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Adam Savage’s Tested
Adam Savage Reacts to The Mandalorian & Grogu!
⏱ 16 min video · 3 min read22 May 2026
TL;DR
Adam Savage and Norm Chan unbox the new Hot Toys life-size Grogu figure tied to The Mandalorian & Grogu film release. Adam also shares firsthand impressions from attending the Hollywood premiere, including insights on the puppet performance and prop craftsmanship in the movie.
Key points
1
The new Hot Toys life-size Grogu includes film-specific accessories: a wrist dart shooter, beskar chest sigil, satchel, macaroon, two grenades (Mando-size and Grogu-size), and a force arm with extended pose.
2
Adam attended the Hollywood premiere at the Chinese Theater where actual sets from Jon Favreau's production facility were installed on the street as walk-through activations.
3
Three Grogu puppets appeared on the premiere red carpet, including a hero puppet on a log that mirrored audience poses, operated by a team of four puppeteers working in subtle concert.
4
Adam describes the puppet performance in The Mandalorian & Grogu film as remarkably subtle, comparing the emotional effect to the original Yoda in 1980 -- a sense of watching a handmade object being breathed into life.
5
The film's prop master upgraded all hand props (including Amban blasters) with extra jewelry-like detail for the IMAX feature format, which Adam noticed immediately at the premiere.
Actionable insights
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When comparing Hot Toys Grogu figures across releases, the head sculpt appears largely the same but hair volume and eye bump placement differ subtly -- worth close inspection before purchasing.
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The new Hot Toys Grogu's ball-joint neck allows far more expressive posing than the original Sideshow figure, making it more useful as a display or reference piece for prop builders.
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Adam plans to replace the vinyl satchel with real thin leather to better match the actual production props, which are all genuine leather.
Notable quotes
“The thing that was special about Yoda back in 1981 was that not just that they figured out how to make this character believable, but it was that you also understood you were looking at a handmade object that someone was breathing life into.”
“There is a subtlety to the performance that is remarkable and I felt like watching it I was thinking -- it holds your emotional attention completely. It is a remarkable thing.”
“This is weird. Couple of grown men playing with a doll. I am so happy right now.”
Worth watching?
⏭️
Worth watching the full video?
Skip the video unless you want to watch the physical unboxing comparison or hear Adam talk through premiere atmosphere -- all the substantive insights about the puppet performance and prop craftsmanship are captured here.
Saved you some time? The creator still deserves a like.
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