Box Office Performance of ‘Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu’

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The latest Star Wars movie, Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu, has returned to cinemas after almost seven years off the big screen. The film witnessed a strong, but not groundbreaking, turnout globally over its premiere weekend. As per studio estimates, it collected $82 million from 4,300 theaters across the United States and Canada. It is anticipated to reach $102 million domestically and $165 million globally by the end of the Memorial Day holiday.

This ensures the film exceeded expectations, being a continuation of the Disney+ spinoff series The Mandalorian. However, it remains on the lower spectrum for Disney-era Star Wars releases, similar to Solo: A Star Wars Story, which garnered $103 million over a comparable period in 2018. Comparatively, Solo‘s significant production budget of around $300 million contrasts with The Mandalorian and Grogu‘s budget of $165 million, excluding promotional costs. This difference increases its chances for a profitable outcome, considering its positive reception among audiences.

Critics offered mixed to negative feedback, reflected in a 63% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, yet audiences awarded it an A- CinemaScore. Young boys, particularly those under 13 years old, responded with higher favor, giving it an A CinemaScore and a perfect score on PostTrak. Parental feedback similarly reflected strong approval.

The film, directed by Jon Favreau, features Pedro Pascal as the lead bounty hunter on a mission, alongside his green companion, to save Jabba’s son Rotta the Hutt, who is voiced by Jeremy Allen White.

The movie can be judged differently due to its origins as a streaming series and its eventual availability on Disney+. This is relevant since the brand is navigating changes under new leadership by Dave Filoni and Lynwen Brennan. Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy recently announced her step down after 13 years, having produced this film. The industry’s question lies in whether interest in Star Wars in cinemas has lessened somewhat.

The upcoming Star Wars: Starfighter, starring Ryan Gosling, may answer public curiosity definitively. Until its release, positive audience feedback and word-of-mouth, as highlighted by Paul Dergarabedian, aim to maintain box office momentum.

Moviegoers rule, Dergarabedian remarked, noting audience reaction as a promising indicator for sustained box-office presence.

Other films this weekend also showed unique trends. Curry Barker’s horror movie, Obsession, witnessed an unprecedented 30% increase in ticket sales in its second weekend, earning $22.4 million from 2,655 theaters, underscoring the impact of social media buzz among younger viewers. Acquired for approximately $15 million, it reached $28.2 million by the holiday’s end, ranking second place. Michael, landing third, grossed $20 million, and its current earnings stand at $782.4 million.

The movie Passenger from Paramount Pictures achieved $8.7 million from 2,534 theaters, with projected earnings of $10.5 million by Monday. It received weak reviews from both critics and audiences, evidenced by its 44% Rotten Tomatoes score and B- CinemaScore.

Additionally, I Love Boosters, a micro-budget title starring Keke Palmer and Demi Moore, pulled in $3.7 million. This weekend’s collection did not match up to the previous Memorial Day, where releases like Disney’s Lilo & Stitch and Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning delivered robust numbers.

This year’s holiday revenue, totaling approximately $211 million, marked a 36% decrease from last year’s $330 million, though it was better than the low-performing 2024 period synonymous with Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.

Top 10 movies by domestic box office are based on estimated ticket sales from Friday to Sunday in the U.S. and Canada, according to Comscore: