The Return of a Galaxy Far, Far Away
After a long absence from the big screen, moviegoers are once again venturing into a galaxy far, far away. The latest addition to the “Star Wars” franchise, “The Mandalorian and Grogu,” has made its debut, marking the first new “Star Wars” movie since 2019’s “The Rise of Skywalker.” The film grossed $82 million in its three-day opening weekend at the domestic box office, with estimates suggesting it could reach $102 million when including Memorial Day grosses.
This figure is the lowest-grossing opening for a “Star Wars” movie released by Disney, though only slightly lower than the 2018 prequel “Solo: A Star Wars Story,” which opened with $84 million over three days and $103 million through Memorial Day. While “Solo” was considered a box office failure due to its high budget and disappointing returns, “The Mandalorian and Grogu” may have a better chance of profitability thanks to its significantly lower production cost.
Production Costs and Box Office Expectations
According to reports from Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, “The Mandalorian and Grogu” had a production budget of $165 million, making it one of the cheaper “Star Wars” films in recent years. This contrasts sharply with “Solo,” which reportedly had a budget of $250 million or more, with additional costs incurred due to reshoots after the original directors were replaced during production.
Despite this, the film’s opening numbers still represent a significant drop from the peak of the “Star Wars” franchise. In 2015, “The Force Awakens” opened with an impressive $247 million domestically, and it remains the highest-grossing film in the United States. Its sequels, “The Last Jedi” (2017) and “The Rise of Skywalker” (2019), opened with $220 million and $177 million, respectively. The spinoff “Rogue One” also had a strong start with $155 million in 2016.
A Break from the Big Screen
Lucasfilm had planned for a break in the “Star Wars” movie slate after the release of “The Rise of Skywalker” in 2019. However, this break turned out to be longer than expected. Since then, the studio struggled to find the right way to relaunch the franchise on the big screen. Several movies were announced, including “Rogue Squadron,” which was scheduled for 2023. None of these projects materialized, leading to a prolonged period without new “Star Wars” films.
During this time, the series continued to thrive on the small screen with various Disney+ shows. By 2024, Lucasfilm sought a safer bet for a “Star Wars” movie that would be easier to produce. They turned to the most popular Disney+ show, “The Mandalorian,” which brought “Baby Yoda” into pop culture in 2019.
A New Chapter for “The Mandalorian”
“The Mandalorian and Grogu” continues the story of the show, with Pedro Pascal returning as bounty hunter Din Djarin. The film’s plot is designed to be accessible for newcomers who haven’t watched the series. However, reviews for the movie were mixed, with a 62% critics’ approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which is one of the lowest for the franchise.
Despite the mixed critical reception, audiences seem to be enjoying the film. Moviegoers gave the film an average grade of A- according to CinemaScore, matching the rating of “Solo” and improving on “The Rise of Skywalker,” which received a B+. However, it falls short of the A grades given to “The Force Awakens” and “The Last Jedi.”
The Future of “Star Wars”
As a largely standalone story, “The Mandalorian and Grogu” doesn’t provide much indication of where “Star Wars” will go next. The fact that it’s based on a TV show may have limited its audience or led some viewers to wait for it to be available on Disney+.
The bigger test for the franchise’s future will come next summer with “Star Wars: Starfighter,” an all-new adventure starring Ryan Gosling. This film will take the series’ timeline beyond the ending of “The Rise of Skywalker” for the first time, and the pressure is high for it to establish a new era for “Star Wars” movies and prove that the Force is still strong with the brand.
