'Mandalorian And Grogu' Takes Off With Around $12M Previews
Deadline • • entertainment
Key Points:
- Lucasfilm/Disney’s Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu earned approximately $12 million in North American Thursday night previews, slightly below the $14.1 million preview earnings of 2018’s Solo: A Star Wars Story.
- The Mandalorian and Grogu is playing in 4,300 theaters, including 425 IMAX locations, with advanced formats like PLF, 4DX, 3D, and ScreenX, and aims to reach $80 million to $100 million over the four-day Memorial Day weekend.
- Disney’s marketing targets families by highlighting the character Grogu’s appeal, while also engaging core Star Wars fans with nostalgic references, though the film’s PG-13 rating leaves uncertainty about broader family turnout.
- Audience reception on Rotten Tomatoes is strong with an 88% score, surpassing Solo’s 63%, but critics are slightly less favorable, giving Mandalorian and Grogu a 61% fresh rating compared to Solo’s 69%.
- Last year, Disney led the Memorial Day box office to a record $326.7 million total, with Lilo & Stitch achieving the best holiday opening at $182.6 million over four days, setting a high benchmark for this year’s releases.