There are popular film franchises, and then there's the Star Wars movies. Generations were brought up on the galaxy far, far away, including both big screen adventures and live-action shows that are streaming with a Disney+ subscription. The latter started thanks to The Mandalorian, and now Jon Favreau has brought both he and Grogu to the big screen. And while promoting the movie, the director has weighed in on the years-long AT-AT debate.
Critical response to The Mandalorian and Grogu has been mixed, although the audience reaction has been much kinder. The movie opens with Mando taking out three AT-ATs by himself, and while speaking with Fandango Jon Favreau was asked which is the right way to pronounce that Imperial vehicle. He responded with the following:
I go either way. AT-AT, A.T.A.T. I tend to say A.T.A.T., but you know with military you tend to pronounce the words, in the terrestrial world. But with Star Wars fans there's definitely a division between who says what. I think both are ok.
There you have it. While Jon Favreau thinks both pronunciations are acceptable, he does personally call it A.T.A.T, rather than the more colloquial (and phonetic) AT-AT. That's just one man's opinion, but the fact that he directed a sequence with the hulking vehicles does give his opinion a bit more weight.
While AT-ATs would cost millions in the real world, I assume that the debate about how to pronounce their name would still rage on. And even with Jon Favreau weighing in, both versions will likely still be uttered by Star Wars fans out there. In the same conversation, Favreu went on to share the origin of his preferred pronunciation, offering:
I grew up saying A.T.A.T. Yeah, that's what I do. Both are acceptable answers.
AT-ATs made their debut in Empire Strikes Back, which is considered one of the best Star Wars movies of all time. While audiences were originally unsure about its contents, it's usually at the top of the franchise's movie rankings. The giant vehicles made their way through Hoth, and they've returned to the big screen in projects like The Last Jedi and (most recently) The Mandalorian and Grogu. And the fact that Pedro Pascal's Din Djarin managed to take out three single-handedly was an epic way to start Jon Favreau's blockbuster.
The Mandalorian and Grogu is in theaters now as part of the 2026 movie release list. We'll just have to wait and see where AT-ATs pop up in the franchise next.
