'The Mandalorian and Grogu' Debuts to $165M Bounty Worldwide

After seven long years, Star Wars has returned to the big screen — and Mando and Baby Yoda are bringing the galaxy far, far away straight to your heart.

It's been nearly a decade since the Skywalker Saga wrapped up, and Star Wars fans have been hungry for something that feels right. Enter Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu, the theatrical debut of the beloved duo that quietly became the most popular force in the franchise. Released on May 22, 2026, directed by Jon Favreau, and starring Pedro Pascal as Din Djarin alongside the irresistible Grogu, this film is the big-screen event the fandom didn't know it needed.

A Box Office That Brings Back The Force

Let's talk numbers. In its opening weekend, The Mandalorian and Grogu pulled in an estimated $82 million domestically from 4,300 theaters across the U.S. and Canada. Over the four-day Memorial Day holiday, that figure is projected to climb to $102 million domestically and $165 million globally — making it the third-highest domestic opening of 2026 so far.

While CNBC noted that the film is technically Disney's lowest-opening Star Wars movie, with Solo: A Star Wars Story previously holding that record at $84 million, it still significantly outperformed pre-release tracking projections of $80 million. In a post-pandemic landscape where audiences are selective, earning $100M+ over a holiday weekend is nothing short of a win.

What the Critics Are Saying

Reviews have been mixed but largely warm from audiences. On Metacritic, the film holds a Metascore of 53 from 52 critic reviews, with a user score of 6.0. Critics have called it a visual spectacle built for fans first.

The Times of India gave it 3.5 out of 5 stars, calling it a "fan-friendly, visually rich, and action-packed ride," while noting that "its scale, action, creatures, and Mando-Grogu charm make it a big-screen watch." The consensus? It may not rewrite cinema, but it delivers exactly what fans showed up for.

A Star-Studded Galaxy

The film boasts a surprisingly stacked cast alongside Pascal. Sigourney Weaver makes her Star Wars debut as Colonel Ward, while Jeremy Allen White (The Bear) plays Rotta the Hutt. Even Martin Scorsese appears in a cameo role as a character named Hugo. Composer Ludwig Göransson, the Oscar-winning genius behind the series' iconic score, returns to deliver the music.

The story picks up in the post-Empire galaxy, where Din Djarin and Grogu navigate a world still recovering from Imperial rule while the New Republic struggles to maintain order.

Why This Movie Matters

The Mandalorian and Grogu isn't just a movie — it's a course correction for a franchise that lost its way. After the Sequel Trilogy divided audiences and a string of Disney+ shows received mixed receptions, this film represents Lucasfilm's bet that the right characters, told with care, can bring audiences back. The early box office results suggest they may be right.

Directed by Jon Favreau — the same creative visionary who gave us Iron Man and helped build the MCU — this film benefits from a storyteller who understands spectacle and heart.

Whether you're a lifelong Star Wars devotee or someone who only knows Grogu from memes, The Mandalorian and Grogu is the most accessible Star Wars film in years. As the Times of India put it: