With The Mandalorian and Grogu securing a massive $100 million U.S. opening, Star Wars has finally blasted back into theaters after seven years away from the big screen. Din Djarin and Grogu’s cinematic return instantly pulled fandom back into Galactic Empire chaos, bounty-hunter warfare, and lightsaber nostalgia. But despite dominating the Memorial Day weekend, the film has also triggered heavy debate online after landing as the lowest-opening Disney-era Star Wars theatrical release.

And while Grogu mania continues flooding theaters worldwide, the franchise’s latest box-office twist may have already reopened major concerns surrounding the future of Star Wars on the big screen.

Despite winning Memorial Day weekend, The Mandalorian and Grogu instantly sparked heavy debate after opening with $81 million over three days, $100 million across the 4-day U.S. holiday frame, and nearly $163 million worldwide, including $63 million from 51 overseas territories. However, the film still landed below Solo: A Star Wars Story, making it the lowest-opening Disney-era Star Wars theatrical release. The movie was reportedly produced for around $165 million before global marketing costs, far cheaper than Solo’s troubled production, while Disney additionally launched a massive $100 million promotional campaign involving Burger King, Coca-Cola, Walmart, Volkswagen, Alaska Airlines, Bath & Body Works, and more (via Deadline).

Disney is also heavily banking on Grogu’s merchandising dominance and long-term franchise value beyond ticket sales alone. Reports revealed Star Wars still generates nearly $1 billion annually through toy sales, while Grogu merchandise alone sold over 13 million units during the first two years of The Mandalorian. However, much of the online conversation quickly shifted toward whether Disney truly succeeded in transforming a streaming-first phenomenon into a theatrical event, with many critics and fans calling the film “a TV show stretched onto the big screen”, openly admitting they would rather wait for Disney+ than rush to cinemas.

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And while The Mandalorian and Grogu continue dominating the current Star Wars conversation, Disney has already started reshaping the franchise’s next big-screen future.

Following the release of The Mandalorian and Grogu, Disney has reportedly pulled its planned December 2026 Star Wars movie while shifting focus toward Disney+ and animated storytelling for the rest of the year. One of the franchise’s biggest upcoming projects now includes Star Wars: Visions Presents – The Ninth Jedi, a continuation of the fan-favourite anime short from Production I.G. that further expands “The Ninth Jedi” storyline. The Disney+ limited series also continues Lucasfilm’s growing push into anime-inspired Star Wars storytelling.

Another major upcoming expansion for the franchise also includes gaming projects like Star Wars: Galactic Racer, officially scheduled for October 6, 2026. Meanwhile, Star Wars: Zero Company remains locked for a late-2026 release window as Respawn Entertainment and Bit Reactor continue developing the Clone Wars-era tactical game. Beyond gaming, the franchise’s next theatrical chapter is officially set to become Star Wars: Starfighter, directed by Shawn Levy and starring Ryan Gosling, with release locked for May 28, 2027. However, as The Mandalorian and Grogu have already blasted into theaters worldwide, fans can still revisit The Mandalorian Seasons 1 and 2 on Disney+.

And while The Mandalorian and Grogu may have successfully reignited theatrical excitement for Star Wars, the film’s divisive box-office response now leaves Disney facing a much bigger challenge, proving the franchise can still dominate cinemas in the streaming era.

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What are your thoughts on The Mandalorian and Grogu’s box-office debut? Let us know in the comments.