After a nearly seven-year absence from theaters, Star Wars proved it still has the Force, as the latest installment, โThe Mandalorian and Grogu,โ is on track to earn an estimated $102 million in the U.S. and Canada for the Memorial Day weekend.
The movie, which is a continuation of โThe Mandalorianโ streaming show that debuted on Disney+ in 2019, met studio expectations for its opening weekend results.
Globally, the film was on track to pull in $165 million for the four-day holiday weekend.
Director Jon Favreauโs โThe Mandalorian and Groguโ now ranks as the yearโs third-highest grossing domestic opening, based on its Friday-Sunday ticket sales of $82 million, according to ticket tracker Comscore.
The results are likely a relief to Walt Disney Co.-owned Lucasfilm, which had not released a theatrical Star Wars film since 2019โs โStar Wars: Episode IX โ The Rise of Skywalker.โ
Since then, the San Francisco-based studio has largely focused on its Star Wars streaming shows, which have included both live-action and animated series. Some of those shows received mixed reviews, though โThe Mandalorianโ and โRogue Oneโ spin-off โAndorโ were breakout hits, praised by critics and largely revered by fans.
The movie โ starring Pedro Pascal, Sigourney Weaver and Jeremy Allen White โ benefited from positive reviews from moviegoers, but it stopped short of shattering expectations. Its initial financial performance was on par with the disappointing 2018 opening weekend for โSolo: A Star Wars Story.โ That film notched $103 million in its opening weekend.
Still, as cinemas struggle to recover from pandemic-era shutdowns, a film that generates more than $100 million in its the opening weekend is typically seen as a success.
Box office revenue for โThe Mandalorian and Grogu,โ which played in 4,300 theaters, will be just one indicator of the movieโs success.
The Burbank entertainment giant is counting on the film to boost other parts of its business, including views of Star Wars shows on the Disney+ streaming service, its gaming collaboration with Fortnite and its all-important theme parks sector. The main characters are present in the Star Wars: Galaxyโs Edge-themed land, and the Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run ride has been overlaid with a new โMandalorian and Groguโ storyline at Disney parks in Anaheim and Orlando.
The weekend ticket sales underscore the enduring appeal of Star Wars, which remains among Disneyโs top five franchises, producing more than $1 billion in annual retail sales.
Reception for the film was seen as critical to keeping the franchise fresh in moviegoersโ minds, particularly as Disney prepares for the upcoming 50th anniversary of Star Wars and a new movie starring Ryan Gosling set for next year.
Locally, โThe Mandalorian and Groguโ is the first Star Wars movie to be made entirely in Los Angeles.
The film received a state tax credit to film in the Golden State, Favreau said at the premiere last week.
โThe Mandalorian and Groguโ faced little new competition at the box office this Memorial Day weekend. Rival studios largely stayed on the sidelines, with no other potential blockbuster debuting at the same time.
Focus Filmsโ horror hit โObsessionโ came in second at the box office with $22.4 million for its three-day total, according to Comscore.
Lionsgateโs blockbuster Michael Jackson documentary, โMichael,โ snared $20 million, bringing its total to $314 million. โThe Devil Wears Prada 2โ came in fourth with $12.6 million, bringing its purse to $196 million since it opened earlier this month.
Amazonโs MGM studioโs โThe Sheep Detectivesโ rounded out the top five with nearly $9 million.