It seemed like one of those perfectly executed viral marketing moments that Disney does so well: Pedro Pascal, disguised as his Mandalorian character, surprises a group of unsuspecting tourists at Disneyland as they were about to board the Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run ride.
In the viral clip released Sunday (below), Pascal removes his helmet and the tourists go wild — cheering with shock and excitement at unexpectedly seeing The Mandalorian and Grogu actor. Disney’s Instagram caption read, “Pedro Pascal creates the surprise of a lifetime at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at @disneyland.”
Except the jaw-dropped tourists weren’t exactly a random group.
As quickly spotted by online sleuths, the people consisted of Star Wars bloggers, influencers and fan creators. The revelation has led to some backlash against the studio, which has leaned heavily on influencers in recent years to generate hype ahead of releases. One fan site wrote, “The backlash surrounding the Pedro Pascal Disneyland stunt taps directly into a growing problem for Disney: Audiences no longer trust the company’s marketing.”
To be fair, Disney never claimed the group were random tourists, and the influencers lent plenty of transparency to the matter by eventually posting their own accounts of the moment.
“I was a crying fool after shaking [Pascal’s] hand and screaming along with everyone in that room last night and I’m okay with that,” wrote a Star Wars cosplayer. “The team @starwars @lucasfilm worked tirelessly on planning out this epic experience for us and for that, I am eternally grateful.” Wrote a digital creator: “Biggest thank you to the team @starwars for making this happen … Go see [The Mandalorian] on the big screen MAY 22.”
So Disney didn’t really hide the ball — from a certain point of view. But the studio’s initial footage and photos certainly led many to assume this was an impromptu moment, and media outlets covered the stunt without knowing the lucky tourists were hand-picked by the studio.
A source close to the matter told The Hollywood Reporter that the group consisted of legitimate Star Wars fans, some of whom have modest social media followings. The group had been invited to the park under the guise of getting to check out new content additions to Smugglers Run. Their reaction to Pascal, in other words, was genuine. Afterwards, Pascal, The Mandalorian and Grogu co-star Sigourney Weaver, writer-director Jon Favreau and Lucasfilm chief Dave Filoni gathered to watch the Shadows of Memory projection show with everyday tourists nearby.
The stunt follows several fan site critics posting enthusiastic reviews of The Mandalorian and Grogu following early screenings of the film. One called it “a grin-inducing crowd-pleaser that puts Star Wars back on theatrical track. Director Jon Favreau is (again) a safe pair of hands that deliver a solid, thrilling and engaging romp. A solid popcorn movie that is the summer blockbuster you’re looking for.”
The Mandalorian and Grogu marks the first new Star Wars film in seven years and opens this weekend.
