Disney's 'The Mandalorian & Grogu' records lowest-grossing Star Wars theatrical release

Disney’s newest Star Wars theatrical film, “The Mandalorian & Grogu,” earned roughly $330 million worldwide, making it the poorest‑performing entry in the franchise’s cinema history. The previous low‑point was the 2018 spin‑off “Solo: A Star Wars Story,” which grossed about $393 million.

The film’s production budget of about $165 million was lower than “Solo’s” $275 million, improving its chance of breaking even through post‑theatrical revenue streams such as Disney+, digital sales and merchandising. Nonetheless, the modest box‑office returns are viewed as a warning sign for Lucasfilm, which has long relied on blockbuster Star Wars releases that routinely exceed the $1 billion mark.

Comparisons were drawn with earlier franchise hits—“The Force Awakens” and “The Last Jedi” each surpassed $2 billion, while “The Rise of Skywalker” and the original trilogy also posted multi‑billion totals. The underperformance of “The Mandalorian & Grogu” highlights the challenge of translating the popularity of the Disney+ series into comparable theatrical interest.