LOS ANGELES – At the Los Angeles premiere of the latest Star Wars film The Mandalorian And Grogu in May, its stars spoke of falling in love with baby alien protagonist Grogu, who anchors the story’s emotional core.

Now showing in Singapore cinemas, the sci-fi blockbuster follows Mandalorian bounty hunter Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and his adopted alien son Grogu on a dangerous mission to find the remnants of the Galactic Empire.

It is based on the Disney+ series The Mandalorian (2019 to 2023), which first introduced fans to Grogu – whom they immediately dubbed “baby Yoda” because it is the same species as the iconic Star Wars sage.

Pascal says the fan-favourite character – an animatronic creation enhanced by computer-generated imagery – represents a bridge between old and new.

The 51-year-old Chilean-American actor says: “There’s something unbelievable about a creature that’s adorable and that is of the old – as we know Yoda – but absolutely new to the stories of Star Wars.”

The bond between Grogu and his own character, who is “in head-to-t...