Mandalorian and Grogu Draws $12 Million in Previews as Disney Eyes $80 Million-$100 Million 4-Day Opening
Updated
Updated · Deadline · May 22
Mandalorian and Grogu Draws $12 Million in Previews as Disney Eyes $80 Million-$100 Million 4-Day Opening
13 articles · Updated · Deadline · May 22
$12 million in North American Thursday previews put Disney's The Mandalorian and Grogu on pace for an $80 million-$100 million Memorial Day 4-day debut.
That start trails Solo: A Star Wars Story's $14.1 million in previews, a comparison that points to a softer launch for the franchise than Disney's biggest Star Wars openings.
The Jon Favreau film opened in 4,300 theaters, including 425 Imax sites, after presales reached $25 million by Tuesday and Disney pushed both family-friendly Grogu marketing and nostalgia for core fans.
Audience response has been stronger than Solo so far, with an 88% Rotten Tomatoes audience score versus 63%, though critics were less enthusiastic at 61% fresh compared with Solo's 69%.
The release arrives after Disney helped drive a record $326.7 million Memorial Day box office last year, when Lilo & Stitch posted a holiday-best $182.6 million 4-day opening.
Is transitioning a TV show to cinemas a brilliant move or a costly gamble for Lucasfilm's future?
With a $530M break-even point, can Grogu's appeal prevent another Star Wars box office flop like 'Solo'?