For the first time in nearly seven years, Star Wars returned to the big screen — and the results are stirring as much debate as the Force itself. Disney’s The Mandalorian and Grogu ignited to $100 million at the domestic box office over the Memorial Day holiday weekend, which includes $81 million over the traditional three-day frame.
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Key Box Office Numbers At A Glance
The Star Wars spinoff, a continuation of the popular Disney+ streaming series, also collected $63 million from international markets for a global debut of $163 million over the four-day period. Those ticket sales are aligned with expectations, though box office analysts are mixed on the results. On one hand, it’s significant for any film to debut above $100 million in post-pandemic times. On the other, this is Star Wars — and the film set a new franchise record it never wanted to claim: it’s the lowest opening weekend for a Star Wars movie of the Disney era.
| Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| 3-Day Domestic (Fri–Sun) | $81 million |
| 4-Day Domestic (Fri–Mon) | $100 million |
| International (4-Day) | $63 million |
| Global Total (4-Day) | $163 million |
| Theaters (Domestic) | 4,300 |
| Production Budget | $165 million |
| CinemaScore | A- |
| Rotten Tomatoes (Critics) | 62% |
| Rotten Tomatoes (Audience) | 89% |
| Thursday Previews | $12 million |
The Solo Comparison: Better Or Worse?
The immediate comparison point is Solo: A Star Wars Story, which also opened over Memorial Day in 2018 and was considered a financial disaster. That movie opened to $103 million through the four-day holiday (including $84 million over the traditional weekend) and $168 million globally, not adjusted for inflation. Disney’s latest Lucasfilm title is opening lower, with an $81M 3-day and $100M 4-day in the U.S., lower than Solo: A Star Wars Story’s domestic start.
But the economics tell a very different story:
| Factor | Solo (2018) | Mandalorian & Grogu (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| 3-Day Domestic | $84 million | $81 million |
| 4-Day Domestic | $103 million | $100 million |
| Global Opening | $168 million | $163 million |
| Production Budget | ~$300 million | $165 million |
| CinemaScore | A- | A- |
| RT Audience Score | 64% | 89% |
| Final Worldwide Gross | $392 million (lost money) | TBD |
With lackluster reviews and tepid word-of-mouth, Solo left the big screen with just $392 million globally and became the first Star Wars movie ever to lose money in its theatrical run. Part of the issue was Solo carried a gargantuan $300 million budget. The Mandalorian and Grogu carries a leaner $165 million price tag and, perhaps more importantly, has the benefit of positive audience scores.
Why Analysts Are Split
The Mandalorian and Grogu is significant as the first Star Wars movie in seven years — since 2019’s saga-concluding billion-dollar tentpole The Rise of Skywalker. As Lucasfilm spent years failing to launch a new theatrical film, the company turned its attention to Disney+ shows. Analysts suggest the film’s second weekend in theaters will better indicate whether The Mandalorian and Grogu is only appealing to fans of the series, or if it’ll break out among families. Moviegoers are waiting to see Mandalorian and Grogu at home.
In PostTrak exits, 38% of the audience say they’ll see it again in cinemas, but 39% want to watch it again for free or on streaming. Opening weekend ticket buyers were 63% male while 75% were above the age of 25. Jon Favreau directed the film, which earned an “A-” grade on CinemaScore exit polls. All bets were off when the movie snagged a franchise-best audience score of 89 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.
Full Memorial Day Weekend Box Office Chart
The top of the chart shaped up as follows over the four-day holiday frame:
| Rank | Title | 3-Day (Est.) | 4-Day (Est.) | Total Domestic | Week |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Mandalorian and Grogu | $81.0M | $100.0M | $100.0M | 1 |
| 2 | Obsession | $22.4M | $30.4M | $60.7M | 2 |
| 3 | Michael | $20.0M | $26.9M | $321.1M | — |
| 4 | The Devil Wears Prada 2 | — | $25.6M | $183.5M | 3 |
| 5 | Mortal Kombat II | — | $17.7M | $66.6M | 2 |
| 6 | The Sheep Detectives | — | $14.1M | — | 2 |
| 7 | Passenger | $8.7M | $10.5M | $10.5M | 1 |
| 8 | I Love Boosters | $3.7M | ~$5.0M | ~$5.0M | 1 |
ComScore weighed the four-day Memorial Day weekend at $221.9 million, which is off 33% from last year’s all-time record ($330.1M) for the holiday stretch.
The Obsession Phenomenon
The real surprise of the weekend was Focus Features’ Obsession, which amassed $23.9 million over the weekend and $30.3 million through Monday — an unprecedented 39% increase from its strong debut. It’s an especially uncommon occurrence for horror, a genre that’s notorious for falling sharply after opening weekend. So far, Obsession has generated a remarkable $60.7 million in North America and $75 million worldwide. It was produced for less than $1 million and will easily become one of the year’s most profitable releases. YouTube breakout Curry Barker directed the well-reviewed and positively received film.
Star Wars Openings In The Disney Era
| Film | Year | Domestic Opening | Global Opening |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Force Awakens | 2015 | $248M (3-day) | $529M |
| Rogue One | 2016 | $155M (3-day) | $290M |
| The Last Jedi | 2017 | $220M (3-day) | $450M |
| Solo | 2018 | $103M (4-day MDW) | $168M |
| The Rise of Skywalker | 2019 | $177M (3-day) | $373M |
| The Mandalorian and Grogu | 2026 | $100M (4-day MDW) | $163M |
This marks the lowest opening in the franchise’s modern Disney era, behind the bow of Solo eight years ago. It is also behind the $108.4M bow of Revenge of the Sith in 2005 and on par with Attack of the Clones in 2002 ($80M).
Can It Survive? The Path To Profitability
The movie was cheaper than Solo, $165M net to $300M before global P&A, so that’s commendable. “Sometimes these movies make more money in merchandise than at the box office,” one talent rep noted — Star Wars is one of the top five toy franchises with $1 billion in retail sales annually, with 13M Grogu toys sold during the first two years of the streaming series’ drop. 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.
Read More: BTS Wins Artist Of The Year At 2026 American Music Awards: Complete Winners List
FAQs
How much did Mandalorian and Grogu make opening weekend?
$100 million over the four-day Memorial Day frame domestically, including $81 million over the traditional three-day weekend.
What was the global opening?
$163 million globally over the four-day period, including $63 million from international markets.
Is this the lowest Star Wars opening under Disney?
Yes — it’s the lowest opening weekend for a Star Wars movie of the Disney era.
How does it compare to Solo?
Ticket sales are roughly even with Solo, which opened to $103 million through the four-day holiday in 2018, but Mandalorian and Grogu was less expensive, costing roughly $165 million to produce, versus Solo’s ~$300 million.
What was the biggest surprise of the weekend?
Obsession generated $60.7 million in North America — produced for less than $1 million, it will easily become one of the year’s most profitable releases.
