Ryan Gosling

Global box office earnings for Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu reached an estimated $165 million during the four-day Memorial Day holiday. Domestic earnings accounted for $102 million, while international markets contributed the remaining $63 million. This release marks the first new Star Wars theatrical film since The Rise of Skywalker in 2019. It follows nearly seven years of Disney+ series, starting with The Mandalorian itself. Consequently, industry watchers focused heavily on these box office figures to gauge the franchise's current relevance in 2026. Contextualising the performance reveals that Solo: A Star Wars Story earned $103 million domestically during its four-day Memorial Day debut in 2018. That figure was not adjusted for inflation. In North America, The Mandalorian and Grogu recorded the lowest opening for a Star Wars film since Disney acquired the franchise in 2012, though the margin was slim. Despite the figures, there is some positive sentiment surrounding Baby Yoda’s cinematic outing. According to Variety, production costs for The Mandalorian and Grogu stood at just $165 million, which is significantly lower than previous Star Wars entries, though marketing expenses add to the total. Audience reception appears strong, with 89% approval on Rotten Tomatoes’ user-generated Popcornmeter. Senior box office analyst Jeff Bock from Exhibitor Relations Co reacted to the opening weekend numbers, telling Reuters: What Disney really wants this film to do is stabilize the Star Wars universe. I think this helps do that. Attention now shifts to how The Mandalorian and Grogu performs during its second, third, and fourth weekends in cinemas. Solo ultimately grossed $392.9 million globally without inflation adjustment and was deemed a flop for the franchise. The question remains whether The Mandalorian and Grogu will surpass that total. Regardless of this outcome, Lucasfilm reportedly expects next year’s Star Wars: Starfighter to have a stronger chance of revitalising the franchise. The upcoming title features Ryan Gosling and takes place after the events of The Rise of Skywalker. Shawn Levy, known for directing Deadpool & Wolverine, is helming the project. Senior media analyst Eric Handler at Roth Capital Partners recently spoke to Variety about the situation. He noted that Lucasfilm is finding it difficult to attract young audiences to Star Wars in the same way previous generations were engaged, despite Grogu becoming a massive merchandise phenomenon. Handler said: There’s clearly interest in the brand. But revenues for each film have gotten progressively lower. Star Wars isn’t resonating with younger moviegoers like it did for generations. Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for Disney.