“The Mandalorian and Grogu,” the first film in the Star Wars franchise in seven years, was the highest-grossing movie in the U.S. and Canada over the four-day holiday weekend with $102 million in ticket sales.
The performance compares with estimates of at least $100 million from industry tracker Boxoffice Pro. Although it would be considered a strong start for any other big-budget release, it’s among the lowest debuts for a Star Wars picture since franchise-owner Lucasfilm was acquired by Walt Disney Co. in 2012.
Directed by Jon Favreau, “The Mandalorian and Grogu” follows the adventures of bounty hunter Din Djarin, played by Pedro Pascal, and a young acolyte named Grogu — colloquially known as Baby Yoda. It’s the first Star Wars film to be shot entirely in California, aided by $22 million in state tax credits.
Early reviews have been mixed, with some saying that the film lacks scope — both in geography and in storyline — while others call it “purely entertaining.” It won 63% approval with critics on Rotten Tomatoes and 89% with audiences.
The storyline and characters are adapted from “The Mandalorian,” a TV series that debuted on the Disney+ streaming service in 2019.
“Bringing these stories to the big screen, there’s an opportunity to engage with potential audience members who may have not been following Star Wars closely,” Favreau said in an interview at the Los Angeles premiere of the film on May 14. “I think it’s incumbent upon us to put stuff on the screen and put it on in a way that rewards them for going when it’s in the theaters.”
To give the film a more cinematic feel, Favreau said “The Mandalorian and Grogu” includes choreographed action sequences that go toe-to-toe with John Wick or Jason Bourne, and that his team spent more on visual effects than the series did. He also built sets that would lend themselves to the vertical imagery of a giant Imax Corp. screen rather than a widescreen TV.
After the success of Disney’s “The Devil Wears Prada 2” and “Michael” from Lionsgate Studios Corp., the new Star Wars picture forms part of a summer season that’s bringing a number of beloved franchises back to the big screen.
Through September, the calendar includes “Toy Story 5” from Disney’s Pixar Animation Studios; “Scary Movie” and “PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie” from Paramount Skydance Corp.’s film studio; “Supergirl” from Warner Bros. Discovery Inc.’s recently rebooted DC superheroes unit; “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” from Sony Group Corp.; and Illumination’s “Minions & Monsters,” which will be released by Comcast Corp.’s Universal Pictures.
Other films expected to be major successes include Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” and a live-action remake of Disney’s popular “Moana.”
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