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After a nearly seven-year absence from theaters, Star Wars proved it still has the Force, as the latest installment, \u201cThe Mandalorian and Grogu,\u201d is on track to earn an estimated $102 million in the U.S. and Canada for the Memorial Day weekend.<\/p>\n
The movie, which is a continuation of \u201cThe Mandalorian\u201d streaming show that debuted on Disney+ in 2019, met studio expectations for its opening weekend<\/a> results.<\/p>\n Globally, the film was on track to pull in $165 million for the four-day holiday weekend.<\/p>\n Director Jon Favreau\u2019s \u201cThe Mandalorian and Grogu\u201d now ranks as the year\u2019s third-highest grossing domestic opening, based on its Friday-Sunday ticket sales of $82 million, according to ticket tracker Comscore.<\/p>\n The results are likely a relief to Walt Disney Co.-owned Lucasfilm, which had not released a theatrical Star Wars film since 2019\u2019s \u201cStar Wars: Episode IX \u2014 The Rise of Skywalker.\u201d<\/p>\n Since then, the San Francisco-based studio has largely focused on its Star Wars streaming shows, which have included both live-action and animated series. Some of those shows received mixed reviews, though \u201cThe Mandalorian\u201d<\/a> and \u201cRogue One\u201d spin-off \u201cAndor\u201d were breakout hits, praised by critics and largely revered by fans.<\/p>\n The movie \u2014 starring Pedro Pascal, Sigourney Weaver and Jeremy Allen White \u2014 benefited from positive reviews from moviegoers, but it stopped short of shattering expectations. Its initial financial performance was on par with the disappointing 2018 opening weekend for \u201cSolo: A Star Wars Story.\u201d That film notched $103 million in its opening weekend.<\/p>\n Still, as cinemas struggle to recover<\/a> from pandemic-era shutdowns<\/a>, a film that generates more than $100 million in its the opening weekend is typically seen as a success<\/a>.<\/p>\n Read more:<\/b> Even ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ can’t lift 2025 box office out of pandemic-crisis doldrums<\/a><\/p>\n Box office revenue for \u201cThe Mandalorian and Grogu,\u201d which played in 4,300 theaters, will be just one indicator of the movie\u2019s success.<\/p>\n The Burbank entertainment giant is counting on the film to boost other parts of its business, including views of Star Wars shows on the Disney+ streaming service, its gaming collaboration with Fortnite and its all-important theme parks sector. The main characters are present in the Star Wars: Galaxy\u2019s Edge-themed land, and the Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run ride has been overlaid with a new \u201cMandalorian and Grogu\u201d storyline at Disney parks in Anaheim and Orlando.<\/p>\n The weekend ticket sales underscore the enduring appeal of Star Wars, which remains among Disney\u2019s top five franchises, producing more than $1 billion in annual retail sales.<\/p>\n Read more:<\/b> ‘Star Wars’ wends its way back to theaters via an unlikely duo in ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’<\/a><\/p>\n Reception for the film was seen as critical to keeping the franchise fresh in moviegoers\u2019 minds, particularly as Disney prepares for the upcoming 50th anniversary of Star Wars and a new movie starring Ryan Gosling set for next year.<\/p>\n Locally, \u201cThe Mandalorian and Grogu\u201d is the first Star Wars movie to be made entirely in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n The film received a state tax credit to film in the Golden State, Favreau said at the premiere last week.<\/p>\n Read more:<\/b> ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ fries and Grogu shakes: Why Hollywood keeps feeding the fast-food machine<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cThe Mandalorian and Grogu\u201d faced little new competition at the box office this Memorial Day weekend. Rival studios largely stayed on the sidelines, with no other potential blockbuster debuting at the same time.<\/p>\n Focus Films\u2019 horror hit \u201cObsession\u201d came in second at the box office with $22.4 million for its three-day total, according to Comscore.<\/p>\n Lionsgate\u2019s blockbuster Michael Jackson documentary, \u201cMichael,\u201d snared $20 million, bringing its total to $314 million. \u201cThe Devil Wears Prada 2\u201d came in fourth with $12.6 million, bringing its purse to $196 million since it opened earlier this month.<\/p>\n Amazon\u2019s MGM studio\u2019s \u201cThe Sheep Detectives\u201d rounded out the top five with nearly $9 million.<\/p>\n