, and is set several years after the events of Return of the Jedi.

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Lucasfilm owner Disney had paused development of new Star Wars films and scrapped some projects as it tried to work out a new strategy for the franchise.

But its president Kathleen Kennedy said the story was “a perfect fit for the big screen”.

Favreau added: “I have loved telling stories set in the rich world that George Lucas created.

“The prospect of bringing the Mandalorian and his apprentice Grogu to the big screen is extremely exciting.”

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