After soft-earning $14.1 million in previews, “The Mandalorian and Grogu” collected $82 million in its opening weekend and an estimated $102 million through Monday.
At the global box office, The Mandalorian and Grogu posted $64 million internationally, contributing to a $145 million three‑day and $165 million four‑day total. That performance stands as the softest franchise kickoff under Disney’s ownership since 2012.”
Released in 2018, Solo: A Star Wars Story struggled to meet expectations despite opening with $84 million over the weekend and $103 million during the Memorial Day stretch. Directed by Ron Howard, the film ultimately earned $392 million worldwide against a production budget close to $300 million, making it the first “Star Wars” theatrical release to lose money. The movie starred Alden Ehrenreich as Han Solo alongside Woody Harrelson as Beckett.
“The Mandalorian and Grogu arrive with a more controlled $165 million budget and stronger audience reception — scoring 61% with critics on the Tomatometer but an impressive 89% with audiences on the Popcornmeter — though its truer test of commercial viability will come in the second weekend at the box office
“Directed by Jon Favreau, the film picks up after season three of The Mandalorian, following Pedro Pascal’s Din Djarin and his beloved green companion. Early audience response has been strong, with an ‘A‑’ CinemaScore — notably higher than the ‘B+’ earned by 2019’s Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.”
David A. Gross, who publishes the box office newsletter FranchiseRe, said, “For all of its originality and fame, ‘Star Wars’ has never been especially strong overseas.”
“The Mandalorian and Grogu” is the first “Star Wars” movie since 2019’s “The Rise of Skywalker,” which earned $1 billion globally while concluding the nine-chapter “Skywalker” saga. As Lucasfilm failed for years to launch a new film, the company turned its attention to the small screen with Disney+ shows in the “Mando”-verse like “The Book of Boba Fett” and “Ahsoka” as well as “Andor” and “Skeleton Crew.” There won’t be as long a wait to return to a galaxy far, far away. “Star Wars: Starfighter,” an original adventure directed by Shawn Levy and starring Ryan Gosling, debuts over Memorial Day weekend in 2027 — and studio insiders believe the tentpole could serve as a fresh start for the franchise.
“For ‘Star Wars’ not to be hurt in any obvious way by its long detour onto streaming is good news for the franchise,” Gross adds.
